Running.....

I recently started running. Call it a health kick, call it insanity, call it what you will. I found a program that takes you from the couch to running a 5K race in just 9 weeks, and I'm doing pretty well so far. I am halfway through week 4, so I guess that makes me at the halfway point of the program. I'm running because it is something I need to do. Not because I take my stress to the treadmill and run it off there, but because physically, I need to do something, and running gives me a sense of accomplishment. So that's it. I run because I can. And so far, even on the hard days, I'm liking it.

Beth's New Bike!

Bethany won a new bike! Yay!!

For Tricia

I've been faithfully following Nate's blog, which you can read here. Nate and Tricia have a beautiful miracle girl named Gwyneth Rose. Their story is an amazing one of love and faith. I encourage you to check it out. This blog is in response to one of Nate's posts.

Dear Tricia:
You don't know me, but I pray for you and your family everyday. Here are some things I can't wait for you to experiece with your darling Gwyneth Rose:
--the first time you have to try to get gum out of her hair (use peanut butter)
--the first (and hopefully last) time she cuts her own hair and you have to try to salvage what is left
--when you have to clean up after her stomach virus at 2:30 in the morning
Okay, so these are obviously not the most love-evoking images, but you will laugh about them later. Now for the ones that make you go, "Awwww."
--the first time she tells you, "You are the bestest mommy ever!"
--the first time you make Christmas cookies together (and the many years after that)
--the first time you try to dye Easter eggs
--when you see her walking towards you on unsteady baby-legs, with her face lit up with the smile that she only gives to you, the one that says, "That's my mommy, and I love her!!!"

I hope this makes you smile, Tricia, and I pray for your continued healing so that you can enjoy these things with your precious girl...and Nate, too.
Blessings,
Becca

My friend Sam

My friend Sam is currently a traveling actor with MCT (Missoula Children's Theater). This means that she is spending 5 months of her life travelling parts of the US, taking the play "Robin Hood" to children at local schools. They are in a new area each week, and from what I hear from her, she is having a great time. Check out her blog at www.samanthacook.blogspot.com. We miss her, but we know she's having fun, and she'll be back before we know it!!

Michaela turns 5!

Well, she really did it, just like we knew she would. On January 30, 2008, our sweet Short One, Michaela, turned 5! Mom had a rough day that day, although Mikey enjoyed her day very much! She got to pick where we went for dinner (Double Front Cafe) and then got to have bubblegum ice cream before going to Awana for the evening, where her entire Cubbies class sang "Happy Birthday" to her! Mom spent the day thinking about booster shots and kindergarten registration and the fact that I can no longer deny that my "baby" is a baby no longer--she's 5!!!

Simple pleasures....

Ahhhh... The weekend is here. I breathe a sigh of relief as another busy week comes to a close, and then hold my breath for the busyness that is yet to come this week. We push on.
The past week was a good one. Wednesday was my 31st birthday. We celebrated by having dinner at our local Famous Dave's and then going to our Awana Club. Dinner was great, and a bunch of the kids sang to me after club was over.
I've worked a bunch lately, subtitute teaching at the kids' school and another local school. It's been fun, but it definitely is an adjustment from being home all week. Yet another reason I enjoyed my stay-at-home Saturday today.
Jon' birthday is this week, so we will have more to celebrate, and then Michaela's comes the last week of the month. January is always crazy, but wonderfully so.
That's my news for now!!!

It's been a pretty quiet week around here. We've got Jon and I recovering from crud, but otherwise we are all doing pretty well. Spent Saturday getting laundry caught up, and trying to finish some other projects. I have a bunch of yarn that I am trying to use up. I'm not really much into knitting or crocheting, but I inherited some yarn from my grandma when she passed away, and I am trying to get it used up. I've been making dishrags and coaster sets for the girls' hope chests that they got for Christmas (thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Hogan!). I'm hoping to get this yarn done with by the end of January, so that I can use the time and the storage space for other things! (like scrapbook stuff!) The kids had a playdate with one of their friends today, so that kept them occupied while Jon and I vegged. He read, I crocheted. It was a really laid back kind of day, which is really nice when our weeks get so crazy. Church tomorrow and then Monday we are back in full swing with school, Scouts, Awana, worship team and home group! It's a busy life, but we love it, and we love our vegging days too! (looking forward to Saturday already!)