Random Things I Heard My Kids Say This Morning

Rea: "Mommy, I think you'd better go ahead and pull out this other tooth so that it all looks even..."

Ma-lak: "If muscles and bones had a fight, I think muscles would win."

Ya'shar: "Incoming!...." (followed by a huge crash!)

Ni'ke: "Can I wear a blanket outside?"

Number 1 Way to Expend Excess Energy!

Ma-lak and Rea are enjoying lots of new experiences this summer, all resulting in zero problems with enforcing bedtime!! Here they are practicing a few moves before class!

Can you believe that school starts exactly ONE month from today!?!?! So much to cram in, so little time!

"All I Want for Christmas...."

Rea, sporting a slightly altered but still adorable smile! The other tooth won't be far behind!

"Checkmate!"

When David came home from college a couple weeks ago, I asked him, "What are you going to do this summer?!" Included in his list were the usual "college kid" summer activities like chlling out, going to see a couple movies, working out with Dad, etc... but TOPPING his list was, "I want to teach Ma-lak and Rea how to play chess! Dad taught me when I was their age!"

I was pretty impressed, because 1)I think chess is really hard and I never could "get it." and 2) Of all the things he wanted to do this summer, he included his little brothers and sisters! He has spent alot of time with them this summer, playing with them, reading to them, having prayer time with them, and I love watch their relationship grow closer! Thank you David, for being a Godly example and role model to your little brothers and sisters, you are a blessing to us!

Romans 12:9-10
"Don't just pretend that you love others: really love them. Hate what is wrong, Stand on the side of good. Love each other with brotherly affection, and take delight in honoring each other."

AVON Walk for Breast Cancer, San Francisco 2009

TOP 10 THINGS I LEARNED THIS WEEKEND:

1. Marathons are alot like giving birth (minus a baby): There's so much planning and anticipation for the "big event". You're so excited when the day finally arrives. During the actual "event", there's alot of pain and agony, and you swear you'll NEVER do this again! But afterwards, it's so great because you DID it, and now see what you've got! Huge feeling of euphoria, "that wasn't so bad", and now you can't wait for the next one! Oh, and you're surrounded by great support and encouragement and people telling you to "Push, push, keep going, you can do it!" (Sorry for the lame analogy!) :)

2. I loathe porta-potties!!!

3. I live in a really gorgeous part of the world! There are some really beautiful places that I discovered and never knew existed after living here almost 7 years!

4. I'm amazed at the strength people have, their determination to finish what they set out to do, no matter the cost or pain involved. I saw people disabled with canes walking this weekend, people crying with every step, but never stopping. Everyone had their own reasons for being there, and it kept them going.

5. This was a very emotional thing to be a part of, and it surprised me how much I teared up this weekend! Whether from the stories I heard or people I met, or just finally FINISHING!!! I was bawling the whole time.....

6. I tend to set horrendously huge goals for myself, under-estimate what it will take to get it done, and then am disappointed in myself when it doesn't go like I planned. Yep, huge lessons learned this weekend! I wasn't as prepared physically as I could've/should've been. I was so determined to do the whole 26.2 miles on Saturday that I pushed myself too hard and over-did it, so much so that I literally couldn't walk the rest on Sunday. HUGE BUMMER!!! Little do I know about this stuff! But I will do it so much better next time!

7. God is my strength! The last 3-4 miles, all I could do was repeat, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" over and over! One foot in front of the other! And you know what, that discomfort I'm sure is nothing compared to the anguish some go through having cancer, or chemo, or losing someone they love, so bring it on!!! Now, I get it...

8. My husband is great at taking good care of me when I'm hurting!! He drove all the way down to pick me up after the walk Saturday night, rubbed my feet, brought me Ibuprofen, and tucked me in bed. (Couldn't get him to carry me up the stairs though!) I was all set up in my tent, ready to stay for the night, but it was so windy most of them were blowing over, and after I decided not to walk the next day, I figured I might as well go home and sleep in my own bed since we had to be gone by 8:00 the next am anyway. And did I mention the random tent-mate I had was CRAZY!!!????!?!?!?! That clinched it right there!

9. I can't wait to try to run one, far more better prepared of course, and I'll get my chance Aug 30th in the Inaugural Santa Rosa Marathon! I have LOTS of work to do!

10. My friends and family are great! You all supported me so much the past several months and I can't thank you enough! I hope I didn't let any of you down!
$6 million was raised for the San Fran walk, and you helped me raise $1840.00 of it! There were 2800 walkers, and I was blessed enough to be one of them! May God richly bless each of you!

My good friend from work, Cheryl was so awesome to drive me down Friday night before the walk and keep me company! We walked around downtown San Francisco, went out to eat at the Cheesecake Factory (so yummy) and watched a movie at the hotel. It was great to relax a little and fun to see the city! Thank you Cheryl! You are amazing!! (Feel better soon!!)

This is at the opening ceremonies at Speedway Meadows in Golden Gate Park, where the walk began. It was COLD and foggy and VERY EARLY!!! The walk started at 7:00 am, and we were there by 6:00. The 3 girls are Sue, Susan and Karen, who I met on the shuttle ride over. They were so sweet and said, "You can walk with us if you're by yourself!" So we walked the first 2-3 miles together! The tall pink thing was there for people to write on - there were two of them, but one of them blew over from the wind!

I thought I might be "bored" walking by myself, but I actually liked it - I could go at my own pace and stop whenever I wanted without slowing a partner down, and I could be a "social marathon butterfly" and met lots of neat people! And they were always so gracious to take my picture! Thank you, Donna from Brentwood!!

I love these old buildings in the Presidio, they were an old military base. I think they look very spooky and mysterious in the fog!!

We loved seeing who was going to be at the next "cheering station"! They were so entertaining and encouraging, and they were out there with us for as long as we were!

What feels really good half way through a marathon? Sticking your feet in a pool of ice water!!! Who'da thunk it?! The sitting down part felt pretty good, too... And that lovely hole in my sock developed around mile 8, but I didn't want to deal with it till later! Brand new pair of socks, fresh that morning! True story!