Everyone Has a Story

Someday I will tell him about the day he was born.

His entrance into this world a traumatic one. A c-section gone wrong, ending in hypovolemic shock.

Tubes and wires and monitors and IV's in little veins so small.

His birthdays are celebrated a little louder...

a little more joyously...

a few tears are shed as I remember his birth day and think of how it could have turned out.

Dinner was chocolate chip pancake people, because that's what picky eaters like.

Dessert (of course) was homemade chocolate cupcakes with homemade chocolate frosting. A plate of six, all for him.
Yes, the rest of us had some too.

He was in heaven.

Happy Birthday sweet Camden. I hope all of your wishes come true.

Humble Pie

Anyone want a slice?

Well, I'm not sharing.

My favorite race of the year: the Memorial Day 10-K; ready to smash my PR into pieces.

Perfect weather

My biggest cheerleaders were there, me wearing my bright pink shirt-so they could see me in the crowd...

The race course had changed, making it safer for the runners.
Don't you want to look at the map?
Nope, I'll just follow everyone else.
Little did I know, the 2-milers started at the same time.
Crap, I followed the wrong people. And ran on my merry way. And 15 minutes later, I crossed the finish line. Way too soon.

My number was disqualified.

My biggest fans came over asking what happened, my husband shaking his head; for he knows me too well; and everyone else that knows me will not find it hard to believe that I went the wrong way; such a "Jen" thing to do.

I told the kids having to eat humble pie is good once in a while. Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, realize that yes, sometimes I'm a huge embarrassing failure, but my people still love me.

When we got home, I ran my very own 10-K, alone, how I like it best. I may have noticed a tear streaming down my cheek, because I am so dumb. When I finished, well, I still felt a little dumb. And, yes, I'm sure I'll be eating humble pie again...because deep down, I'm just a big, directionally challenged clutz.

Eight more days of school.

Wide Open Spaces

I could never be a big city girl. I crave the music of the birds, a wide open field, a stream running alongside my favorite running trail; a trail that leads me to my wide open spaces.

Green fields splattered with wildflowers, not a car in sight.

Miles and miles of trail in front of me; green leaves against blue sky; butterflies flitting past me; pure, fresh air clearing my brain of unwanted clutter.

I run and run and lose track of time. I turn my music down low; my steps, my breathing, the wind through the trees; those are the only sounds I hear.

Running is my sanctuary; my own little piece of heaven right here on Earth.

Running is my quiet...

my sunrise...

my being-one-with-nature...

my great escape.

Anyone want to go for a run? 

*all photos taken with my phone on various runs

I Should Be...

1. Folding laundry...

2. Putting the dishes away...

3. Setting the school clothes out for tomorrow...

4. Packing backpacks...

5. Clearing the clutter off of the counters...

6. Instead, I'll leave you with a weekend's worth of pictures...

7. Complete with sprinklers...

8. A little girl who is terrified of sprinklers...

9. But loves to roll around in the grass...

10. Our city's walking sculpture tour...

11. Their idea to pose with the reading statue lady...

11. And St. Benedict's hand reaching out centuries later...

12. I love this picture...

 13.

 

 14. Hope everyone had a happy and restful weekend...

Scavenger Hunt

1. Rainbow

2. Letters

3. Tree

4. Metal

5. Fluffy

So Much...

going on around here, it's hard for me to catch my breath sometimes.

So many activities, so many memories, so much to capture...and capture it I do. More often than not, my camera is dangling around my neck, something I no longer feel foolish for.

He must have thanked me ten times for chaperoning his field trip to the zoo.

I was honored he asked...

I know my years are numbered for him wanting to hang out with me in public.

We could have spent many more hours petting, looking, staring in wonderment.

I love who he's turning into.

And these two...

permanent best friends and troublemakers and the worst enemies all at once.

Silence from these two is deadly, but the noise they make together is deafening.

They are a force to be reckoned with.

And, these two...

finally coming around.

Maybe some resentment at first, from oldest towards youngest.

Buddies at last.

Fourteen school days until summer vacation...

I can taste it.