With all my heart...........(swoon)

I knew the answer to this without even answering the questions!!

You scored as Darcy, Your husband is most like Mr. Darcy of Pride & Prejudice. A beloved hero, he may be quieter and sometimes mistaken as proud, but in reality he has the most thoughtful generous nature. He appreciates good character and is extremely devoted to those he cares for. As a couple, you enjoy the company of those closest to you and may engage in thought-provoking conversations. Who is Your Jane Austen Boyfriend/Husband? created with QuizFarm.com

Race is home right now, and we are enjoying lavishing all of our attention on him at the moment. He'll be leaving again really soon, so we're soaking it all up!

I'm the freak

Savannah had signed up to audition for the Fine Arts Center's production of Suessical, the Broadway-Dr.Suess-Musical. This was a 4 week commitment of her summer. 10-4 every day. She was thrilled to try out for a part in the 35 member cast.

The first day was sort of an audition workshop of sorts. It was only a few hours, and as I understood it they would be going over what to expect on audition day. No biggie, right?

First of all, if it were not etched vividly in my mind, I would question from whose womb this child sprang. I am a logical, linear listmaker. I am always on time, and I live by the clock. The only creative things that I do usually involve things like painting and sanding stairs, or digging in the dirt and planting things outside. This is NOT my daughter.

We walk into the beautiful Fine Arts Academy and immediately the hair on the back of my neck stands up. The kids ranging in age from 13-18 were beginning to gather around. As I nervously surveyed the group, I could have immediately divided them into 2 groups. The first group was like Savannah. You would be lucky to get 2 words out of them in normal conversation, but the LIVED to be on stage, where they would miraculously transform into the character they would portray. The second group would be the extroverts. They were bubbly,talkative,and knew everybody's name by the end of the day. They were into their own sense of individual style, with no 2 alike.

After about 30 seconds, I am totally freaked out. This is totally Savannah's scene. These are her peeps. I am a visitor in a foreign land. I do not speak the language. What is it about these kids that give me the creeps??? After Savannah assures me that she does NOT want me to stay, I knock over about 3 other artsy kids trying to get the hell out of there.

I got out to the car and after saying a prayer for Savannah, I kept pondering why on earth I am so paralyzed everytime I take her to these things? What is it? What is going on with me? After awhile, it came to me. These kids are the exact opposite of me. They have no time restraints. Time is not an issue for them. The rules in their life are more fluid. The confines that they feel are from the limits of their own creativity. The day begins when the creative juices begin to flow, and the day ends, when the creativity begins to wane. A very open minded group. There are no lists. There are no clocks. And THAT does not fit into my universe.

After talking myself down off that ledge and working things out in my mind, I was ready to get back in there. It was time to pick her up, and I was ready this time. I pulled up outside, and waited. It looked like I wouldn't have to go back inside after all. The kids were already coming out! WOO-HOO! I waited, and watched for Savannah. She didn't come. I parked the car and went in. As soon as I walked through the door someone punched me in the gut. HARD. ----Oh, no. wait. No one physically punched me, but that is exactly what it felt like. There I saw my daughter. My little girl. I saw what was delaying her.

It was a guy.

An odd looking guy. Pudgy....some facial hair..... You remember the type-they had the misfortune of looking like they were in their mid-thirties in highschool? The type that if you didn't just tell them straight out to "Go away", they were certain that you were in love with them. The type that would own a light blue suit. He was........odd. He was wearing a "Family Missions 2006" T-shirt. He was giving all his strange attention to Savannah, and helping her with her sheet music. He didn't know the meaning of "personal space". She looked trapped and helpless, but as is her nature, she just stood there smiling and nodding quietly. (Again, if I had no MEMORY of her birth...........)

Once I recovered from the initial blow of this sight, my inner dialogue, as I walked over to where the 2 were standing went something like this: "OH GOD! I'm not ready!!! .............SHE'S not ready!!.............................NONE. OF. US. HERE .ARE READY!!!!!!!!!!!" I got her out of there. And fast.

The thoughts that raced through my brain! "She is going to be there from 10 to 4 EVERY DAY for the next 4 weeks!!! .......Does she KNOW that this guy is strange????........ Will she just be too nice, and let him rule her every moment?????....... AHHHHHH!!!!!! ............How do I tell her?.......SHOULD I tell her???........Hey- maybe this will be my big contribution to my daughter.......Now THIS kinda stuff, I'm good at. Oh, yeah- I can hear that now....'Ya know that guy? Well, he's a freak-just tell him to get away, it's the only thing that he'll understand'. No.....no......that's not right. That can't be right"

As it turns out, when I "casually" approached this subject with her, she sensed that I need reassurance. (Perhaps it was my breathless, half-sob, as I gripped both her shoulders that gave it away.) "It's O.K Mom.....He's kind of strange.........and he bothers everyone like that."

It was at this point that I was once again reminded that SHE is the one handling things the right way. SHE is the one doing the right thing. And that......... (sigh) I. Have. Issues.

Thomasina has some stuff to say about Savannah's Theatre experience as well, as she took her in for the audition the next day. This is the first time that Aunt Thom has had to be there with one of the neices or nephews when their necks were SO on the line. She is going to blog about HER side of the story.

Have a great day!
Melissa

Damned Feeder Pigs!!

This is where I grew up. This is the view from the house, looking down to the barn. Dad had just cut the hay when I took this picture, and you could smell it drying. I love it here. I have so many wonderful memories that are all connected with this section of earth. I am certain that almost all of the really important lessons of life, I learned right here.

Every day after school I walked down this road to do chores. And so did Thomasina. Although I remember being somewhat less than enthusiastic about this sometimes, after I got going, it was always a wonderful release after being cooped up in a classroom all day. Sometimes Thomasina would walk down with me, and sometimes I would do my best to escape my seemingly pesky little sister and get some time to myself.

Thomasina was actually a good little sister. She could have told on me for about.....oh....I don't know........a million things. But she never did. Well. ALMOST never.

One day, when I was 11 or 12 and Thomasina was 8 or 9(Em would have been way-little, so she's not in this story) we were at the barn doing our normal chores. At that time, It was my job to milk Rosie, our milk cow, in the evenings. I had already used up any goodness that was within my wicked little self, at school that day. My friends were stressing me out big time. Stayin' cool, was hard. I STILL didn't have those Jordache jeans. It had been a rough day. Man, I was sweatin' life.

Not long after getting to the barn,I had Rosie in her stall. She was happily munching her feed. I grabbed the stool, squated down and started milking. I had hardly gotten a cup full in the bucket, when a feeder pig, scurried through. Then another. And another. HOW DID THEY GET OUT?! There were more than 5. Feeder pigs are about the size of a medium dog, and they are just full of teenagery youthfulness and mischief. They were all around Rosie's food, and then all around the milk bucket. Rosie was a good and gentle milk cow, but she'd had enough. She kicked at all the annoying pigs, and knocked over the bucket. ARGH!
I yelled. I waved my arms. I stomped around. It was no use, they totally ignored me and ran in and out from under the stall, like it was Disneyland.

I called to Thomasina, and she came running over from the hen house. "Keep these stupid pigs out of this stall so I can finish milking!"

Now, looking back.....I'm not sure how an 8 year old would be able to keep 5+ feeder pigs from doing ANYTHING. But at the time, it seemed like a reasonable request to heap upon my sibling.

Of course this was doomed to failure. And although Thom was a spry and fearless, pig-kickin' kid, the previous scene repeated itself, complete with Rosie knocking over about 1/2 a bucket of milk this time.

I snapped.

I climed over the stall wall while muttering, "I am so SICK of these DAMNED pigs!!!!!!" (gasp!) I said the "d" word! Did I say that out loud?? One look at Thomasina's wide, you're-going-to-hell-eyes, told me that yes..........I HAD said the "d" word OUT LOUD. And with a much smaller voice now, I said "Just don't tell mom, O.K?" .......... long pause.........O.K??? (silence)

I was dead meat. She was telling. She had to. Her big sister was on the path to hell for sure.

I don't remember what happened with the pigs, or with Rosie, or if I ever did get any milk in the bucket to take back up to the house. All I remember was being mortified at how dissapointed that my mom was going to be when she found out that her oldest daughter cussed like a sailor. (Which, at the time, I actually WAS doing on a regular basis at school.)

*To this day, I have never heard my mother utter a curse word. (Although my sister swears that she once heard her day, "Derned thing!"). But I didn't hear it myself, so I can't be sure.*

My mom talked to me about the whole incident. I don't remember much of what she said. Sorry, mom, I'm sure it was a good talk and all. But I DO remember her looking me straight in the eye and asking me. "Now where did you hear talk like that?"

Now...... dear readers, I had heard "talk like that" numerous times every day from my dad. Since birth. (Like a scene straight from The Christmas Story.) Dad has always had a very colorful vocabulary that meshes so nicely with his southern drawl. It's part of who he is. I had learned a whole BUNCH of curse words from my dad.

But I remember looking at my mom and blurting out between sobs, "the kids at school!"

It wasn't too long after that, that I was in private school.

There isn't much of a moral to this story. Mostly just a funny memory. The talk didn't really stick either. I still cuss on occasion. (sorry mom) Though I do TRY not to. But when I'm stressed.....you know.......it's like there are feeder pigs everywhere, again. Damn it!

And Thom, thanks for not telling Mom about all the other stuff.

g'night!

Melissa

A little more.....

I still have more to say about Fran, from my last post.

I was completely taken back by this woman at first, just by her amazing appearance and life (i.e, The 6 kids). I eventually came around full circle and was incredibly encouraged by this. Hard work and determination really DO get you there, ya know?

I like thinking about this, because to me, it means that being healthy and fit really ARE withhin everyone's grasp, no matter what your lifestyle. I mean we don't all need, (or *want*, as some pointed out) to look like a fitness competitor, but we can all improve from where we are. We can all FEEL better, by taking better care of our bodies. One step at a time, no matter where you are in life. I think that is very, very encouraging!

I got the following in my email this morning. It really nailed things down for me.

Written by Elisabeth Elliot

Certain aspects of the job the Lord has given me to do are very easy to postpone. I make excuses, find other things that take precedence, and, when I finally get down to business to do it, it is not always with much grace. A new perspective has helped me recently:
The job has been given to me to do. Therefore it is a gift. Therefore it is a privilege. Therefore it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Therefore it is the route to sanctity.
Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God's way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness. The discipline of this job is, in fact, the chisel God has chosen to shape me with--into the image of Christ.
Thank you, Lord, for the work You have assigned me. I take it as your gift; I offer it back to you. With your help I will do it gladly, faithfully, and I will trust You to make me holy.

Have a GREAT day. Do 1 thing today that is good for your body. Let me know what you did.
Melissa

I apologize. Seriously......I'm sorry for this one.

Meet Francisca Dennis. She's beautiful, right? The picture of all that is strong, fit and healthy.

Now, I'm going to hurt you. My dear, dear, readers......this one will truly hurt.

She and I are the same age.

Yep. She's 37. THIRTY-SEVEN! How can this be? Shocking, isn't it?

But, now ladies..........I shall crush you.

This 37 yr old woman has had.....as in BIRTHED.....6 children. Read that again. 6 children.

I tried to deny it at first. I researched. It's not hype. It's not even photo shop. There's not even a nanny. Just her, her husband, their six kids, and a hell of alot of determination and hard work. If you read about her, you can't even hate her. You'll actually LIKE her. She's the real deal. She even readily admits to stretch marks.

So what am I to do with this information? I am simultaneously mega-depressed and incredibly motivated by this knowledge. And it is because of this, that you, dear readers, will likely have to endure more knowledge about my current work-outs and state of fitness that you will EVER want to know.

Seriously, I am incredibly motivated by this woman.

www.franciscadennis.com

G'night,

Melissa

It's Movie night

Friday's is Movie Night at our house. But since we will be out of town this weekend, we moved it up a night. Jack watched Air Bud-Seventh Inning Stretch...(ugh). And Austin and I are watching The Sixth Sense after Jack goes to bed. He has never seen it before. ;-)

Tomorrow Jack and I are going to Mom and Dads for the weekend. Thomsina has a wedding this weekend, so she is going to drop Austin off for camping with the scouts this weekend. She always saves me. Thanks, Thom.

Savannah has been at Mom and Dads for a week. I miss her so much. And Jack really misses her. He will be so happy to have his sister back at home. They have talked on the phone and emailed back and forth. Jack loves to tell her everything. I think that I have not really understood, before, just how close those two really are. They are best friends and true confidants. I am so glad that they have one another.

I am looking forward to seeing Mom, Dad and Em, The Dude and the kids. (Can't WAIT to see those boys!)

It will be tough to spend another Fathers Day without Race. I need to find something positive and creative for the kids. We miss him so, so much, that I just cannot express it in words. The kids handle it so well, but of course I SEE the areas that are lacking, the areas that dad would fill up if he were here.
I believe in playing the hand that I've been dealt, but I also believe that you should never be ashamed to ask of God what he may choose not to give. Does that make sense typed out? I am asking God for a little more time together.And I will take His answer.

It will be nice to have all three kids back under one roof after the weekend. We still have Savannah's theatre try-outs and then 4 straight weeks of rehearsals, Austin's Scout Camp and then Sea Base off the coast of Florida. In between there is baseball and Martial arts and apparently there will be riding lessons in the near future again. There is still plenty of summer left to be busy. But it is a temptation to just let the schedule dictate, and just let life happen. To just be dragged along by lifes necessities. I don't want to fall into that trap again.

So, (raising a glass) here's to keeping one's eyes on the higher calling. (clink!)

Have a Wonderful Fathers Day. Who can know what drives these men to get up every day and go and slay the dragons that they do? Show those dads how much you appreciate all that they do. Be supportive. Be cheerful. Let them know that their sacrifices don't go unnoticed.

G'night,
Melissa

Baseball, Home Improvement, and a question...

I really wish that someone would quit switching the days on me without me knowing it. How the heck is it Thursday already?!!

I woke up this morning to soft rain. I love the rain. There is something so calm and renewing about it. It also means a probable break in a busy baseball schedule.

Jack's season is unofficially finished. They beat the 2nd best team last night in an 11-0 shut-out. But the coaches who are tied for 2nd (one of them from last night), want the guys to have to play 2 rained-out games next week. So...it's not.....quite.......over. But we're confident that they can hang on to their title. They have played SO WELL this year. It was so satisfying watching these 9-10 year olds learn to be team players. We have had an amazing coach. He really loves the kids. He taught the kids to play with good sportsmanship, to never give up, and to play YOUR PERSONAL BEST. The kids all love him to death and they respect him. I am just so thankful for this year in baseball for Jack.

If you've read here very long at all, you know that one of the ways that I TRY to keep my sanity while Race is away, is to stay busy with home improvement projects. Last year I ahad someone come in and rip the carpet in our Cape Cod style house and put down Pergo. Looks great. Except that this is a Cape Cod, and that means that there are steps.........and those steps still were carpeted. WERE. The other morning, I got Jack up from bed saying, "C'mon buddy lets go rip the carpet off the steps." Well, let me tell you, if I have nothing else in this world, I have an amazing demolitoion crew. You want something torn up, ripped, out and otherwise obliterated, we're your people. Construction? Call someone else.
So we yanked it all right out of there, and right out the door onto the porch. The boys pulled up all the padding, and began to pull out the 500 billion staples that were left by the crack smoking carpet people who put the stuff down.

Here I will pause and ask you NOT to ask me about what we found UNDER the carpet. Ummm....I'm thinking that:

1. It's a wonder that we're even ALIVE living in filth like that.
2. What is it that my vaccuume is actually doing when I run back and forth across a step? and
3. The need for someone to come in and clean is no longer being considered a luxury.


So. I've been sanding. And sanding. And sanding. The steps that I've finished are actually beautiful. I am sanding and staining the tops to match the Pergo (just slightly darker than natural), and then painting the sides and fronts a glossy white.

And if we can ever remove all the fine dust that has settled into every cranny of the house since I started it's really going to look nice.

But now. A question for all the Do-It-Yourselfers. What do I put on top of the step to make it more scrubbable. As of now, it just has a natural stain. I would rather avoid anything thick and glossy, but would still like to be able to scrub it. Any advice??

Have a great day!
Melissa

Monday surprise

We had a pretty typical Monday. Bills, phone calls, school, housework, working out. But then..................a bright spot. The mail lady pulled up in our driveway, and blew her horn obnoxiously. (I really don't know why she has to do it that way). I was unfit to be seen having just dressed from the shower, with wet hair and no make up. I rooted the oldest offspring from his Algebra and sent him out to fetch the package. What's this?

Well, I'll tell you what it was. It was a lovely box of delicious, heavenly scented, handmade soaps! Have you seen the stuff over at The foil Hat ? Well, you MUST go over there. The soaps are amazing. I bought 2 of the Gardeners soaps. One for the kitchen, and one that I stashed in a flower pot by the hose out in the garden. There's the margarita salt soap, the lavander soap, the almond soap..........Oh, my. I have a feeling that the mail lady was hording it for a day....because it made her car smell SO incredibly delicious. Seriously, just setting these bars in the bathroom makes the whole bathroom smell wonderful.ANd that's really sayin' something in this house.
Got dry skin??? Well.........then don't even get me started on the shea butter.

Anyway, it was a lovely surprise and I wanted to say "thanks " to Amy who was on her death bed, and still drug herself to the post office to mail my soaps off. Thanks!

Nothing out of the ordinary today. But I DID hear that my younger sister, (also known as "she-who-never-blogs) actually posted something today. So, I think I'll go and check that out.

JAck's team has only 2 games left to play and they are currently in 1st place! Woo-hoo! Wish em' luck tomorrow night!

G'night

Hey! Who turned off my comments???

They're back on!! ;-)

Sunday

A good day today. Church was amazing. And something about our fellowship afterward is so comforting to me with Race away. That's the way it should be, isn't it? We are so thankful to be a part of this church.

I spent some time down at the creek with Jackson this afternoon. He played, and swam with Scout. Scout is Jack's dog. He was a 7th birthday present, and there has never been a child and dog closer. It has been a match since they first laid eyes on each other. The 2 of them played and swam for the entire hour. Jack spoke to me everyonce in awhile. Usually just to point out some new fish, or plant or bug. But almost entirely, he spoke to Scout.

They even have little games that they play in the water. They will dive down COMPLETELY under the water together at the same time. Have you ever seen a dog COMPLETELY immerse itself under water? Head, tail, everything! It was so fun to watch.

The other game that they play, is Jack while float on his back in the water, and Scout will charge, splashing into the creek, swim up to him and grab him by the shoulder of his shirt, and begin pulling him through the water, and up onto land. It was hysterical! That boy and that dog really love each other. And I couldn't help thinking what a lucky little boy Jack is to be able to splash in his own creek on a hot summers day after church, without a care in the world. And what a blessed mom I am to be a part of it.

Good stuff!

Class 0f 1987

We know a lot of kids this year who are graduating from highschool. I guess that this should tell me something: My oldest kid is getting older and is nearing that age. NO. No. I'm not going to think about it.

I remember when I graduated from highschool. The class of '87. It was the 80's. Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi were blastin' from my mustang. My best friend was Janelle, and my boyfriend was Glenn. Neither of them went to my school. I went to a super-tiny, super-conservative, Baptist Christian School. Janelle went to ANOTHER super-conservative, super-tiny, Baptist Christian School across town.

Glenn, however, went to The Big Highschool. He was senior class president of The Big Highschool. He was popular. He had friends. He had friends who were allowed to swim with members of the opposite sex. He had friends who were girls..... and...were allowed to wear......PANTS!!! (gasp!!)

So how, you ask, was a little private school girl able to snag this skinny legged track star for a boyfriend?? With great cunning and skill. With such a carefully laid plan that it would boggle your mind and fill up tons of useless blog space. But it worked.

I was IN.

So my senior year, I got to attend the Big Highschool Prom, as well as all the parties,and the football games etc.

This was the same year that I stood ( yes, STOOD) boldly in my own highschool class and announced during an argument, "Well, at least I have a LIFE! Not like THIS bunch of losers!!" Exact words. Not my proudest moment. But who could blame me? There I was trying my best to shine. My hair was perfectly coiffed in the Big Hair 80's, feathered style....and yes.....the the layers DID meet in the back.(ahhhhhh...) My eye make-up was perfectly applied in a rainbow of colors. I wore Forenza, Limited and Esprit. For crying out loud people......I OWNED a coveted Coca-cola shirt, mini-skirt,slouched white socks and Reeboks!!! I had CROP TOPS!!!

ANd here I was STUCK with a bunch of classmates in which the girls wore coulottes, and the boys "couldn't engage in mixed swimming." It was enough to drive a young fashonista to desperation.

Ohhhhhh.....I would shine! Damn them...I WOULD shine!(With withered carrot in hand, shaking fist at the dusk-sky) "As God as my witness, I will NEVER wear coulottes again!"

And I never have. (Even when they actually came in style, ever-so-briefly, recently).



So. I give you.........................This:
Here I am in all my senior 80's glory. Yes, yes....the hair actually meets PERFECTLY in the back. (I know you were wondering). The secret? Paul Mitchell Freeze and Shine....of course! My eyes were lined, my lashes were mascara'd long and my brows thick. I wore my hair like this EVERY day. It was my crown and glory.

There is more to tell about graduation night, but I'll save it for another time....dinner at the Country Club with the folks and some friends,............Janelle's date that night......... my cousin picking me up in her Porsche (ooooohhh I HAD arrived!!)...........my date that night. All good stuff.

Hmmmmmmm........I wonder if Glenn still has my picture? Who are we kidding?? Of course he does.

Congratulations Class of 2007!!!

G'night!

Melissa

The garden

My garden is coming along pretty good this year.You may remember that I couldn't do a garden last year because of the ridiculously insane baseball schedules that the boys had. And I missed it SO much. I really find it relaxing to till and plant and watch things grow. And I find it incredibly satisfying to be able to grow, cook, and prepare fresh food for my family.


In the picture below, you can see tomatoes, 2 rows of green beans, and squash and zucchini. Just outside of the picture are 4 small blueberry bushes that I planted this year. The pressure is really on these little bushes, as we are all going out at different times of the day to check on the 6-8 ripening berries on each little shrub. Almost ripe!!

You can see the potatoes on the far left....(some of which have started to bloom), onions planted up really close to a row of green peppers, and then the same tomatoes, and green beans. In between the poles, I planted cucumbers. I have some gardening twine that I will stretch between the poles and make a sort of trellis for the cucumbers to grow up. This has worked well in the past, and it really saves space! For mulching, I use fresh grass clippings which are applied by our work crew in thick layers. This is good for the soil, and also keeps the weeds to a manageable level.
For those of you who see the size of this garden and think "small"......I'm with you. It is small. But then THIS is the size garden that I grew up with. My parents' garden hasn't changed in size, ONE INCH. They will be feeding half the county this year.

I was about 4 when I was walking in the garden with dad and he reached down and pulled up a huge turnip from the ground. He took out his pocket knife, peeled it and cut 2 thin slices. He handed one to me. At 4 I wasn't really a huge turnip fan. But I tried it, and couldn't believe how good it was! And I remember thinking how amazing to go out an pull delicious food right from the ground and eat it!!

And below, is part of the work crew we use around here.

They can be difficult to motivate, bbut they are cheap, do a good job, and they don't use foul language in my presence. SO I keep 'em. ;-)



So, how's your garden doing? What have you planted? Is it in the ground, or maybe just a couple of containers on the deck? What are you watching grow this year?

G'night!

Melissa

Thank-you!

Thank-you to Mam-maw and Pap-paw , for driving all this way to see Jack's game. And thank-you Aunt Thomasina for not only coming to watch, but for taking pictures that absolutely ROCK!! It all means so much to him!

What we did with Race.....

Well, that flew by!

We did get a few extra days with Race. And they were chocked full of fun family time. There were MANY baseball games....from Dixie Youth to Minor league.

Race got to see Jack hit his very first homerun to tie up a game that his team would go on to win big. That win placed them first in their division. (wildly cheering)

He also got to spend a lot of time with Austin helping him prepare for his move up in baseball. They worked hard and played harder. Race watched him really tear it up at his first practice, on a new team. His efforts payed off in a big way with the new coach. It was a great feeling for both dad and son.

Race and Austin competed in a homerun derby against one another at the batting cages. Jack, Savannah, and I watched and cheered them on. There were 30 pitches. They had to bat 15 right handed and 15 left-handed. Final count? Austin 19 homers, Race 18 homers. They both only missed one ball! It was so fun. The kids and I were screaming and yelling like maniacs, and people were gathering around to see what was going on and to watch these guys slugging it out left, then right! It was so fun!
Afterward we hit the bumper boats. The kids totally took advantage of Race's first time in the boats and they DRENCHED him, before he even got out into the water. But their dad is never one to go down without a fight, so the whole family ended up soaking wet when we left!!(And wouldn't you know it? Not a towel in the car!)We took our front row seats at the minor league game, soaking wet!

Having Race at home also meant that my work-outs were about to become much harder. No more little dumbbell lunges inside. OHHHHhhh Nooooo...we have to go OUTSIDE...in the HEAT....on the DRIVEWAY.....AFTER we had done all our other lifting. We lunged all the way down the driveway and all the way back up.I had 15 pounders, and I couldn't tell what was going to give first: my totally smoked arms, or my wobbly, trembling legs! Whew!
No more leisurely running on the treadmill in the AC. Ohhhh Nooooooo.....not us. We went OUTSIDE...in the HEAT....with the GNATS...and Race introduced me to 300 yd shuttles. OH. MY. Gosh. I think that's the hardest thing that I've ever done. (O.k, not counting childbirth). Football players? How do you do it?
But you know what? It was fun afterward. Race is a great motivator, and the harder I go, the harder he goes. Savannah and Austin ran sprints with us. He always makes us stronger and more confident. It was all really, really great.I would do it again and again. (I would probably throw up again and again...but..you get the picture).

Looking back, we spent most of our time outdoors. Race and the kids spent a good bit of time down at the creek. They piled up large flat river rocks, to raise the water level in one area, and create a swimming hole. They swam for most of that afternoon.

We got alot of work done as well, but that's not nearly as interesting, so we'll leave all that out.

Race is gone, and life is back to normal. Not drab. Just normal. He has become such a huge presence to us, that the void that is left when he is away is unmistakable. BUt I don't think that I'd have it any other way.

We love you Race!