Day Eight Hundred and Thirty-Five

"...The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength"

                                                    -Nehemiah 8:10

A pre-Christmas necessity: burn the calories before you eat them!

Calories burned, Crossfit Jupiter says MERRY CHRISTMAS friends! 

Now for the fun part! Food and fellowship!

Can I just say that for real: we've seriously been so blessed by the sweetest people on Earth. Not wanting us to spend Christmas Eve alone, Trace's mommy and daddy (Nate and Jordan) invited Adam and I to their home after church to celebrate the Eve of the Savior's birth with their family. It was incredible. The decorations. The food. The desserts. The gifts. The family! We  are so grateful. Wow.

Wow wow wow.

Like, really?! I can't stop smiling!

Two nights ago, we went around our building handing out treats to our neighbors and wishing them a Merry Christmas. When we got home last night, we were in for a surprise. One neighbor was so grateful for our little gift that she went and baked Adam and I cookies...and then left them and a note saying how happy and excited she was to get to know us!! Praise Jesus! 

We are overflowing with joy. Wow. God is so good.

Merry Christmas.

Day Eight Hundred and Thirty-Two

The 2013 Crossfit Christmas Party

Most of the time, we workout. Sometimes, we party.

Yesterday, we worked out. Then, we partied. 

Merry Christmas from me and my Crossfit family!

And happy birthday to Coach Mike (guy in white), who's been such an integral part in helping so many of my friends reach their fitness goals. In this photo, Coach Juli is surprising Mike with a special birthday card that the entire gym pitched in to thank him with.

Day Seven Hundred and Ninety-Six

The Double Under

Double under: an exercise done on a jump rope in which the rope makes two passes per jump, instead of just one.

Yesterday, I learned two things:

1) How many double unders I can do in 3 minutes: 131

2) How 131 double unders makes me feel: like I got hit in the face (and chest, and arms, and legs, and shins, and neck, and achilles, and knees) with a 2X4

Day Five Hundred and Eighty

The Biggest Surprise (And Adam's Second Start)

Well, it's safe to say I got my booty kicked yesterday. I tried out a new CrossFit gym...loved it...but hated how far away from home it turned out to be. Rats. I can't decide if the 9 miles I have to drive each way is worth the hour long workout...especially considering there's another CF gym less than two miles from home. I'll be giving that one a try next week!

I did my best to keep myself busy the entire day because waiting around for Adam's starts are just painful, annoying, and downright anxiety-ridden. And that's how it is when he's here. Multiply those above feelings by like 28 and that's how I feel when he's on the road (like he is now). Uhhh. My man finally took the mound around 9 PM in Huntsville, Alabama in the second game of a doubleheader. And clearly, I wasn't there. Yesterday's game was only the second professional start that I've ever missed of his...and I was all by myself...so safe to say that I was pretty emotional. But I did my best to keep my cool. The smile and thumbs up reflection in my computer only lasted until the fourth pitch of the night though, when Adam hit their first hitter. Then he hit a second hitter...tack on three errors and four runs...all in the first inning, and well, I was a mess. Especially considering that all I had to go off of was the words and reactions of the radio host (which I streamed online). No visual for this game! Uh! But it wasn't all bad. He ended up throwing quite well after that, and we even pulled out the win! His line for the night:

4IP, 3H, 4R, 2ER, 0BB, 2HBP, 5K, 2.00 ERA, No Decision

Whew! Less hits than innings pitched and more strikeouts than innings pitched. I went to bed feeling relieved and relaxed. But still alone...

And then...SURPRISE! COMPANY! AHHHH!!!

It was 1 AM when Adam called to tell me to check the front door. Uh, honey? I'm trying to sleep...stop playing games! He insisted I check. I was thinking to myself, "Why is he delivering me flowers at one in the morning?!" (I know, delusional haha) I reluctantly got out of bed. Then I opened the door...AND THERE THEY WERE! Amber and Channing! Right there in front of me...with big fat grins stretched across their faces! No way!! Like seriously?? 5 hours of driving? Leaving their husbands? For 2 days? For me?!! I have the greatest friends I could have ever asked for. Wow. Wow. Thank God for them. And that's why this blog post went up so late...because all day (today) we've been together with no time for me to sit down and write! I love my girls so much. They're a couple of blessings, surely.

Day Five Hundred and Sixty-Five

The Last (Sick) Start of '13

(I Pray!!!)

So...this is what I woke up to yesterday morning. Sleds. Uhhhhhhh. It was a workout I don't want to repeat for a very long time. My legs!!! Ah! On each sled was 90 pounds, and we had to push and pull each sled 4 times...and then immediately run 100 meters, for a total of 8 sleds and 8 100s. Yuck. But I think my booty looks better today for it ;) Hahahahaha!

Adam threw in his last game of Spring Training 2013...while sick and really tired. Again. Total bummer. It's been the story of Adam's last 6 months and he's getting incredibly frustrated with his health. Ever since October, he's been plagued with sicknesses, viruses, and weird ailments that are so not Adam. I've never known him to be a sickling...and neither has he...which makes it especially discouraging considering how much time, money, and work he spends pouring himself into his craft. Since November, Adam has lost 16 pounds (8 pounds on our honeymoon, and 8 pounds at the beginning of Spring Training when he has gastroenteritis) and has had to put it all back on, plus 15 more...that's 30 pounds since October. And he only has 15 to show for it. Bummer. And we won't even mention his wart. Grrrr. I've not seen him as upset as he was yesterday and I'm praying hard that his health bounces back to what it once was.

Adam threw 5 innings and bunted yesterday! He's getting better every time he steps to the plate and it's really exciting to see. My boy hasn't pitched AND hit in the same game since high school, so this was especially fun (for me at least).

Can you find the baseball in this photo?! Go Honey!

He actually looks like a real hitter up there! :)

The bat and BGs (batting gloves) that Adam uses to hit.

I could stare at him all day.

Sick, healthy, angry, happy. It doesn't matter.

I'm just so in love with him.

Day Five Hundred and Sixty-Two

The Reluctant, Embarrassed, and Comforted Packer

So, some mornings, when I'm feeling like being an extra good wife, I drive Adam to work on my way to Crossfit. And some mornings, there's a herd of fans waiting for the players to arrive. Yesterday was one of those mornings. They just wait there, ready to pounce on the next guy walking into the clubhouse with pens and balls and cards and hats. Well, Adam was that next guy. And naturally, I wanted a picture of it. Duh! Turns out my husband knows me even better than I thought he did...because when I sneakily rolled my window half way and stuck the camera out, everyone was laughing at me! I sped off. Then I got this text. What. A. Brat!

 Sigh.

It's that time of year again.

The boxes are out...the house is a mess...and I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS.

Hahaha. But if I must, then I will. Reluctantly. And slowly. I'm going to miss this place so much. Every box I pack is another reminder of the blessings and curses that come with this job. Obviously, so many more blessings have come from this journey, but saying goodbye always hurts my delicate heart. We have until Sunday to get this place packed and cleared out...and into a storage unit. I have a feeling it's going to be a long week :(

Thankfully, we have people like these around to continue filling our hearts with joy and comfort before we have to say goodbye. The Espanils invited us over for a filet mignon dinner...and gosh, we felt completely spoiled. Both by the food AND by their company. JoEllyn (next to her husband in red) is one of my Crossfit coaches, and ever since that first day of workouts, I've felt a special comfort around her. Then I found out she was a Christian...and well, it was an even easier friendship after that! We absolutely loved our time with the four of them (plus Grandma, who's taking the picture!) and are looking forward to more dinners with them (especially steak ones...haha!) when we get back!

Day Five Hundred and Thirty-Three

The Bad Start to a Good Day

Yesterday didn't start off so good. And if texts came with voice tone, my reply wouldn't have sounded too kind. Not at all. Adam was scheduled to pitch yesterday, but when he left the house at 7:00 AM, he didn't know what time the game was at. So, he said that he'd just text me when he found out. Well, he forgot. And then he remembered 20 minutes before the game started. Not good. Oh boy...between feelings of frustration, anger, hurt, and sadness, I cried like a baby all morning. And then, as I started thinking of my sick husband - who's brain hasn't been functioning properly at all since Friday - I felt beyond guilty for even being mad in the first place. Ugh. So, needless to say, I missed his game. I had just gotten out of the shower when I received his second text, so there was no way I could have made it.

In Adam's professional career, I've only missed him pitch once (which is why missing this game was such a big deal to me), and that was when I went to Spokane last April. He pitched terribly that day. Like, really bad. And since then, I've nominated myself as his good luck charm. But apparently, I'm no so lucky anymore. Because yesterday, battling whatever sickness he has, Adam pitched eight outs, striking out 3 (maybe 4? He can't remember exactly). Not too shabby, Darlin'! :)

Sunday night was Breakfast for Dinner at the Gerber home. On the menu:

Breakfast casserole (which I couldn't eat)

Pancakes (which I couldn't eat)

Bacon (which I could eat, but brought my own)

AND

Paleo Pancakes (which I COULD eat because Channing made them especially for me!!)

She's the best :)

And, turns out that Paleo pancakes are a bit more difficult to flip than the regular ones. It took one messy pancake to figure out the proper technique. 

(P.S. isn't she just adorable in her little apron?!)

Hungry and ready for some breakfast. Love LOVE LOVE these people.

The only thing that could've made last night better was having Adam there. He stayed home and rested his sick self. I felt bad for leaving him a second night in a row, but we've had these plans for a week now and I missed my friends! Darnit! I just want him to feel better :(

My dinner! Ah! So good! 

Paleo pancakes, topped with strawberries and a mixture of melted almond butter and Enjoy Life chocolate chips (dairy, nut, and soy free), 2 scrambled eggs, and turkey bacon. Channing also found me some all natural, 100% pure maple syrup that I drizzled lightly on the side for some additional flavor (not that it needed any!) Between good food and good company, I was one satisfied lady when I left! Thanks Channing and Andrew!

Day Five Hundred and Twenty-Four

The Stubborn Mistake

This workout landed me...

Here.

And it's all my fault. 

Just for the record. I killed that workout. But if not for my stubbornness, I wouldn't have ended up with a jacked up shoulder, sitting in the ER, with angry nurses all around me. Whoops. At about my fourth round in the workout, I started feeling something weird in my shoulder. A pain that I'd never felt before. I just attributed it to the fact that I had completed 31 kipping pull-ups all by myself, and kept on pushing it. Well, that turned out to be the worst idea. By the end of the workout, my burpees were lopsided and my remaining pull-ups were done with a thick band. And when I finally got home to assess the damage, I realized that I couldn't lift my arm - it hurt too bad. Not from soreness, but from something else. Ugh. I texted Adam and he requested me to go see a doctor, but I hate the doctor, so I didn't go. By the time he got home at 3:30, he was upset that I hadn't really done anything about my ailing shoulder and explained to me that if I tore my labrum or rotator cuff, it could really mean bad things for my future...ok...enter: tears. He knows too much about arm and shoulder injuries to let this one go, so he took me to the ER (since all the orthopedic surgeons were already home from work at 4 PM). Turns out the ER was mostly useless. We thought they might take an MRI, but instead, they took x-rays. Uh? Apparently, that's protocol. Not surprisingly, the x-rays were clean. So, they gave me two prescriptions, a sling, and a referral to an orthopedic doctor to call on Monday. To go along with my ER "band-aid," I got a rather nasty comment by the doctor, "Well, your husband might play baseball, but if he knew anything, these sorts of injuries (torn labrums) really only happen to pitchers on teams like the Phillies." Thanks doc...it's not like my husband plays professional baseball for a living or anything. UGH! I said nothing in return - just held my tongue like I always do. I hate confrontation, but that was really mean and maybe I should have stuck up for myself and my Adam. 

Lesson learned:

STOP working out when you're injured. Finishing the workout only makes it worse. 

Duh.

And to think I've been an athlete almost my whole life and have just now come to that most obvious conclusion. Exhale. Hopefully I didn't do any serious damage. I love Crossfit too much to take a break.

Day Five Hundred and Ten

The Crossfit Company

Look who I found at Crossfit yesterday morning!! Alejandra!!! Well, actually, I didn't find her there...I drove her. Jose had a bullpen here in Jupiter, so they made the 4 hour drive from Tampa and arrived at 8:15 AM (they woke up at 3 AM). While he worked out with the coaches and guys at the Marlins' facility, Alejandra came with me and we did our own workout (she's a workout beast now!)! I haven't seen my best friend in nearly 4 months, so yesterday was extra special. I've missed her dearly and am thankful to have such a sweet, genuine woman to spend my baseball days with. This season will surely prove to be monumental in both our boys' careers and I'm so grateful that I get to experience it with her by my side.

Day Five Hundred and Eight

The Caveman-Approved Breakfast

So every day - every single day - since probably June 2011, my breakfast routine has been exactly that: a routine. An unchanging routine that I was more than content with. Actually, I was thrilled with it. Like, go-to-bed-excited-because-breakfast-was-only-8-hours-away kind of thrilled. I love food, and breakfast is easily my favorite meal. And for a year and a half, that favorite meal was a packet of Quaker Maple Brown Sugar (High Fiber) Oatmeal with a cut up nectarine mixed into the gooeyness. The heat of the microwaved oatmeal warmed up the refrigerated nectarine in the coziest way, giving me the most pleasant satisfaction. I strayed from my routine very rarely...only on special pancake days when I knew an ultra-sweaty workout was ahead of me. Pancakes with melted peanut butter and drizzled syrup...oh my stinkin goodness!

Well, my days of oatmeal and nectarines - and the occasional pancake - are long gone by now. Cavemen stole my perfect breakfast and gave it to my husband. I panicked for the first few mornings. I was miserable. I was angry. And very resentful. But then something magical happened: I found sweet potatoes! Oh my gosh. How did I not realize what I was missing?!! I just want to screeeeeeeeeeeeam! I love them to the moon and back! Crack a couple of eggs in there and wa-la! A most perfect breakfast fit for a cavewoman! And seriously, seriously healthy. Can't complain with that. And I don't even miss my oatmeal...well, at least not as much as I thought I would :)

Day Five Hundred and Five

The Smith Pickup

Miami: round 2!

For the second week in a row, we found ourselves exploring the very narrow lanes of Miami, Florida. It's an hour and a half drive from Jupiter, and road sign mile markers are almost unnecessary. You just know when you're getting close to The Magic City - magically, all the lanes shrink half a size. And in our truck, it's not an easy transition. 

Waiting for us only 80 miles away from our home were these two beauties. RHYAN SMITH EVERYONE! Rhyan and his wife Kari returned from a week long cruise in the Western Caribbean and, lucky us, we were there to pick them up from the boat and drive them 20 minutes north to Fort Lauderdale. Rhyan (you've all met him before, but I'll refresh your memory) was Adam's Young Life leader and mentor in high school. He holds a very dear spot in our hearts and played an integral role in shaping the relationship Adam and I share with each other and with the Lord. Rhyan is a man whom we hold in the highest regards and cherish every moment we get with him and his sweet Kari. Sitting beside Fort Lauderdale's oceanfront for lunch, the four of us got a chance to catch up and talk real life. My favorite.

And just a little fun diet update:

Shepard's Pie on the left plate. Cavman's Pie on the right. 

His contents: beef, corn, mashed potatoes

Her contents: beef, broccoli, sweet potatoes

Day Five Hundred and Two

The Finders

Adam and I went on a walk. At the end of our block, just hanging out by herself, guess who we found?! Manti Te'o's girlfriend, duh! :) Hehe.

Isn't our street pretty?! I can't believe we live here...it's been a year already and every day, it still feels like a honeymoon! Well, a chilly honeymoon. It's been a bit cold here lately...73 yesterday, so we bundled up accordingly. <---- That's for all my family in WA who are freezing in 30 degree weather! COME VISIT US! ;) I'm missing my people!

Our walk continued and guess what else we found?! A dead palm tree leaf! Oh hooray! I have a mild obsession with the sound of crunchy leaves...and if this is the only supplement of Spokane, WA in the autumn, I'll take it. I crunched the life out of that leaf. For at least a minute. I love Florida, but nothing beats the sound of crunchy leaves in Washington. Well, maybe the sound of a baseball hitting Adam's glove. I might like that just a little bit better. Especially after a called strike. Or maybe...Hunter's voice. Gosh, now that is a pleasant sound if I ever heard one! Oh, I miss BigBoy!

Our Abacoa meandering led us back to our starting point and this is what Adam found for me: a hill. The only hill within 5 miles of our apartment. Well, it's more like a garage parking lot ramp, but a hill nonetheless. How kind of my husband...Puh! My Crossfit workout called for sled pulls yesterday, but since I didn't have one of those handy, Adam modified the exercise to hill sprints, lunges, and stairs instead. My booty and legs are terribly sore now...and my abs even hurt. Thanks a lot Coach Conley ;)

We pay for 3 Crossfit workouts per week for me here in Jupiter. And I love it. But on the days I don't go to the gym, I look up the given workout of the day and just do it at home. Most of the time I am able to complete it as is, but sometimes, the best I can do is modify it a bit (I don't have some of the equipment they do). And Adam has been a wonderful help. He's my at-home trainer and a good one too..!

Oh, and just for our records...Adam started his bullpens on Tuesday of last week (1/15). Since then he's thrown 3 more, for a total of 4. He threw his most recent pen today (Friday) and says his arm feels well rested. But not necessarily good. That will come with time...once he's thrown more and has worked out the kinks of the rusty old thing! He's excited for season to begin and is looking forward to seeing the effects of the weight he's put on these past few months! Spring Training is only a few weeks away!! Wahoo!

Day Four Hundred and Ninety-Six

The Baking of Old

So...cavemen couldn't eat wheat. Or corn. Or oats. Or anything I would normally use to bake. Ok...yeah right. You can bet I found a way around this little problem. And, I did! There is such thing as CLEAN, healthy baking after all...who'da thought?! With a few new ingredients added to our kitchen arsenal, I whipped up a surprisingly moist, sweet, and delectable batch of blueberry apple muffins!

The new ingredients include:

Almond meal/flour

Shredded unsweetened coconut

Almond butter

RAW honey

Organic baby food apples

My muffins! Perfectly Paleo and perfectly scrumptious. I am one happy girl. And that evil sweet tooth is quite happy too.

Here's the recipe if you're interested in maybe making a batch yourself:

http://www.amazingpaleo.com/2012/06/08/blueberry-apple-muffins/

Day Four Hundred and Ninety-Three

The Paleo Squatter

Crossfit at the gym 3 times per week. Crossfit at home 3 times per week.

(Adam took 15 minutes to teach me how to correctly squat. After 5 years of collegiate weight training, he finally got me to do it right!)

Ever tried spaghetti squash spaghetti? You should. It's better than the noodle version and I'm not even biased!

Day Four Hundred and Ninety-Two

The Paleo Girl, The Raptor Milestone, The Belated Gifts

You're looking at a grocery cart (minus Adam's back right section) fit for a caveman. Or rather, a cavewoman. My Crossfit gym is challenging its athletes to a 9 week diet - The Paleo Diet. Ooooh...sounds prehistoric. Well, that's because it is. In its simplest form: if a caveman couldn't eat it, neither can you. That means breads are out. Rice is out. Dairy is out. All processed foods are out. No legumes. No dressings. No sauces. No juice. No sugar. No candy. No cookies. Unless, you use ingredients that a caveman could've used. And you bet, I've scoured Pinterest for such recipes. Because this girl has an evil sweet tooth that craves attention...

I started this diet yesterday. And I was miserable. With a house full of chips, Oreos, peanut butter, pizzas, noodles, cheeses, pretzels, breads, and anything else to fatten a grown man, this diet seemed impossible. I opened the fridge 20 times. Nothing changed. Still the same food. And still nothing to eat. But that was before the shopping trip. Now, I've got plenty to eat. And it's not so miserable after all.

 Cavewoman Vs. FatMan Dinner

(Please excuse the dining table mess!)

 Onto other things:

Yesterday marked 20,000 miles on our truck! We purchased it on October 17, 2011 - just 15 months ago - and in all those miles, it's seen 8 states, been hit twice, towed two UHauls, lived at three apartments, and guzzled away all my money. He's rescued 4 incoherent drunk strangers, was duped by a war veteran hitch hiking imposter, and only three people have ever sat in his driver's seat. The best thing though: he still smells the exact same as the day we bought him!

____________________________________________________

Totally unrelated and a lot belated:

My family and friends all finally opened up their Christmas presents from Adam and I. It took a huge amount of time to craft these little creations, and I've been looking forward to sharing their finished result! So, without further adieu:

Personalized mugs! This is the front of each of them.

And this is the back.

I made these for my Harry Potter fanatic friend.

So fun!

An ornament Snitch for another HP fan.

A mug for my diabetic sissy.

And another one!

The middle two were made and given to my grandparents, who's song is "Diamond Girl," by Seals and Crofts.

The word radiant was actually re-written in gold, as was the shine in the previous photo. 

For my Mommy, I painted a large "W" red and finished it off with rolled up paper torn from "The Shack," by WM Paul Young. 

We made a few more gifts, but I forgot to take pictures of them. I'm really happy with how they turned out as well and plan on having Mom take a picture of hers so I can post it too!

Finally, I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed making the mugs. So much, in fact, that I'd love to make more. I'd just need some people to personalize them for...and maybe a fun little saying to write too. Hint hint :)

________________________________________

And this one is for my sisters, Mom, Dan, and Grama. Ha!

Day Four Hundred and Eighty-Two

The RumBar

Crossfitters unite!

After a week of impossibly difficult workouts, we earned a night out. A local favorite in Jupiter - The Rum Bar - is a hangout spot Adam and I had yet to try...and you bet we'll be returning. And soon. The place is just neat. Nestled on the Intercostal, the restaurant/bar is true to it's beachy surroundings. Fine sand makes up most of the "floor," and tiki huts are multiple. Fire pits are lit at night and lounge chairs are situated around the warmth (it's cold at night!). A live band plays in the background and gigantic TV screens make this place maybe our most favorite so far. I just LOVE Jupiter. It's becoming more and more like home to me. And the people we've met here are just incredible. Even all those crazy Crossfitters :)