Sunday
Mission Homecoming talks in WJ. It was wonderful to hear the words and testimonies of my brother and parents. They were insightful and inspirational and touched by the spirit. I have noticed that has people randomly taught about "helping the poor." They are not truly understanding the Lord's way and I think many people here need to understand the principles of humanitarian service as my mom talked about. They were well supported with family and friends. Tim enjoyed reuniting with many elders from his mission, fun times for all. Sadly Elaine and kids had to leave that afternoon to pick up Ben.
Monday
We got on the road at 8:30 and we made real good time. Kurt had us stop in Boise for a part. Then we had to stop again in Nampa to pick up another shirt for the race (I was in charge of the outfits.} As we walked into the house and were unpacking I realized I had a smile on my face. I really like my house. I like living in the country. And even though the outside is still crazy lookin' I love my little place on the hill. It's always good to be home.
Tuesday
YES day! The day where I have to say YES. The rules were:
- only 45 minutes of computer time {per person}
- no fighting
- no one could get hurt
- clean up one activity before we can start a new one
YES we can clean the table with shaving cream!
YES you can wash the dogs with shaving cream! {Although the dogs had not agreed to participate in YES day and would not be caught for such activities!} They washed each other with shaving cream instead.
YES you can be SUPERHEROES! They invented their very own super hero and the power/abilities they had. Afterward they watched "The Justice League" with popcorn.
YES you can have a mommy-date in my room! We used fabric markers to colored this Fairy shirt and a pillow case together.
YES you can paint with your feet!
YES we can make cookies!
That night was the boy's last flag football games. They were both at 6 pm. It actually works out well because we just sit at the end of both fields in the middle and watch both fields back and forth. Flag football turned out to be a great experience for both boys. I'm really glad that they participated. It was a good form of exercise {that they were willing to do}, they learned the value of teamwork and the basic plays of a new sport.
The Steelers
With his metal from his coach
We got pizza from Pizza Hut after the games and took to Grandma and Grandpa Romans to eat dinner with them.
Wednesday
That morning we all did some running together. The older girls especially have been interested in running with me. In help to prepare for my race we did some relay training. It was quite interesting and comical. Lucy outran Austin who came out of the house eating pizza and walking down the hill. Mmmmmm.....
I gave Ruth a quick hair cut and then we headed to Ontario to do a bunch of errands {fair Thank yous, library reading program, ruth check up and Austin shots, dog supplies, uniform pants for Austin, groceries.} BEFORE
AFTER
Thursday
The morning was spent getting ready for my departure for the relay. Made meals, made sure laundry was done, bills paid, instructions written, etc... Amber came to the house {Friday also} to watch the kids until Kurt got home. Saturday Kurt was with them until he had to leave {at noon} to fly out to Nebraska for his Dealer Council Meeting. Dallie Johnson watched them until we got back. So grateful for all the many hands that help to make these things happen.
Jason and Rachel drove, we picked up Becca and Allan Stevenson on the way. We drove to Rexburg and meet up with the other van and had dinner at Applebees together as a team. Quick team meeting in our hotel room {Super 8.} And then try to get some sleep...wasn't super successful. I roomed with Becca, Maria and Carol.
Friday-Saturday = RACE DAY
We started at 10 am Friday morning. We got to the start line in plenty of time to decorate the vehicles, get our gear checked and take a million pictures. I cannot give a play by play of the next 29 hours {that's how long it took our team, No Common Sense, to complete the race. Technically 28:52:00} It was so much more intense and exhausting than I had anticipated. To sum it up in one sentence: It was an intense experience of no eating, no sleeping while pushing your body to the limits physically and emotionally. I loved it! We are already planning next year :)
We really bonded with the people in our car {Kevin and Carol Green, Andy Grambo, Rachel Johnson, Maria Weber and I.} You become a family. I didn't anticipate all the emotions that would go into this relay. You start to get anxious for your own leg. Then you're finished. Its such a high! Then at some point hours later your body crashes from the exhaustion of it all. In the meantime you are cheering for your teammates and hoping and praying their runs go well. By that time its your turn to start preparing to run again. And so the emotions start all over. For 3 cycles. Let's talk about the food aspect of it. I can't run on a full stomach. Plus all the emotions start playin a factor on how your stomach feels. But you know you need some thing to maintain enough energy to run. Its a really fine balance that I didn't even consider. Even after completing the race I'm not sure what the "right" answer is. I'd need to do some more research I guess. I drank a lot and therefore pretty much used every port-a-potty I saw. I would be a happy woman to never use another one again.
Things I want to remember:
- I ran leg 2 {Andy was kind enough to switch me because of the hill on Leg 3.} We switched back after that {meaning I took the third leg for round 2 and 3.}
- Team Victoria Secret and how we could NEVER shake them {its something I don't want to remember actually.} But how I was determined to KILL them in Leg 1 and 3. And YES, it felt so good!
- Carol's cute run and her excitement about the race and wanting to share it with everyone on social media.
- Realizing how everything was 10x harder that the elevation maps described.
- Being all extra cool in our safety vests {had to wear them from 7pm-7am}
- All the night gear needed. Vest, front lamp, tail lamp AND light saber.
- Taking a "nap" in the tall grasses after going to Mesa Falls. Not being able to turn off my mind and counting sheep.
- Jason as a great driver
- Backseat buddies with Maria
- As instructed in the race manual: if a bear attacks do not fight back until he starts to feed.
- Super impressive team "Mom and Kids"
- Water boy Andy
- Kevin completing the entire race!
- An amazing night run, glorious stars, no one in sight and shedding some clothes because it was dark and I could with my safety vest flapping like a cape.
- Slap bracelet baton
- The magnitude of the beauty all around us. Gorgeous country
- Deja vu when I recognized that one part of the course was the same from my Mesa Falls Half.
- Jason sleeping on top of the car during the rail to trail runs in the middle of the night.
- Shower at Driggs high school and practically falling asleep on my face but so grateful I actually feel asleep for an hour on the lawn before we had to run again.
- The JOY and relief when we completed our 3 leg and knew that we were DONE!!!
- flirting within the team
- Impressed with how well our team did especially the Green boys running of the Teton Pass
- The lame ending of our entire team reaching the finish line together.
- Ran Leg 2 {6.2 miles}, Leg 15 {4.2}, Leg 27 {3.8}
- Our team came in 39th out of 108 teams
~~~Romans Reflections~~~
- I love you TOO much!
- My bedtime tuck in routine with the oldest 3 girls as of right now:
Emma Lynn - scratch her back and sing "Teach Me to Walk"
Ruth - scratch her back and sing "I Love to See the Temple"
Lucy - scratch her back and sing "I am a Child of God"
- Jane STANDING all by herself for 30 seconds +
- Sunset captured by Spencer
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