Summer Upon Us

There is a tree in our town park, that one day was barren.
It was blooming the next,
And shedding it's flowers the day after.
I needed to capture it then,
Before the spring was gone and the summer upon us.
It was green the very next day.

Goal Accomplished: Nike Women's Half Marathon

 I've made it pretty clear I don't enjoy running.

I've was coerced into signing up for this half marathon, and I was not excited about any of it.

 Except perhaps it being over. 

But I will tell you, this experience has been amazing.

Learning that I am strong, finding out that I can run, and even enjoy exercise. 

For a non-runner, we couldn't have picked a better race. 

15,000 women running through the parks and streets of our nations beautiful capital. 

It was a happy, colorful, encouraging race with bands and fans all long the route.

And I'm so proud to have been apart of it, and my little team.

Thanks to all the encouragement from my teammates throughout the training and race day.

 I am particularly grateful to my regular running partner Jill. We ran the whole 13.1 miles together, she pulled me when I was lagging at mile 6, and I pulled her, quite literally through the finish.

What a wonderful way to celebrate friendship, and health.

We stopped off at the Hirshhorn after we had recovered from the race.
Dan and I and my brother-in-law Andrew rented bikes to ride around DC and it was half way enjoyable, until I realized I just ran a half marathon, and why, oh why did I find it necessary to go for a bike ride? But the Hirshhorn was a real delight for me, and the guys really loved it too. It was such a nice respite from all the hype of the day. We went next door to the Air and Space Museum, where I promptly found a seat and stared blankly while I waited. I was so done.

a real girl on a real spring day.

This was a long winter. We poked our heads outside this week, and what do you know? It was spring.

Two frizzy french braids, one for me, one for my full faced girl. 

We've come through this winter and she's the real thing. 

A toddler, and a girl all big with ideas, but mostly questions.

She's her father's daughter, always humming a tune.

She's mine, still knowing every word.

I cannot help but pinch myself everyday. I'm always stopping in awe of the beautiful person who is my daughter and remember I too am hers. Her mother, her one and only, and I am blessed.

 But how it's creeped in on us. Baby to Child. It happened so quickly, but I'm ready to admit it. 

It's hard to stop calling her Baby. Must I? I probably get a few eye rolls behind my back at story time when I smile proudly at her excited dramatizing of "shake your wiggles out".

 I probably kiss her two many times in a day. 

I should likely start thinking about that toddler bed, and take away the night pacifier. 

I'm probably going to be a helicopter mom. 

Ah well. I do love her so.

 Even with the entrance of a real live toddler tantrum, 

full with half a mile of screaming and dragging home. 

So spring visited for a few days. 

But now we're snuggling up to a fire and a movie 

with full view of the frozen trees that line our property.

Come back, sweet spring.