Wednesday Wicks and the Will to Win Eleven

Hello, friends. It is just past 5:30 PM, and I am sitting at the kitchen table in our little blue house on Sycamore Street, listening for the sound of Mark’s truck in the driveway. The house smells like a chaotic but wonderful mix of Lavender-Vanilla candle wax and the slow-cooker roast that has been bubbling away all afternoon. It’s one of those quiet, domestic moments where I feel like I’m finally catching my breath after a day that demanded every ounce of my energy.

Today started a bit sluggish. You know those mornings where the alarm goes off and you just feel... heavy? Not just physically, from the miles I’ve been putting in for the Harvest 5K, but mentally too. I watched Mark head out at 5:30 AM for the construction site, and for a moment, I just wanted to crawl back under the covers and hide from the responsibilities of being 'Mom' and 'Bookkeeper' and 'Athlete.' But then Noah came running in, still in his green velociraptor pajamas, asking if dinosaurs liked oatmeal, and the day officially began.

Since it’s Wednesday, I didn’t have to go into Miller's Hardware to smell the sawdust and balance Mr. Miller’s ledgers. Instead, I dedicated my morning to 'Lucy’s Little Light.' I had a surge of orders on Etsy overnight—seven of them!—which is a huge deal for my little side hustle. Pouring those candles is my version of meditation. Measuring the fragrance oils and watching the wax clear up feels like I’m reclaiming a part of my identity that isn’t just about making school lunches or cleaning up Biscuit’s golden retriever fur from the rug.

Growth, especially financial growth, feels so slow when you’re doing it in five-dollar increments, doesn't it, ladies? But as I boxed up those orders, I realized that this little fund is growing. It’s not just about the money; it’s about proving to myself that I can build something from scratch. It’s about self-worth. For a long time, I stayed in the background, but these candles are a little piece of me going out into the world. It makes me feel capable, and dare I say, a little bit powerful.

By noon, the sun was shining over Cedar Falls, and I knew I couldn't skip my run. After the high of hitting ten miles yesterday, I felt a strange pressure to keep the momentum going. I dropped Noah off at his playgroup and headed toward the trail. My legs felt like lead for the first two miles, but then something clicked. I thought about the Harvest 5K in October and how far I’ve come since I first started this journey. I stopped focusing on the ache in my calves and started focusing on the rhythm of my breath.

I hit eleven miles today. Eleven! If you had told me a year ago that I’d be hitting double digits on a random Wednesday afternoon, I would have laughed until I cried. Crossing that eleven-mile threshold felt like shedding an old skin. I’m not just 'trying to stay in shape' anymore; I am becoming an athlete. I can feel my body changing—my legs are sturdier, my heart feels stronger, and there’s a glow in my skin that no expensive cream from the salon above Megan’s bakery could ever replicate.

Speaking of Megan, she dropped by briefly with a ‘failed’ batch of lemon scones that tasted like absolute heaven. We stood in the driveway for a few minutes, and Joanne, my neighbor, waved at us from her porch. She was in that signature pink bathrobe, looking suspiciously like she was about to start deadheading her petunias again despite the cooling weather. Joanne shouted over that I was 'running like the wind' lately. It’s funny how people notice when you start taking up space in your own life.

Emma came home from school with a math worksheet that was about 20% subtraction and 80% drawings of horses with very long manes. She’s so much like me—always dreaming even when there’s work to be done. We spent an hour sitting on the floor together, Biscuit leaning his heavy head on her lap, while I helped her through the problems. It’s in these small, mundane moments that I feel the most settled in my marriage and my life. Mark and I have been at this for nine years, and while the early years were a whirlwind, this current chapter feels like we are finally building the house we want to live in.

I took a long shower after my run and actually took the time to do my hair and put on that dress Mark likes—the blue one that matches the shutters. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that after nine years and two kids, the 'spark' is just something you read about in books. But I want to feel desirable for him, and more importantly, for myself. When I look in the mirror now, I don’t just see a tired mom; I see a woman who is disciplined, creative, and strong.

The clock is ticking toward 6:00 PM, and I can hear the rumble of the truck now. The kids are washed up, the table is set, and the house is warm. I’ve reached my goals for today—both on the pavement and in the kitchen. Tomorrow is a Tuesday-schedule Thursday at the hardware store, so I’ll be back in the world of nuts and bolts, but tonight is for us. I’m going to put my phone away and be present in this life I’m working so hard to cultivate.

Thank you for being here with me, ladies. Whether you ran eleven miles today or just managed to get the laundry folded, know that your effort matters. You are worth the work you put into yourself. I’m going to go greet my husband now and enjoy the evening. I love you. — Lucy