New Year's Eve Mustaches

My sister Melissa has started a new tradition in her family of making a Thanksgiving turkey pinata. I thought it would be a fun idea to buy some mustaches to put into said pinata turkey. Sadly, I forgot to bring them to the festivities. No problem, I thought, we'll bring them to our Christmas festivities at my parents. Again, they didn't make it out of my house. Thankfully, we always to NYE at our house so we finally got around to using them. 

This is Matthew and I trying to look as glamorous as possible. At one point in the evening I got asked to help out a friend. I told her I would love to help so long as she was prepared to wear a mustache and be photographed. What a good sport she is.

After New Years, we still had a lot of mustaches left over. The kids ended up wearing them to school that first week back after break and quickly became mini celebrities. I was impressed that they were able to go all day with them on and I was grateful their teachers allowed their tomfoolery for a few days until they got bored of them on their own.

New Desks

When I decided to pick up more regular contracting hours it also came with the desire to have a desk of my own and not just any desk, but matching desks to make the room a little more cohesive. I toyed around with a bunch of options but eventually landed on the idea to take a big piece of wood and give half of it to Matthew. Matthew was using two at the time of this decision, one for his work computer and one for his personal desktop. With the new plan, he would pare down to one and pass on the old ones to the kids.

 I found a beautiful slab of unfinished Redwood out in Monmouth, took my dad out to investigate and ended up buying it. My dad offered to finish my piece of it for me as my Christmas present. I assumed he could do both, but Matthew had other plans. He's been watching a lot of woodworking youtube videos and was excited to do something more interesting with his.

He eventually ended on a river table. He watched more videos, did all the research, sanded the wood until it was absolutely beautiful, and built a frame to contain all the epoxy. His plan was to do all the work in our garage, but then thanks to our leaky pipe and the need to redo Dude's floors, we opted to move the production inside.    

This project, was definitely not without heartache for Matthew, but the results are so beautiful, especially for a first attempt. I am so proud of all the hard work he put into that table.

My desk area

Matthew's desk area

And here's the closest thing I can get to a presentable-enough-to-photograph office space. Thanks Dad for giving me such a beautiful space to start this new adventure!!

What We Looked Like on Christmas

 

It's amazing how, as a child, Christmas on Sunday is the worst, and how, as an adult, Christmas on Sunday is the best way to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

I loved waking up and opening presents, eating a yummy, filling breakfast, and then getting cleaned up to go to church, before coming home and enjoying more time as a family. Church seemed the perfect way to bring our Christmas celebrations back to what should be our central focus - the birth of our Savior. We all looked so nice that I wanted to get a shot of us and our tree, even if you can only see the heads of our babes and the barest inkling of our tree.

This is still what we looked like this Christmas day.

Merry Christmas world.

A Leaky Pipe

This was a first for these homeowners. Friday night as I was tucking Dude into bed, I noticed he had a wet spot next to his curtains. I immediately wrote it off to a wayward cup of water. The next day I was at my parent's house to see my sister Megan and her children who were paying their Christmas wishes.

At some point during the visit, I got a call from Matthew asking if I had spilled something in Dude's room, when I told him I hadn't he decided to pull up the carpet to investigate. At that, I rushed home to "help". 

Cutting a hole in our floorboard may not have been our wisest homeowner choice, but when no one knows what they are doing, and there may be the risk of more serious unknown damage, I guess you do crazy things. The top of the floor board was sopping wet but underneath, including the insulation was dry. Matthew, manfully, climbed down into the crawl space under our house, found his way through the maze to Dude's room to further assess the situation and still came up with no plausible causes for the wet spot.

After that we ripped up more carpet and realized that the wet spot was emanating from the corner of Dude's room. At that point we decided that it was most likely a burst pipe from our most recent deep freeze that had thawed out on Friday. Being Christmas Eve, we opted not to turn off the water to our whole house for Christmas, but turned on all the fans we have in our house and prayed that the situation didn't get worse over the weekend.

Monday morning, we called a plumber who quickly came out, confirmed our suspicion and easily fixed our problem. We are a bit poorer financially for the double mistake of not putting insulators on our outdoor faucets and tearing a hole in our carpet/floor-board, but we are so much wiser for our experience. I don't know if Matthew considers it a fair trade, but I am so grateful for home-owner's insurance, I am grateful for a sweet girl who shared her room with her brother over Christmas break and a son who didn't complain for being exiled from his bedroom while his room got fixed. I am grateful we were able to get the pipe and floor fixed and new carpet installed before Dude and Luca went back to school after Christmas break, and I'm grateful that because of our costly mistake we then had a warm space for Matthew to work on his desk. More on that later.

Merry Christmas Eve from the Marlers!!

Gingerbread Houses 2022

Mine, Dude's and Luca's houses

 Every year my sister or a member of her family makes gingerbread houses for us to assemble and decorate during the week before Christmas. It is a beloved tradition for my kids. This year we had to relocate to my mom's house since my sister was sick with a bad cold. Fun was still had by all and Luca was very complimentary of anything I decided to put on my house.

And then of course we all enjoyed eating off our houses for the next week.

Thank you Melissa and family for championing this year after year.

Sibling Love

These kids love each other. I am constantly grateful that if God was only going to give me two children, that they love each other as well as they do. Sure they still get in fights, but more often than not, they play well, and love being together.

Case in point, wrestling in my bed. Not a single good non-blurry picture among them, but I wanted to share them anyway just to share the joy they find in playing together.

Childhood joy documented.

Robotics

 

Ever since Dude was in first grade, I've been dreaming of him getting to 4th grade when he could do Battle of the Books and Robotics. I thought if we could just get him to 4th grade he could find his other nerd people to make school more fun.

Sadly, in 4th grade, the school didn't get around to doing either extra-curricular activity. This year, the librarian worked with me to get Battle of the Books together (though only Luca opted to do it), and the 5th grade teachers started Robotics back up. Dude hasn't been as interested in Robotics as I would like, coding doesn't hold lots of interest for him, but I counseled him that it will be more fun than he thinks it will be and to give it a try.

He missed the initial cutoff day because he didn't have enough notice to turn in his application, but I asked around with the 5th grade teachers and they were happy to let him turn it in late. Part of the application is an essay detailing why you want to do Robotics. Above is Dude's. I'm pretty sure it doesn't meet the letter of the rules, but I don't know how a 5th grade teacher couldn't be entertained by it's spirit.

If you can't read it, it says:

Why I want to join robotics club.

1. All my peers are egging me to join.
2. I love building with legos and always dream of them coming to life.
3. I have a lot of empty time to fill.
4. It sounds like a lot of fun.
5. It might show up on my college resume.
6. I like to fiddle with electrical devices.

Followed by a moving robot saying, "Whirr! Please let me join!"

He got in.

Dude's First Chess Tournament

 Well, not an official chess tournament since they didn't choose a winner, but the closest he's over come to a chess tournament. In the course of a couple of hours he played 6 games against 6 different kids roughly in his skill set. He won 5 and lost 1 though he didn't seem too broken up about the loss.

He mentioned on the drive home that he was glad they ended an hour early since his brain was starting to feel a little mushy and he didn't want to have to think about chess for the rest of the day.

I am really grateful for the organization that put this morning together. Such a great opportunity for my sweet nerdy kid.

Thank You Old Shirt

 

In true childhood fashion, my children have taken to using my t-shirts as their favored PJs. I gave this particular one to Dude years ago and he has LOVED it ever since. It has so many holes, some stitched and restitched several times over. It is beyond soft from so many wears and washings and was just about Dude's favorite thing to wear. It was also banned from every leaving the house. No going outside in it, no taking it to Grandma's house should she invite him and his sister to spend the night. It did. not. leave. the. house.

I surely thought that this shirt, like the mounds of silicon bracelets he is collecting around his ankle, would accompany him into his teenage years. But then my opportunity came and I grabbed on tight. He came to me one evening and asked if I had any other t-shirts he could have for his bedtime attire. "Sure," I told him, "As long as you get rid of the yucky orange one first." I was actually surprised at how readily he agreed. He picked out one from my t-shirt drawer and we took some pictures to commemorate the passing of such a beloved piece of clothing.

Thank you beloved orange t-shirt for your devoted years of service to my child and me.

Luca is a Chicken

Once a year, on the last day of school before Christmas break, the kids are allowed to wear their PJs to school. This day, rivals field day, thanks in no small measure to this great privilege. Luca found these online after being inspired by the onsies the characters were wearing in The Bad Guys Movie. She found the chicken PJs and instantly knew she had to wear them for PJ Friday. They were $30, an amount she didn't have and wouldn't have for at least a month without doing extra chores.

And then fate stepped in and someone from church asked if she could watch after her cat while she went out of town for Thanksgiving. We went over to her house to meet Michi the cat and find out what this woman wanted Luca to do. Luca played it very cool, but as soon as we left she exclaimed that this was just about the best job she could ever have. One week later, and many dutiful trips to care for Michi, she paid Luca all the money she was going to need to be a chicken. I think Luca wore her PJs every day after school for a week.

I am so happy that she is learning to work for what she wants. 

Turning to the Lord

I gave a talk in church today. It was one of those, like so many seminary lessons, where I didn't feel confident that it was the best thing I've written but I felt like this was the message I was supposed to give. One of those that I let go and trusted that it resonated with someone in the room . .  .

I was 26 when I got married and 32 when I had my first child. At neither milestone was I that old, but for a person with controlling tendencies who thought for sure she would be married before she graduated from college and never conceived of the possibility of having issues with infertility both came as a shock. One of the major regrets in my life is that I spent so many of those years while I was single, or those years married without children feeling abandoned by my Heavenly Parents.
When I was single, I devised a series of annual plans surrounding getting me hitched. My family thought I was ridiculous. I had the “Ring by Spring 2001” or “Catch the Vision of Sara 2002”. I followed the Lord’s missionary “set a date plan” genuinely thinking that if I just believed hard enough that my desired outcome would follow.

After I got married and that darned biological clock started ticking and after we had tried unsuccessfully for some time my prayers got uber specific, like TMI specific. I thought if I just got the wording of my prayer just right and again, believed hard enough, God would make me successful. It says so in my Patriarchal blessing - seek the Lord and you will be successful in any endeavor you choose. Up to that point I had very little experience with failing at something that truly mattered to me.

After years of unsuccessfully trying to control either circumstance, while somehow thinking I was being faithful, and feeling month after month that God wasn’t recognizing my efforts and blessing me accordingly, I gave up. I gave up in the best ways possible.

I gave up on my “set a date” plans. I finally realized through the help of a boy who lamely hadn’t caught my vision that I was a catch darn it but that it was going to take a miracle to get this catch married. I realized that all I could do was keep myself as physically attractive and emotionally available as I could while waiting patiently in and trusting God’s plan for my life. Two years and my most fun time being single later, Matthew and I were married.

I should have learned my lesson, but I guess I needed an extra dose because I spent the first multiple years of our marriage once again despondent before realizing that I had been given a beautiful opportunity to draw closer to my Savior in a truly meaningful way. After I realized that, the Spirit directed me that my Heavenly Parents were trying to teach me patience. I worked through the Church’s addiction recovery program, Hi, I’m Sara and I’m an impatient person. And once again, a couple years later I gave birth to my science miracle, Dude. 15 months later I gave birth to my free miracle, Luca, and then God once again shut my womb. No more for us.

So, with that basis laid, let me tell you the topic I was assigned which comes from this week’s Come Follow Me lesson. It is an invitation to ponder how the Lord has been “gracious” to you as you have sought Him, even during your times of trial.

I’ve given you the foundation of a few pivotal trials in my life, now let me give you some scriptures.

In Amos 4 we learn that trials are gifts God gives us as opportunities to seek Him.

“And also I have given you cleanness of teeth (meaning nothing to eat) in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.

And also I have withholden the rain from you . . . I have smitten you with blasting and mildew . . . I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt . . . I have overthrown some of you . . . yet have ye not returned unto me.” Those are some serious trials all meant, not to make the Children of Israel suffer for the sake of suffering but to turn them to God.

In Doctrine and Covenants 98:1 we are commanded “in everything give thanks.” which means not only that trials are gifts but that we need to give thanks for them. Have you ever done that, give thanks for your trials in the moment you are struggling through them? It is A LOT easier said than done.

And in section 88:63, we are invited to “draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me.” This invitation has really spoken to me of late, especially studying the Old Testament. How often does Christ beg the Children of Israel to Come to Him. He’s not hiding, he’s not being manipulative or withholding. He is consistently inviting them and us to seek and find Him.

This invitation and the commandment to give thanks for our trials are what I want to focus on today.

In the midst of my singleness and my infertility, I was most definitely not grateful, and while I thought I was drawing near unto God, I’m pretty sure it was a conditional drawing. A drawing near to get what I wanted. For most of those 10 years, I wasn’t thinking about how I could use these opportunities to grow my testimony in the Savior’s atoning sacrifice for me nor was I grateful for the opportunity of this special time to bless others in ways I maybe couldn’t otherwise. I was so focused on the lack I perceived in my life that I had no place in my heart for the blessings I was being given on a daily basis.

It’s only in looking back that I see how blessed I was to live on my own and have to figure out how to live in a new city completely by myself. The confidence I found in myself that I can do hard things. I traveled, I spent lots of guiltless amounts of money on myself, I enjoyed making friendships, and I found love and peace while serving in the Lord’s house both as a consistent patron and as a temple worker.

As a married couple without children, Matthew and I enjoyed getting to know each other since after our whirlwind courtship and wedding we found we didn’t know each other as well as we thought we did. That was both stretching and so fun all at the same time. We served in time-intensive callings, we took the opportunity for Matthew to get additional education - a choice we would not have made had we had children since he already had one advanced degree. We were able to finance said degree on the inconsistent contract work I did and the generous blessing of a full scholarship. And then beautifully three weeks after he graduated and three weeks before he had to start his first job after Business School, we had Zachary. I can’t ever look back on that remarkably amazing timing and not know that it was the very perfectly and intimately orchestration of a loving God.

When I look back on those 10 years of my life, I am so ashamed at how little gratitude I showed because of my perceived lack. But I am grateful for all the lessons I learned in trusting my Heavenly Parent’s plan for my life. It’s because of those pivotal lessons that when I was going through our first and only round of IVF, when nothing was going according to plan and my body was raging with hormones, causing me to be an emotional disaster, that I could confidently feel that if the Boston Red Sox could win a statistic-defying world series after 96 years God could work amazing, statistic-defying miracles with my body - which He did.

My patience, once such a weakness, now, because of the Atoning Grace and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, is so much stronger than it was in my 20s.

Fast forward a lot of years to 2020 when I had a hard time with our ward’s treatment of the pandemic. My limited vision on the workings of the ward council at the time, made me feel like they had given up on us as a ward family. I really enjoyed doing our own Home Church, but I was so excited to go back to church to once again feel that sense of community only to cry every Sunday as I walked home. I really struggled with our ward leadership at the time and church became something I did because I was “supposed to,” not something I did to draw nearer to Christ and my Heavenly Parents.

Matthew and I had countless discussions on why it was so hard for me when it wasn’t a big deal for him. I talked with our bishop, I fasted and prayed for a forgiving heart. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t get over these hard feelings no matter my efforts, but I did know that not coming to church wasn't an option. And somehow I had faith that if I kept working and trying, then God would help me understand at some future point.

Five months later, after diligently trying to follow God’s direction to learn what it means to really sustain our leaders, I got the answer to my concern from a talk at church - an answer that if it had been given at any time in the preceding five months I would not have been ready to accept, an answer that changed all my feelings on the matter.

And then six months later I got called into ward council and experienced myself, precious families who needed that same gift of forgiveness for things I had done. God had truly given me a gift that had changed me for the better because of the struggle.

But what I am so especially grateful for about that time in 2020 was the faith I had that God would use this experience and those hard feelings for my benefit. It was such an alternate way of viewing my trial that helped me move forward in faith, confidence, and peace. That peace and faith and confidence to keep moving forward despite the struggle was such a gift I never consistently felt during those 10 years of struggle. It was a gift born of experience and intentionally drawing closer to my Savior.

And it is that faith, confidence, and peace that I think our Heavenly Parents want for all of us. Yes, trials are going to come. But if we can recognize that all things work for our good if we turn to our Savior and Heavenly Father, we can experience joy and peace in the moment of our trial instead of only seeing the blessings after the fact.

Elder Martino in the April 2010 General Conference said, “Our Heavenly Father, who loves us completely and perfectly, permits us to have experiences that will allow us to develop the traits and attributes we need to become more and more Christlike. Our trials come in many forms, but each will allow us to become more like the Savior as we learn to recognize the good that comes from each experience. As we understand this doctrine, we gain greater assurance of our Father’s love. We may never know in this life why we face what we do, but we can feel confident that we can grow from the experience.”

Whatever we have, and there are many here facing excruciating obstacles and challenges, I pray that we can draw near to our Savior and our Heavenly Father with faith and gratitude instead of doubt and despair not to change the outcome, but to make it easier on ourselves.

Luca Puts on Makeup

 

Luca has long been interested in makeup. A few years ago she started using my old stuff, and then shortly thereafter, got her own set of brushes and eyeshadows. She gets it out from time to time and puts some on, generally right before bed. It's generally pretty silly so I've never thought too much about it.

Lately, her makeup, has turned from odd to a little creepy. Last week she put fake bruises on her arms and shadow under her eye to make her look tired. She might have even gone to school like that. Today she put on makeup to make her look like she had been in a fight. I think it looks kind of cool, and I love her independent, creative soul. But then she went to my mom's house while Matthew and I went shopping to spend my birthday money and my mother took them to McDonald's for lunch. While she was there our neighbors saw her and were concerned about her. was she ok, had something happened they wanted to know?

Once Matthew and I knew she was drawing concern from friends and probably strangers we had to limit her makeup choices to the house. Matthew had to explain that people might get the wrong idea and think we were abusing her if she went around with fake cuts and bruises on her body. She reluctantly agreed. I hope she continues though. I hope she explores this fun side of her some more. It's fun to see what she comes up with.

Laundry Mishap

Luca accidentally left a spool of thread in her pocket that then went through the laundry. I didn't notice it until I pulled the clothes out of the dryer in one giant wad.

After twenty minutes of cutting and detangling, this is what I am left with. One solid reason to always check my kids clothing for what might be hiding in their pockets.

What's next

This is the question I felt inspired to take to General Conference this past October. What's next. Now that I don't have a time consuming calling, and my children are getting more independent, what does Heavenly Father have in store for me? The answer I got during Conference, and then through the course of the next few weeks was, whatever I wanted. God trusted me to make a good choice, but the mandate, that I got when I started teaching seminary, to prioritize my calling over any other outside pursuit was lifted. I started feeling out different part-time work options. 

I talked to, and interviewed at a couple different places but in the end, the accounting firm I've been contracting with for the last 14 years was able to come back with consistent hours for me (something they weren't sure they'd be able to do). Part of me wonders why I went through that exercise since I just ended where I started, but then I'm grateful too. I got to examine what I want from a job: no to full-time, no to punching a clock, yes to using my brain in nerdy ways. I got to feel confident in my abilities even with a 10-year partial pause and I got to feel desired for those abilities, even if just by small, local, outfits.

I am looking forward to working more consistently, and once again blessing my family through the money I am able to bring in. We have a really lofty financial goal we are trying to make by next year. It's doable if a lot of pieces fall into place, but not if any of them fall through. If meeting this goal is the will of God, which Matthew and I kind of think it is, then we will meet it, but only by His grace. I told Matthew that if me working more is part of God's grace, I am happy to do my part, I just want my own desk to do it. 

Halloween 2022

The kids have been so looking forward to Halloween this year. No Covid restrictions and no Sabbath day restrictions. Three years have gone by since they last trick or treated and they are eager to make up for lost time. They are also eager to assert their independence - they have asked to trick or treat with friends without parental involvement. Knowing they would stay in our neighborhood chock full with other kids and parents, I wasn't too worried. One mom was, so she offered and the kids begrudgingly agreed to let her tag along. They printed off a map and marked out their path. They were ready to go.

Then, at church a few weeks before Halloween, a multi-ward trunk or treat was announced and the kids asked if they could go. I have a pretty firm policy that they choose one or the other. Both means more candy for me to buy and more candy for them than they need. Dude though, ever the wheeler and dealer, asked if they could earn the privilege of doing both and I had a hard time saying no. "Fine," I said, "if you are able to deep clean your room between now and Halloween you can do both." "Deal," they said. We struck hands on the bargain and they proceeded to slowly but surely make concerted efforts in their rooms.

And here we are on Halloween. Dude is a gladiator and Luca is a Minecraft creeper. They are equipped with the Halloween bags, I made all those years ago (they said they wanted to go "classic" this year when I asked what they would be using), and an umbrella.

Our pumpkins (Dude, Luca, mine, and Matthew's is a silhouette of a cat below)

They ended up trick or treating through our neighborhood over to our church building by themselves where they trunk or treated and met up with friends.

A few hours later they made their way home blissfully happy and heavily laden with candy. They claimed multiple times to me and to their parent chaperone that this was their favorite Halloween ever. I have no doubt my babies. No go to bed so you won't be tired, grumpy kids for the next four days of school.

Lake Tahoe College Roommate Trip

 

Do you remember how I mentioned in my last post about my roommate trip that whenever I get together with this group of women, I seem to revert back to my 20 year-old neurotic self? Do you remember how I confessed my insecurities to them as I realized that I don't have to prove myself to them for them to love me just as they have nothing to prove to me? Before I went down to beautiful Lake Tahoe to spend the weekend with them, I prayed hard that I wouldn't let myself get pulled back into those old crazy thoughts. My prayers were answered and instead of not feeling enough and looking for evidence to back it up, I lived in the assurance that just as they are enough for me, I am enough for them. I didn't try so hard and just relaxed into the love we all felt for each other.

This isn't everyone, but this is the picture I like the best of just my roommates who mean so much to me. I am so grateful for their goodness, their realness, and their love, Now going on 25 years. Holy smokes.

Ward Harvest Party

 

Luca's version of our ward harvest party.

The ward harvest party, for me, was super fun. I am pretty sure Dude really liked it too. I ate some super hot spicy tomato soup. It was super good. Mom chatted with some of the other moms while us kids ran around playing. Apparently the Goughs won the chili cookoff the 2nd time in a row. This ward event overall was pretty neat. Toward the end Dude and I got our faces painted. I asked for a goatee and Dude asked for angry eyebrows. Mom says she probably would not have asked for either of what we got, but still seemed happy. I do not think any of the other kids particularly wanted to go home but alas, they had to. I think everybody had a great time. 

- Luca the awesome😊😊😻😻🍭 

Chess Club for Dude

The school year has started and with it comes a bunch of flyers for various extra-curricular activities. Choir, Orchestra, Band. The band flyer, in particular, had a lot of convincing arguments for why you should sign up your child. Increased IQ, successful people join band, West Salem has a rigorous and very successful band program. Matthew and I weren't dead set on him joining but we at least wanted him to consider it and make an informed decision.

To make us happy, Dude agreed to attend an evening event to try out different instruments. He told us not to get our hopes up but that he would at least go and keep an open mind. He had a lot of friends at the event, which I took as a hopeful sign, but there was zero enthusiasm as he tried various instruments, the french horn, the clarinet, the trombone, and the trumpet, and very little talent. I honestly didn't think he'd say yes, but knew that if he did it would go one of two ways. 1. He does it and hates everything about it because it's hard. 2. He does it and grows in amazing ways because it's hard. A few days after the event, I checked in to see what decision he had made. Nothing. I told him that not making a decision is still making a decision and asked if he was stalling because he was afraid of disappointing Matthew and me by saying no. That seemed to be the heart of the matter.

We reassured him that he didn't need to choose band but did emphasize that he pick something. Spending every afternoon playing x-box with friends isn't the path we really want for him. He actually did ask to do a weekly science club with his dad since Luca and I have a weekly cooking club. We happily obliged that desire and it seems to be going well but we still wanted more for him.

The very next week after the band event a new flyer was sent home - this one advertising a chess club to be held after school for an hour two days a week. Oh. My. Goodness. What a perfect opportunity for my son. He eagerly signed up the very next day and has been LOVING it ever since. Thank you Kalapuya Elementary school for presenting this amazing opportunity to so many happy kids.

Matthew Gets a New Quilt

 

Months and months ago, I was scrolling through FaceBook and found this material on the post of my local quilting shop. I showed Matthew and we both agreed he "needed" a quilt made from this fabric. A quilt big enough to completely encase him should he decide to take a nap in the middle of the day. It is taller than he is tall and wider than his arm span. He is in love and I am happy with how it turned out, even if the material isn't really my style. I now lovingly refer to it as his nerd quilt.

Jogathon 2022

After a couple years of jogathon hiatus, not that they've cancelled the jogathon, I just wasn't able to be there for them, I have new jogathon memories.

Dude was the first to run. This is the first time I see him and he is pumped. After a few years of falling or desperately having to pee, he has made sure to empty his bladder before hand, and run a smart pace. He wants this to be a good last jogathon and I am just happy that he's happy.

 

Here's Dude half way through. He is still remarkably happy, and never fails to give me a high five, even if it means dodging kids to get to me. He isn't fast, but he's steady and not stopping for more than a little bit at a time.

Almost to the end, and is determined to end strong. I cannot be more proud of this performance. With Kinders the field is lined with parents cheering on their babies. With each successive grade, parents either seem to get busier or less enthused because you can see the general drop off of parent cheerleaders. By 5th grade there are very few. I am so grateful I have the flexibility in my schedule to have gone and supported him because that was worth witnessing.

Luca was one of the last classes to run (Dude was one of the first). I've been curious to know how she would do since she has been running laps during recess as a way to escape some friend drama. She has been consistently running when the weather allows and has gotten a few additional beads to add to her running necklace she got from the school.

Look at that enthusiasm in the first lap.

Midway through, however, she looks to be cursing this whole program. That face, I think is truly indicative of her feelings. She is still running, but is pretty off and on about it.

And here she is at the end. All enthusiasm and motivation has failed her, she is content to walk the rest of the way. This girl knows her own mind and is not going to do anything unless she sees the reason behind it. The jogathon and, honestly, sports in general hold very little value for her and at the end of the day, I can't say that I blame her.