Friends, “Football”, Finding Inner Peace, and Floor Faux Pas
We kicked off June with a wonderful trip to Nags Head with our friends, the Mantaks. It was so cute to see Baby Jack enjoying the feel of the waves touching those tiny toes. We also celebrated some exciting birthdays: Peapod, 12; Indi, 8, and Mimi, 80! The second weekend we participated in the Komen Race for the Cure. This race holds a very special place in our hearts as people we love very much have been directly affected by breast cancer. Trent and I braved the heat and actually ran most of the way (we replenished those lost calories with pizza right afterward, though). Trent attended a reunion in Fayetteville with some of his high school friends and the next day, we spent Father’s Day together with a picnic in the park and some time at the pool. Trent also started playing soccer in an indoor league, and Brayden began taking Lil’ Kickers classes, which she absolutely loves. She doesn’t quite get the notion that you can’t use your hands, so I keep throwing imaginary yellow and red cards each time she does it (and get confused looks in return). This month also seemed to be when all of my good friends who live in other countries/cities came in town to hang out. Tonya is back (temporarily) from Italy, Alison was in transit from London to Portland, and Courtney was in town from Texas. I enjoyed some delicious dinners out with these ladies and on one occasion stayed out until 3am (for those of you who watch How I Met Your Mother, “I’m too old for this stuff”-edited for purposes of keeping this post G-rated). We took Brayden to a friend’s birthday party, which had a bouncy house and princess theme. This was her first experience “dressing up” and she ate it up…tiara and all! I capped off the month with a nice, relaxing massage. Much needed!
I consider myself a law-abiding citizen. I haven’t had a speeding ticket in over 10 years, I don’t shoplift, and I pay my taxes. However, being a mom will challenge your ability to do the right thing. Let me explain. Brayden and I were at the mall after school looking for a birthday card for GG. Brayden told me she had to go tee-tee, so I put the cards away that I was considering and the next thing I know she tells me again, but this time she is knee bent and squatting over the carpet just going and going. It’s like time was frozen. I didn’t know what to do, so I approach the woman at the front desk and tell her that my child has to go to the bathroom (not the truth, I know, as the damage has been done) and can we use the one in the store. She tells me “no”, so I proceed to take Miss B out of the store and head for the parking lot. Yes, I left my child’s pee in a Hallmark store. I am bad. However, here is where my conscious gets the best of me. The next day, I felt so bad, I went back to that store and bought a card to redeem myself. It’s not like the same woman was even working there or that the carpet was still wet (yes, I checked that out, too). I just knew that the least I could do was purchase a card from the store that my daughter christened. These are the stories that make being a mom so wonderful. I think back and laugh and know that we are in for MANY more adventures together.
Both Trent and I have done a really good job of exercising over the past six months. In the past, we have been very inconsistent with our exercise regime, but training for a 10k will motivate you in ways you never knew. Even though it’s been three months since we ran the 10k, I have managed to keep up the running. And while I may only do it two to three times a week (and only a couple miles each time), I have found a connection to something new. I never thought I would say these words, but there is something very spiritual about waking up and running at 6:30am with some old school Dave Matthews playing in your iPod. Feeling the wind in your hair and feeling your breath and steps in pace with the beat of a great song is unexplainable. There is an entire culture that is awake and running while many households are still sleeping. I see the same people each day I run and when I pass them by and we each crack a slight smile, there is an understanding between us that we appreciate this special time. It’s magical.
In Miss B news, she has braved riding her tricycle around the neighborhood (with assistance from us) wearing her “knee peddles” (kneepads) and you can tell how proud she is of herself by the ear-to-ear grin. She also transitioned into the Toddler II class at school, which unfortunately didn’t come with a cut in tuition, but is still another step in her growing up. Now that the pool is open, we spend a lot of time there on the weekends, where Miss B has become quite the fish. With floaties in tow, she will look at random people she doesn’t even know and say, “Hey, watch me!” and proceed to jump, swim, or lie on her back. She also insists on doing it all by herself. On another note, a playhouse was delivered to my mom’s house with the intent that Brayden will have endless tea and slumber parties there. This is not your ordinary playhouse. It was built by my grandfather and grandmother when I was four and followed us from KY to NC in 1982 when we moved. Since then it has moved three other times and has now found its new home in Charlotte. GG and Dadaw already have plans to stain it, replace windows, and build a front porch. We are excited about putting our own finishing touches on it as well.
I feel like I say this every month, but Brayden constantly keeps us laughing with the profound things she says. Here is a sample of some of them from this month:
- “Mom, we don’t eat boogers in outer space.”
- “Good job, mom.”
- “Indi can’t put her listening ears on because she doesn’t have hands.”
- “We saved the boobies today” (after the Komen race).
One Comment
thad