Confessions of a Mud Runner

Dear Mud Run,
I would just like to thank you for showing me how incredibly weak I am and then rubbing my face in it. I mean hey, I knew I wasn't Wonder Woman or anything, but I must admit that I smugly thought I was doin' pretty good for having just recovered from baby #1 and already being pregnant with baby #2. You however, showed me how mistaken that assumption was. You got me covered in mud within minutes, you left me breathless after the first mile, you tore up my knees on the low crawl, you left my pride on the ground at the parallel logs, my husband had to practically carry me through the over-under logs, and best of all, the whole world got a great look at my mud-covered, spandex-clad rear end on the high wall. So thank you, Mud Run. My pride is sufficiently checked.


Oh and P.S. I still have mud under my fingernails.

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu...

Gotta love the Sound of Music :)

Anyway, this week we say goodbye to our friends in ministry, the Spencers :( They are leaving us for a cold, faraway, ungodly place called.... WISCONSIN! Haha, just kidding. They are actually going to pastor a growing church up in the capitol city, Madison, and are very excited about their new ministry opportunity. We will miss y'all (heavy emphasis on the "y'all") but pray that the Lord richly blesses your ministry up north!

Some pics of our going away dinner with the staff:

Baby News!

Yes, the word on facebook and among your friends is true - I'm PREGNANT!!! Baby number two will be here sometime mid-April!
And yes, it is a surprise to us as well. But a great one! Claire can't wait to be a big sister!

Bring on the mud!

Yes, I am proud to announce that I am in for a muddy good time on September 25th! Thanks to brotha Ryan (who may be halfway across the world but never fails to get us off our rears) most of this crazy Nickell family will be running 4.2 miles through mud holes, over walls, across trenches, under obstacles, and across ravines.
And surprise, surprise! Guess who will join us? The other half of this crazy family, my little bros! Yep, Sam and James will be sloshing through the mud along with Ryan, Cole, Julia, and me. We like to make these things a family affair.

And yes, I cannot wait for this part ;-)