Every Wednesday, the Deb from Deb Runs will be providing a word about which to blog. Kind of like a nice little blog prompt. Posts can be fitness or health related, but don’t have to be, so really anyone can play along. Just be sure to link up with InLinkz on Deb’s main post, and share the love by reading and commenting on other’s participant’s posts.
This week’s Word is JOY.
- I am healthy enough to do the things I want.
run 13.1 miles!
play tennis
- I have a lot of friends whom I care about and who support me.
some of my tennis friends
BFF for over 40 years
teaching friend for over 30 years
- I am married to a guy whom I love.
- My kitties are awesome.
this is my oldest, most lovable & fave – Jerry
- I have a job so I can pay my bills (& support my running habit LOL)
my desk at work – I work in IT at a law school and support the faculty, students & staff
However, none of what brings JOY are possessions or things that you can buy (except for a PR or new running shoes. Only kidding!)
and most importantly…
I try to and I hope that I do give joy to others:
spending time with my mentee Amanda and her sons
helping Kelly run her first 5K (STEM program)
being a running buddy for the GOTR program
running for my 11 year old running buddy JA (from the IRUN4 program) – I send him my race shirts and medals
Speaking of giving JOY to others, I love giving gifts. I don’t have a big family and we’ve stopped exchanging gifts among friends so I try to participate in a few gift exchanges.
I did a Chinese grab bag at work and I ‘m doing one with all my tennis friends.
I got this at work – the tennis party isn’t until 12/27
I also participated in two blogger Secret Santas.
It was so cool to meet someone new (that is through a new blog) and receive great gifts.
From Brittney @ Corral B, I got:
my favorite socks & my favorite race fuel
I bought gifts for Nikki @ Will Run for Pizza but I forgot to take a pic (but they were similar to Kate’s but without the stocking and ShotBloks instead of Stinger waffles
For the SkirtSports Ambassador Captain Stocking Exchange, I got paired with Kate @ My Alpine Adventures:
this is what I bought for Kate
And I received these gifts from Helen @H-Monkey Runs:
Now I have 4 new blogger friends 🙂
- Finally, congrats to my MealEnders Giveaway winner!
Lindsey McRoberts!!
Happy Running! What brings you JOY? Do you do gift exchanges?
My First 5K and More... 
Hey Darlene, Merry Christmas! I don’t blog any more and rarely read them but this one caught my eye. You definitely spread joy! I also love giving gifts. Maybe next year, we should exchange running gifts! Enjoy the holiday
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I miss you blog!!!! But at least I know what you are up to through FB & IG. I’ll be in Florida for Polar cap. We’ll have to find another race to do together. Crossing my fingers that you get us into VCM again.
Happy Holidays.
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Our family still exchanges gifts. I couldn’t imagine Christmas without doing this. Over the past 10 or so years my wife and I have been sending more food as gifts. We found an unbelievable cheese maker in Vermont. Everyone loves the cheese and looks forward to it. For nieces we send gift cards as tweens and teens are exceedingly difficult to buy for!
Why send an item that will get tossed in a closet and then sold for 50 cents at a yard sale?
My greatest joy this season was when my oldest daughter asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I told her all she had to do is run a race with me. She agreed and we are running the Hangover Classic 5K in Salisbury on New Years day! Best gift eva!
I usually run the 10K and my daughter is about 12 minutes slower than me in the 5K, but I will be thrilled beyond words to cross the finish line with her. The last time we did that was the 2005 Boston Marathon! I’m feeling great joy right now!
Merry Christmas,
Andy
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You are sooo lucky. I would love to run with a family member.
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Maybe next year I will participate in gift exchanges — they’re always so fun & I thought about it but the last few months have just been so crazy busy.
I actually do have some things that bring me joy (food, clothes), but many things are not things although I suppose anything is a thing — but the things that can’t be bought, like ocean breezes, sunshine, flowers (which I suppose can be bought), growing a garden . . .
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I agree. Thanks for making me think about the intangibles like rainbows, sunshine, waves lapping the shores…
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Great gifts from your gift exchanges!! I did the sweat pink exchange but I haven’t opened my girt yet….waiting for Christmas.
Love your pictures and all of your great joyous activities!!
Merry Christmas!!
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Happy holidays to you too.
It didn’t even occur to me to wait to open my gift.
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It’s been torturing me for weeks-lol! Can’t wait until the morning 🙂
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Awesome gifts, I’m not sure how I missed all these exchanges? Boo, I need to be better about that next year!
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They were for ambassadors. I am sure there are other ones that I missed. I forgot to enter the card swap.
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I only did the card swap. I think having my sister here and relaxing after Friday is over will give me more joy than anything right now. Happy Holidays Darlene!
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That’s so nice – to spend the holidays with family.
Have a great one!
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I didn’t get involved in any of the blogger card swaps or secret Santa’s; and now I wish I had. Next Year!
Happy holidays, and thanks for linking up!
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