A Quick Up-date

Just a real quick up-date on what's happening here: Carson: recently finished his junior high wrestling season and for the 2nd year in a row, was undefeated (I'm sure his Grandma Graham could tell you what his record was because she is really good at keeping track of all that stuff). He was also named 8th Grade Athlete of the Season for Winter Sports. Katelyn: made the chorus for the high school production of Brigadoon. Our house is now filled with songs of the Scottish Highlands and attempts at Scottish accents. It's fun to listen to her try out the accents. Dave: working hard as usual. I'm sure he is looking forward to a few days off at the end of the week. That's it for now.

A Time for Baking

Today was the last day of school for a couple of weeks. While it hasn't been particularly stressful at work (except for a couple of weeks ago when an administrator tried to tell me how to do my job), I must admit that I am looking forward to a little R and R. Mostly because at this time of year, I really enjoy baking and putting together little "treat" plates for our neighbors. This year I am especially excited to try out some recipes I found on this great website, http://www.glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/. Thursday morning, I made some yummy pumpkin scones using a recipe I found on the website. I did make the following substitutions:

• used 1/2 c teff flour for the millet flour
• used 2 TBSP molasses in place of the maple syrup
• used 3 TBSP buttermilk in place of rice milk
• used 1 large egg in place of egg substitute
• added 1 c chocolate chips

The scones turned out super-yummy. The only problem was that my family enjoyed them so much I only got 1 scone. That was a bummer, but also pretty flattering since some of my other tries with baking gluten-free have not always been most successful.

I Guess She Needs to Ride Shotgun More Often

"Shotgun!" Remember yelling that phrase as you raced your siblings to the car? Remember the wee big of smugness you felt as your mom said that it was your turn to ride shotgun? Remember how it made you feel like at that moment you were mom's favorite? And you would pretty much do anything for your mom if that meant that you could ride shotgun? Yeah, me too. Although with 4 other siblings it seemed like forever before it was my turn again in the shotgun seat. Unfortunately my children have not had the opportunity to ride shotgun very much. One reason is WA state legislation that requires children to ride in the backseat until they are 13. The other reason is that the front seat of my Honda tends to look my travelling office. However, when I am driving the Mountaineer, the children do get to ride shotgun. I would say that 80% of the time, Katelyn is the one riding shotgun. Yeah, well here's what I get for all of that. This is a conversation that took place Monday night as we were leaving pilates. Me (as I'm putting on my 5 layers so I won't freeze when I go outside): Hey Kate, since you're in such a hurry to leave will you help me put on my socks and shoes. You know, like how I helped you when you were little? Katelyn: No Me: Please. Think of it as good practice for when I am old and need help putting on my socks and shoes. Katelyn: Um, you'll be put in a retirement home. I'm sure that there will be someone there who can help you. Later that night I said to her that I'm sure she didn't mean it this way, but when she said I would be put in a retirement home she might as well have told me "I hate you, Mom." She said that what she really meant is that she'll probably be living in another state and won't be around to help me with my socks and shoes and I shouldn't expect her to. Wonder what the conversation would have been like if she could ride shotgun 90 or 100% of the time?

Frozen Synapses

I had a laundry list of things to blog about...last week was full of some doozies. But now I think all of my synapses are frozen!! Seriously, I was not meant to live in the Yukon so this cold snap needs.to.go! I honestly think that I may move to warmer climates once the kids are out of the house. Plus, if I move they may not be able to find me, thus eliminating the potential problem of having them return. But for those of you who question my sanity as I train for triathlons and distance races, you'll be happy to know that even though my synapses are firing slowly because of the cold, my common sense has not completely escaped me. Mar and I have decided to forgo our outdoor runs until the weather warms up--it needs to at least be in the "teens" with no wind chill. I think Saturday is supposed to warmer--it's supposed to snow. Running in snow is not a reason to skip an outdoor run. Only temps in the single and below digits--then you freeze your lung tissue and other body parts.

A Year's Growth

So my profile picture was taken almost exactly one year ago (well 11 months ago, really). I find it amazing how much the kids have changed in one year's time. What do you think...

That was then...and this is now

We went out to Rich and Charlene's for dinner. Dave's sister and family were there. The first thing our niece Sheridan said to Carson was "Wow you're tall" and then she said "That means Aunt Heather is the smallest one in her family." So in case you can't tell from the picture, Carson is a good 2 inches taller than me now and almost sees eye to eye with his sister. Amazing that in a year he grew almost 6 inches. No wonder that boy is always hungry!

And Katelyn is looking older, too. I think she is hoping to look older after the drama teacher she didn't get a role in the fall production because she "looked too young". We thought that she was going to be told she "looked to white" for the winter production because they were doing Aladdin; but the cost of Aladdin's copyright was too expensive. They are doing Brigadoon instead. I think she should look just right for that play--she definitely has the right complexion.

One Foot In, One Foot Out

Earlier this week as I was driving home from dropping Katelyn off at the high school, a "Dr. Laura Minute" came on to the radio. I usually keep one ear remotely tuned in to these small segments, letting my other ear and mind focus on driving, the laundry list of "to do" items for the day, etc. But this particular day, I listened with both ears because the caller was a LDS female and I'm an LDS female. The caller started off by saying how much she loved her faith, she loved being Mormon, she practiced the Mormon faith faithfully. After all of that, she then said "BUT, I love to drink wine. I love to drink alchol. I really, really want to drink. Do you think, Dr. Laura, that this is OK and that I should drink?" Dr. Laura's first response was that she couldn't tell the caller to disobey a major tenet of her religion and faith. The caller said "You're right. But do you think I could have one foot in, one foot out?" Here is where I really started listening. Because if you have ever listened to Dr. Laura she is pretty black and white. If something is wrong, something is wrong. So you know what she said? She said "Well, I suppose it is better to have one foot in, then no feet in. I would rather you live your faith imperfectly than have no faith at all." Excuse me, Dr. Laura, but what happened to all of your previous advising of learning self-control, self-discipline, and sometimes what we "want" isn't really what we need or should do? I am not a perfect Mormon woman by any means, but I also don't go around looking to blatantly disobey doctrines thinking that somehow they pertain to everyone but me. Anyway, this phone call became a dinner conversation later that night. I asked the kids what they thought--can you have one foot in and one foot out. Katelyn: You definitely have to have both feet in. Carson: Yeah, what Katelyn said. Both feet in. Dave: I think you would get pretty cold standing in an open door.

And Now for the Rest of the Week

Tuesday was like Friday since there was no school Wednesday. Dave and I even went out Tuesday night. Ok, so it was to Katelyn's choir concert, but it was still a night out. The concert was a benefit concert for the local VFW. It was actually an amazing concert. I love these types of events because they always make me so grateful to be an American and so proud of those who have served our country in the armed forces. Wednesday was low-key. The problem with having a day off in the middle of the week is that means you have another Monday. Fortunately Thursday's Monday was N.O.T.H.I.N.G. like Monday's MONDAY. There was no nit-picking. No time-sucking 1st grader. I steered clear of all soda machines. Katelyn called twice to double check on the after school plans. David put a new battery in the Honda on Wednesday. Dinner was ready. AND the sporting event of the evening (middle school wrestling) went great. Carson beat his guy 13-0. Wow, seeing him in his singlet this year demonstrates what a little more testosterone can do--he has real muscles in his arms and legs! Then it was Friday and since we had gone out on Tuesday's Friday, we just enjoyed a quiet evening at home watching the snow fall. Well it was sort-of quiet. The boys were having some gaseous issues. Usually such things aren't funny, but last night it seemed that we all had received a dose of junior high sense of humor. Everyone but Katelyn, that is. She had a choir competition across the mountains and won't be home until Saturday at midnight. This morning (Saturday) the boys left early to go deer hunting. I joined my friend at 7 a.m. to go on a leisurely 6-mile run. It was delightful. The air was crisp, but no wind. The snow that had fallen last night had melted off of the roadways so we had a clear, non-slippery surface to run on. We each shared how the week had gone and before we knew it we were back at the club and it was time to go home. PS Carson didn't get a deer. And I lost the coin toss for going to get Katelyn tonight. But you know what? This week wasn't too bad.

Yesterday was $*%?!

I know that lately I have been all sunshine and roses, cheery and jovial, but yesterday was too much. There wasn't one particular thing, but a series of lots of little things that typically I just laugh at, but yesterday they just seemed to get to me. I started the morning off doing one of the more fantastic tasks of my job, nit-picking. Yep, I have a master's degree in nursing so I can spend the morning picking nits out of children's hair. Then it gets even more fantastic when I get to call parents and say, "I know that you spent all weekend shampooing, combing, and nit-picking, but there are still nits and our district has a "no-nit" policy." Parents are, of course, more than a little miffed that they have to come and get their children and they tend to take their frustration out on the one who made the phone call. Sorry, I know the policy sucks, but it is what it is and your child cannot be at school until s/he is nit-free. A first-grader doesn't want to be at school so he complains of his stomach hurting. I spend 30 minutes with him, walking around the school, talking about his favorite things, prepping to go back to class only to have his now-happy persona completely unravel when we get to his classroom. I talk with the counselor, but the counselor can't help because s/he is in the middle of something. Ok, I will just not get to the state-mandated vision/hearing screenings today. Finally I do convince the first-grader to go to recess with the promise that I'll call his mom while he is out and then come and tell him what she said. Happy again, he goes to recess. I talk with mom, report back to him and don't see him for the rest of the day, but the vision/hearing screenings are still not finished. Lunchtime, usually a relaxing few moments. Except not yesterday. Yesterday I decide to purchase a soda (a rarity to say the least). I push my selection and out comes the pop, but not my selection. No, it is a *&%^ Coke. I hate Coke. Honestly, could this day get even worse? Never ask that question! Finally home from work, but no Katelyn. Katelyn usually is home by 3, since her school dismisses at 2:20 and she has to ride the bus. 4 o'clock and still no Katelyn. I call a few of her friends to see if she had mentioned any after school plans. Nope, they all say. Now Katelyn is usually very good about calling me if she has something come up and she won't be home on time. So I drive to the school and walk around. Still can't find her. It is now 4:30 and I'm feeling a little panicky (probably from drinking the caffeinated soda at lunchtime). I've called Dave 3 times by now, but he has quit answering his phone because he knows there is nothing he can do from CDA. It's 4:45 and I have to leave in 5 minutes to get Carson from wrestling. 4:50, tears streaming down my face, I hear the garage door open. Katelyn is finally home! Only a smirk from her when she sees my tear-streaked face and a lame excuse that she didn't have a phone to call from. Don't even try to pull that one on me--there are phones in every classroom of that school as well as a free student phone! Waiting for Carson to get done with wrestling practice. Here he comes so I turn the key to start the car. Nothing. Try one more time. Nothing again. The battery is dead in the Honda. Call a friend. She'll see me in 10 minutes. I have jumper cables. Carson asks every 2 minutes in that 10 minute waiting time if I would try starting the car again. Finally I ask him to quit asking because he is giving me a headache. Friend arrives, jump the battery and away we go. Home now. Time to fix dinner. Crap, the hamburger is still frozen so no tacos for dinner. What to fix. The kids want waffles. So Katelyn fixes waffles for them and I eat a bowl of oatmeal. I love waffles so the oatmeal is a total disappointment. Monday night football. Broncos lose. This day sucks.

Bruin Brute

Well Monday marked the end of Carson's football season. He did remarkably well for his first year at football. He is tough. He is mean. And he knows how to tackle. These were the characteristics that made sure he was on the offensive and defensive line each and every game. The game is football is definitely one venue where boys still get to be boys. I have to say that is sort-of refreshing.

So anyway, Monday was a great game for Carson. He had some awesome tackles and some incredible blocks. Tackles and blocks that wound up to be game changing. You can't really tell in this picture that he is the one making the tackle, but he is and he is the one who caused the fumble (look closely and you'll see the football about 2 yards behind the guy being tackled). This fumble was run back for a touchdown.

And shortly after this play, our guys intercepted the ball. Carson totally laid out a guy which allowed our player to continue down the field and score a touchdown. These two plays resulted in GMS going ahead and holding on for the win.

Football was fun to watch this year. Now we are into wrestling season (it started Tuesday).

Drums Beating and Chest Thumping

Every year around this time, Dave likes to remind us that he is "the man". He does this by spending a weekend (and maybe a few weekdays) out being a hunter. He comes back all scruffy and gross, smelling of sage, dirt, and blood. He loves it--because he is "the man". And again this year he had the boy come along to participate in the "hunt". The women could almost hear the drums beating and chest thumping from the camp a 100 miles away, for these were our men out hunting for sustanance to get us through the winter. This is what "the man" brought home on Thursday:

And this is what he and the dog brought home on Saturday (minus the deer head, that was from Thursday): Feeling full of vigor, "the man" and his dad will be hunting again on Thursday to bring home more fowl for the winter.

2nd Grade Musings

Working in an elementary school is always interesting. Really, you could say that there are some days where there literally is never a dull moment. And when kids say the darndest things, well that usually makes up for all of the times when you think "Why am I doing this?" Sometimes what the kids say gives you a brief glimpse into what their home life must be like. Like when one 2nd grade boy said to me "Oh, those are like cussin' beeps" after I finished his hearing screening. "Cussin' beeps?" I repeat back to him. "Yeah. Cussin' beeps." Then I get it and say "Oh, like the beeps that you hear on the TV when someone cusses?" "Yep" he says as he skips out the door. And then there are times when what the kids say just brings you back down to reality. This past week two 2nd graders said things that did just that. I have to admit that most of the time I live my life thinking I am just as tall as the average-height female. But I can't fool 2nd graders. First conversation had with a 2nd grade girl as she was watching me look for nits on a family member's head..."You have really little hands." she says ever so politely. Family member says, "Well sweetie not much about Mrs. Graham is very big." I have nothing to say but "Yep." Second conversation with a different 2nd grader at a different school. "Gee, I'm almost as tall as you are." says the boy with a huge smile on his face. "Yep and if I took off my tall shoes I bet you would be as tall as me" I reply. Both of these converstations took place on almost back to back days. I didn't even have time to convince myself that I am of normal height before I was reminded again that I am not.

Complete Lack of Good Judgment

The quote of the week included in our district's staff newsletter was from Barry LePatner (a big-time lawyer in New York). He said, "Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment." I would add that experience and good judgment beget wisdom. I would like to think that the people who have stewardship over our children while they are in school would exercise at least good judgment when making decisions for our children. So imagine my dismay when I read in the above-mentioned newsletter that the other high school in our district will be doing Sweeney Todd for their fall production. Now I admit I have seen neither the Broadway production nor the movie. However, Google is a wonderful thing and I was able to read the Clif Note version of the Broadway production. I do not see how there could be enough editing done to make this appropriate for high school students. And why would the theater department pick a production that has this level of violence? Are there really no other plays out there that are able to convey the same moral "The quest for revenge is a poison that ultimately destroys the revenge-seeker.", but are able to do it without all of the violence? Oh and there is a fair amount of sexual suggestion/propositioning that goes on in the Broadway production. Are sexual propositions what we want to re-inforce in our high school population or the community in general? Am I out of touch? Should I be this disappointed and upset about the theater's department pick for their fall production? I guess they thought their small disclaimer that some content may not be suitable for younger children was sufficient enough to make-up for their complete lack of good judgment.

Birthday Princess

Katelyn,

I know this post is a day late, but you said this morning that it was OK that I am late with the post. Honestly, I can't believe 16 years have gone by already! It seems like just a short while ago, that I held you for the first time. I still remember the first thing I said when I held you for the first time, "She has her daddy's dimple." That simple dimple established an even stronger connection than what I felt when I was pregnant with you. We don't often refer to you as a "princess", but just for today, I want you to know that you truly are of royal birth and heritage because you are a daughter of God.

It was so much fun to watch you at your "Sweet 16". I don't think you ever quit smiling the whole night.

Here are 16 things that I love about you:

1. I love your innate desire to do what is right. You have no idea what a great blessing this is no only to you, but also to your parents.
2. I love that you most always have a smile on your face. I know that there are tough days sometimes, but even through those tough times, you manage to smile. This is something that will serve you well as you progress through your life.
3. I love that you always try to be friends with everyone.
4. I love that you don't get caught up in "girl drama". I was completely prepared to help you through these challenging situations, but you have figured it out all by yourself--you just stay out of it. I am so proud of you for being able to avoid these all-to-common pitfalls of teen-age years.
5. I love that you have your daddy's dimple. As I mentioned before, that was the first thing I noticed about you and I absolutely adore your dimple.
6. I love that you were willing to dance with your dad at your "Sweet 16". The two of you were so cute and I know that it was a special moment for your dad.
7. I love that when you danced with your dad, you danced like you did when you were little--your feet standing on his feet.
8. I love that you do service for those in need with such an open heart and without any grumbling. Teen-agers often get a bad wrap for being self-centered, but you dispel that image 100%.
9. I love that when we get together with our extended families you don't act like you are too cool to play with the younger kids. That is something special and is much appreciated by your aunts and uncles.
10. I love remembering that when you were little you were the word police. Remember how you used to tell everyone that "stupid" was a bad word?
11. I love that you are pretty easy to shop with. That has a lot to do with your good-natured attitude and your desire to do what is right. I only get frustrated that the options for cool, modest clothing are somewhat limited.
12. I love that you are growing up and becoming more independent. This really is a catch-22 for me because I am becoming more and more aware that our time with you living full-time in our home is limited, but at the same time, I don't want to hold you back from attaining your dreams and living your own life.
13. I love that you will sing "Phantom of the Opera" songs with me in our most funny opera voices.
14. I love that you know that you are a daughter of God and you do your best to live with that in mind.
15. I love that you are fearless. Do you remember hearing the story about your first "swimming adventure"? You were not quite 3 and you jumped in the deep end of the pool. When I finally fished you off the bottom (it was a circulating pool and you kept floating away from me), you emerged from the water with a jubilant declaration of, "I swimmed!" There were no tears or any indication that the experience was something scary. You have approached many things in your life with this same attitude. I want you to continue on with this attitude because it is a trememdous blessing.
16. Most of all, my dear Katie Brooke, I love that you are my daughter and that Heavenly Father has blessed our family with your sweet spirit. I love you with all of my heart.

Love, Mom

The Countdown

For a year now, I have been anticipating Katelyn's 16th birthday. And not for the reasons you might suspect, such as now she can drive herself to all of her various activities that keep me running in circles AND drive her brother to all of his various activities that keep me driving in reverse circles. Nope the reason I have been so looking forward to her 16th birthday is because of the celebration! Originally I was going to have a surprise party for her, but then I got worried that I wouldn't know which friends to invite. So in June, I clued her in on the party. Then we got busy thinking about a theme. Honestly, it has taken me over 10 months to come up with just the right theme for her Sweet 16. Then a month ago I was listening to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack and it hit me....Masquerade! She loves the Phantom of the Opera and doesn't a Masquerade Ball sound just about perfect for a Sweet 16? Saturday is the big day and I can hardly wait! We spent last Saturday picking out a dress Oh that was a nightmare! very difficult to find any sort-of modest dress these days, but we were somewhat successful. She has to wear a little jacket over the dress because of the spaghetti straps, but she is very OK with that. She is such a good daughter! We met with the DJ's last night and they seem like they are going to be terrific! They had some very fun ideas. The cake is taken care thanks to some talented grandparents (thanks Mom and Dad). The decorations are in--50 masks, 100 beads, 15 yards of deep purple toole and 16 yards of green toole (we have to use something to cover up the prickly brown walls in the cultural hall), scene backdrops, balloons. We've had positive responses from about 25 people with about 25 more pretty sures. The only thing I'm still trying to resolve is how much and what kind of snacks to have. The party is from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Any suggestions? I want something that isn't messy and doesn't have to be kept warm. I thought about pretzels and chips. I am going to make some pecan pralines and we are using Skittles as part of the the table decorations. So any suggestions? Fun party food ideas? Now is the time to reveal yourselves. Don't hold back because I only have til Saturday to get it all figured out. Oh and what do you think about a Father/Daughter dance after we sing "Happy Birthday"? Paul Simon has a great one called Father and Daughter.

Sports Round-up

Last Saturday, Dave and I were part of a 1/2 ironman relay team. He biked, I ran, and a gal we know from LL did the swim. David rocked on the bike--56 miles in 3 hours on the TOUGHEST course ever--really, my friends who do Ironman all the time won't come and do this race just because of the bike course. Anyway, he was amazing. Doesn't he look like a bike rider?

I'd love to brag on how well my run went, but it didn't go that great. But if you ask Dave he'll tell you I did a great job--he's the best. (This picture was take about mile 5 when I was still feeling really good and my body was still sweating. About mile 6, I quit sweating. Not good.)

The good news...our team took 3rd place! We were so surprised.

And just so you don't think that we are the only athletes in the family, let me tell you about Carson's football game. His first game was yesterday. It was a beautiful day for watching middle school football. He played the first half mostly left guard and kick return. Then the second half he added left tackle to the positions he played. Yep, offensive and defensive lineman for the entire second half. No breaks, he was in for the entire time. He had some great blocks on offense and really busted through the defensive line. A couple of times he was right in the quarterbacks face causing some busted pass plays. He had two nice tackles that I saw and fortunately he was not on the bottom of the pile when all was said and done. His team went on to win 14-13. He has a bye next week (I think).

What's the Emergency

Dear Parents, Can you please help me understand why you list grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, neighbors, friends, etc. as emergency contacts and then provide NO NUMBERS! I don't see the purpose of giving me all of the names if you don't tell me how to reach them. I promise that if you provide the numbers I won't call them except in an absolute emergency AND only AFTER I have tried calling you at every number you have listed for yourself. So Parents, please help me out. Please provide not only emergency contact names, but also emergency contact numbers for those names. Your child's health and welfare may depend on it. Sincerely, Nurse Graham

Brian Urlacher, You Say? Nope, that's Carson

Did you notice in the "first day of school" picture that Carson has cleats in his hands? No? Well, he does and they are FOOTBALL cleats. Yep, he is playing football this year. So far I have been OK with that. I figure it is just one of those "rights of passage" for junior high boys. Besides, in our middle school, the boys are divided by weight and age. If you are a big boy, you play with the other big boys and if you are on the smaller end of things, well you play with other boys who are also on the smaller side. Needless to say, Carson plays on the lightweight team. Like I said, I've been OK with things so far. Sure, it's tough seeing your boy come home with forearms and legs that are various shades of blue, purple and green. And no mother enjoys watching her boy limping around because everything hurts. And I felt bad when I had to tell him last night that there wasn't much I could do for him except offer him ibuprofen and put him in an ice bath. But I've been OK with him playing football. UNTIL they announced positions! Those coaches...what were they thinking? They've decided that Carson--my 5'1, 92 pound boy, should be playing offensive and defensive lineman! Are they crazy? I am not OK with this. But Carson is ecstatic about his positions. He says he can't wait to smash into other people. David tried to be very supportive and said that the biggest guy can only be 120 pounds. Um, excuse me, that's still 30 pounds heavier than my boy. I'm trying very hard to put on a brave face, but I'll be that mother you see cringing on the sidelines.

How to Catch a Fly and Why I Need New Shoes

Dear Parents, When you are at a new school and you are advocating for your child, please realize that loudly declaring "I'll do whatever it takes to push this through" isn't the best approach. You will do well to remember that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. You see, nothing raises the hackles of school officials faster than to have a parent come in all fired up and yelling threats. A much better approach is to present the information in a sweet manner. Yes, I realize that at times an assertive approach is necessary to get the bureacracy moving and out of your way, but when you are aggressive, you just burn bridges. Those bridges are really hard to repair. And the next year, when your child is at a new school and you are talking with the nurse about your child's situation and she realizes the solution, she thinks all is well. Until she notifies the persons in charge of the solution. Then she discovers that she has stepped into a big pile of stinky, old crap. And now she needs new shoes--even though she was successful in getting the solution implemented. Sincerely, Nurse Graham

A Last and A First

This post is a few days late, but I need to do it anyway.

Saturday was the last day at the Farmer's Market for the kids. Running a produce booth at the Market has been their summer job for the last 3 years. I'm sorry that summer is over and they are done (and I mean done, no more Market for us next year) at the Market. But they worked hard and I think from time to time, they even enjoyed it. Farewell Graham's Garden Goodies.

When summer comes to an end, you know that school is coming to the beginning. David stayed home from work Tuesday morning so he could make the kids breakfast and then drop them off at school. His plan mostly worked. Carson only wanted toast for breakfast, so he made his own. And Katelyn didn't need to be to school until 11:30, so David wasn't able to drop her off. It was fun to have Dave home in the morning to get the kids ready for school--although since they are 13 and pretty much 16, they really don't need much help. Anyway, here is the traditional "First Day of School" picture.

Spiritual Growing Pains

Here's what I have been thinking about for awhile. I used to consider myself a glass half-empty person. Then I started thinking about it and realized that maybe I'm really a glass half-full person. I realized that for the most part, I did look at the bright side of things and tried to be optimistic. If you ask, I'll usually tell you that things are going well. Our life seems to be pretty much in order, we have great kids, I have a good marriage, etc. Life is good. But then I started thinking some more...maybe I'm not really a glass half-full person after all. Maybe I have just overlooked or not noticed, the trials. And if I did that, what lesson did I miss? What strengthening didn't occur? You see, I firmly believe that our Heavenly Father gives us trials/challenges to strengthen us and make us a better person. I also firmly believe that He knows us each individually and knows exactly how much we can handle. So can you see my concern? If I'm missing the trials or overlooking them, what does that say about my faith? Am I destined for a life of mediocrity--not knowing true joy because I can't handle true pain? I think I am a fairly strong person. I have a deep testimony. I see others around me who have deep testimonies as well and they are undergoing some serious challenges and I'm left wondering, "What's wrong with me?" But then again, maybe nothing is wrong with me. Maybe at this point in time, Heavenly Father is satisfied with where I am at and with what I am doing. Maybe He is pleased with my efforts as I learn and struggle in my new calling. Maybe learning to draw closer to Him as I learn to serve the sisters in our ward is my challenge and trial. Just maybe, the wheels don't have to fall off of the bus and the world come crashing down for us to learn, grow, and be happy. And just maybe, I can be a glass half-full person and that doesn't mean I am oblivious or overlooking my challenges--I just look at them with a different perspective, with hope and faith.

I Should Hang My Head in Shame

Last night I had to go to the grocery store. Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike going? Well, let's just say that I would rather nit-pick a whole 1st grade classroom over going to the grocery store. Oh, and I have been known to ask my family to just stop eating so I don't have to go shopping. Okay so the last part is tongue-in-cheek, mostly. But I digress...last night's shopping trip. When I finally finished and I made it to the check-out line, I realized that the items of my cart were much more reflective of the items found on the interior of the store than the perimeter. Please remember that my profession is as a school nurse and I often lament about the growing waistlines of our student population. With that in mind, please note the items in my cart:

• 7 boxes of sugared cereal
• a package of "snack-bag" Frito-Lay chips--assorted so we got Cheetos, Fritos, Doritos, and Lays
• a frozen pizza
• 1 box of Twinkies and 1 box of Ding-Dongs
• 2 loaves of white bread
• 1 package of white hamburger buns
• 3 packages of processed lunch meat and one of the Hormel brand that doesn't add preservatives
• a pound of real butter

There. It is now out there for all of cyberworld to see. Please employ the "do as I say, not as a I do" mantra when making your own food purchases. I did have a few items that were somewhat redeemable--a gallon of skim milk, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes...I guess that's it. I thought there were more. Oh the shame.

On a completely different note...there is a certain member of our family who might need a new home. Preferrably a home that does not have a lot of small electronics. This certain family member has caused the demise of a digital camera, a beloved training tool, two headlamps, and I think at least one more small electronic thing. But this family member is a tricky one, she is. Yesterday, she managed to pull only the headlamp off of the table. The headlamp that was sitting under the shock (training) collar. The headlamp that I wear when we are out running at 5 in the morning. Well she did manage to get the blinkie light off of the table as well, but that light attaches to her collar so it was still as good as new.

Facebook 101

David has a Facebook account. He opened it for work--I'm still unclear on the reason for needing for work, but anyway. After last night's conversation, it's clear he probably doesn't use it that much. So we are watching TV and the commercial for Verizon comes on with the kids talking to the parents who are busy texting on their phones. The girl says to the mom, "Mom, just because we are Facebook friends doesn't mean you can write "I love you" all over my wall." I said to Dave, "can I write 'I love you' all over your wall?" Dave: "Wall? Is that a Facebook thing? I thought she meant her bedroom wall." Yes, he was completely serious when he thought the girl meant her mom had written "I love you" all over her bedroom wall. I almost fell off the couch, I was laughing so hard.

I've Lived with Him Longer than He Lived with His Mom

Today makes it official...I have now lived with David longer than he lived with his parents (and longer than I lived with my parents). We celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary today. While I certainly don't feel like it was just yesterday that we were newly-weds, I am finding it hard to believe that 19 years has already elapsed.

We've certainly had some doozy downs--at the time, they felt like deal-breakers. But we have also had some awesome ups. When you get married at 19 there is still a lot of growing up to do and David and I were lucky enough to be able to grow up together as a couple. We've learned some important lessons along the way--you really shouldn't go to bed mad at each other, use humor when possible, speak in an indoor voice. The most important lesson I have learned...compromise does not always mean that both parties lose; it can also mean that both parties win.

It's pretty great going to bed every night knowing that the person who is in bed with you loves you more than anything else. I love him, too, that much.

Go North to Alaska

The boys got home late Saturday night. It was good to have them home. Josie was so excited to see them that she was jumping around like a bucking bronco. By report, they had an amazing time. It's been stated that there are many funny stories to tell, but so far they have been keeping the stories to themselves. Rich and Dave both said that they have never seen Carson laugh so much. I guess that is a pretty good indicator that he was having a good time. They limited out every day so now our freezer is full of 100 pounds of silver salmon. Carson won the triple-crown award for catching the most fish, the biggest fish, and the smallest fish. (Isn't the King Salmon about the ugliest fish you have ever seen?) The boys also got to enjoy other wildlife of Alaska--they saw moose, caribou, bald eagles, golden eagles, beavers, and grizzly bears. Their boat was almost sunk by a very industrious mink--something about leaving a fish in the boat, the mink eating it, and somehow pulling the plug while eating the fish. I think the story lost something in the translation so you'll have to ask Dave or Carson for the full story.

One of Three Returns

Late last night, Katelyn returned home from camp. She was not due to arrive home until today, but the torrential thunderstorm that we had yesterday caused some minor flooding at camp and so home the girls came. Even though she was stinky, dirty, and a little soggy, I was really happy to see her. I didn't even mind that I had to go get her at the Stake Center at 11:00 at night. This last week has been a little strange for me as I have been by myself. I think it gave me a glimpse into what life could be like in just a few short years. I was a little uncomfortable with not having anyone to care for but the dog and the fish. The dog is doing fine. The fish, well so far I've lost 2. I think if this trend continues I may be turned in to PETA. I did learn a few things. I'm still Heather even without kids and husband to care for. I still enjoy working out with my friends early in the morning. I used to say that i had to work out early in the morning so that it didn't impact my caring for the family in the morning. While there is an element of truth in that, what I discovered is that I really do enjoy being up at 5 and getting my exercise done. I love starting the day off with something that pushes the heart rate up and clears the sleepy fog from my brain. I also learned that I'm going to need some sort of summer job when the kids are grown and out of the house. I missed being busy. Today I was frustrated with myself because i did not fully take advantage of this week. I could have volunteered somewhere. I could have been more of a help to my mother-in-law as she is preparing for a family get-together this weekend. I really could have done some productive things this week, but I let the week pass me by. I also learned that I enjoy weed pulling way more than my children do. I would spend a couple of hours each morning out in the garden area pulling weeds. I swear that weed pulling is a never ending job! But I loved being out there, discovering new bugs, and listening to the honey bees buzz all around my raspberry plants. I loved the thrill I would get when I could finally work a huge dandelion free from the soil with its full root still intact. When I'm pulling weeds with the kids, we spend a lot of our time seeing who can pull a weed with the longest, thickest root. I missed having them out there with me as i was pulling the weeds. I missed the laughter when one of us would fall over from a weed that we had been tugging so hard on finally was pulled out of the ground. I even missed the grumbling that would always eminate from them, usually for the whole hour that we were out in the garden. That grumbling used to drive me crazy, but I learned this week that I missed it. Finally, I learned that if you are going to mow the lawn with a self-propelled lawn mower you have to engage the drive control for the self-propulsion to work properly. If not, the lawn mower is almost as difficult to push around as a rotary blade mower. I discovered this little gem after I was about 3/4 of the way done with the backyard. But I had it all figured out for the next day when I mowed the front yard. The last 2 arrive home some time tomorrow night. I can't wait. Hopefully they will have been able to shower. If not, can you imagine how they are going to smell after having spent a week in the Alaskan back-country?

Keepin' the Streak Alive

Anytime Carson is gone for an extended period of time I am in charge of feeding his fish. I don't really mind doing it, but I do have to hang a sticky note on my bathroom mirror that says "Feed the fish" so I don't forget them. The unfortunate part is that within a day or two of Carson returning home he finds a fish floating. Of course I am the one to get the blame. I have yet to figure out what I am doing wrong. I thought for sure that this week I would come out a winner. We had just purchased new fish the day before Carson left so I wasn't worried about having old fish. And the fish that survived the last time I was in charge I figured were impossible to kill because they are a type of catfish. Well there aren't any floaters yet, but I'm afraid that one of the catfish is not moving very much and his eyes look pretty cloudy. If he floats before Saturday I may just go buy another one and try and make it seem that I am not a fish killer.

I Must Love the Dog More

As my family can attest, when someone is sick with a stomach virus in our house, we (I) employ the following routine: sick person is quarantined to the sick couch; must not touch anything and if they do, they must use Lysol wipes to disinfect the touched item; nothing by mouth until vomiting has been stopped for at least 2 hours; fluids first--water or Sprite, followed by toast or soda crackers; finally, if no vomiting occurs for a 24 hour period after introducing fluids and bland foods, regular food can be eaten. Said sick person must be sick for 2 days (vomiting and/or diarrhea) before I even think about calling the doctor. This is the routine. Period. You must be really looking like death and have not held anything down for 2 days before a doctor visit is scheduled. So my family will be surprised to learn that I took Josie to the vet today. She had vomiting and diarrhea all day yesterday. Yep. Only one day and I took her to the vet to get checked out. She's the dog for goodness sake! I guess I was feeling especially sympathetic because I am all alone this week and who else do I have to dote on? Anyway, she seems to be doing better and hasn't thrown up since 4 a.m. this morning.

Going Back

So this past weekend I travelled back to Aberdeen to attend my 20th (!) high school reunion. I can't believe that I have been out of high school for 20 years. Most of the time, I still feel like I'm 28 and have only been out of high school for 10 years. Anyway, since Dave and Carson in Alaska fishing, and Katelyn didn't want to go with me, I made the 6 hour trip by myself. For the majority of the drive, I thought about what was going in my life right now...getting ready for school to start, training for another 1/2 marathon, thinking/planning Katelyn's 16th birthday party (are we throwing a big bash or not?), and just other stuff that occupies one's mind. When I hit the Grays Harbor county line and it was the only place in the state that was covered by clouds (as usual), I began to wonder what other things I might find the same during this reunion weekend.

I started remembering our high school community. Just like any community, we had people who lived on the outskirts, there were people who were the center or hub, and many people who found themselves in-between. Some people were talented enough to move back and forth between the various classes, but that was a feat in high school. I wondered if those same lines/boundaries would be realized at this reunion because they were somewhat at the 10 year reunion.

I think that uncertainty is what made so many of my classmates a little anxious about this reunion. I was surprised to talk with so many of my classmates who said that they were nervous about coming, some even saying they felt a little nauseous before Friday night's social. I didn't have the same anxiety. I think it was because I'm finally comfortable with who I am (not that I think any of my classmates who expressed anxiety are self-conscious, that's not what I'm saying at all) and because I'm comfortable with who I am, I could go to this reunion and be genuinely curious about how my other classmates are doing, what is going on in their lives, and not really care if they asked about me or not. I can honestly say that I was happy to see everyone who came and I made an effort to try and talk to most everyone. Oh, and those boundaries that had existed in high school--completely erased. I guess we all did finally grow up.

Of course there were a few people who I wanted to see more than anyone--my core group of girlfriends in high school, Dawn, Doty, and Sissy; and my core group of guy friends Mike, RJ, and Jeff. I was so grateful that I had a chance to see these friends and re-connect. I really have no excuse for not staying in touch and I should do better and I'm going to try--even if that means I have to join Facebook because that, it seems, is where everyone goes to keep in touch.

So here's to the Class of '89. Thanks to the planning committee. The reunion was a lot of fun.

He's Officially a Teen-ager Now

Before I blog about what I did this past weekend, I better blog about this guy... Carson turned 13 last Thursday. I can't believe that we now have two teen-agers living in our house! Carson requested that we have scallops for his birthday dinner so here he is, fork in hand, waiting to dig in. I used to think that having a summer birthday was a bummer. No parties or treats at school, hard to get a hold of friends to have a birthday party, etc (my birthday is July 3rd); HOWEVER for the past 2 years, Carson has managed to score big time fun for his birthday. Last year was a trip with his dad and friends for some camping and fishing in one of Carson's favorite spots along the St. Joe River. I thought, wow, how are you going to top that one? Well, get this. This year, Carson, his dad and grandpa are taking themselves on a week-long fly-fishing/camping adventure in...The Alaska backcountry. How cool is that for a birthday present? Carson, I just want you to know that I love you tons. You are the coolest boy I have. You have a quirky, dry sense of humor which gets you in trouble from time to time, but gives us some great stories to share and laugh at later. I know next year you are going to be a great role model for the 6th grade students and a leader on your wrestling team. Keep up the hard work, because hard work pays the biggest dividends.

Meet Little Roo

This is Little RooThis is me on Little Roo

(I usually have my helmet on, but Dave caught me before I had a chance to put on the helmet)

Why the name? Dave just started calling it that and the name stuck. Little Roo is a lot of fun to ride and has the potential to be FAST!

Is This Totally Irreverant?

Today I road tested a new bike. It is a tri bike (time trial bike) as opposed to the road bike I currently ride. There are a few differences, mainly you stay in the aero position for most of the ride and your shifters are out in front. It also doesn't corner quite as well as a road bike and the tires are more of a racing tire. Unfortunately for me as I was out riding it started to rain. I had just finished a big climb and was facing a pretty twisty descent and me, not being a fast descender, was a little nervous about being on this new bike and facing wet roads. So I said a little prayer that the rain would stop so that I could get down the hill without worrying about wet roads. Okay, so the prayer was really more of a pleading, but the rain did stop. I was so grateful. In fact, I showed my gratitude by stating out loud, "Heavenly Father, You ROCK!" Then I thought that maybe that wasn't very respectful so I said more quietly, "Thank you Heavenly Father for hearing my plea and stopping the rain." PS The bike was great.

Really, He Shouldn't

So last night we were watching the Singing Bee on CMT. In case you're not familar with it, it is a gameshow where contestants have to sing lyrics to songs. If they mess up, they're out. So it got down to the final two contestants and the part of the game where it is fill-in-the-blanks. The one contestant had the Commodore's song Brick House. Much to my surprise David and Carson were singing right along and filling in all of the blanks, CORRECTLY! After the song Dave said to Carson, "Now when you come home from a date, you'll have a song to describe the girl" (or something to that effect). I shot him "the look"--you know the one. The one where the receiver knows that they're busted. Dave innocently replied "What?" To which I said, "How would you like it if some boy when home and used that song to describe Katelyn?" Dave, "Carson, I better not ever hear you use that song to describe a girl."

M.I.A.

Where have I been? I can't believe it is the middle of July already. Truth be told, I have given up a lot of my blogging time so that I can devote myself to watching the biggest time-suck in July--the Tour de France. I watch the live broadcast at 5 a.m.; then the re-broadcasts throughout the day (just in case I missed anything); and finally, the expanded coverage that airs every night at 8 p.m. I am obsessed with this bike race. I can't find the words to describe how much I get drawn into the race. This year has been particularly intriguing with the return of Lance Armstrong. I can't wait to see what happens in the Alps. Will Lance follow the plan and be a worker-bee or will he go for the win again? What will Team Columbia and Team Garmin do to counter-act the strength of Team Astana? Will some dark horse be discovered on the slopes of the Alps and steal away Astana's glory? There has already been so much drama in the first 10 days. I'm full of anticipation for the remaining stages. I just wish that all I had to do was sit home and watch all of the broadcasts of the Tour. But, I am also a Mom In Action, most of which involves taking Katelyn to tennis camp and driver's ed, along with fulfilling church obligations as I am now in the Relief Society Presidency. So no promises on when I might blog again, but maybe on Thursday. Tomorrow is way too busy with tennis, driver's ed, running, biking, shopping (we'll see how fruitful this adventure will be), and seeing Harry Potter.

Day of Firsts

Well there were a few "firsts" today, this last day of June. This was my first swim since March--I decided that it would be a good idea to make my first swim a mile in length just to make sure that i could actually do it. First 20+ mile bike ride since last August (or was it September?). But most importantly, this was Katelyn's first day of driver's ed. I wanted to document the day with a picture but Katelyn told me that was just plain ridiculous. Since she is already a good 4+ inches taller than me, I'm sure that we won't have any incidences due to being vertically challenged. Still, riding in a car driven by a beginning driver causes me a great deal of anxiety. I must get over this.

Reality Check

I can neither confirm nor deny that there are times when I am vertically challenged. Actually, I spend most of the time going about my day blissfully thinking that I am of normal height. However, there are occassions, when on further analysis, I realize that I probably don't meet minimum height requirements.

Such is the case with driving a certain pick-up truck in our possession. Apparently not being able to see over the hood of the truck can cause one to seriously misjudge where the driveway ends and the landscaping begins; thus causing one to run over large landscaping rocks.

OOPS!

(This picture was taken from the street view. The driveway is probably 2 feet to the right of the last group of pink flowers. No one or thing was harmed during this little situation.)

Black Butte Ranch

Carson thought yesterday's post was totally lame and that I should have blogged about our recent vacation. I promised him that I would blog about it today. So here it goes.

Truth be told, I always approach whole family gatherings with a little bit of anxiety. I believe that every family has a certain amount of dysfunction and ours certainly is no exception. The only problem is that at times our dysfunction tends to ruin the gathering. However, I am happy to report that this time we were a happy family. I don't think there was even a cross word spoken the entire week. And more importantly, there were some great memories created. I want to share just a few highlights.

First, a picture of some of the group that was there

So that is 14 of the 24 that were there. As you can see, lots of little kids and I think there are even a couple of little kids missing.

Next, before we went down we asked Katelyn and Carson what they most wanted to do. Katelyn said she wanted to go on a horse back ride. Usually I'm not a fan of trail rides because the horses are like robots and there is always dust. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Katelyn and I were the only ones in the trail ride so the dust was at a minimum and we got to trot on the horses--making it a little more adventuresome, although my sit bones had forgotten what it was like to trot on a horse.

One night we had a visit from Rocky the Racoon. And one day I got to go golfing with my brothers, dad, hubby, and brother-in-law.

There was a lot of swimming, Carson did a 2 day golf school (boy were his hands blistered by the end), and lots and lots of food!

Two of my brothers took the older kids rock climbing one morning. Katelyn was the champion and climbed all the way to the top. Carson and Caleb got up most of the way, but need to grow a few more inches so they can reach all of the holds. And they all came home exhausted

And a few memories without pictures...Michael and his adventure to Aspen Lake; Skyler got run over by a deer; Travis, Sasquatch and the screen door; games and visiting; the girls' day at the spa; the hike to the top of Black Butte and my amazing sister-in-law for carrying her 2 year old the whole way.

So mom and dad, thank you so much for the trip to Black Butte Ranch. It was amazing.

Are We Doing This All Wrong?

Parenting has to be the hardest job/calling I have ever taken on. It challenges me to be creative, flexible, caring, protective, loving, authoritative without being authoritarian, kind, humble, and a million other characteristics. I love my kids and I love being their mom. But sometimes I worry that I am doing it all wrong. That perhaps in my attempt to protect them and guide them, I am squashing their independence and natural curiosity. I usually don't worry about how the hubby and I are doing as parents. However, there have been 3 separate instances lately that make me wonder if we are being to guarded and protective of Katelyn. I worry that we aren't letting her grow-up. Instance #1: A couple of weeks ago David and I rented He's just not that into you. Katelyn said that one of her friends from church had watched it and thought it was very funny. Well, as David and I were watching it (previewing it to make sure it was appropriate for our kids) all I could think was "I can't believe M's mom let her watch this." The next day I was headed off to work and I asked the kids not to watch the movie because I didn't feel it was appropriate for them. Katelyn brought up the fact that her friend had seen it. I said that I was surprised that M's mom had let her watch it and then I explained why I did not feel it was appropriate to watch. I left the house wondering if I had done the right thing. Had I totally interfered with Katelyn's agency and cut off the chance for her to make the right choice? Am I stifling her growth and developing independence? Instance #2: This past week we were on vacation with my whole family (parents, siblings, siblings spouses, and lots of kids). Katelyn was the oldest kid there. The next oldest was Carson. My brother said, "It just blows my mind that Katelyn is going to be 16 in October." I asked why he said that. He replied, "Because she doesn't act like any 16 year old girl that I know". This converstation took place as we watched Katelyn happily coloring with all of her younger cousins. So again I was left to question if we were giving her the needed space to grow and express her independence. To me she seems just right--worried about her hair, worried about her outfits, interested in boys. The thing that I love most about her though is that none of these things totally consume her life and maybe that is what my brother meant. Instance #3: When we returned home Katelyn had a link to a friend's blog. The friend had sent her the link because the friend was using the blog as a way to write short stories. Somehow David wound up on the blog first and read the story. He asked Katelyn not to read the story until I had a chance to read it. Katelyn complied and I read the story. I must admit that I was a little surprised by what the girl (another friend from church) wrote. While most of it was pretty benign, there was a scene where the man forced himself on his new wife. The description wasn't anything graphic, but you definitely knew what was going on. It was also a little disturbing that the friend had decided to make the antagonist's name, Mr. Graham. I told Katelyn that she could read the story if she wanted to. I also told her about the part where Mr. Graham takes advantage of his new wife. After she finished on the computer I asked her if she read the story. She said yes. I asked what she thought and she said that she thought it was a little weird. She also was surprised that her friend would write some of the things that she had written. But again, I was wondering if we were protecting Katelyn too much. So how do you know if you are doing the parenting thing right? Am I crazy to worry about such things? I just don't want Katelyn to feel like we are smothering her and not giving her the chance to stand on her own. It's not the letting them grow up that it is hard, it's knowing how to let them grow-up.

Exhausted, Relieved, and Satisfied

Exhausted because today was 8th Grade Celebration Day. That means a day full of activities--morning with field day events, afternoon with more outside activities and some indoor activities. No real break, just go, go, go. Relieved because today was 8th Grade Celebration Day. Since I was in charge of planning, coordinating, and running the event, I am happy that it is all done. I only had one small anxiety attack yesterday. Pretty sure I would have had another one this morning when I discovered I forgot to buy toilet paper for the mummy wrapping station, but I had gone for a run this morning and that burned some nervous energy. Relieved that I discovered the missing t.p. early enough that I could run to the store and get some. Relieved that I had awesome parents who volunteered to help and worked their tails off. Satisfied in the job I did for Celebration Day. The 8th graders seemed to have a good time. I had wonderful parent volunteers. The weather was perfect (Heavenly Father does hear and answer prayers even about the weather--the weather guess for today was supposed to be a.m. showers, which would have pretty much wiped out field day events). Satisfied that I have good notes so next year's 8th Grade Celebration will be even better.

Perks

There is a lot more to being a school nurse than putting on band-aids and doing lice checks. I spend much of my time counseling with students regarding healthy habits. I case manage students with health concerns. There is always mountains of paperwork to be done. It is a very autonomous job and, despite what some may think, can be quite challenging. The challenge comes from being the only medical professional in the building and you are on your own to use your judgment and assessment skills to make sound decisions. But there are perks. On occasion you are asked to do things that are pretty unrelated to nursing. Sometimes, you are asked to sub for the health/fitness teacher and you get to spend the afternoon teaching 4 square to 1st graders. And then other times, you get to accompany the 4th graders on their Outdoor Adventure fieldtrip and spend most of the time just hiking and participating in the different learning stations. Awesome. Soon summer will be here and it will give me time to re-charge my "school nurse" battery and then I'll be ready again for next fall and all that it brings--challenges and perks, alike.

Love Spring, Hate Allergies

We've have finally had some really warm spring weather! And I love it. Unfortunately with spring and the warm weather comes...

Me feeling like my head is going to explode, nose raw from wiping, lungs that get irritated and eyes that won't quit watering. I went for a bike ride this morning and by time I got back my eyes were beyond red and itchy. Even after I showered and took my allergy medicine I looked like I had been having a real good cry. It's always great to show up to an 8 a.m. meeting looking like you are hung-over.

Any BYU fans?

Anyone recognize this former BYU quarterback?Did you guess Ty Detmer? He was the guest at the golf tournament I golfed in a couple of weeks ago. He didn't remember meeting me my freshman year at BYU--I guess he was trying to block out all reminders of dating my former roommate. He's still the same low-key guy that I remember. Must be the Texas in him.

Ouch...That One Hurt

So the other day I was taking Katelyn to CDA for tennis lessons. I had invited a friend to go with me so we could check out the new Croc center and make a Costco run for contraband dishwasher soap. On the way home, my friend was chatting with Katelyn. Here is an excerpt from that conversation. Friend: So Katelyn what is it that gives you the most teen-age angst? Katelyn: Not having a cell phone. Friend: Really? Not having a cell phone bothers you more than anything else? Katelyn: Yep. Friend: So have you reached the stage when it is embarrassing and really not cool to be seen with your mom? Katelyn: Yesss said with a huge, exasperated sigh. I knew this stage would come sooner or later, but it still hurt to hear it verbalized. Especially since up to this point, Katelyn was always the child I could count on to not just acknowledge me when out in public, but she would always give me a hug. I guess I haven't reached "cool mom" status. And maybe that's OK. I'm really not sure what I would need to do to improve my coolness and I don't really think it is possible since every kid thinks their parent is the least cool. Sometimes it is hard having your children grow up and reach these important developmental milestones. It is a reminder that they are here with us only for a short while.

Fore!

Whew, what a day today was. I golfed in a BYU alumni tourney with my dad, hubby, and brother. So much fun! I started the day off with a great drive--one the boys could actually use. For the next, I don't know how many holes, I couldn't hit anything. Well, except for the group that was in front of us, ON THE NEXT TEE BOX. I did that twice. Dad said that was OK because they brought me along for my putting. Not sure why today was the day for putting, but I was on FIRE! I think I one-putted most of the greens today. And we didn't have one bogey on a hole, Thank you very much. Eventually I did manage to get 2 more drives that were worth something. That made me feel better. I was a little stressed about not getting another good drive, let alone 2 (we had to use at least 3 drives from every player). We didn't win, but we also weren't the worst team out there. And I forgot to mention, there was only one other lady golfer and she was a golfer, not some weekend wanna-be like me. Guess what. Her team was last. Not sure if I should be so happy about that because it would have been nice to have both co-ed teams make a good showing. Anyway, Go Cougars.

Not That Kind of WalMart Shopper

Background: At mile 5 of my race last Saturday I felt the liberally applied BagBalm wearing off. By the end of the race I knew I had a monster chafe, but I didn't know how bad it was until Katelyn said "Mom, are you bleeding?" Um, yeah. Consequently all this week the bra has come off as soon as I get home from work and doesn't go back on until the next morning. Conversation at dinner tonight: Hubby: Carson and I are going to WalMart to get some construction paper for his project. Let's make it a family outing. Me: Um, no thanks. I'm not putting a bra back on. Carson: That's OK, you don't have to. Hubby: Yes, she does! Carson: No, it'll be OK because we are going to WalMart. Thanks, son, but I'm not that kind of WalMart shopper.

Goal Achieved

Yesterday I met my goal for the 1/2 marathon I ran. I wanted to run in under two hours and my official time was 1:58:afew seconds. I am very grateful that I was able to reach this goal and I absolutely could not have done it without my Heavenly Father's help.

Sure I had the training under my belt and was feeling mostly confident in my training. But I had a couple of things beyond my control that were stacked against me. First, the last few long training runs resulted in a foot injury. On these runs, my foot started hurting pretty bad around mile 6 or so. The pain was such that there were a couple of times I wasn't sure I would finish the training run. Second, the pesky monthly clock was set to go off yesterday morning. This leaves me feeling completely drained and sidelined with some gnarly cramps. Friday night I prayed that these two issues wouldn't be a factor in keeping me from achieving my goal. And they weren't. The foot felt great the whole race and the clock waited until this morning to go off.

Now some may attribute the foot not hurting to the good rest program I initiated last week (a couple of short runs, lots of ice, and ibuprofen). And the delay in the monthly clock I suppose could be attributed to ramped up training miles and some anxiousness about the race. But I know that it was the tender mercies from my Heavenly Father that rained down on me yesterday that helped me achieve my goal. I know that it was He who pushed me the rest of the way in when I totally bonked at mile 9. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who cares for me enough to bless me to fulfill my totally worldly goal of finishing in under 2 hours.

I also am grateful to cheerleaders who got up early to see us off at the starting line

I am also grateful for an excellent training buddy whose stride matched my stride (although in this picture we both look like we are fast walking instead of running).

And I am especially grateful for a wonderfully supportive family, who I neglected to get a picture taken with when I crossed the finish line. Without their love and support I would not be able to get in the training time that I need. I so appreciate that they found me along the run and cheered for me. And knowing that they were waiting for me at the finish line kept me putting one foot in front of the other.

Oh, and I can't wait for my next half marathon. This one was a pretty good experience, with the exception of bonking at mile 9.

Superstar Siblings

My mom sent me a Mother's Day card, which in and of itself is awesome because, hello, she's my mom and she is sending me a card. Anyway, on the card she wrote "We are amazed by all you do." This phrase has given me a lot to think about over the past couple of days. I don't think that I do anything above and beyond what other working moms do. And the things that I do, do, I'm not sure that I do them well enough to be amazed by them. This is especially true when you put what I do into perspective with what my siblings have done, gone through, or are currently going through.

• I have never had to suffer the pain of a failed marriage and losing two children. But my brother has.
• I have never had to suffer the uncertainty/stress of having a husband who hasn't worked since February and has trouble finding work because we live in an industry-barren community. But my sister has AND she has a life-threatening chronic condition.
• I have never had to try and manage two different life-threatening conditions while suffering from a learning disability that makes just managing every day life difficult. But one of my brothers has.
• I have never had to try and balance going to medical school with providing for my family. But my youngest brother has.

This sounds so cliche, but my siblings have learned how to make lemonade out of the lemons they were given.

My divorced brother re-married and has 3 beautiful children with his lovely wife. His ability to rebound has been remarkable and I am in awe that his faith never seemed to waiver through all his years of turmoil with his ex-wife.

My sister's versatility is amazing as she finds ways to make ends meet while her husband waits for his work to pick back up. She calls herself a "one woman temp agency". She cracks me up and her positive, "things will work out" attitude is truly remarkable to me.

My brother with the life-threatening conditions probably has the hardest draw since his learning disability really does hamper his critical thinking skills. Yet, each day he wakes up and has a new plan for how he is going to support his family. He is currently attending the local community college to improve himself and his job skill set.

My brother in medical school just welcomed his 2nd child into the world early Monday morning. He and his wife are fabulous parents. I know that he takes his job as student very seriously. But he also takes his role as father just as serious. He does home improvement projects when he has time, spends quality time with his 2 year old, faithfully fulfills his calling at church and I'm sure will help as much as he can with the new little guy.

My siblings are the every day heroes and I am amazed by all that they do. Growing up I always heard, "you are the oldest and need to set the example for the younger kids." Well I can tell you that I often look to my younger siblings as examples because of all that they dealt with and continue to deal with.

Mom, I hope you let my sister and sister-in-laws know how awesome they are and that you are amazed by all that they do.

Happy School Nurse Day

Yes, it's true. There is such a thing as School Nurse Day. It is buried in the middle of Teacher Appreciation Week and today is the day. It has been a great day. The secretaries at one of the schools I work at gave me a beautiful little rose plant, I won a $50 Starbucks card for participating in a survey that I filled out like in March, and I got to have lunch with my nursing peeps. Oh and I wrote a little song in honor of school nursing.

Here are my nursing peeps:

We are dining at the fine Vin Rouge establishment. Now here is a picture with me and my peeps

And here is a picture of our very patient waiter:

The song: well it's just to special to share--not really. It's really just kind of silly and my kids are completely embarrassed that I wrote it and then SANG it at the restaraunt. But it is School Nurse Day and I felt entitled to disrupt everyone's dining experience by sharing my little celebration of School Nurses--even though I don't really think I disrupted anyone but the other school nurses since we were in a room by ourselves, separated from the main dining room. All in all, a fun day and today I like my job. Actually all this year I have really enjoyed being a school nurse. I do it because I enjoy children and believe that helping children stay healthy goes a long way in helping them to be better learners. This year has definitely been more than applying band-aids and doing lice checks. It has been challenging and rewarding.