One Proud Wife

Yesterday Jon ran his first marathon. I am so proud of him. When I trained and ran my first one last February he initially said that he had no interest in ever running a marathon. Once he saw that I did one, he changed his mind. He began a training program in June and really changed the way he did things from running to eating to even his viewpoint on shoes. Despite the initial weather reports which changed daily from high humidity(a runner's nightmare) and 50-60 degree weather, to a cold front and thunderstorms, to race day beginning in the mid 40's and dropping to the mid 30's with a little drizzle and wind thrown in there for fun. All in all it was great race weather. He did so great.

Periodically I would get text messages telling me what mile he just completed, his pace and his predicted time for the marathon. That was great because it helped me track him down. His dad joined me about 1 1/2 hour into the race and we took off to find Jon at different locations and cheer him on. That made the time go by and it was really fun too. Gotta say, White Rock is one great marathon. Music all along the way and people cheering the entire time. I was even able to watch him come in to the finish line. I just stood there perched up on a wall, cheering and so full of pride. I felt even more proud for him than I did for me when I finished mine!

My Poor Husband

You be the judge! Jon has had several people come up to him on different occasions telling him that he looks just like Tony Romo. From his boss who makes it a point every Monday morning to discuss his plays to people at church saying, “Has anyone ever told you that you look just like Tony Romo?”, to our most recent outing at the White Rock Marathon Expo where a guy at the t-shirt table said, “You look just like Tony Romo!” Yes! He hears that all the time now and yes, it does get a little on his nerves. Maybe if we had a $65 million dollar contract we’d be a little more willing to play along!
At least he’s playing well so we don’t get booed and hissed at.

By the way…Jon is on the bottom!

The Heart of a Child

Yesterday Jake and I were out doing our last minute "get all the stuff for our Christmas cards" shopping. We had one last stop to do which was the post office. When we drove up Jake immediately noticed the fire truck there and I noticed there were alot of people standing outside. I checked to make sure that there wasn't a fire and when I saw people going inside I decided to go on in too. (I needed stamps after all.) As Jake and I got near the entrance I noticed a bunch of people surrounding a person and there was a pretty good size pool of blood nearby. I quickly got in and got my stamps and then asked a man on my way out what had happened. He told me that it appeared that an elderly man had taken a pretty bad fall...hence the blood. He also told me that there was a girl, which might be his granddaughter, in the truck next to the accident site and it looked as though she had Downs. I stated to Jake that we should pray for the man and his granddaughter. So we exited the post office where another man quickly told us to go a different route which I told him we couldn't because our truck was the other direction. I tried to take Jake's attention off the scene so that he wouldn't be frightened. We loaded up into our truck and said a prayer. Cool thing that came to mind during the prayer is Jake's memory verse for this week is Isaiah 41:10, "Do not be afraid, for I am with you." So we prayed that prayer over the man and the girl. Later when Jon got home for lunch I proceeded to tell him about our eventful outting. As we sat at the table for lunch and prepared to pray Jake asked the sweetest thing, "Daddy can we pray for the hurt man?" Jon and I just looked at each other, smiled, and then we began to pray. It never ceases to amaze me how the heart of a child works. All I could do was well up with pride and be thankful that our son is mindful of what prayer is and what it does.

Trotting Turkeys

For the past three years now Jon and I have done a Turkey Trot wherever we are for Thanksgiving. (A great way to justify eating all the food!) This past year I didn’t participate as I know how the hills are in Austin and being pregnant I didn’t want to have “baby” going up a hill! However, the Austin Turkey Trot has a neat run for the kids. They line up in groups according to their ages with a turkey leading the pack and then they let the age groups go one at a time. It was quite a sight! I ran with Jake which was a 1k. He did so great! He ran about ¾ of it and then decided it was time to walk. Once we got through the finishers shoot, the kids were greeted with their very own medal! (He later told one of his cousins that he won the marathon…I did a marathon earlier this year and Jon is going to do his next month so that is where he got the idea that he won a marathon…not that I won mine.) Talk about one proud kid, not to mention the proud parents, grandparents and aunt (Jon’s sister came along too). Soon after Jon and my dad ran the 5 miler. Jon did a PR which I was very proud of and he came to the realization that the hills in Austin are pretty tough. (That’s why I won’t do the Austin Marathon!!!!!!) I think we’ve got a little runner on our hands!!!

By the way, the hat ...we just couldn't resist! Jon is a big Aggie fan and since we were in Austin we had to rub it in their faces!

The Pumpkin Patch

Every year since Jakob was born we have gone to this pumpkin patch. We have so much fun there and it is free! They don't do alot of Halloween decorating so it is not scary for the little ones and we like that too. We love to just walk around and have Jakob pose with the different character cutouts and do a little fall family picture there as well. This year we went a little late since our weekends were packed. Usually there are rows and rows of pumpkins but seeing as how we waited until the end of the month to go they are all pretty much gone.

It was still a fun time and at least it was cool.

Happy Fall!

Change is Good

I am not one who likes change. I like my little world just the way it is. However, God sees that I often need a little shake up in my little world. So within the past month there has been some change and adjusting. A few weeks ago a friend called me up to ask if I could watch her son for about a week. Rather she left a message and I sat there and thought, "do I call her back?" I was basically pulling a Moses in my mind. We know the story well and it is one that I treasure. (Maybe because I feel like a "Moses" sometimes.) You know the story where God tells Moses to tell Pharoh to let His people go and Moses is saying, "You want me!" Followed by excuses. We've all been there. For me my excuses were of all weeks this one?!?! It's crazy! I have a Girls Night Out, accountability with a girlfriend and a hair appointment! Any other week would be fine...just not this one. And so I called my friend and said I am not committing but maybe. Keep looking and I'll talk to Jon. While I was waiting to hear from Jon I got that butterflies in your stomach feeling. The one where my BSF teacher used to say, "That is God telling you to do something." We've all been there before. So I called my friend again and told her we'd do it to which her response was, "Are you sure? You didn't sound too sure earlier. Don't feel pressured although if God is telling you then do it." I told her it was an act of obedience on my part. I had to obey. And so we kept her sweet 3 year old. Talk about adjusting to change. Going from 1 to 2 kids is quite a change. Especially when it's a 3 year old instantly and not a baby that you grow with. It was fun for sure. I loved having 2 boys around. It was great for Jake. He had a little buddy to play with 24-7. It was even a blessing to have them have little conflicts. It was a learning experience for us and Jake. We try to create conflict for Jake but it always different when it is someone rather than mom or dad. So all in all that week was such a blessing. Obedience!
The next week Jake and I were to start BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) together. He kept telling me and my girlfriend who went with me last year that next year he was going to go to BSF. And so another change occurred. I switched my BSF class, one that I had been a part of for 4 years, and told my friend that I was switching. We were sad mostly because we no longer get together on Monday nights and talk for an hour after BSF. :) So we were supposed to start last week but Jake got sick on Tuesday and our class was on Wednesday. So being the good mommy I made the necessary calls to say that I wouldn't be there the first day. (I hate missing the first day of anything! Even though I know by now what all goes on.) This week we finally went to BSF and boy was Jake not wanting to go. He tried every trick in the book to not go. He didn't want to get dressed, brush teeth, basically he didn't want to obey. What a great way to start BSF! Hmmm...see a pattern here. He doesn't like his little world rocked either! (Note to self gotta work on that!) We finally made it and he was pretty fine once we got there. He even forgot my "morning hug and kiss" and ran in to his class. Yes, I did call him back to get my hug and kiss! I am still trying to adjust to my new class. I know that it will be a great year. I always love it. It's just not that easy for me to adjust.
God does bless our obedience. We/I need to remember that when something or someone tries to rock my world. Besides, isn't that what He did? Didn't He come to rock our world?

Our Little Chef

Last Sunday morning as we were getting ready for church Jake came into our bedroom. He hung out with Jon for awhile and watched some TV while I went to iron my clothes. After a while Jon told Jake to go and eat breakfast. So Jake obediently went to the kitchen. I had finished my ironing and came into our bedroom and looked around for Jake. I then asked Jon where he was and Jon told me that he thought that he was with me eating breakfast.
Mmmmm, no.
Around that time I heard the refrigerator door close. I ran into the kitchen to find that Jake had moved the skillet on the stove to a front burner and proceeded to put two slices of bacon in it. He then put up the rest of the bacon which was where I had come in. Rather than get upset (it was Sunday-don't want to go to church all mad at my kid :) I laughed at the sight of two slices of bacon sitting in the skillet and my son just standing there waiting to cook. I quickly told Jake to wash his hands and called Jon in to see what our "little chef" had "cooked up." We all had a good laugh and I then proceeded to cook the bacon. (Don't worry, he couldn't reach the knobs to actually turn on the stove. They are on the back and hard for even me to reach.) :0)

All About John Deere

Jakob has an obsession beyond what I thought little boys could have at this age. They are tractors. Not just any tractors though-John Deere tractors. It started with a video that we had rented at the library almost two years ago titled "All About John Deere." He loved it so much that he couldn't wait to rent the next one which, of course, the library didn't have.
Well we knew what to get him for his birthday-the collection of "All About John Deere" videos (4 in all). He watched those religiously. To the point where he'd say I want to watch the one with the feller buncher. To which I'd respond-the what, huh? You laugh but it's true. He can name every kind of tractor there is. EVERY KIND!
Here are just a few names that I know: feller buncher, log skidder, excavator, skid steer, motor grater...and the list goes on. And he can even tell you what they do. We think he has a future career with John Deere!
A few months ago I was on Nichole Nordeman's website and she was talking about how her son could challenge any kid on naming all the different kinds of tractors. We'll gladly take that challenge! By the way, sounds like our boys have a lot in common-we should get them together. We don't live too far from each other! :)
This morning we can across some tractors while out. He automatically spotted them with that excited sound in his voice. (He gets that way anytime we come across a tractor.) Thinking that he did not know the names of these particular tractors I asked him if he knew what they were. Without missing a beat he said, "they're spreaders."
Yea, right. I knew that! (Not really!)

Here I Am!

Ok here it is…my very own blog. I have wanted to do one for so long yet thought what do I have to say that is not going to bore you to death. I love reading the two blogs that I do. (No that doesn’t mean that I only have 2 friends. It just means that either my friends are not as technologically savvy or hmmmm, what?!)The two blogs that I read are such a blessing to me. Amy and Tamra your blogs have been inspiring to me in so many different ways. To read about the different trials, struggles, blessings and everything in between has been so awesome to read. What a great way to find out what is going on in a friend’s life even if you haven’t talked to him/her in a long while.
I love to write yet I tend to think faster than I write so bear with me. If you need translating feel free to ask.
A girlfriend of mine and I were talking about starting one up so that we can keep in touch with each other more often than the occasional Christmas card. (How terrible are we!?! We were best friends in high school and yet only talk through the occasional email and yearly Christmas card! Shame on us!!!!-I still consider you a 'BFF’-KH :-) By the way, thank you God for bringing Amy and Dan together and at just the perfect time and then bringing us all together at their wedding to reunite. God is so good! Also thanks for bringing them together to get married in Texas. Although I probably would have flown to India or wherever to be there for the wedding I am glad that it was in the great state of Texas!
Another one of my friends later emailed me to bring up the fact that some of us from that wedding had known each other for almost 20 years. (That’s right…do the math. We all met in 7th grade! Some later and some earlier.) Do you feel old now? Good because I don’t either!
So, hopefully by me branching out many of my old (meaning longtime and not old as in canes and walkers) and dear friends will follow suit and join me on this journey of blogging about who we are, where we are and everything in between.
Blog on dear friends, blog on!