happy for Friday

I've had such a crazy week.  The first week of school is always exhausting because it's well, the first week of school but it's also because it always comes right after a week of long hours for me. Last week I had long workdays full of meetings and three night-time opens houses to attend between my own school and my children's schools.

My running has been pitiful. I fall asleep on the couch as soon as I sit down at 9 pm each night.  I know things will get easier once the school year gets underway a little more and the routine is established, but for now it's just been hard. Nevertheless, here are some things that have been making me happy this week.

This is my produce box from Terrasol Farms.  It was only $15 and had gobs of local produce. The bell pepper alone was larger than my entire hand.

My girl has been struggling to adjust to a new school and a much more challenging environment.  She's a bit scared, a lot overwhelmed, and just generally tired herself but she made me the sweetest card on the first day and she's really taking it all in strides so I think we'll be OK.

Josh, on the other hand has been at his new school for over a week now. He seems to like it pretty well. At first he hated that they took naps every day but I think he's gotten used to it. He even kinda likes that they give him a short homework assignment each night.

I got my hair cut a week and a half ago and I still love it.

Also, NC teachers get paid today and while I have many complaints about how the salaries were determined for this year I did indeed get a raise (albeit small) and I'd forgotten how good it felt to get a pay raise.

This weekend is a long weekend! Hooray!

What's making you happy this week?

then and now

First Day of School 2011:

First Day of School 2012:

First Day of School 2013:

First Day of School 2014:

Summit at the Ballpark

Throughout the years our church has grown to five services, four in Kernersville and one in Oak Ridge. It's gotten so large that it's impossible to see everyone at church on Sunday. As the service times have changed and a new location evolved, people that we used to see regularly because of this activity or that volunteer role or whatever now potentially go to a different service and we just don't interact with them anymore. The church recognized this and God gave someone the great idea to host one big church service for everyone. So we had Summit at the Ballpark. We were going to have all five services meet together at the Winston-Salem Dash Stadium (BB&T Ballpark). 

The message was "God is For You" and the preacher talked about how often today people think about Christianity is all about what you can't do or what you shouldn't be when instead it's more about God wanting to give us a thumbs up.

They had all kinds of entertainment planned for when the people were filling the stadium. Traditional ballpark games were played as well as some other "elephant games." Lots of fun to watch and it helped with keeping the kids still for so long.

We even did the wave. :)

Bolt was there! And they had sunscreen set out for everyone to use and they gave the kids baseball themed activity packs.

My parents joined us after their own church service was over. After our service the concession stands opened up and sold ballpark concessions for a dollar and we got to eat lunch while listening to the (incredibly loud) church band.

Traffic was crazy!

The church probably won't do this again for several years but it was good fun and a great idea to get everyone together and give people a chance to invite others to church. I'm so thankful to have a church home that thinks outside the box.

If you live in the area you really should try out The Summit. Has your church done anything cool lately?

dear pap

Dear Pap (or should we call you, Jake?),

We had such a fun day with you yesterday!

Thank you for spending the day with us and for coming up with the idea to go to Luray Caverns. It was very cool and spooky. We loved it! It was a great for teaching all of the kids about caves and nature. I didn't know that moss and algae grows in caves. I hope we can do something like that again. Thank you for paying for all of it. Next time I will treat you.
Love,
Julianna

Dear Pap,
I loved learning about cave crickets. They are the newest thing a cave could have. I really didn't want to be creeped out. Thanks for the money to throw into the wishing well. I can't believe we walked a mile!
Love,
Josh

overheard

This kids were looking through a Where's Waldo book the other day in the car and from the backseat I heard, "Jules, that one looks like he's got to use the bathroom!"

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Outside Josh was carrying around the mini basketball goal and trying to place it wherever he wanted it and Julianna sarcastically told him, "Wow, Josh! You're strong!" He answered, "Yeah and did you know I can carry two hippos?"

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Going across the Gateway Y bridge Julianna said, "I sure would enjoy kayaking down the Salem River!"

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"Jules, what is that?"
"It's lip gloss."
"What's that?"
"It makes your lips sparkly. I always carry it with me."
"So people don't think you're a boy?"

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"Julianna, is there any way you can change what number it is right here on this clock?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't change the time. I mean it changes the clock but not the real time."
"Well, what button is it? I really need to know."

(We have a no TV until noon rule during the summer.)

it takes a village

Jonathan was going out of town with his dad for the weekend so we made plans ahead of time for the kids to go to Mamaw's to spend the night Friday night. This was so I could get up before the sun Saturday morning for marathon training and nor have to wake them up to take them somewhere.

Wait. Let me back up a minute. In April when we went to Raleigh for the last marathon the kids stayed with Jonathan's mom (their choice) instead of coming to watch the race. Julianna had an active day followed by tons to eat for dinner and that night started feeling sick and threw up. She was fine the whole next day so she must have just eaten too much.

Then we went to the mountains for my niece's blessing three weeks ago and for some unknown reason we were woken up shortly after ten to the sound of Julianna trying to get out of the tent and then puking.

All this is to say that she had since had some anxiety about spending the night anywhere besides her own bed. She did not want to go anywhere this weekend but we talked about it many times with her assuring her that she would be ok... that it wasn't the fact that she was sleeping elsewhere that made her sick and that even if she did get sick it wouldn't be the end of the world. We told her how much it was helping us out to have her spend the night and that otherwise she'd have to get up at 5 am to go stay with someone while I ran.

Anyway, Friday came. She got sick. After many back and forths, I went to pick her up. We came home. I skipped my training run Saturday morning and I honestly do think she had some kind of minor stomach bug this time in addition to the worry of getting sick away from home.

Still. I was depressed. I missed my run and Jonathan was still out of town so I didn't know when I was going to do it.

Julianna was acting a bit better Saturday night at church. I figured I could just drop the kids off at mom and dad's before church on Sunday morning. They weren't happy about having to go to church twice but until they are old enough to stay by themselves I'm afraid they don't have much choice.

I sucked up my pity party. I planned my 14 mile route. I dropped the kids off at my parent's house right before they left for church.  I was not feeling it this morning but it was one I was just going to have to get done.

It was hard.  I walked a lot. My audio book wasn't holding-my-attention good. My stomach felt weak. My sister drove past me at one point, parked, ran 3.5 miles with me, went back home to feed the baby. I finished the last 6 miles running and walking whenever I felt like it. It wasn't pretty but y'all, I did it.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. I say it takes a village to get Courtney to run a marathon. I'm so thankful for my mother-in-law, mom, dad, sister, kids, and training group. Couldn't do it alone.