Just Keep on Running!

In my catch-up blogging, I have to post about my two races! So much fun! On March 21st I accomplished my goal of running my first half-marathon! My friend Hannah and her friend, Hannah, from Minnesota, ran this race also. What is really funny is that my friend Tiffany was also supposed to fly out and run it, but couldn't at the last minute. We should have had T-shirts made :). Anyways the race started at 7am and we had to take the metro down there. The guys and the kids, and my sister who was in town, all came to cheer us on. Which meant that we had to wake the kids up at 5am to get to the Metro by 5:20! Ouch! Of course things didn't go as planned and we were late to the metro. We pulled into the parking lot when Hannah called and said that we had 5 minutes until the train left. Which was bad news because the next train was 15 minutes away. So we ran! By the time we bought our tickets, got on the elevator, and ran onto the metro train, the doors literally closed 30 seconds later! Whew! We all took a deep breath! The guys decided to go to Dunkin Donuts and that we should part ways and they would be waiting at the the 3 mile mark. So us giddy girls jump off the train only to realize that we never got our metro passes from the guys. Not sure what would have happened because we weren't bringing anything with us and we needed the exit fare to get out of the metro. So in a flash, Hannah yelled, "Metro Passes!" In seriously less than 5 seconds, we jumped on the train, the guys fumbled in their pockets and we ran out before the doors closed! Yikes! Thinking the drama was over we head for the starting line. By this time we of course need to go to the bathroom and walk up to find a line of Port-a-Potties with thousands of people in line! But there ain't no way we are running 13 miles with needing to go to the bathroom! So we wait. By the time our turn comes the race has already started. So we jump in, jump out, and keep running! Our race has begun! I get to mile 3, no family. I get to mile 7, no family. Get to the finish, no family. Wait 40 minutes, no family. Ask some kind folks to use their cell phone, no answer. A few minutes later, I see a disheveled and exhausted little crowd that I would soon recognize as my family walking up. What happened?! They looked almost as exhausted as I did! Turns out the Dunkin Donuts didn't open until 7, was the slowest service ever, the metro trains were all running on a slow schedule at that early Saturday hour. By the time they got to mile 3, everyone was gone. Got off the metro at mile 7 only to realize that the course was a mile uphill. They ran with two strollers, one being a double stroller, and my sister wore boots! We later figured out that by the time they got there, I was probably finished! After they waited for everyone to pass, they walked back to the metro stop and headed for the finish. Which is where they found me! After the crowds, the crazy train schedules, and there lovely uphill trek, they were exhausted! As for me, I beat my goal time and ran the whole way! I was pretty excited about it!

The Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler was two weeks later and a lot less dramatic. Hannah, Kim Alexander, Emily Jansen, and Craig Harvey made up our little group of runners. My girls were staying in PA with my in-laws and so Jason and the guys were able to move a lot freer. The only thing I didn't like about this race was how crowded it was! It had twice the number of people as the other one and it was so crowded it was almost hard to run. But it was beautiful and still a lot of fun! Since the guys actually saw us this time, I got a couple of photos.
This is the best picture they got of me. As soon as I say them I bolted over to them because I was really hot and should not have worn two pairs of winter pants!

Kim Alexander, Hannah Wassink, Me, and Baby Case

The Beautiful Cherry Blossoms!



I just have to say that my friend Pami, who trained with me and was an absolute delight to get to know, couldn't run because of injury! I was so sad! Thank you so much Pami for training with me and being a good friend!

Family Time!

It has been a busy, busy past two months with three separate weeks of visiting family and the Pastor's Conference at the beginning of April.
My Dad and Mom came out at the beginning of March to celebrate my Mom's birthday and Katie's a few days afterward. I have been blessed with them being able to come out several times this year. How much we love spending time with them! The weather was up and down that weekend, but we did get a few really "warm" and sunny days. It was beautiful! We went to DC a couple of days, played at the park, hung out at the Rio, and celebrated two very special birthdays. Thank you so much for coming to be with us! We love you!

On our first day in DC, we walked along the memorials.  I especially wanted to take my Dad to the World War II memorial.  Both my Dad's father and Grandfather served in the war.  His Grandfather received a bronze star at the Battle of the Ramagen Bridge.  
There was a policeman on a horse patrolling the path along the water.  When we walked by, he pulled up close so that the girls could see and pet the horse.  Well... the girls didn't like that and Katie erupted in a screaming fit. Though insignificant, this was a memory of the trip because for days and weeks afterwards, Katie would say, "Horse!  Horse!  Want it!  Want it!  Gamma Horse, pet him.  Want it!  Want it!"  She would say it over and over again!
Ford's Theatre had just reopened after some new renovations.  The theatre itself was open, but the museum in the basement remained closed.  
This is the booth where he was sitting when John Wilkes Booth shot him in the back of the head.



After you tour the theatre, you can cross the street and visit the house where he died.  This is the bed where he passed away.  

The American History Museum had also been closed for renovations at the beginning of this school year.  We didn't have long to tour this museum, but we did walk through this famous exhibit.  
Martha Washington's dress.  And it is as tiny as it looks!
I think that this is Helen Taft's dress.  And Abby of course!  A good exhibit for my girly girl!

The last day of their visit was really cold. But we bundled up and played with bubbles along the water at the Rio! The adults were freezing, but the girls loved it!

Happy Birthday Gamma and Katie!


A week after they left, my sister flew out for a nice long visit. I love my sister! And have missed her so much! We crashed it the week she was here. We spent Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in DC! We would have gone down on Thursday too but it was raining. Although Jason did come home early on Thursday and Tracy and I got to go out, just the two of us, to the Spy Museum. Alas, it was so sad to say goodbye to her on Friday! But we had so much fun and saw as much as we possible could! Hope you got a good taste of DC and American History!
So, as for pictures with Tracy, I only got a day at the park and the White House. I guess I was to busy to take pictures the rest of the time. Sorry Tracy! Guess I will have to come take your pictures! Here are a few cute park pictures.





A week after my sister left, my in-laws flew out for a week to absolutely bless us! The Pastor's Conference was that week and we were going to need to find babysitters for three full days. So they came up with this great plan. They flew into PA on Friday, visited with family, we drove the girls out on Saturday to meet them, they took the girls to Williamsport to spend 5 days with Jenna and Mike and their 4 kids, then drove back on Wednesday evening and spent the next 4 days with us. All in all, the girls got to spend time with their cousins, we got a 5 day vacation from kids, a worry-free Pastor's Conference, and we got to spend several days with them in the end. Now that is a plan if I ever saw one! THANK YOU so much for serving us in this way! It meant so much to us! Plus, we love you and loved spending time catching up!
Well, much worse than my picture taking with Tracy is my picture taking with Dee and Gary! I went to find some pictures and didn't take any!!! How sad! I am so sorry! I promise, we really did have a great time!

Love you all! And so thankful to have you visit! Our time to come home seems so close now!