Game Ball

Guess who got the game ball in the second tee ball game???!!!!

Coach called her "cheetah legs" because she was running all over the infield! 

Way to go Becky! 

Birthday Girl - Part 1

(part 1 of 2.....the birthday celebration includes so many pictures it requires two posts!)

Princess Becky celebrated her birthday last week. Because of our travel schedule, the only day we could have her party was last Saturday...the day before the marathon. Therefore, it was - out of necessity - a very simple cake & ice cream giant sized play date with 10 of her friends...and it was a great party! All the fancy stuff - highly over-rated! 

She had a very good time.....

26.2

"A marathoner is a marathoner regardless of time. Virtually everyone who tries the marathon has put in training over months, and it is that exercise and that commitment, physical and mental, that gives meaning to the medal, not just the day’s effort, be it fast or slow.  It's all in conquering the challenge."

Yesterday, I joined this club called "marathoners". It is hard to describe the whole thing, but I am going to try. 

It has never been a goal of mine to do a marathon. I am not a runner. I have never been a runner. I have never wanted to be a runner. I don't like to run (getting the picture?) Last April, a friend (yes - she is still a friend!) asked me to help put together a fund raising team for the Los Angeles Marathon to raise money for Love Without Boundaries.  I can do that. I can recruit people, administer a project, raise money and other tasks. I never had any intention of actually being a team member. 

One thing led to another, and I found myself committing to walk the marathon. I started off wanting to finish, then I wanted to finish within the 8 hour that the finish line would be open, then I wanted to finish in 7 hours...and the morning of the marathon, I wanted to finish in under 6 hours. It's what I do...some say I am a tiny bit competitive.

Rain was forecasted for Sunday; I can not tell you how often I checked the weather sites to see if that had changed - or even if the chance had decreased. I searched the internet for some weather site that wold offer me an alternative forecast. I prayed. I asked others to pray. It rained anyway. Hard. All day. 

It started raining somewhere between mile 2 and 3. I ditched some team members at mile 4. I used mile 6-7 to get back on pace to finish in 6 hours. At Mile 9, I was half way to seeing my husband, and that kept me in. Mile 13 - I had finished a half marathon and was in stride. Mile 17 was great - because Doug & Becky were waiting at mile 18. A thirty second stop with my family re-energized me for the next 3 miles. My ipod earbuds died at mile 20....and that was bad. I hated mile 21 - was ready to quit - I was done - there was nothing left in my legs and I was wet and cold then I heard someone encourage her friend and they were pacing as I was. I paced with them for that mile - and mile 22 was the fastest mile of the 26. At little after the mile 25 marker, I turned the last corner onto Ocean Boulevard and could see the finish line - and cried. Literally. 

Somewhere in between that I ran down through Chinatown, down Hollywood Boulevard past the Kodak Theatre, El Capitan, Graumans Chinese Theatre, down Sunset Boulevard, Rodeo Drive and  a lot of famous LA Landmarks. 

Somewhere in between all that, I realized I was having fun. I was smiling. I was doing it - something I didn't know I could do - didn't even know I wanted to do. I was changed. 

Pretty amazing - I thought God was using me to do something for Love WIthout Boundaries. Instead, He used Team LWB to do something for me. 

Before the race, we had a hospitality suite at Dodger Stadium. What a good idea - as it was cold & rainy before the race and we had a dry place complete with flush potties, coffee and warm food!. Doug was amazing - he supported me through all the looong training mornings, helped raise money and was our #1 support person on Sunday. I could not have done this without him! 

Our team was above amazing. All 7 of us were "first time marathoners - and many first time fund raisers as well. Together we raised $16000 for Love WIthout Boundaries Medical programs - that's a lot of surgeries! 

Our team looked good that morning - including our "coach" Doug

My new friend Stacy - what a heart for these babies she has! She was one of the two true "runners" in the group

Paula looks a little too relaxed before such a big event. Paula's little girl Sofie is a cleft palate baby, and Paula was raising money for cleft babies. 

I am SO proud of my friend Tanya - she stepped so far outside her comfort zone to do both the 26.2 miles and the fund raising. She hit both her goals - and her stride. What an inspiration she was to me.

Just lounging before hand - 

My friend Tracy - she was the other runner in the group. It was her first marathon, and she had a great finishing time. She injected a lot of fun into the morning and helped get rid of any jitters that were hanging around! 

Gearing up and getting ready - 

Doug took this picture while he was waiting to see me at mile 18. I thought it would give a clear picture of how wet it was. 10 years of sailboat racing - even taking green water over the bow - and I have never been as wet nor as cold as I was on Sunday morning. 

Who is that drowned rat???

I was SO happy to see them - it got me through to that point and carried me for the next few miles. I was so grateful to all the spectators who stood in the rain & cheered us on. It was such an encouragement to hear people yell out "you can do it" - every time, it gave me a little lift. The 26.2 miles were all done on a series of little lifts and whispered prayers....

Have you ever had a really good idea that became the best idea ever because of the circumstances? We did. My great friend Mari offered her RV for a post race hospitality lounge. We didn't realize at the time what a true blessing this would be. One of the real dangers of this kind of weather is hypothermia (there were over 1000 treated cases on Sunday). After 26.2 WET miles, she got us into the warmth, gave us a place to get into dry clothes, served us hot soup and even had bins of warm water for feet! There was food and a place to sit - and warmth (did I already mention that?). 

Tracy and her friend Shelley were the first in - this was Shelley's 25th marathon - how inspiring is that!! 

I was next...notice my medal? I was too tired to really appreciate it, but it will always represent to me that I can set a goal and accomplish that. It will represent that I did something for me and for those babies. 

Stacy had a tough race...she got sick...but fought through it, saw her family on the course & finished! She's already planning for next year - love her fighting spirit for those kids! 

Ann & Paula..who I ditched at mile 4....had a great time, held one another up during the tough spots and came rolling in. Paula actually told me she was glad I left her - I apparently was putting too much pressure on them (can't imagine that - just because I was editorializing on each mile's pace time!). Ann was awesome....raised over $3000 for medical! 

Warm, dry and happy girls! 

Paula summed it up best:

LA Marathon Race Stats:

 

2 inches of rain in LA with 2.3 inches of rain in Beverly Hills

only 7761 female finishers

maximum time 12:23:19

 

LWB Stats:

 

40 pounds of failed drenched "moisture wicking" running wear peeled off our soaked bodies after the race

100% starters with 100% finishers

$16,000 raised for the orphans

8 grateful hearts for Mari and Mary's wonderful hospitality RV

maximum time under 8:00:00

 

 

I think we all deserve a big WOOOT HOOOT for "perservering the race marked out before us."  We fought the good fight, we had the strength of eagles, and we could do all things who Christ who gives us strength!!!!  Amen to that!  May God get all the glory, cuz we sure couldn't have done that on our own.  Wow!  I still can't believe we endured all that torrential rain...the 2nd time it has ever rained in the 25 year history of the LA Marathon.  And we did it.  Now we have a great story to tell our grandchildren and a big, ol, hunking medal to show for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yay, girls!  You're all amazing women and I'm proud to be part of your team!  Go TEAM LWB!!!!

Home Stretch

In less than 72 hours, it will all be over for the LA Marathon Love Without Boundaries Team. We are in the home stretch - it's too late to train more or try new strategies or work on our form. I am as ready as I will ever be to "go the distance" of 26.2 miles - and am anxious to cross the start line. I confess I never thought I would be doing this - or thinking about doing it again next year already! 

My heart is full of gratitude to all of you who are supporting me -  with training & running advice, logistical support, child care, financial contributions, words of encouragement, and prayers. So many donations have come in from so many unexpected places - faces I haven't seen for a while and people who are woven into the everyday fabric of our lives. It has been amazing! It has been humbling. It has all been to the glory of God - through whom ALL things are possible! 


I am humbled beyond belief by my team mates - women with a heart for God and for ALL His children - especially the forgotten ones. Ladies - it has been such an honor and privilege to train with you through the last few months - I can not wait to celebrate at the finish line! I have loved being a part of this journey with you. Precious friends - amazing Sisters in Christ. Kimberly, Tracy, Ann, Paula, Stacy and Tanya - I love you all dearly.

Words and deeds of all have pushed me along when I wanted to stop just as the faces of the children we are helping will keep my eyes fixed on the finish line Sunday. For those children, I will persevere. For those children - I will finish strong. For children like Claire, Kevin, Heather...

On behalf of the children who will directly benefit - I can not thank you enough for your support. Please be praying for our entire team on Sunday - for an injury free race, for strength and stamina to persevere through the course, for God to be glorified....and for the rain to hold off until we are done! 

A Time to Sow

I have a brown thumb - two actually - and the eight fingers to go right along with them! Fortunately, I have a wonderful friend in Aunt Mari who appreciates hte importance of my children learning about things that grow...so she came over for "step 1 in the lesson plan.

We are planting peas - because my girls LOVE peas right form the pods along with giant sunflowers - because they are cool! 

A great exercise in watching things grow, learning patience - and getting our hands dirty (for one princess who is not found of that!) 

Two of a Kind

Play Ball!!!

Game time.....Becky warmed up with daddy. She had fun, and I think it helped her skill level quite a bit. Oh, she still wasn't interested in wearing her glove - and in her defense..it is VERY big on her even though it's the smallest size we could get! 

We were the home team, so we were on defense first - which is where we will start this tale! Becky started in the outfield but since this was the first game for all the players on our team except one and most of the players on the other team, there wasn't much difference between the outfield & the infield. For Becky - it really didn't matter where they put her.....

 I asked the coach what she was talking to him about..he told me dandelions. She was telling him about the colors, how they came back each year - and other fun facts. Very important in baseball.

 This series of photos pretty much tells the whole story of her defensive experience....the actions begins (see the player on the far left of the shot) - our player in question is on the far right #4

 It gets by the infield, so technically the outfield should be all over it.....notice where the ball has actually stopped on the field (to the right of the coach in the green striped shirt)...notice who the center fielder is & what she is doing.....

 Even as the action (and accompanying noise!) moves closer, she continues her gardening

 still nothing.....that about sums up Becky's defensive talents

Moving onto offense, perhaps that is the area that she will shine.....

 except however that she can barely see under her hat and the batting helmet (she looks like a little bobble head!) - getting some last minute instructions

 swinging for the fence...

 She is slightly directionally challenged about going from home to first base however - but she thought after she hit the ball she had to pick it up! 

 Finally at first - with daddy coaching...notice the first baseman has the ball and is already throwing it back to the plate 

 Coming into home plate; I love this level of baseball. Everybody plays, everybody bats, no outs, no score, and everybody gets to score a run every time they are to bat. I also really like her coach. He is SO encouraging to all the players on both teams. He gives every kid regardless of their talent or potential equal treatment, equal time and equal praises. I think it will be what keeps us coming back for the ridiculously long season we have! 

 Her second time at bat (there are only two innings). 

 We seriously have to figure something out about that helmet - I have no idea how she can even see the ball! 

 Connected better this time...didn't go to pick up the ball - just didn't go at all! 

 Coach had to escort her down to first base - even with the poor first base coach calling to her and her mommy coach telling her to "run to daddy"! 

 But coming into home makes it all worth it! 

All in all - a pretty good day. She had fun and I think we will be back!