A Heartbreaking Story

This awesome family has kids that go to our school. Please read their story, post a comment on their blog, and take whatever steps you feel is appropriate. I can't imagine being charged and convicted of exposing minor children to a dangerous cult for taking them to the LDS Church. If you have a blog, I ask that you please post their story and ask others to do the same. No one deserves to be forced back to a country where, because of unique circumstances, they can not freely embrace their chosen religion, and fear persecution from those who should help them most. Their family.

http://www.keepourfamilytogether.blogspot.com/

A Love Hate Relationship

I have a Love-Hate relationship with laundry. I Hate doing it, but I LOVE what it represents.

I hate the endless cycle. I always have a ton to do. If it is all washed, I still have to fold, iron, and hang. It never ends. Tonight I was sticking yet another load in and suddenly started singing. (Yes, I do that sometimes, just burst into song like my life is a musical. Kyson's teacher's wife caught me singing to my nephew as we were grocery shopping. An embarrassing habit to say the least, especially since I can't sing worth a darn)

Anyways, I started singing "The Song That Never Ends" from Lambchops. I don't know why that one popped into my head, but, if you think about it; Laundry is the song that never ends. Those are the things I hate about laundry. The endless cycle. It isn't like cleaning a room. You can shut the door and keep people out so it stays clean. You can't keep people naked so you don't accumulate more laundry.

But, there are things that I love about laundry. I love what it symbolizes. It shows the growth of our family. I remember the very short period when Farren and I were first married, and I had two piles of laundry. One for me and one for him. It was so simple, maybe one load a week and we were good.

Then Kyson came along and our pile grew. Soon (very soon) afterward, Aspen came and once again our pile grew. Our piles stayed that way for almost 2 years before Sage added another pile of laundry. Now we are 5. 5 stacks of laundry. I love to see how much we have come since the days of two meager piles of laundry. Hopefully within the next year or so we will have 6 piles of laundry.

Running With Angels

So this post has been slow coming. Every year since we had Savannah, we attend the Annual Walk To Remember. It is a wonderful way to remember and honor our Savannah Grace. My Mom attended, getting there just in the nick of time. She went to the Larkin where Savannah is buried, in Sandy, instead of the one where the walk was, in Salt Lake. She got there just as the speaker was finishing up.

The speaker wasn't particularly good this year. The first year was the best speaker so far, and last year they had the man who designed the Christmas Box Angel Statue. This years speaker wasn't very interesting, but it has played a role in my life lately, which I will get back to.

After the speaker, they did a musical number. A man sang "Glory Baby" which happens to be the song that we played at Savannah's service. Of course that brought on the tears. This is the one day a year I let myself be sad. Her Birthday we always do something fun and happy, go to the cemetery and sing her Happy Birthday, and this is my sad day I get each year.

We did the walk and I was honored to be able to release a balloon for my dear friend Jenn and her son Coco Paul. We also released Savannah's balloons. It was really nice.

I saw a woman who I had met once at a SHARE meeting and we figured out that our babies are buried right by one another. Her son Maddox died shortly after birth. It was so nice to see her, and I was THRILLED to see they have another baby boy who is the picture of health. I'm so happy for them.

Now back to the speaker. This woman spoke about needing to DO something with her grief, and get it out in a positive way. So, she started running. Through this she started a 5K that is held each year at Thanksgiving Point called Running With Angels. I knew as soon as she mentioned it, that THIS is something I want to do. Anyone who knows me knows I am not a runner. I struggle with my weight and I am just not a runner. At all. But I AM going to do this. I know I can and I have a darn good reason.

So I started by Googling the race. It will be in May next year, so I have a good chunk of time. Yea! Then I wasn't sure how to get started. I had tried to start jogging a gazillion times, but nothing has stuck, the motivation just wasn't there. So, next I Googled Training for a 5K, and I came across a site called Couch to 5K and it breaks down the running into 9 weeks, and it says that in 9 weeks you should be able to do a 5K, running the whole thing.

I downloaded some pod casts, but the music that went with the timing you need for the program just wasn't my style. Minus some 2pac, I can't stand rap for the most part, but I pushed through it, but couldn't finish the program. I was walking through runs and it was killing me. The next time I made it a bit further and a bit further. I did week one for two weeks. At the middle of the second week (so my 5th time) I could make it through the whole program. I was so proud of myself. Yea!!! Then this last week was busy busy and I havent ran in over a week, so I will start again tonight.

I WILL do this. I know I will. And I would love you guys who are local to run it right there with me.