Monday, Sep 6
Rain
Currently: 51˚F
Feels Like: 51˚ F
Hi: N/A˚, Lo: 46˚
weather feed courtesy of weather.com - thanks!
: sometimes, you forgive people simply because you still want them in your life.
: i love u because i love u...because i love u.
: Nobody ever died from splitting up furniture. It's the emotional recoil that kills you, the shock of stepping of the track of a conventional lifestyle and losing all the embracing comforts that keep so many people on that track forever. Elizabeth Gilbert
: God is within, without, above and below, an all-encompassing presence. It does not matter how chaotic outer conditions may seem, I am secure in the presence of God and I maintain inner peace and composure.
: to worry about tomorrow is to be unhappy today.
: there is something beautiful about all scars of whatever nature. a scar means the hurt is over, the wound is closed, healed and done with. -Harry Crews
: hope is not the expectation that things will turn out well; it is the belief that there is meaning no matter how things turn out.
: Forgetting an offense means being, in the true and noble sense of the term, self-forgetful.
: for it was not into my ear you whispered but into my heart; it was not my lips you kissed but my soul. judy garland
: Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Romans 12:10
: i think someone spiked my coffee with a shot of stupid this morning...
: a contented mind, a cheerful spirit, is health to the body and strength to the soul.
: letting go doesn’t mean giving up, but rather accepting that there are things that cannot be.
: when we're intentional about our relationships, it's amazing what God can do in and through us.
: an iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another. proverbs 27:17
: men go abroud to wonder at the HEIGHT of mountains, the huge waves of the sea, the long COURSE of rivers, the vast compass of the ocean, the circular motion of the stars...BUT they pass by themselves AND DON'T EVEN NOTICE. augustine
: holy fire burn away...my desire for anything... that is not of you and is of me...i want more of you... and less of me...empty me, empty me, fill...won't you fill me...with you, with you
: Sometimes you have to stop remembering and live.
: whether we know everything about the people we love or not, we know we love them.
: what you see isn't always the full truth.
: in order to arrive at truth, we must have a sincere desire to know the truth and a willingness of heart to obey it.
: you can't always sit in your corner of the forest and wait for people to come to you... you have to go to them sometimes. Winnie the Pooh
: our finger prints don't fade from the lives we've touched.
: love me the most when i deserve it the least.
: when I'm weary and need refreshment, renew me with friendship and laughter.
Love to you all, Mom & Nana Sterling silver antiqued chain with Bali silver toggle clasp closure: 18″ 1 inch sterling silver domed pendant with 1 word (stamped) of your choice: Hope 1 star square bead with your choice of the following stones: Garnet or Pearl Looks good Larson’s! amanda…you sweetie…you just come up here, and we’ll go play in the park and take pics. stacey…same goes for your xander…he’s got to be alex’s age right? what a fun time to get behind the camera.the kids had some fun tonight in the sprinkler. good, ol fashion, family kind of fun. they even got marley to run through the water. gorgeous sunshine warmed the sidewalks, and the gentle breeze blew the fragrance of apple blossoms around our block. love it. love it, love it.
we played our last game this morning. it was beautiful out and the girls had so much fun this game. we won, which makes it even more fun. good job girly girls. see ya next year.
jhacie, kylie and kalie going for the goal.
Spinach, Bacon and Apple Salad
5 slices bacon, cooked crisp and diced or crumbled
1/4 C. sliced almonds
8 C. spinach; washed, stemmed and torn into pieces
2 Golden Delicious Apples, washed and cut into 1″ chunks
3 green onions, sliced (white and lt. green parts only)
Dressing:
Combine in a lidded jar, shake well and toss just before serving.
1/4 C. veg oil
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste
I add crumbled feta in too, and it’s so goooood.
i’ve prayed for words for this post.
wanting to share something that’s been on my heart for years.
being forced to keep quiet for way too long.
words suppressed…until now.
last night the words came.
like a flood from above they came.
like tears from my eyes they came.
broken and beaten, we’ve waited a long time.
almost 13 years.
god, we’ve waited so long to see her again.
to love her.
to talk to her.
to embrace her with our love.
some
probably wish
we would have died
and
fell of the face of the earth,
but
we didn’t.
we prayed
and
God gave us strength to endure the years apart.
Sometimes we thought all for nothing,
but we still held on to the hope that one day,
she’d want to know us too.
she’s more than ready
and
she needs us… just as much as we needed her.
the pain is real, the hurt is so vivid.
we’ve missed out.
she’s missed out.
our deepest embrace for her.
we never stopped loving her.
we never stopped caring.
we never stopped feeling…
and those feelings…
run blood thick.
she is half of us.
she completes us.
we are family.
darkness begins to fade.
hope of restoration seeps in.
god led us back to each other.
for such a time as this,
we will be together again.
our hearts will mend in time.
we have the rest of our lives to rebuild this bridge.
we stand on opposite sides right now,
but we see each other.
the wood for repairs is all around us
and
god alone will be the strength,
the courage,
and the will to rebuild our bridge,
one board at a time.
Time to focus on the gift we have been given.
a second chance to build a relationship.
a second chance to really love my “other” daughter.
So everybody, this is brooke.
my other daughter,
our beeg.
and
i {heart} her to the moon and back.
O Lord, strengthen the ideals which made this great and beloved country. In Christ’s name hear our prayer.
On this important day, communities across our Nation stop to remember and to honor the great sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform.—President George W. Bush
we took the kids bowling tonight to celelbrate the last day of school. to celebrate their promotions into 7th grade, 6th grade, 3rd grade and 1st grade. to celebrate the awards they each brought home. to celebrate their really good reports cards too. we had fun. we ate food. we bowled.
woke up this morning with a tinge of excitement. last day of school today. it seemed like it would never get here. the kids were all a buzz as we spent our last morning for the next three months, anyways…getting ready for school. sounds like a pretty wonderful kind of day for them all. awards ceremony’s, followed by an ice cream social. yum…can mom come? dropped them off, and headed over for my morning “boot camp” , then spent another 30 minutes on the elliptical. worked up a good sweat today….which always makes me feel good, no matter what mood i’m in. legs still a bit tight from the half, but definately a lot better than before. pack up my stuff to head back home. see the “ladies” running the y. all gabbing away. love them all, just the sight of them makes me smile. i honk. they wave. home i go, to organize the house. it’s been a while, and it really needs a good cleaning. laundry sits and stares at me too. i win this time. i’ll tackle it later. now i find myself clickin away on my computer. listening to the new url radio station online. good stuff. funny people, make me laugh out loud. gotta go through a ton of pictures too. just from this week a lone, i’m in over my head. baseball, soccer, field trips, fun days. one by one i get through them, blog them, sit back and look at them all with smiles. makes me smile too. over all this is gonna be a good day. hopefully the sun will come back out and play. and the rain will go away long enough for us to enjoy our memorial weekend.
Alex and Nic hung out with Tracy and me this afternoon during the 2nd graders zoo day.
the new cat display…gorgeous
napping…between a rock and a hardplace.
old beauty
Taking a break.
Last week of school. Full of fun stuff for the kids. Jhacie and all the kindergartners had their picnic in the park today. Mom and Dad both got to go and play.
jhacie, tayler and kylie.
peanut playing catch.
peanut with mom and dadda.
The older boys had their first double header tonight. We split the games, winning the first game 10-6, and then losing the second 1-4. I just have to say. “I LOVE IT WHEN MY BOYS PLAY ON THE SAME TEAM! The pride I feel seeing them work together on the field just blows the goosebumps right off my arms as I type this. I have such a high going through pictures. My boys….Oh how i love them.
Both pitched…very, very well. TR closing out the first game, and K’ing out the last three batters. Ry following in the second game. His first time in Cal Ripkin too….his nerves didn’t slow him down a bit. Their arms…just like theire Dad’s. Both batted well, fielded well. This year…I think we have a pretty dang good team. Good bunch of boys too. It’s gonna be a blast of a summer. If you have summer nights free….and enjoy spitting seeds and slurping slushies better stop over and watch some baseball with us.
Ry at first, TR at second.
RY up to bat.
Ryan pitching his first inning.
TR brought in to close out the first game.
Atta boy, KO…bring em in.
TR sliding into home…stolen base.
Where is A-Rod in all of this? Cheering them on? He can’t wait to start his league…June 1. Can we all say baseball is fun?!? We’ll be down at the field all summer, if anyone want to find us.
All games are double headers starting at 6pm. Practices are on the other nights.
May 26 and 28.
June 2, 9,11, 18, 23, 30.
July 7, 14 and 15. Tournaments TBA.
My new favorite tea…from my favorite lil tea store….Heaven’s Secret. I don’t get to go there as much as i want, but when i do, i always seem to find something new. This go around I was looking for a chamomile tea. This one is super delicious. A hint of licorice and spearmint, mixed in with green tea and chamomile…Yummo! I love mine with honey and milk please.
Jhacie and the rest of the blue girly girls have had four games so far this spring. Even though we aren’t supposed to be keeping score, we’ve won 3 out 4. I can’t believe how in little as four weeks, the girls have improved so much. I mean they went from not even wanting to touch the ball, to wanting to kick the heck out of it, and right into the goal! Go girls, go! We have two games left, one this Thursday and one the following Saturday. If you are around..better stop by and cheer us on.
This is how we start and finish every game. Group huddle…I love this part.
Dad’s behind the camera now.
Every year at Lewis and Clark Elementary, the fifth graders are given a goal. If they read 5456 pages in the year, and do like 1000 pages of book reports they get to take a day off from school to go camping at Cross Ranch. Ry made it this year. Awesome, good job! He had so much fun, and Dad tagged along too.
Team racing.
Dad behind the camera.
The whole group.
The campsite.
Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
there will always be sunshine, after the rain….
Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall;
But God’s always ready, to answer your call….
He knows every heartache, sees every tear,
a word from His lips, can calm every fear…
Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish, by dawn’s early light…
The Savior is waiting, somewhere above,
to give you His grace, and send you His love.
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle!
2009 Fargo Marathon in Fargo-Moorhead. 15,000 participants and I was one of them. I’m still smiling as I write this. 13.1 miles, my longest run to date. Wow. I made it. I didn’t walk. I didn’t die. I didn’t quit. I finished! It’s all a blur now as i sit to write it all out for you. Wanting to share the experience with all the heart and passion I felt as i ran. My emotions on super high all weekend. Friday night as I began to mentally prepare. Get some rest, but my mind raced all night. Anxious thoughts. Stomach turning. 5:30 came way to fast. I got up, pulled my hair back. laura texts me this verse….”this is the day”….and it was. put on my shirt, pinned on my bib. laced up my shoes. dressed, warmer than normal. cloudy, rainy, and slight wind. definitely goose bump weather as we stood at the starting line. it didn’t take long to warm up though. mile one went fast. two even faster. then about mile three it hit me that i was actually running the half. this was it, this is the day! the day i trained so dang hard for. my body was ready. was my head? i just focused on the road ahead…not to far ahead, but enough to keep me moving forward. i prayed for people too. mile markers that triggered memories for me. mile three was for laura and dan…his third deployment coming soon. one mile for my kids…their ages marking the miles 12, 11, 8, & 6…13 was for brooke, and the thirteen years that have passed…my hubby was number one…even though i joked he was number 2…after me…being number 1. sometimes, all i could do was chant…all things through Christ…and that seemed to carry me through to the end. it was hard, and i have to say, laura…my bee….my friend…and yes, we are still friends after this….encouraged me, pulled me through, when the miles seemed to go on forever. she was so awesome!! and i can’t say that enough. even when my pity party hit at mile 11, and i wanted her “to go on without me”…she said “get up here…right on my hip…i’ll pull you through”….and she did….we got through the mile and onto 12. The end was near…I could feel the sweat pouring down my head. my stomach was tight, and could hardly stand the water or gu anymore. my legs were tired, but i felt no pain. sheer determination to pull through. to finish. to cross that finish line. the crowd was amazing. the streets lined the entire way. they cheered, they danced, they played music for us to run through. bubbles even at one corner. absolutely amazing people. my emotions snuck up on me too. caught me off guard and through me for a loop. i caught my breath, refocused my head…and the dome was now in view. the finish was close, and laura looks at me, and says “get ready, we are sprinting to the finish.” i thought my legs are gonna fall off, but ok. here we go. the dome getting closer and closer, and we unleashed what we had left. striding out as much as we both could do. the crowd roared as the runners soared in. what a feeling!!! i felt like i was flying. like i was running the race of a life time. i will never forget it. we finished together. we hugged, and the tears ran. man i can’t believe we did it. i did it. i set my goal, and i achieved it. an amazing feeling of accomplishment, i think i’ll be feeling it for a good week or so.
will i do it again? heck yeh. bismarck…is next. this time, i may just have to go for under 2.
Summary
|
Number of Finishers: |
4,390 |
|
Number of Females: |
2,634 |
|
Number of Males: |
1,729 |
|
Average Time: |
2:12:46 |
me & sarah…ran my first 8 with her.
laura and i…ran my first mile with her, my first 3, my first 5, my first 11, my first 13.2. love her!
Joleyn Larson
| bib number: | 12280 |
| age: | 34 |
| gender: | F |
| location: | Mandan, ND |
| overall place: | 2258 out of 4375 |
| division place: | 209 out of 488 |
| gender place: | 1050 out of 2632 |
| time: | 2:08:41 |
| pace: | 9:50 |
| 10 k: | 58:24 |
| gun time : | 2:09:26 |
my one and only tulip this spring. beautiful, vibrant, standing all alone in the garden. marley…aka…cute little puppy… ate the tops off the others. lonely spring, but beautiful.
Tulips are believed to have originated over ten decades ago in Persia and Turkey. Their popularity soared in the Netherlands during the 17th century when the whole Dutch nation was caught up in “Tulipmania,” where some people traded in their land, livestock, farms and life savings all to acquire one single tulip bulb!
We made a short but sweet trip to MC this weekend. Met our newest, and sweetest lil addition to our family. Beautiful.
Oh, she is a sweet little miracle. Her smell, her smile. Her eyes. I love this baby girl.
Morning sun. Our favorite spot, to welcome the morning in.
Ry-Guy and baby Karlee
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