Thanks for the Prayers!

Today I completed my first half marathon. It was amazing. The weather was perfect. The course was beautiful. My parents, Tom and the kids were amazing 'fans'. My running partner and friend Peggy was a rock star! I was able to smile while I ran. I was able to appreciate the beauty of the fall colors. I was able to say prayers for Martha who started a half marathon in Long Beach, CA at 7 am, just about as we were crossing the finish line. (SHE ROCKED, SHE IS AMAZING!)

The verse, "I will run and not grow weary..." was my mantra for the last 2 miles.

Thank you for the prayers, good wishes, and support! At a little after 10 am today we finished with a time of 2 hours and 3 minutes (just 3 mintues longer than our goal!). How am I feeling tonight? Proud. (and very very sore!)



My shirt caused about 20 people to yell, "GO MOMMY GO" as I ran past! It was amazing.

It's almost here!

Sunday I run my first half marathon. Honestly, it's been a rough last month of training. It turns out I have some alignment/leg length issues that are wreaking havoc with my hips and lower back. Pretty much every step hurts. But, I'm stretching, wearing a lift, icing, and I will finish the race on Sunday morning. I've been laughing because "It takes a village to make Anna run a half marathon". Tom has been amazing, picking up the slack at home and supporting me. The kids are learning about goal setting, determination, and constantly chanting, "Go Mommy Go!". I am doing this for me. It has been a welcome distraction to my babies being in school all day. It is not something I ever thought I would do.
I ask for your prayers this weekend. I'm nervous, I'm excited, and I'm ready to be done! Sunday morning 8 am, think of me.
I love this excerpt from the GR Marathon Newsletter from earlier this week:


"This is the week when lives will change. On Sunday, many people, for the first time, will run 26.2 (13.1) miles. They'll learn new things about themselves. They'll meet the challenge that they've set. And their lives will never be the same again.
This is the time that a plan that's been developing for a long time finally comes to fruition. It's the result of many, many hours of training and preparation. And, in spite of some sore legs and some other physical discomfort, they're having the time of their lives.
Our goals aren't always comfortable. The good ones aren't very easy. But when I see the looks on the faces as they cross the finish line, I KNOW that they were all worthwhile.
Anyone who can run 26(13) miles can do anything. And this is the time YOU prove it to yourself."

Apples, Art Prize, and Amazing Miracles

We had an Awesome weekend.

Saturday after Noah's soccer game we headed to Crane's to pick apples. It was a perfect fall day and we had a wonderful time picking apples, eating donuts, drinking cider and laughing together.

Sunday afternoon we took the kids to 'Art Prize' in downtown GR. It was amazing. The kids LOVE art these days so it was wonderful for them to see the variety of works on display! Abby LOVED this giant bird nest made from apple tree branches.

This was another fun one...can you find all 5 of us?

The world's largest greeting card...I loved the inside (which has also been signed my many!)

Finally, every time we drive by Spectrum Downtown the kids say, "Mommy, is that where you got your best presents ever? So today, downtown they kept pointing to all the tall buildings and asking if that was where. We decided to take them there. We parked and took the once very familiar walk up to the DeVos Children's Hospital NICU. The smells were the same. The path was very clear. Once in the entry way (as far as we told the kids we could go) we showed them where we scrubbed in each day to visit them. The nurse at the entry was kind enough to show us the board of all of the nurses currently working there. We immediately picked out Dawn, our favorite and the one who cared for the kids the most. Through the hand of God, she happened to be working this evening and she came out to meet us. She immediately recognized Tom and myself and was stunned and amazed to see how our tiny fragile babies have grown in to amazing, funny 6 1/2 year olds. The girls even told her they wanted to work in a NICU someday. In the elevator we met a husband pushing his wife and her IV in a wheelchair. They had given birth to their son today. 6 weeks early. They asked the kids if they were born here. "Yep, we were!" they proudly responded. I pray for them tonight and pray that seeing our 30 weekers today brought them some peace and hope. Thank God tonight for our amazing miracles.

Dawn with Tom and Noah March 2004
Dawn and our amazing miracles October 2010

Update

Can you believe it's October!! Here are a few photos from our month. We had a MSU 'tailgate' party with the family of one of the kids friends from school. The kids played and the grown-ups watched the game! Go State! The kids have been enjoying art class at school. I love the treasures they bring home! Today they had a 'laps for Lakeshore' event and they ran/walked the track for 30 minutes. It ended up being warmer than we expected and they were hot and tired after the half hour! So fun!

I registered for the GR half marathon yesterday. There's no going back now. This is a big weekend of running for me: 7 today (not my best feeling run but we did go fast-8.5 min miles), 2 tomorrow and 12 on Sunday. It's the longest run before the race on October 17. I'm excited, nervous and a little ready to get it done! I'm running with a friend and it is sure an adventure! Prayers that my legs hold out, I've been a little sore these days (picture my awesome sister Martha-who is also training for a 1/2 on the same day in LA-who is a physical therapist giving Tom stretching instructions for me via speaker phone!). It takes a village to prepare a runner!

Happy October!

The girls and their friend Ella at 'laps for Lakeshore' (1st grade wore blue!)

Noah running his laps (left side of the picture-long stride)

'monsters' from art class (L-R Sophie's, Abby's , Noah's)

The art wall L-R Monsters, Sophie's 1st grade self portrait, Noahs 'self portrait' on an airplane to LA, Abby's 1st grade self portrait, Noah's end of kindergarten self portrait, Sophie's Kindergarten self portrait, Abby's kindergarten self portrait

Go State! Tailgate party!

Our family

It's been a crazy, wonderful month full of adjustments and new adventures! The kids are doing great, loving school. I am enjoying work at Hope, training for a half marathon (I did 11 miles today!), treasuring snuggles whenever I can, and slowly adjusting to having 3 1st graders.

Sorry for the lack of posts, but here is an amazing family photo taken this evening by my talented amazing friend Kate Bolt.

Have a wonderful week!

A new chapter

The kids had a wonderful first day of 1st grade. They woke up doing the "1st day of school dance" (then climbing in to bed with us for some precious pre-school snuggles). They marched right on to the bus and off they went. Just like that. Because they go to another elementary school (not our neighborhood school) for Spanish Immersion they had to switch buses on the way to school and on the way home. They followed directions and did great. They got off the bus this afternoon tired, but full of stories of their first day of school. They loved lunch at school, 2 recesses, Spanish class, speaking Spanish in class, seeing their friends, snack.....the list goes on and on.

I cried a little today and counted the moments until they got home. But then, I savored the snuggles, the smell of their hair, the stories, the excitement...the new chapter.

(Auntie Martha MADE the girls dresses!! Thank you!!)

Good Bye Summer

If you have talked to me in the past few weeks (which is no easy task these days...i have laryngitis!), you know that I am not 'throwing a party' or 'celebrating' the first day of school. These are things people assume when they find out all three are going to be in school full days. Yes, I'm excited for my kiddos who are over the moon excited to be starting 1st grade with all their friends. But as for me, I'm sad. Like broken heart sad that my babies are going to be gone from 8:19am-4:16 pm 5 days a week. That's a long time. All three at once. Anyone who tells you it will go fast...is right. I blinked and today is here. This is a day I have been dreading for 6 1/2 years, and it stings just like I thought it would.

I'm adding responsibilities at Hope and know I will keep plenty busy. I know I will treasure those after school and weekend hours with my kids even more this year. I know that their joy in learning will far overshadow my sadness. But for tonight, I am sad to see this summer end. I'm sad to see this phase of life end.

Tomorrow begins a new day, a new phase and joys untold.