Freshman Track:  The Education of a Runner

Mark it in the books:  the freshman track season is history.  It seems like we just got started, but the calendar tells me that Adam is out of meets.  Less than four months until cross country starts, so I can't be too disappointed.

I think Adam would agree with me that his freshman track season was full of ups and downs and that, pun intended, he never got fully untracked.  However, I think his experiences this season have taught him a lot about himself as a runner, and maybe a little of that knowledge will spill over into other areas of his life as well.  All in all, it was a good experience.

The two highs of the season--besides getting to warm up on the blue at Bronco Stadium--were his 4:57 in the 1600 (mile) and his 10:20  in the 3200 ( two-mile).  The former, as I blogged about earlier, was the achievement of a goal he'd set for himself some time ago to break five minutes in the mile.  He ran without overthinking that day and just busted through the barrier.  It was fun to watch.  Unfortunately, he only got to run one timed mile after that, and since it was in a typical Idaho spring rain/windstorm, he didn't break five minutes again.  I predict it happens regularly next track season.

The other highlight of his season was his 10:20 two-mile time.  He had to break 10:25 to qualify to run in the varsity district meet, and he somehow managed to get 'er done.  Wow!  His previous best had been 10:38, so he had a really good race that day.  Again, he ran with abandon and didn't let his head get too mixed up in the race, and that is when he runs his best.  It was super fun to watch because when he just lets loose like that, he looks happy when he runs.  Good results usually follow.  

I wish I could say that he ran like a wild man at districts and got another personal record, but he admits that he was a little overwhelmed by the whole situation.  It's hard to run in a meet with people you idolize.  Seriously, I think he was in awe that he was in a race with some of the best runners in the state.  Anyway, twenty-four guys qualified for the race.  He was #22 going in and finished 23rd, right about where he was supposed to.  He was hoping for better, but I was proud of him.

Here are a few random shots from throughout the season:

Like most runners, he is Mr. Fidget Man before a race and usually adjusts
and readjusts his singlet about fifty times before the gun goes off.

At least it wasn't raining at this meet, just blowing.  Check out the flags.

"Runners, take your mark. . . "

Karen and Andrew were at this meet.  Rachel also got to come for a meet later in the season.

Poor kid always looked to me like he was freezing.

He's still relatively little.  Maybe he'll fill out a bit over the summer. . .

Windy again. . .

On to sophomore season.

Adam's a good runner, and it was fun to watch him compete this track season.  He learned that he can trust his instincts and that he needs to have confidence in his abilities, separate and apart from what anyone else is doing on the track.  And now, I'm insisting that he take a few days off from running.  His body needs a break!

Oh, How I Love This Girl!

There's one thing I've struggled with as my kids have grown up.  (Actually, there's more than one thing, but I'll just mention one today.)  I hate when we're apart on their birthdays.  There's something that's always just felt so wrong about that to me.  Yes, I'm happy that they're independent and have grown up and gone on to do good things with their lives, but I selfishly want to be with them to celebrate.  After all, we were together when their lives began, and I wish that I could be with them every year on their big day.

So, today is Rachel's 21st birthday, and while I know she is being taken care of by friends and family in Utah--thanks, Hansens, Pendletons, Millers, and Aunt Brenda--, I miss her like crazy.  She is one of the people I most enjoy being around in the whole entire world.  She has an amazing sense of humor and an ability to help me take things less seriously and not be so tightly wound all the time.  I love her laugh.  She is intelligent and capable and will go on to be successful in whatever path her life takes.  She is one of her siblings' best friends and has an especially close relationship with her little bros.  I LOVE to see the four of them together.

I had fun going through my digital photography library this morning and finding a few pix of my sweet second daughter.  I hope she doesn't hate the ones I chose.


Well, hey, Rachel!  What's up?

Thumbs up, baby!

Chillin' out with Little Man.

Big Jud's over Christmas break.

This may be the pose I've seen Rachel in most during school breaks and when
we've visited her in Provo.  She is one hard worker!

These are four of my greatest blessings!

BYU Family 5K 2008

 

Before she was a Cougar, she was a Maverick.

 Happy Birthday, Rachel!!  Your family loves you like crazy, and we hope you have an amazing 21st birthday!

Busy Lives, Part Two

Returned from work and just waiting for Matt to do the same so that we can have FHE.  Thought I'd throw a few more pictures and thoughts on the blog to keep the grandparents in the loop (and happy!).  I know that I would LOVE to get updates from my kids and grandkids if I were serving out of the country.  (Keep that in mind for future reference, offspring of mine. . . )

Senior Prom

Matt went to his SENIOR PROM on Saturday.  How can he possibly be getting ready to graduate from high school?!  Didn't I just barely send him off to kindergarten?  Several years ago I had a neighbor whose kids were about 15 years older than mine.  She told me that child-rearing would go faster than I would ever guess and that once the first child left home, it seemed like the nest emptied all too quickly.  I should have listened.  She was right.

Anyway, Matt did go to prom on Saturday and had a delightful time with his date.  They golfed at an executive course in the morning, and Matt said he even managed a few pars.  In the evening they took pictures in a beautiful backyard, went to dinner at an Italian restaurant, made an appearance at the dance, and then headed to Jump Time to end it all off.  The group he went with was a bunch of kids he has hung out with through most, if not all, of high school, so everyone knew each other pretty well and got along great.

I didn't get the greatest pictures, but here are some that I snapped:


Thumbs up, baby!

Cute couple!



Matt and Chase, one of his good friends from the ward.  They'll
probably enter the MTC about the same time. 



The Guys!  Jake, Faruk, Adam, Austin, Matt, and Chase



Both Austin and Matt have been told that they look like
Scotty McCreery of American Idol fame.  Do you see it?



If Matt hadn't been able to find a date, he always had a backup plan.

Birthday Celebration #2

Since we weren't busy enough, Mike decided he wanted to celebrate his birthday twice.  Tee hee.  Actually, Karen really wanted to make a Boston cream pie for her dad when she came home, so we happily marked Mike's b-day twice.  I guess we can just skip it next year, right?  Not.

I'm hoping Karen comes home to make my cake in October as well.

Andrew decided to make it harder on his father-in-law to blow out the candles
by putting the candles on the perimeter of the cake.  Mike predictably failed to get his wish.

Andrew said it's easy to come up with such ideas when you grow
up in a house with three boys.  The cake looked cool from the top.

Better wish upon a star, Mike, 'cause those candles ain't goin' out in one blow.

Adam's STILL glad that Duke won the national championship last year.

Missing Rachel. . . .  We get to see her soon, however.  Yay!!

And that ends tonight's broadcast.  Matt should be home in about three minutes, and Mike has an FHE lesson all ready for us.  I hope to be back later in the week.  It's been a few days since we had a track update, and I'm sure you're sitting on the edge of your seats.  I'll try not to keep you in too much suspense.    

Busy Lives, Part One

We've been BUSY the last couple of weeks.  Sometimes I scratch my head and wonder what I could possibly blog about.  Tonight I can see that this entry would be far too long if I tried to cover all of the happenings in one sitting.  I don't want to bore everyone, nor do I want to spend too long at the computer.  So, I'll hit a couple of high points right now, then return to this spot later in the week to finish up.  How's that for a threat?

Cresting the Hill?  Nah!  Just Getting Started

Mike had a birthday not quite a week ago.  While most people would consider forty-six middle-aged, Mike is convinced he's going to live at least as long as his Grandpa Young, who just turned 98 three months ago.  If that prediction is true, Mike hasn't even hit the halfway point of his life yet.  It will be three or four more years before he crests the hill of middle age and officially becomes "over the hill."  We shall see.  (My only fervent hope is that he outlive me, but I've learned that life is pretty unpredictable in that regard.)

My good husband requested that we keep his birthday pretty low-key this year.  When I asked him what he wanted for gifts, he said, "New golf clubs for you. . . and a new kitchen."  My golf clubs were stolen from our open garage sometime in the last few months--SAD!  While the weather hasn't really been warm enough to hit the links consistently yet this year, he can see that I'll need new clubs if he wants a golfing partner.  Also, since we are in the process of planning a kitchen remodel, I think he keeps hearing "cha-ching" too often and would love it if we put the drain plug back in the checking account.  We did buy him a few small presents, but we honored his wishes and kept it pretty simple.  (I predict the golf clubs may show up for Mother's Day.)

Matt made some delicious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting cupcakes for the big day.  We knew Karen and Andrew were coming later in the week for the wedding of one of Karen's college roommates, and she already had a cake in mind that she wanted to make.  (Where did all these baking offspring come from?!  I struggle some years just to get a cake made from a box.)  Anyway, we had a nice dinner together, opened a very few presents, and ate yummy cupcakes.  It made for a nice family home evening. 

Evidently, Adam didn't get the memo to wear orange.

I realized this weekend while Karen and Andrew were here that it's different with another female in the house.  That's probably a subject for a different post, but I do love my boys!  All three of them take such good care of me and make me feel like a queen.  How could anyone NOT love these guys?



Twenty-four years with me and still smiling.



My always lovable goofball, Matt.

Mmm. . .  good cupcakes, Matt!

I love them all like crazy, but I actually LIKE them as well.  They keep me laughing and smiling and enrich my life immeasurably.  I'm a lucky woman.

Elder Matt

There have been other fun things that have happened recently, but since the grandparents are the focus audience of this blog, I thought they might want some pictures of today's events.  Matt was ordained an elder this morning, and while I know both sets of grandparents wanted to be here, I know they're both where they're supposed to be right now.  We felt their support long-distance.  I thought I'd send some Sunday morning pictures to help them feel involved.

Looks like he could enter the MTC tomorrow--WOW!

Neither of the grandpas could be here, so we felt super blessed that Andrew was here to
help in the ordination.  I love my son-in-law!



So glad Karen and Andrew could be here!  We lucked out and scheduled it for when they would be here for the wedding of Karen's college roommate.  Rachel gets to come home NEXT weekend when one of her friends gets married.



Me and the boys.  I am one lucky woman!

There are more Young happenings to cover--prom, track, Miller time--but tonight I'll leave this as is.  More later in the week. . .