"Feminism" to me.

This week has been a better one. No sick kids, no sick husband, and more running, woo!

This week still was no 50 miler week, but I hit 41.3 miles and lifted twice.  My most miles in over a year (only by like a mile, but still!) and I'm getting swollllll boooooiiiii.

Anyway.

My proudest moment this week was handling Nate traveling like a boss.  I usually get all anxious, lonely, down when I'm home alone with the kids and it's been a goal of mine to do better living without Nate. Ha, sounds bad. But I needed to be able to be okay with being by myself when Nate travels 'cause I have a whole lifetime of it and I don't want every weekend in the season to be dumb just 'cause I couldn't handle him traveling.  But this past weekend I just rocked it.  Didn't feel any of those yuck feelings and the kids and I actually enjoyed ourselves. Go me!

Speaking of being independent, this whole feminism, inauguration business has obviously been on my mind.

No, I didn't vote for Trump.  Or Hillary. And I'm a little nervous about what's going to go down in the years ahead.  But what I didn't like seeing is how vicious people could be.  My babe sister Jasmyn got the opportunity to attend inauguration and she said it made her just feel so uncomfortable because people were booing, chanting hateful things, and overall just acting a fool.  It made me so sad for our amazing nation.  I know there are LOTS of people who are against Trump, but he won the election.  Acting like sore losers isn't going to get us anywhere.  We are all on this ship together, so let's try and be civil about it all and help the captain out the best we can.  The best way to invoke change is in our homes. Raising the future generation so they don't get close to the point of having someone like Trump in office.  Let's make the family the basic unit of society again. Going and acting a fool isn't going to do a whole lot.

Which brings me to another thing that's been on my mind with all of this. Feminism. I cringe a little when I hear the word because of what it implies these days - All I can think of is harsh, angry women out there yelling and demanding to essentially 'have it all'. Don't get me wrong, I am all for equality.  I absolute love running road races because there is nothing more satisfying than smashing a cocky jock in a race. I am so for paid maternity leave. For equal pay for the same jobs.  For women running the 10k in cross country (Women run the 6k, men do the 10k in cross country. bothers the heck outta me).  What I am not for is abortion. Not for bringing down men in order to raise women up. For a woman to have an equal chance to be hired for a job when she's equally qualified and not just because she is a woman & the workplace wants to show they are diverse. Not for kids getting the short end of the stick.

I am for the foundation of the word: FEMALE.  I am for being female.  Take a look at a anatomy book, men & women are different - and that's a beautiful thing!  I believe God is no respecter of persons or genders - He sees and holds us absolutely equal.  He is the one that created us and I believe he created us differently very intentionally.  He knows that working towards our potential, as men and women, is what will make us happiest in this life.

I feel like many feminists these days want to become men instead of standing up for what it means to be women.

I feel like they look down upon stay-at-home moms, women who didn't go to college, who don't have a career, who disagree with abortion, etc.

It is hard to accurately articulate exactly how I feel. I read THIS blog and thought she has some great points.

You can find me being a 'feminist' by first and foremost being a momma. By following and encouraging Nate in his career pursuits. By still working myself (online coaching). By taking time for myself and improving myself and working towards goals. By wearing a dress, doing my hair, and looking fine.  By enjoying when men open doors for me, and show chivalry just because I'm a woman. By one day owning my own business and being boss.  By fighting for equal pay and long, paid maternity leave. By fighting for women to race the same distance as men in XC. By asking Nate to lift something for me cause it's too heavy. By being the one to retrieve something cause my hands are smaller. And, also by beating up on those cocky jocks in races, it will always be so satisfying ;)

I love being a female and my unique and different opportunities and abilities that come with it.

And now pictures:

all the heart eyes.

love love the relationship these 2 have.

family movie night.

-till next week-