December 11, 2013

selfie (I had to)

Please don't challenge me to a singing contest.  No matter how badly you sing, I'll lose.  And all the plantlife within a mile will wither.  Birds will fall out of the sky.

Don't challenge me to a game of wits, either, unless of course you want to feel like the smartest person in the world.  Not that I'm an idiot or something, I just don't think well on the fly.  My brain is more like an electric blanket than a gas stove, if you know what I mean.

But give me a physical challenge, and I'll wear myself out trying to meet it.  Like recently, when my childhood friend Nikki Nicole, who is a personal trainer and fitness guru, posted two pics of herself doing some yoga-type stuff, and I just couldn't help myself.

First I met this challenge, which isn't actually all that hard.  Most healthy people could pull this off (except my dear Allison, who fell and broke her wrist this week, poor thing).

The next challenge wasn't so easy.  It looks easy, but believe me, it is not.

The first thing I did was dig through our storage closet until I found my old medicine ball.  Daniel pumped it up for me, while I changed my clothes.  Even though it was nearly midnight, I couldn't wait until the morning to meet this latest challenge from Nicole.  I had to give it my best shot before I lost momentum.

I tried, and tried, and TRIED, but I couldn't find that sweet spot, that equilibrium that would keep one leg straight in the air and the other touching the ball.  It was exhausting, and my wrists ached.

Thankfully, my dedicated coach kept me going.

Then, finally, in a moment of glory and triumph, I did it.  It was exhilarating.
  (My living room doesn't normally look this drab, I promise you)

Nothing feels quite like rising to a challenge.  And there is nothing quite like the love we have for our childhood friends.
Look at our outfits!  Nikki has one purple scrunch-sock over one cuff of a her tapered jeans.  Love it!
I am so proud of you, Nicole.  You are an inspiration to so many.  Thank you for who you've always been, and for all that you've yet to become.  Love you!