Not dead....

I have been so..... so.... SO busy lately! An update in 25 words or less.

Chris and I celebrated our anniversary.

My sister turned 30.

Spring has sprung = fantastic weather!

Kids are happy.

And I am BURIED under work and my grad school research.

I will return, soon I hope!!

Wordless Wednesday

Mardi Gras 1/2 Marathon.... again

One year ago, I finished my first 1/2 marathon in New Orleans, one of the greatest cities I've even been to. We loved it so much that this year, me and my friends decided to run it again. These people are my running family. We keep an eye out for each other on the course. We have really fast ones (Ford finished in UNDER two hours) and we have some slow ones (several of us finished around 2:45), but we're all running because we love it. Most of us just run 1/2 marathons, but we have a few that are even crazier and run full marathons.


And these distance runs are extremely challenging. You spent months training for them. You learn to hydrate; you learn stretches and pacing.... It takes discipline, which I have sometimes... and sometimes not. But these friends made it fun!
And this picture means so much to me. Daniel, who calls me his running big sis, decided to begin training for this half marathon after I harassed him (just a little). I knew he could do it... he just needed a little push. And he did it! I am so proud of him!!

After running three 1/2 marathons in one year, this mama is tired. VERY tired. Chris has run three, too. We ran Nashville together last year and New Orleans this weekend. He ran the Rock to Victory last year in March, which was his first race. My first was New Orleans 2009.

Now that I have three medals under my belt, I think I am going to take a distance running sabbatical. Don't get me wrong... I really enjoy running, but it takes months to train for a race and graduate school takes up the little free time that I have. I'll continue to run, but only focus on shorter distances for a while. One day, I will run a full marathon......

Adventures with Pixie

On my way to work earlier this week, I was driving up Airline Drive (a very busy four-lane road) when suddenly the cars started swerving and everyone was breaking. When the cars parted, I saw the sweetest little face... scared and shaking in the middle of the road. I carefully merged into the center turning lane and scooped her up. Meet Pixie.


She is a Boston Terrier who had been intentionally let out of her house and her owner was frantic when I finally reached her. If it had been one of my dogs, I would hope that someone would do the same for me. So Pixie spent the day at my house until her owner could pick her up.

So before I took Pixie home, I brought her with me to pick up the kids. They ADORED her. As my mom said, she's so ugly - she's cute. Good point! I think the kids liked her because she was so much calmer than Zoe.
So Pixie went back to her owner and we went about our evening routine. Chris was out of town that day, so I sent him a picture of Pixie. His response, "Am I coming home to a new member of our family?"

Hahahaa!

20 months

Okay, don't laugh... but I had to count out how many months Brady is. With Kennedy, I think I labeled her in months until she was at least two years old. And I knew the answer the instant someone asked me how old she was. With Brady, I've been telling everyone he's a year and a half since Christmas. So technically, he's 20 months... but now I'll start telling people he'll be two in June. That's the second-child syndrome.

Anyway, while I am thinking about it - here are the words my sweet son can say... with appropriate translations.

Mommy

Daddy

Sissy (his name for Kennedy)

hi/bye bye

ni-ni (night night)

I yuh yoo (I love you - sweetest thing...)

joo (juice)

uh oh!

NO (my LEAST favorite word)

ball

baby

car

cow

tee (eat)

meena (banana)

petzul (pretzel..which sounds a lot like puzzle)

bear (but it sounds more like someone with a yankee accent - "bay-yuh" - and it could mean that he's pointing to a bear in a book... or wants a gummy bear)

Wo wee (Zoe)

Ah-dah (for Roscoe... it started as "doggie" - which he pronounced "ah-dah" - and it stuck)

chee (cheese, meaning the food OR when he's taking pictures)

Of course he is babbling up a storm and "talking" on the phone and saying things that we have no idea what they are. But these are the words we have figured out so far. I just keep wondering if he's going to be a jabber-jaw like his mom and sister or quiet like his daddy. Time will tell.......

Mamas know everything

Yes, us mamas know everything. It's true. I didn't believe it when I was little and my mom said she knew everything. But today, I believe it to be true... and I tell Kennedy that regularly. She quickly replies, "Nuh uh..." (translation - "No you don't.")

Last week when I was finishing up making dinner and she was in the kitchen singing the song she had learned at school that lists all the presidents of the United States. She was very proud of herself that she knew every one of them. So as I finished cooking, she sat down at the table with her back to me, facing the backyard. I had already given her her dinner - because she takes FOREVER to eat.. it reminds me of my sister when we were little. Anyway, I KNEW she hadn't started eating. Why? Because I'm mama. I know everything.

I couldn't see her plate, but I knew she wasn't eating. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: "Kennedy, you need to go ahead and start eating. I KNOW you're not eating yet."

Kennedy: (spins her head around quickly to face me, smiling from ear to ear) "How do YOU know?"

Me: "Because mamas know everything. I told you that before."

Kennedy: "But you don't know all the presidents like I do."

Crap.

Love again

Our dear friend Eric found love again. He married Leann McCartney this weekend in a small and sweet ceremony. They both knew it very early on after meeting each other... that they were meant to be together.
Some of us wondered how something so serious could move so fast between them, but if you spend just a few minutes with them - you know they love each other. Leann is so good for Eric. We can see it in his eyes and his attitude. He's happy... and he deserves to be happy. Leann has had a difficult road, too, and we have welcomed her into our family.

Knowing what Eric endured the past couple of years gave us all pause as we listened to the vows that they said to each other. "In sickness and in health... 'til death do us part." Wow...

As Chris and I get ready to celebrate nine years of marriage together, Eric and Leann are beginning their journey as husband and wife.

I don't often quote verses, but one that always gives me peace is the one about love. I had to look it up for the exact wording:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protect, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."