I have seriously had the best month. I've been so darn busy, but in reflecting on it today (after another GREAT day) I realized this has just been a month of doing, and hustle and contentment and, and...well, the list goes on. Let me share some of what made this month positively May-velous:I love these people here. This picture was taken today, Memorial Day, in Colonel Bill's Creek in Canisteo, NY -- Bob's hometown. This is a hard day for me to be away from home. Growing up, we spent every Memorial Day cleaning graves at the local cemetery, remembering our relatives and honoring our local veterans -- those alive and in the cemetery. After I left home, Memorial Day was the one holiday I made sure I was home. Today, we started the day at 90 degrees with Mount Morris' small Memorial Day parade and a ceremony honoring Veterans that, despite the heat, was actually very appropriate and honored local veterans. We spent some time with the older girls, laughing, visiting and eating some wickedly good cupcakes Ms. Hannah made. She's getting good at this baking bit. Then, Bob, the kids and myself hopped in the van and drove down to Canisteo, picking up some flowers along the way to plant at his family graves. In lieu of taking care of my people, I settle for visiting his. We are cemetery people, and today, we really gave Jack a good cemetery etiquette indoctrination. He was such a good boy, asking questions about his late relatives and putting tiny geranium buds on each one. Then, we hit the creek. This is one of our favorite things to do in Canisteo, play where daddy did as a boy, look for little fossils in rocks. Cool off! But, the weather turned cool and rainy and we left, had dinner and drove to our country land to admire all the hard work Bob has done out there through the winter and Spring. If everything lives, we will flat out have a little farm out there. He's done so good, I'm very proud of all he's accomplished. It was just the best day.
But wait, there's more.
My May-velous month was actually kicked off by a sort-of big thing. I flew to California (alone!) to meet some old college girlfriends to run a half marathon. I stayed with one of my dearest friends, Jodi, and catching up with her was just priceless. I haven't seen her since her oldest was under 2, and now, he's 8 with two little sisters! I just loved my visit with them, and, oh yeah, I ran a half marathon. I was slow, they ran out of water cups at mile 8, blah, blah. I finished. It was great to finish that goal, but I was ready to do something for exercise that didn't eat up an hour a day running. None of us look great in these cell-phone pictures, but come on, we were up early ready to run! In the group shot, from me clock-wise, Rebecca (Reno) Workman, Teresa (Peterson) Hunsaker and Jodi (Scott) Keele. Love those ladies. And in the case of my solo shot, that was moments before I finished with crack sideline staff Wayne Keele snapping the perfect awful shot of someone who was thirsty, tired and ready to rest. After the half, though, my high school best friend, Teresa Bower, picked me up for the afternoon and I walked around the zoo with Teresa, her little sister, Lindy and Lindy's two little girls. It was probably good that I walked and loosened my muscles up even though I was pretty slow company. Teresa and I have the best low-maintenance friendship. I love her, she loves me and if we talk once a year, we're cool with that. All said, I couldn't have asked for a better trip for my first long weekend away from my family. Bob and the children survived without me, even if Ellie's hair was looking, uh, shabby when I got home.
But wait, there's more.
Jack turned 5 late this Winter. I can't believe it. It has been such a joy to watch him grow, see his mind just expand and his personality and sense of self become more evident. This is the time of year, though, when we start getting ready for kindergarten. Earlier this month, our whole family went to Kindergarten registration night and toured the school, then the next week, we dropped Jack off for Kindergarten screening. This was A Big Deal. Up early, all three kids fed, dressed, out the door and at the school before 8:30 a.m. If you know me, you will know this is A Big Deal. I saw while at Jodi's the power of early bedtimes and wake-ups and the nice, non-stressful mornings getting to school that all that brings. So, after I got home from Calif., I've made a point to be in bed before midnight (again, A Big Deal) and up between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. for exercise. It has made a huge difference in how I feel daily and I think, come school time, will help us have stress-free mornings getting Jack off to school. Thanks to my friend, Joel Mike, who with his wife, Erica, brought their girls to screening the same day armed with a camera. Photojournalist Joel shot these pictures as I left Jackie with Mary Regatuso, the reading teacher who is also my around the corner neighbor. Small towns are great. He did great, by the way. No worries on him doing just fine in Kindergarten.But wait, there's more.
Well, I already wrote about the school board election. Yep, starting July 1, I am an elected official. The second one in our household. Thank goodness the MM Village Board moved their meetings so as not to conflict with the school meetings or Bob and I would have to get a babysitter. We don't live in a perfect little town, but we figure once you've been elected to something, you're invested. Mount Morris, NY: Home Sweet Home (away from home...I still view myself as a displaced Nevadan, but this is as good as anything, I suppose.)
But wait, there's more.
Bob and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary. He's also had a big month. He rode a horse for real for the first time in his adult life. (Scared him to death.) He hiked BIG mountains in Utah (as a New Yorker used to flat hikes or rolling hills, this was A Big Deal.) He also ran a trail marathon from Mount Morris to Portagville. Bob runs at least one marathon a year, but this was A Big Deal. Consensus among the marathon runners there (some of them who ran Boston and do this regularly) was that the Sehgahunda Marathon was the toughest they'd ever run. Basically, take your average marathon time and add two to three hours extra, they said. It was, apparently, brutal. Here, Bob finishes with Aubrey and Jack lending their encouragement. He joked that he was at his slowest marathon time with eight miles left. We got really worried about him after six hours. But, he showed up and all is well. He was sore and tired, but not too tired for he and Jack to take our new bees out to our country land!But wait, there's more.
We didn't have much of a summer last year, but it's in full swing now. I'm grateful to live in an area where water isn't exactly in short supply, where my kids can play in water and mud as long as I'm willing to support the water bill, where gardens blossom without much effort. And I'm grateful that in 2008, I insisted we get air conditioning. Ahhhh.....Speaking of gardens, I've also been working with our new, local community garden as an occasional volunteer, and I edited a community book project that I wish I could have done more work to than just salvaging the grammar. THAT's a whole story for another day.
I have found myself very content and happy this month as I've worked hard, played with my kids, made some routine changes that have made a big difference and made a point to remind myself daily that I can be happy in whatever situation in which I find myself. I'm not certain if June will be able to compare to May, but seriously, life has just been, well, marvelous!
