"How the West was Run"

Eric and I ran the Cowtown Half Marathon this morning! It was a hilly course, but the weather was gorgeous- sunny, cool, and breezy. Eric has been battling a leg injury for the past couple months, so he slowed his pace to match mine. It was really fun to run with him the whole way, and to hold hands as we crossed the finish line. :)

Hopefully we'll get a couple good pictures from the sports photographers, because we didn't bring a phone or camera to document anything. But it was a really challenging, fun morning, and we're super glad to cross another half off of our list!

Only You

Eli's class has been talking about "community helpers" this month. They've had visits from policemen and firemen, and today they were supposed to dress up as their favorite community helper. I had in my mind that I'd dress him like a fireman, since we have some of that stuff, or borrow a policeman costume from a friend.

But Eli had other ideas!

He has loved Smokey the Bear for a while now, ever since he got a bag full of Smokey paraphanalia from a firehouse near my grandparents in Maine. His love was solidified when he actually got to meet Smokey the Bear at a state park event. (He gave Smokey multiple hugs and thus always tells me, "Smokey doesn't talk, but he loves hugs!") And now Dallas has started putting Smokey the Bear billboards all around the city, I guess to gear up for the wildfire season. Eli sees them and goes nuts. I love that he's obsessed with such a random character!

So, anyway, fueled by Aunt Kelly's suggestion while I was out of town this weekend, Eli decided to be Smokey the Bear for community helper day at school! And he could not be swayed. Smokey just wears blue jeans and a yellow hat with his name on it, so the costume was pretty easy to put together. Eli was elated this morning when he got dressed. He ran around the house "putting out fires" all morning. It was adorable.

And when we walked into school this morning and someone saw his hat and said, "A fireman!" he indignantly told me, "No, I'm SMOKEY THE BEAR!" I love that he is so confident in what he loves, unwavering and content in who he is. Even in a classroom full of little firefighters, he was proud to be the only Smokey. I pray that this sense of self, this contentedness with who he is as a special creation of God, continues for his whole life.

Valentine's Day, Etc.

Eli's class at school had the cutest Valentine's party on Tuesday. It was so fun to go and get to watch him experience all the best parts of Valentine's Day as a kid: little paper Valentine's, candy, cupcakes, etc. Here are a few pictures. They're all taken with my phone because I forgot my camera- sorry! (You can click on the pictures to make them larger.)

Eli and Timothy:


Enjoying a cupcake:


Me and my boy:


Isn't he cute? :)


And a few other phone pictures that I just want to post because I like them! :)

Eli and Bree, the daughter of some friends of ours who moved away this week. We were so sad to say goodbye, because we love them so much! But we're excited for how God will use them in their new roles with Young Life. We were so happy to spend one last morning with Bree at our house before they moved away.


Car wash: :)


Eli and Cooper at the zoo:


I still love to watch him sleep!


This picture is pretty unclear, but it's a view out our bedroom window into the giant bushes that separate our house from my parents' house. Eli and Timothy have dragged all kinds of lumber and anything else they can find into there, and they call it their "tree house." They go out there to "work" every day, spending hours banging around. They have informed us that once it's finished we'll "get rid of" our houses and all just live in the tree house. Eli thanked God last night for "mine and Timothy's jobs." I asked, "What's your job?" He looked at me like it was such a silly question and said, "Working on the tree house!" Duh. :) Anyway, this picture is of Eli with his Valentine's balloon, which he took directly to their tree house to "decorate." :)

Cooper Lake Weekend

This weekend Eric and Eli and I went to Cooper Lake. We love the cabins there because, aside from just being really nice compared to other cabins we've stayed in, they have these great decks on the back that overlook the lake. It's so pretty there!





I think we were just about the only ones there this weekend, but that was totally okay with us! We went on a [very muddy!] hike, took long naps, ate yummy food, had a campfire, played games, took long walks, and just so enjoyed relaxing and being together.


(He has a tiny frog in his hand.)



We're so thankful for a weekend away together in such a pretty, quiet place!

Fancy Pants

Last Saturday my cousin Allyson got married. The wedding was gorgeous and the fanciest we've ever been to. It was at Union Station downtown, which is this gorgeous old building that's been rennovated for events like this one. There was an open bar, an amazing dinner catered by Wolfgang Puck, dancing all night, a six-foot-tall wedding cake, and so many other fun, fancy details that just made the night so beautiful! We were so happy for Allyson and for Joey, who have beend dreaming up this wedding for a long time!

This is the most dressed up we've gotten in a very long time, so of course we had to take a few pictures! :)

Here's the six of us- my sisters and me and our husbands...



Eric and I in bar area, where cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were served before the reception...



Look how handsome they look in their suits!



This is a bad picture, but it kind of gives an idea of how big and beautiful the room was where the reception was held.



Eli spent the night with his good friend CJ (and my good friend Elizabeth!). They had a blast. It was so much fun to have such a fancy, fun evening and know that Eli was having such a fun time, too.

My aunt and uncle from Pennsylvania whom we haven't seen in years were there for the wedding, too, and it was so nice to get to see them and catch up!

Congratulations to Allyson and Joey, and thanks for letting us enjoy such a fun party! :)