A Victorian Tea Party

We wanted to make sure Maddie's 9th birthday was a little extra special. It would be her last birthday right before saying good-bye to all her friends and moving across the country. She wanted a fancy tea party birthday, and since our house was in the process of being packed up and filled with boxes, we thought it would be nice to have the party somewhere else.

 

We decided on the Tea Room in Port Gamble, and it was so much fun. The girls got to dress up in fancy dresses and hats, learn some proper tea time etiquette, and then have their very own grown-up tea party. The little tea sandwiches and finger foods were a hit, and the birthday cake was beautiful. It was a wonderful way to celebrate Maddie's birthday, and also a nice way to spend time with some dear friends before our big move.    

A Smile Lost & Found

Last winter we had family pictures taken. It was the first time all five of us posed together as a group for photos! We had a lot of fun that day, and afterwards we kept saying how we wished we'd done it sooner. Little did we know just a couple of days after this, those photos would come to mean even more.

Later that week, Ellie came down with a mild virus we thought at the time was just a cold. However, she ended up with painful blisters in her mouth and the doctor said she most likely had coxsackievirus that would go away on its own. So we took her home and kept her comfortable. She seemed like she was getting much better. Then after her nap one afternoon, she started to cry and I noticed right away something was wrong with her face. The right side wasn't moving at all. It looked like she was crying with only half of her face. We were very scared. Immediately we thought something terrible was going on. We worried she may have had a stroke.  

It turned out she had Bell's Palsy, facial paralysis caused by swelling of the facial nerve. It is a fairly rare complication that can arise from having coxsackievirus, especially if one has an upper respiratory infection at the same time. The doctors said it would most likely resolve on its own within a month or two, but there was the possibility of lasting nerve damage. We called it "the time Ellie lost her smile." 

These new family photos were suddenly even more precious to us:

We were now so grateful we'd had them taken. We wondered if they might be the last photos we had of her with her sweet full smile. We hoped and prayed every day for her smile to come back. We were so thankful she was healthy again, but her missing smile was a constant reminder to us just how precious the health of one's family members is. Even after all this time, when I see pictures of her without her smile I still feel the weight of all the emotions we had then. There is still the pang I felt, and the memories of wishing so fervently for that little smile to reappear. 

      

Her little smile gradually did come back, and then one day it was just there again like nothing had ever happened. We continue to be so very grateful that that smile we love so much was found again :)

House Hunting and the Seattle Half Marathon

November of 2011 was a momentous month for our family as we prepared for our big move, and for me as I got ready to complete the goal I'd set for myself as a runner. First, we journeyed 3,000 miles to the other side of the country in search of a new house. It was a time of happiness, sadness, excitement and stress all rolled into one. In a week's time we saw over thirty houses, and though we didn't wind up with our first, or even second choice, the house that has come to be ours seems to be the one that was meant for us all along. It isn't big or fancy, but it is homey and just the right size for us. It sets on a quiet cul-de-sac in a nice neighborhood. We love the schools the girls attend, we have kind neighbors, and a spacious backyard that we all adore. So despite all the uncertainty and anxiety that went into getting here, we've found ourselves in just the place it seems we were meant to be.

The house that was meant for us

The backyard we are all so fond of

After finding this house, which we were hoping would be the perfect home for our family, but not yet entirely sure of that, we returned to the Pacific Northwest one last time. It would be the final month in our old home, a month of good-byes, packing, preparation, and anticipation.

Throughout our whirlwind house-hunting trip that took up the middle of November, I didn't get much running in. I guess it's a good thing it was time for a little tapering in my training plan at that point. November also marked the month I was completing my goal of running three half marathons in three months. The Seattle race would be the capstone of my mission. Earlier, Jay had surprised me by having sweatshirts made for the girls that said, "Go, Mama, Go!" They were going to be my own personal cheering squad for the race. Talk about being one lucky mama!

The Seattle marathon falls on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so I got to experience the joy of running in the heart of Seattle's cold and rainy late fall weather. As luck would have it, wind got thrown into the mix too. Despite all of that, and running for the first time in a new rain jacket (I try to never run a race wearing something I haven't tried out before) it was a pretty great race. I was only four minutes off my PR, and considering my wonky training schedule in the weeks before, the hills along the course, and the weather, I couldn't have been happier. And of course, the very best part was my wonderful family, there to greet and congratulate me as I crossed the finish line. Three races, three months, mission accomplished! And a new house to boot!

Posing with my cheering squad

Pumpkin Time!

Nothing says fall quite like an assortment of pumpkins!


Big pumpkins...


Little pumpkins...

We all enjoyed pumpkin painting this year!


And then we got to cap it off trick-or-treating!

The girls dressed in matching Wyoming cheerleader outfits courtesy of Pa and Grammy. A few of our Pacific Northwest friends and neighbors even recognized them as Wyoming uniforms, and I got to be proud of my alma mater. Go Cowboys! 

The only downside was leaving Jay at home. His knee surgery was just a few days before Halloween and he wasn't in prime walking condition yet. Not to worry though, the girls took good care of him and shared lots of their Halloween candy!

An Oregon Running Weekend

This man is a flat-out inspiration. Last fall, after training while on deployment, he came home and ran back-to-back half-marathons. He wanted to qualify for Half Fanatics, and one of the ways to do it was running a half on two consecutive days. He searched for races and found two in Oregon that would work. We booked hotel rooms, loaded up the girls and headed out on a road trip. 

His first race was the Columbia River Power Half-Marathon in Umatilla on Saturday. The course was kind of neat, crossing the McNary Dam on the Columbia River so that he got to run across the dam and into Washington before crossing back into Oregon. The girls and I met him at the finish line with cheers of, "Go, Daddy, Go!!!" After he'd showered, we loaded up again and headed west along the Columbia River to the next race. The drive along the river was beautiful. The fall scenery was gorgeous and that alone would have made the trip worthwhile.  

The final stop of the weekend was in Hood River for the Columbia River Gorge Half-Marathon on Sunday. We loved the quaint little historic town of Hood River, and we stayed at a nice hotel right on the water. We had the most amazing river views right from our balcony. On Sunday morning Jay ran his second half. He had another great race and we were so proud of him. Two half-marathons in one weekend! Needless to say, he was pretty tired for the drive back home to Washington... 

A wave for the fans

Perhaps the most amazing (crazy) part of this whole running weekend was that he ran both races on his torn ACL. He was scheduled for knee surgery the coming week, and knew it was going to be awhile before he was back running. But he did it! Powered through and met his Half Fanatics goal just like he wanted to. I took him to the hospital for reconstructive knee surgery two days later, and his Half Fanatics shirt and bumper sticker arrived in the mail shortly thereafter while he was recuperating on the couch. I told you this man was an inspiration. The recovery has gone remarkably well, and I know there are many more races in his future. Next up, he's looking at doing full marathons and ultras. Let the running adventures begin!

Soccer Season!!!

We signed Kate up for the fall soccer season in Washington. She loved every minute of it! Two days a week wasn't nearly enough for her, she was wishing for every day to be a soccer day. And it was thrilling to watch her play! She is a little natural out there. Not necessarily because she knows all the ball handling or strategy yet, but because she is just an out-n-out go getter! There is no shyness or diminutive stuff where this little girl is concerned. She is right out there in the middle of the action the entire time. She knows how to be aggressive, she's not afraid to go after the ball, she can score goals. It's awesome to just watch her go for it, and have so much fun while she's doing it.  

Working on some ball handling


Out having fun!

Always going after the ball


Scoring drive...


She shoots...


She scores!!!


Go Green Hornets!!!

Skagit Flats Half-Marathon

On a very warm weekend in early September, we crossed Puget Sound and headed north to Skagit County, WA. Jay was running in his second half-marathon, and the family was coming along to cheer him on. We went the day before, stayed in a hotel, shared a very nice family dinner, and took the girls swimming in the pool. The day of the race dawned sunny and very warm, not always what you expect in Washington. The course was very flat, so that was a bonus for Jay. But the heat got to him a bit. 

Though it might have made things a little tough on the runners, the warm sunshine was perfect for the spectators. We cheered our runner on as we saw him coming down the final stretch and finishing in the stadium. 

Here he comes!...


Way to go, Jay!!!

Admiring Daddy's cool finisher's medal