Double Decker 10K...

Well, I survived the 10K!!!!

***Update***

I failed to mention my time for the race. It was not great, but I want to post it so I will remember....1:08.43

I am so excited that I did it, but at the same time, I am very glad that it is over! It really wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Now, don't get me wrong, I was dying (as you will see in the pictures), but it felt good at the same time if that makes sense. I don't think I want to do races much longer than a 10K in the future, but I think I will definitely do a 10K again. Michael and Myla ran around to catch me at several places along the course! It was so good to see them!

Here is the first time Michael saw me. Evidently he didn't have time to zoom in (probably because of my sheer spead...yeah right!), but if you look closely I am directly under the stop light in a pink tank top and black capris.
See I told you I looked like I was dying! This is probably about mile 3 1/2.
Waving to Myla. I don't think she could figure out why I kept passing and not stopping! Believe me, baby girl, I was wanting to stop!
The final stretch...only about .2 miles to go. I was seriously just about to stop when I heard Mrs. Sandy say, "Go, Meredith!!!". I didn't know they were going to be where they were, but they were at exactly the right place for me! Needless to say, I didn't stop and finished strong thanks to their support right there at the end!

After it was over....notice Myla's shirt...Run Mommy Run. She looked so cute! Thanks, Tamah! The shirt was a hit!

Brodie, Anna, Me & Michael

Anna is one of Michael's co-workers

Sae Sae, Myla and Granddaddy

Thanks for coming!!!

Daddy and Myla

Myla enjoying her "post race" snack!

Me and Susan

Susan, Ethan and Me

Our little family...best one we could get!

After the race we ran into Mark, Katie, Grace & Robbie. Of course, Myla was thrilled to see them. Here is Grace and Myla looking through a cut out of the popular double decker bus.

We headed back to our church because they had bounce houses for the kids. Myla loved the bounce house and stayed in there for probably 20 to 30 minutes! Looking in it looked like a serious injury about to happen with all the kids jumping around!

WHOA!!!!

You had WHAT for supper???

I really hope this doesn't offend anyone, but I thought it was quite funny myself. My poor momma is going to be mortified! Oh well, it is the funny things that kids say that make us laugh! Obviously, she did not have what she said she did! It was taco soup!!!

Ring Around the Rosies...

I haven't posted a video on here in forever because the last time I tried I had trouble doing it. Well, this one loaded today, so I may have to go back and put some more on here that I have.

Anyway, the other day I noticed Myla running around in circles saying, "rosie, rosie, rosie...down". Evidently they must sing Ring Around the Rosies at church. I don't know where else she would have learned it, but she kept doing it over and over. Myla has become so much more verbal just in the past couple of weeks, and I love it!!! She recognizes so many things and people and calls them by name. This is such a fun age watching her learn so much so quickly!

Am I Out of My Mind???

If any of you have known me for more than probably 1 hour, you know that running is not my favorite thing to do. I have always been jealous of people that run and really enjoy it. I have considered it a good form of torture for most of my adult life. Well, back in February, a group of us decided we were going to run the 10K at the Double Decker Arts and Crafts Festival. The weekend is already here, and I cannot believe it! I have actually enjoyed running over the past two months (albeit some days better than others). Nonethelesss.....
I have my tennis shoes ready, and I will be on the race course Saturday morning. I am nervous and excited! I ran a 5K back at the beginning of April, and I realized that I had a long way to go before running the 10K! I have been working hard to do this, so I just want to finish and accomplish the goal that we originally set!

I will let everyone know how it goes. Michael and Myla are going to be watching and hopefully getting some pictures...they should be very flattering...yeah right!

Arkansas, Arkansas, I Just Love Ole Arkansas....

**2 Things to Note**

1. This post is really long.

2. Only my Dad and Brother will appreciate the title to this post. We collectively love the musical Big River, which holds the title of this post as one of its songs.

Okay, now on to the post...

A little background...last fall my first cousin Eleanor called me to let me know that she and her brother, Jason, were going to organize a surprise birthday party for their dad (my uncle), Jesse. Jason, also my first cousin and his wife, Hesi, and their girls, Lucy and Matilda, live in Austria, and my uncle had no idea they were making plans to visit the States. Somehow, everyone in our family and the whole town of Yellville, AR, kept it a secret for months, and my uncle was completely overwhelmed at the weekend! Needless to say, we have been anxiously awaiting this weekend for quite some time, and we had a such a wonderful time!!!

Myla was very glad to finally be out of the car after six hours! Friday night my dad cooked and everyone came over to his house for dinner. The kids had a blast playing outside.
Jayce (Eleanor's), Myla and Matilda playing.

Maggie, my sister, and her boyfriend, Jimmy.

Jason and Peyton.

We haven't seen Jason in years!! Peyton has seen him since I had, but I had never met his girls. Peyton and Jason are only a couple of weeks apart in age and have always been really close! So glad to have everyone together!

Aunt Maggie stealing all of Myla's kisses. Myla likes to give kisses "on the lips"!

Jayce showing off her dirty feet! She is one of the funniest kids I have ever been around!

Maggie and Matilda.

Matilda is such a ham for the camera. She loves to pose for pictures! She is the sweetest little girl. She speaks German, but she aslo understands everything in English. Multi-lingual kids amaze me!

Uncle Jesse and Matilda. He had not seen Jason or his family in several years! What a shock when he walked into Eleanor's house Thursday night for dinner and they were all sitting on the couch!!!

Lucy, Hesi (Jason's wife) and Matilda. Poor Lucy had chicken pox! She didn't feel well all weekend.

Uncle Jesse coming into the surprise party!

Jason, Hesi, and Eleanor

I love this picture!

Friday night, Uncle Jesse said he just needed a shirt that said "Clueless" because his whole weekend had been full of surprises. Well, my dad made him this shirt Friday night so he could wear it when he got to the party. He got the biggest kick out of it!

Henry thoroughly enjoyed Uncle Jesse's birthday cake....

as did Myla!

I was so glad that we were there this weekend, because it was Maggie's Junior Prom! She and Jimmy let us take plenty of pictures before they left.

This is Maggie's normal picture pose. I give her a hard time because in all of her pictures with her friends, she is always making the silliest faces. She did this just to humor me!

BEAUTIFUL!

Maggie has done something to her neck/shoulder/back so she had to wear this sling. She was a really good sport! She works at the flower shop, so they special made a corsage for her sling!

First cousins...

3rd Generation

Matilda, Lucy, Jayce, Peyton, Henry & Myla

Sunday we had lunch at a local pizza restaurant. Can you tell the game room was a little hectic?

2nd Generation...

Maggie, Me, Hesi, Jason, Eleanor, Jason and Peyton

2nd and 3rd Generations together!

Can you tell my family is crazy?

Myla telling Papaw bye before we left to come home.

Smiling for Macy!

It was so great to be with my family this weekend!

Prayer Hands...

Each night before we put Myla to bed, we read a Bible story and say prayers. This sight blesses my heart every night as Myla always clasps her little hands around Michael's. She usually leaves them there until we finish praying. When we say "Amen" she repeats it in her sweet little voice and says, "AH-MEEN"! Thank you, Lord, for these precious memories! I know new memories will come, but I never want to forget these...

The Easter Bunny Comes to Visit...

Sorry for the tardiness of this post!

Yes, the Easter Bunny gave Myla a visit last Sunday! She was so excited to get all of her goodies...especially the candy, which was no surprise!

We had a great Easter day! Our church service was wonderful as we celebrated the RESURRECTION of JESUS, OUR SAVIOR!!!

Thank you, Lord, for your sacrifice!! May we always remember that is what Easter is about!

All of Myla's goodies waiting for her!
First glance...I don't think she knew quite what was going on!

"Thank Goodness! They have something in there!!!!"

"Daddy, forget those golf clubs and open this egg for me, please!"

Success!!!

I think she was really excited about the Slinky!

But, she was more excited about the candy!

This is the only picture I have of us at Easter Sunday. I am going to have to stage some pictures of Myla in her Easter dress since we didn't take any that day!