I took a last minute trip to Utah!. All the planets aligned for me to go home and surprise my mom for Mother's Day. I had to do it last minute because I am really, really bad at keeping secrets like this. I think three days is pretty much my limit.
It also worked out for me to run with most of our Wasatch Back Team on Saturday morning. We met at Memory Grove for a nice easy (yeah right!) five miler over to the Salt Lake Cemetery. As Logan and Kristin pulled up they saw us taking pictures and Logan starting posing the second he got out of the car.
So here we are pre-run. Before the altitude and the beating sun took it's toll on all of us. The best part of this photo is that my own mother and sister thought the black clad runner in the front, the one that is ME, was my BROTHER Christopher. Who is quite clearly the guy in the orange shirt. I know my chest is small but come on you guys.
We took off in a little pack up the trail and immediately Logan, Kristin, and Tom got way ahead of us, Katie and Mike and Christopher were next and then sea lungs me and pregnant Tasha brought up the rear. I found myself getting really homesick as we went. I love being with my family and our close friends. It is always like taking a whole bunch of squirting hoses and trying to control them when more than two of us are together. Watching our little gang snake up the hill toward the Avenues I just wished this was a regular Saturday outing and not a special treat. When I came around the bend at the top of City Creek that looks out over the whole valley I almost started to cry. I ended up having to walk quite a bit and when we got up to Eleventh Ave, Christopher and Tasha and I spent the next mile or so discussing the houses along the way. So much of the Salt Lake suburbs have devolved into cookie cutter McMansion but there is still a lot of character in the Avenues. We picked out our favorites and I imagined it would be like for all our kids to play together.
We all came back sort of wasted.
Logan
Christopher
Tom
Mike and Katie
Kristin
Tasha refused to be photographed and I'm in charge here so I'm not posting anything else where I look like a boy!
Afterwards we headed to Noodles and Company to meet up with Elizabeth and my pops.
My SMILING dad!
Elizabeth has a habit of leaving a drawing on a napkin when we go out. This is a straight edge noodle if you can't tell.
And then it was off to Kaysville to surprise my mother! Tom and Elizabeth told her they had picked up her Mother's Day present at the Post Office and then opened the van door and my mom freaked out. It is really, really fun to surprise people. Like really crazy fun. I like anticipating a visit as much as anyone but there is something extra fun about just showing up. We had interrupted my mom and Greg doing some landscaping in their new yard. Another thing I didn't get from my mother is her love of the yard. I wouldn't even know where to start. But they are doing some beautiful things and it's terribly impressive that they are doing it themselves.
Tom and Elizabeth did some homework.
It was so nice to be home without an agenda. We goofed around and talked and ate. Work has been crazy and a little stressful lately so it was just fine with me to chill out a little.
The next day we went to church, which was crawling with married girls my age with three or four kids and which frankly freaked me out a little bit. But not as much as Elizabeth DRIVING home. I realize she's old enough. It just doesn't feel possible that my little baby sister can drive. A car. But I'm excited for her. Getting a drivers license is one of the best days of your life.
I guess maybe we look a little bit alike.
Then Logan and Kristin came and Logan gave my mom a good Mother's Day mauling. He might have cracked a rib or two but you can't doubt the kid's love and enthusiasm.
Awwww.
Then it was time to go pick up Emily from the airport. She had been in Armenia for a week and again, I thought it would be fun to surprise her. It was sort of an emotional trip and I wanted to be there to hear about in person. Neither Em nor my mom really wanted photos taken last night but this is an illustrated story so here they are anyway!
I stayed with Em last night and we stayed up sort of late and then I got up at an absurd hour to fly home.
So today I'm tired and a little homesick. I think a good run and a decent night's sleep will really do some good!
7 comments:
I was confused about Kristin's picture - I thought it was a Ryka ad?! :)
AND why isn't your mini-me Elizabeth drawing something for the Mechanical Hounds t-shirts?
Hey, count me in for a back-up member to your Wasatch Back team! Ever since I heard about that race I've wanted to do it. Getting a team and volunteers and vans and money together, etc., has proven to be a challenge. Training for St. George now, though, so I'd be good to go if you need someone. :)
You have such an amazing family! What a lucky girl!
it's definitely easier to get a team together when you are related to six people who want to do it. i will definitely keep everyone posted if for some reason we lose a member.
and congrats on getting into St. George!! I want to do that one someday. I think.
my family IS pretty stinking rad but we are also kind of exhausting ; )
It was always fun to watch all of you interact with each other even as little tykes, but now I can add "rewarding" and "satisfying" and "grateful" to the list as I see and hear my offspring sticking together - and liking it. You are, indeed, a pretty unique bunch.
coco- because i'm not cool enough.
katie- stop taking pictures of my boy with no clothes on. sicko.
Best Mother's Day one could hope for. 5 kids and a long talk with Sterling in MD. Totally worth it to change about 25,000 diapers!
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