A little over 5 years ago, these two changed our lives forever.
They came to our family unexpectedly, and way too early. When they were born, it seemed as though the whole world revolved around them. Ours certainly did. Which is as it should have been.
Morgan was only 4 at the time, and Jake 2.
It was such a whirlwind that I remember when Abby and Claire turned 3, I thought, "I honestly don't remember my life for the last 3 years. It just seems like a big blur!"
Well, fast forward to today. October 1st, (3 months ago) and these darlings turned 5!!!
I can HONESTLY say, I don't know how that happened! But I do know how we celebrated. :)
It was a day where once again, our world revolved around them. As it should have been.
They started out snuggled up, playing our phones in our bed. Not bad. :)
Then we had their birthday breakfast where they got to open their gifts. I think they sort of liked them. Morgan and Jake had gone to the store and bought them gifts with their own hard-earned cash. They could not wait to have the girls see what they picked out. The girls were in heaven and boy do those big kids know their little sisters!
Lucky ducks!
Abby and Claire are all about anything girly so the rest of the day was pretty much spent doing anything feminine and prepping for our family party that night (we only do friend parties on the even years).
The party was low-key. Games in the backyard and a 5 year Princess photo shoot.
Then Princess cake and ice cream.
Such a fun day! One that always reminds me how much change and light these girls brought to our lives. I can't even imagine life without them.
Here are a 5 things I love about each of these girls:
Abby -
1. She is so sweet. Truly a heart-melter! And boy does she have her daddy wrapped around her little fingers. She is so kind to everyone and always the first to say sorry.
2. She is funny. She loves to make others laugh and has the most animated faces. My favorite thing she does right now is she will cock her head, point her finger, and wink at you. LOVE that! :)
3. She is so girly. She loves big skirts, make-up, Barbies and Princesses, and Pet Shops. They literally play these every day.
4. She surprises me. Abby has always been just a little more cautious than Claire, but now and then she will do things that not even Claire will try without seeing them done first. She will still let Trev toss her in the air, just not as high as Claire. :)
5. She is so smart. She connects things in her mind and is always processing what is going on around her. I think she gets that from Morgan and me. We are like that too. Abby is A LOT like her sister, Morgan. :)
Claire -
1. She is such a lover. She is adventurous and out-going but will snuggle me whenever I ask.
2. She is very social and loves to play with friends. But by far her best friend is Abby. They play together every day and rarely fight. Claire is always up for any game - even if Abby constantly wants to be the girl and wants Claire to be the boy. :) Most of the time she is great about it. In the times when she is not, Abby is willing to concede the girl part just so Claire will keep playing. Claire is a great sport.
3. She reminds me how to find joy in the littlest things. She notices tiny things that make her smile. She shares them with me and I love it.
4. She is tender. Sometimes she gets her feelings hurt and she will let out the saddest cry. A truly heartbroken sob. Then she will run to me for comfort. She is always quick to forgive but she has a soft heart. Adore that about her.
5. She is a lot like her brother. They are both funny, passionate, and loving. Often times when I have wondered how to help her with something I am constantly prompted to think about what I did to help Jake with the same thing - which usually works for her. She may look just like Abby but her and Jake are pretty much personality twins. :) Truly kindred spirits.
Abby and Claire went from "the babies" to "the matching girls." They melted our hearts then and continue to today. How we adore them.
Happy Birthday girls! We love you more than words can say. :)
I am a runner.
I haven't always been.
In fact, I used to HATE it. I remember as a kid the worst day of the entire school year for me was the day we had to run the mile in gym.
I dreaded it.
I didn't mind running if I saw a purpose in it...like if I was bouncing a basketball down the court or running to save a volleyball from going out of bounds...but other than that, it seemed to be such a punishment. As a matter of fact, our coaches would use it as a punishment! Maybe that had something to do with my disdain?
But as I got older, I started to become surrounded by others who actually enjoyed it!
I always thought, "Oh that's nice for them...but I don't see myself ever liking it."
Then a funny thing happened. I started having children.
Then another funny thing happened. I quickly realized I needed to find a way to get back into shape. One that took short amounts of time, and that I could do on my own schedule. With nursing and sleepless nights I couldn't commit to exercises class anymore (which I loved) or a 20 minute drive to the gym.
So I bought some running shoes and decided to give it a try.
With some friends.
What I realized was that I actually liked it! I could go as slow as I wanted and chat with women I admire and respect. I could glean from them how to be better in far more ways than running. Since then, I have ran a lot.
I mean, A LOT.
It is the only exercise I really do consistently. Because I have grown to love it.
Over time, I started doing races. Not to win mind you, but just to feel the satisfaction of competing, pushing myself and the sheer camaraderie of others doing hard things together.
These races have kept me motivated over many years now. They have been a source of excitement and inspiration for me. They have kept me healthy so I can be the kind of wife and mother I desire to be.
Between Trev and I, we now have a whole stack of medals of varying distances and accomplishments.
They started as 5k's. Then 10k's. Then Half-Mararthons (13.1 miles) and now Marathons (26 miles).
4 of them to be exact. :)
They have also motivated my family. Trev has become a runner. He actually ran my first marathon with me. My kids run.
The kids even helped me train for my last marathon which was St. George last October. When I found out I got into the race, I told the kids if they would help me train over their summer vacations, that they could accompany me and Trev to St. George for the weekend.
That sparked a fire that got bigger and bigger as the miles they had to run/bike/walk/scooter stacked up.
So when the training was complete, we were all ready. The kids would even compete in their own Kids' 5K the night before I would run my marathon. The above pictures are from another race they did at their school. I didn't get any at the St. George race, but you get the idea. :)
They like to race. :) And just like everyone else, they particularly love the swag that comes along with it.
So our journey to St. George began. We headed down early in the day and went straight to the Running Expo and Packet pick-up. Next up, Kids Fun Run. They did a great job! They all ran it with Trev; seriously so cute and a total mom payday! So many hours spent running with them during the summer and so many "you can do it" and "Lightens can do hard things" statements - to see them work hard and enjoy their race was just so rewarding.
After visiting the expo and the kids ran their race, we drove the route up to the start of mine so I could get a visual of what was ahead of me.
The excitement and anxiety I felt was palpable. Almost suffocating at times. A perfect mix between fear and faith.
I ate well, and slept well that night. Until my alarm went off somewhere around 4:15 am and I laced up my shoes and hopped in the car. Trev dropped me off at the bus loading area and I rode the long, quiet, dark ride up to the start.
As the bus hummed along and I sat there contemplating in the dark, I noticed a lot of people putting on hats, gloves, and extra layers of running clothes. I only a sweatshirt and sweatpants. Nothing else for warmth. It was St. George after all, so I didn't think to bring winter running gear.
Watching others far better prepared for the elements only increased my nervousness.
As the bus rolled to a stop and we started to pile out, I felt the cold coming in. Then I stepped outside. It was FREEZING and SO WINDY!
First thing I thought, look for one of those silver emergency blankets and wrap up tight! Second thought was, get by a fire!
I did both of those things, and sat and waited for the race to start.
Trying to keep warm.
Pretty soon it was time to line up. I hit the Honey Bucket one last time, and then the gun went off. I began the journey. Everything about me was cold. My toes were numb for the first 5 miles. I vividly remember one girl close to me telling her friend that she needed to stop and walk within the first mile. Oh my heart ached for her. Poor thing.
There is truly nothing like a marathon. It can feel great at times and awful at others. There are people all around you and even on the sidelines encouraging you on.
The aid stations are filled with angels who will rub your sweaty, sore legs with icy-hot to keep you going and give you oranges that taste sweeter than any other time you have eaten them.
You see signs constantly. Some are more encouraging than others but all make you think as you are trying just as hard to control your mind as you are your body.
And the thrill of the last stretch running into the finish line is more amazing than words can describe. The whole thing is truly a spiritual experience for me. Such a metaphor for life. A truly powerful moment that makes you feel powerful.
Here I am, all finished, sitting on the ground because my legs won't hold me any longer. Feeling awesome about how hard I trained and that I was able to get so much closer to my goal of an "under 4 hour marathon." 4:08 was my time and I was so filled with pride about that little number. It represents so much for me.
Once I could finally stand again, I went to find my family. They were so supportive of me through all the training and even came to cheer me on towards the end. How grateful I am for them!!
As we headed for the car, I saw a flier that seems like it is at EVERY, SINGLE race I run. A few years back I ran the Provo Halloween Half Marathon. You dress up and run down Provo Canyon. The first time I did it, they took my picture. I dressed as a skeleton, and I have been their poster child ever since!
So here I am with my infamous flier. It's my one claim to fame. :)
To celebrate my race, there was one thing I wanted. Swig cookies and a Dirty Dr. Pepper. I am not a soda drinker but I had heard nothing but rave reviews about this combination. I am DEFINITELY a cookie-eater so this was the first stop on our list! :) I had been waiting for this moment for a loooonng time.
They were absolutely amazing!! My new favorite cookies for sure! Totally lived up to the hype. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
With my marathon done, and my cookie-craving satiated we headed back to a beautiful home. Trev's friend at work let us stay at his second home just outside of St. George. This is how we spent the rest of our weekend. Recuperating, rejuvenating, and recreating.
Don't be too impressed...they spent about 20 minutes reading and the rest of the time playing the XBOX. We don't have one of those. They were in heaven!
I don't think I will be doing another marathon this year, but boy if I do, I would want it to be St. George. So far I am signed up for the Salt Lake Half Marathon in April, and I am considering entering a triathlon in August.
We will see how that goes...I need a bike and some serious swim practice. The idea excites me though!
What incredible experiences running has opened up to me and my family. It is far more than exercise. That is why we are a family of runners.
