ToddlingAroundTheWorld

The Walkingspree challenge my work is putting on is aspiring me even higher. 

This is my new monniker: #LimpingAroundTheWorld One of the most challenging walking days so far. My left knee has been aggravated and in pain for the past week at least. I keep hoping the swelling will go down and it will just get better, but it hasnt. It doesnt hurt too bad while I am sitting down at work. I do need to get up occasionally to give it some physical therapy and make sure it doesnt lock up too bad, but it has given me a pretty good limp. When I hit the mall on this day, it was pretty bad. I noticeably was limping and going much slower than my usual 4MPH pace, but I persevered through the pain and kept limping along. Sometimes it would feel a bit better, but mostly it was bad. Every other step was painful, but I ended up getting almost 8 miles through the day. Then I rested it for a few hours at home before trying again on the treadmill. Seemed a bit better in the evening. Completed 12 miles for the day on that gimpy leg.

You can call me Todd Mallwalker. 9.5 miles today after going to the mall with LeAnn for a bit after we went to a ward potluck.  There is a sister missionary, sister Bak, who is serving in our ward and is from Korea. I told her that I had been to Seoul once when I was working over in Japan after my mission. (This was 28 years ago now!) The company I was working for, Seimei Gakushu Juku had not sponsored me with a working visa. (I didnt realize that this was a big deal) They were planning on sending me out of the country every three months to go out and come back to renew my tourist visa for three more months. So, after 3 months, then sent me to Korea. It was cool being in a whole new country, but strange to not be able to communicate once again. Felt just like a greenbean missionary - a stranger in a strange land. While I was there for a few days, I decided to go see some of the sites. I got a map and started working my way up to the Seoul Tower. It was a cool site from down below a...

I have started listening to some different Podcasts on my morning walks. I am looking for uplifting, thoughtful media that will inspire me higher. I found one that I love. It is called 'Finding Fred'. It is about the ways that Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers) impacted people through the show that he had- Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I loved this show when I was young, and Im sure I would still love it even now. I will need to see if I can find some re-runs. It is surely inspiring the way that he led his life and how he interacted with children to make them feel special. This is something each of us can strive to do - strive to help everyone you meet be glad to have met you, and come away with a smile.  The treadmill my sister Kelly gave us, had a crack in the cover that goes over the motor. The other night, it was making this grinding noise, so I grabbed the plastic cover and lifted it up as it was vibrating against the tread.I couldnt get it to stop, so I lifted it up a bit and the whole ...

A letter I sent to Austin this week: Dear Austin,  this picture is up on the wall of the bishops office. It is meaningful to me because of this Japanese origin. It is also profound To realize it’s deeper meaning. Do you think that something can be more beautiful after it is broken it is important for us to remember. Every person on the earth has their flaws and the only perfect one is Jesus Christ, after Who we try to emulate them become like him. But the only way that we can do that is to try and mend our floors and become better people each day. Essentially our weaknesses will make us stronger as we overcome them. I can see you this afternoon with you as you strive to become better as a missionary, As a person and in striving to teach others how they too can repent and become perfected through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Think about how beautiful those people that you work with become after excepting the joy of the gospel. You are helping to have a hand in helping them to beco...

Had a bit of time before my meeting with the bishop. Drove with LeAnn to church as she was going to Ward Conferences. I then walked down and around Lake Killarney. I will walk whenever I get a moment. Every step is critical in reaching my goal of walking to Argentina and around the world. I often think about how every mile I walk, the closer it brings me to Austin and being able to see him again. It is those thoughts which drive me each and every day to keep on keepin on. The only way I am going to make it there- through consistency and dedication. I will make it. There is no other option.  

I love spending a bit of time at the aquarium on Saturdays. The best thing is being with the animals and learning from the other workers there about some of the nuances of the zoo and aquarium. Today, I was talking to Kat in the aquarium food prep area when she showed me some shark eggs. They were fascinating to see. They are in these little pouches and are also known as Mermaids Purse.  She works with some of the smaller sharks and Rays that are in and area called the lagoon. She told me that they just have female sharks in there, so the eggs are never fertilized. She said I could keep one of the eggs, so I brought one home and will let it dry out and see how that turns out.  I was able to get a walk in around Point defiance during the break between finishing the food prep and the Shark feeding. Decent weather out there today. Then After returning home, I walked down the Jovita trail and over to Walgreens to pick up a prescription.  Finished the day by going out to eat a...