Ryan @ the Kids’ Marathon – the winner!

Mom was so excited that she completely missed a picture of Ryan crossing the finish line in first place. We are hoping that the Greenville News’ staff photographer will make us proud and relieved.
Ryan had to run 25 miles before today (easy-peasy) & then raced for 1.2 miles to finish off the kids’ marathon. The race finished inside Fluor Field, the Greenville Drive’s baseball stadium.
Scott was outside the stadium & saw Ryan & his friend Austin running neck & neck until the last hill. Ryan’s final time for 1.2 miles? 6:05 – a 5” mile pace. The pacer on the bicycle played with the kids, “Can you catch me? You think you can catch me???”  

Ryan & his friend Michael went running in the neighborhood several times & at the middle school on Friday afternoons. Michael finished a short time after Ryan. What did these typical preteens want to do once they finished the race? “Snack table!!!!” They returned several times & it was probably the highlight of the day for them.
We spent the rest of the day watching other racers. We walked out to Augusta Road & saw the first half marathon guy racer go by. (He sold me my shoes – maybe I will get faster?!) Then we went back & saw Michael’s dad run & finish the 5k in about 20”.
Greenville is not a very big place & a lot of people that we know like to run. Scott went out on the course & ran with & cheered for my friends. My friend Danielle placed second in her age group with 1:33 for the half-marathon. (13.1 miles) Several other friends ran their first half marathons. I have signed up with my mom & my sister to run in Myrtle Beach in February. Time to lace up those sneakers.
BTW For my friend Kristin’s race report (and a picture of Scott running a bit with her) you can visit her blog.

Busy, busy, busy!

  We have been running around like crazy for the last few weeks. I am going to do a super-post & let you see some of what we’ve been doing.

Scott was in San Diego & Seattle for work. While in San Diego, he went to the Monday night football game (Denver v. San Diego) with a co-worker. When Scott cheered for Denver, some people told him to sit down. :) He had a great time, but we are glad to have him home!

How do we survive when Scott’s gone? We eat out  - a lot!!!  Not every single meal, but almost.

 

 

 

 

 

This picture was taken on the morning of our busiest Saturday ever – each of us is dressed for the activities of the day. Scott? High council @ the YSA conference @ Clemson. Chris? Cross-country meet @ Furman University. Mom? Spectator @ everything. Ryan? Baseball scrimmage game & pizza & bowling party. Jared? Soccer player & end-of-the-season party.

 

Christopher’s cross-country season is winding down. Tomorrow is the regional meet on his home course. Last week he had a very difficult race – throwing up, hip pain, etc. Hopefully his time will be better & he’ll be happier with the results this time. He has two college classes this semester – Spanish 101 & Computers 101 – and is doing well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ryan has been playing lots of baseball – one practice and two games per week. (Can you see the ball in the air?)What does he do in the morning to prepare himself for the day? He wakes up & watches ESPN Sports Center, of course. He has adjusted to middle school – he turns in assignments & keeps track of everything.

 

 

Jared loves to play with Cody – video games, Pokemon cards, & Legos are the current favorites. He also loves music & has some pretty sweet dance moves.  His reading level has jumped almost two years since last fall. :)

 

And…

Guess who learned to ride his bike on the first try?

 

 

 

 

We have been very busy with our Young Single Adult calling. Jordan Garrett left on his mission for Brazil. We had everyone over for General Conference breakfast – waffles, strawberries, whipped cream, bacon, &  juice. Matt Carter came home from Iraq & got to meet his baby Benjamin for the first time. We spent a fun weekend with the YSA’s at Clemson for the annual conference.

Brain Freeze!

Usually I can think of something clever or witty or at least palatable for my blog posts. Today? This week? This month? Not so much. I will be back soon, well rested, healthy, and full of too much to say. I think that I am behind a 12-on-the-12th entry and several about the kids’ sports. Time to let the fingers fly on the keyboard – with special emphasis on the Backspace <---  key for all of my typos. We have done a little bit of work in the yard and on the house. Soccer has wrapped up & baseball & cross-country are winding down. Pictures will  definitely going to be coming up soon. Thanks for reading.

… can I have a moment of peace?

Today, I remember when the kids were little & the demands were constant. There was never really a break. The rewards were frequent – little kids are just plain cute – but the demands were intense too. I have had a rough couple of weeks or months – bronchitis, the flu, the death of a good friend, a cold, a traveling husband, lots of sports & activities – and I am just ready for a few minutes of quiet, calm, guilt-free peace.
Saturday was CRAAAAAAZY~ YSA conference at Clemson, soccer & last-day party, baseball & team party, cross-country meet @ Furman, dinner for 120, a Sunday school lesson. The kids have three days off of school this week – #1 is off Monday, #2 & #3 off Thursday, and #1, #2, & #3 off Friday. Too many days on top of busy, running-faster-than-I’m-able days.
I love my kids & I don’t want them to be gone. I understand when people say that they really miss the time with their kids. I love what one of my friends has on her blog, “The things that drive a young mother to exhaustion are the very same things that feed her soul.” I will miss the busy-ness & the dirty laundry & the carpool line & the non-stop activity. However, I hope that I can remember how hard it is to make it through the day sometimes.
My kids are good & cute & wonderful & talented. I could not ask for better children. They say things that make me laugh & smile all the time. But for right now, I just want a good night’s sleep and a chocolate croissant.

She did that for me?!

My good friend Liz left this life quite suddenly on Tuesday evening. I just kept screaming in my head – Wait?! We need to go on girls’ night out. We need to talk about your trip to Minnesota. I need to tell you thank you for all that you did for my boys in Boy Scouts. I need to tell you thank you  for a million little things that were really all big things.  She kept Chris, helped him with lunch & homework & getting to & from school for eight days so Scott & I could celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. She brought the family to Chris’ soccer game and cheered for him (in cold, wet, drizzling rain). She drove Chris from seminary to high school every single solitary day. She checked in and let me complain every day when I was so sick that I thought I wouldn’t make it. I feel like their is such a hole in my heart – I can only imagine the heartaches of her husband and children and grandchildren who are left to go forward from here. She was a great mom who was a tireless advocate for her children’s success in school and in life. She was an amazing person and I am so very,very sad to have her gone.

    
I loved this video link that Liz introduced me to. It sums up what type of a person she was. It is LONG but the good long that you don’t want to end.