Marathon Man

My first post of 2007 is to let everyone know how proud we are of Bryan for running and finishing the Houston Aramco Half-Marathon. He started training for it last summer with Bay Area Fit, though the training was sporadic at best after he started the new job at Unified. (The morning commute replaced his morning run.)

He met Bay Area Fit at the George R. Brown Convention Center at 6 a.m. and they were in place by 6:30 for the starting gun, which records the official start at 6:59:14. The Houston Marathon & Half-Marathon are so well organized that not only could we watch the start on television, we also could track his progress- live-on the internet via the chip he was wearing on his shoe.

The girls and I met him around mile 8 on Montrose Blvd, which turned out be a great place to see him, because at mile 9, the half-marathoners separate from the marathoners and double back up Montrose to Allen Parkway. So by waiting around, we saw him twice. There was a fairly good crowd of people cheering them on, including one young man shouting out the Rocky theme da-da-DUM, da-da-DUM.

He was surprised and pleased to see us, and this really nice lady came over and took our picture as a family - Actually it was her idea! Then we waited for him to come around for mile 10. Mom tracked him for us on the computer, so we knew about where he was most of the time. The second time we saw him, the girls both opened their jackets and showed off their t-shirts shouting, "My Dad Rocks!"

Then we quickly drove back into downtown, parked near the GHB Center and took up a post at mile 13 as the runners came in for the finish. We cheered for him again, then went to find him in Hall C where runners meet up with their families. He's pretty tired and his feet & legs hurt, but walking on the way to the car, he was already talking about running in a 5K at the Texas Half (at White Rock Lake in Dallas) with his brother.

He ran the Half-Marathon in 3:04:40.

Christmas Eve

We had a good ol' traditional Chrsitmas Eve this year, gathering around my grandmother and full of aunts, uncles, and cousins. My aunts do a fabulous job organizing Christmas Eve - from the decorations, to the games, to the food. (Yum, the food.)

The second generations - 9 (of 12) grandchildren.

For a few years we were just a bunch of 20-somethings and high-schoolers, and Christmas just wasn't the same as when we were children. But then a bunch of us had children. And now Christmas is definitely "for the kids" again. The oldest great-grandchild is 21 and the youngest is a few months old, so we've got some years ahead to celebrate.

Here is Merr (my grandmother) with 10 of her 17 great-grandchildren, (14 living).

Merry Christmas to All.

I hope you are with family and friends who love you today!

Going...going... gone!

Saturday, Dec 23 was such a beautiful afternoon and it was a treat to have Daddy home after a hectic week of working late into the night. It was one of those days where we get outside and just play as a family. A little soccer, a little tag, swings, slides, and of course - baseball!

Bryan discovered Cameron is a slugger! She whacked that ball all over the backyard, rarely missing. One time she hit it into the playhouse at the top of the slide. I yelled, "Into the stands, homerun!" Cameron jumped up and down gleefully, then settled down and called out to Brenna, "Hang onto it, and after the game I'll autograph it." It was said with such a serious jest... I think someone has been watching too much baseball with Dad.

Of course, it might be that he encourages it quite a bit also.

Mary, Sweet Mary

Each year the Little Children's Church at St. Bernadette presents a Christmas Pageant with their preschoolers. Last year Brenna was a shepherd, who refused to participate. She ended up sitting in my lap instead of with the flocks of (stuffed) lambs.

Lo and behold, we arrive after Mass this year to see Brenna dressed all in blue.

She did a fabulous job acting out Mary's role. She slept, was surprised by the angel's visit, rode a horse with Joseph to Bethlehem, and laid her baby Jesus in the manger. We all sang several Christmas carols in the appropriate places of the story. (O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Away in a Manger)

Our sweet Mary.

Our mouse in the house

No, not a real mouse - but a CameronMouse. Cameron decided this fall to return to Ballet at the local dance studio. This year she had the option to audition for their bi-annual Nutcracker production and she landed the role of Mouse. (This is ironic because the previous two time she has seen the Nutcracker, she's always been afraid of the Fight Scene, particulary the mice and Rat King.

The dress rehearsal was last Friday night. They have a total of four performances. Three were for an Assisted Living Communities, a foster children house, and an assisted living mental retardation house. The last one on Sunday is for the Studio Christmas Party where family and friends can view the performance.

On right, Cameron is first mouse (with ears sticking out). Below, Cameron is second from right.

Cameron has really enjoyed the performances and will be sad that they will be over. I've been really impressed with the studio and how well organized this has been. I was really proud of her at the very first performance, when Ms. Amy asked the students to go out among the residents (elderly, assisted living facility) and wish them Merry Christmas. Cameron was right in front and showed no hesitation walking up to the residents and chatting with them briefly.

A gift for Santa

I know you're thinking: But wait? Santa is supposed to bring the gifts, not receive them. This year we planned a little surprise for Santa, for you see we have had the REAL SANTA at our mall for the past six years. We decided to show him some appreciation for his long hours.

The girls, so full of excitement, helped Santa opened the gift. I believe he was truly touched. He caught my eye, winked, nodded, and wiped away a little tear from the corner of eye.

If anyone reading this lives in the Colorado Springs area and uses an independant insurance broker, you might recognize Santa during his off-season job when he is incognito. The local paper printed a story about him a few years ago and I sure wish I had kept it. UPDATE: I found it in the Houston Chronicle Archives (duh). He lives in Florissant, and I have his psuedonym. :-)

What did the girls give to Santa?

A framed 8x10 print of this photo.

Absolution

Tonight Cameron celebrated her First Reconciliation. If you've been following our familial stories then you'll recall my negative experience with the mandatory workshop. I'm pleased to report that the overall experience this evening was very pleasant. There were four priests, all from the Carmelite Order. Two are our regular priests and two were "borrowed" for tonight. The priests shared stories of their own first Reconcilation. There was a song, a Gospel reading, singing the Alleluia and we said the Act of Contrition as a large group. (To prevent the priests from having to listen to 50 students stumble through it on their own!)

Cameron confessed to Father Brian, one of the borrowed priests (I love it when he gives the homily!) and she giggles to say that she confessed in the ladies bathroom! Yep. Father JJ was at the front of the main church. Father someone-whose-name-I-didn't-catch was in the Confessional. Father Adrian was in the Bride's room. And Father Brian was in the foyer/nursing/mother area of the ladies bathroom.

We had a short wait as there were about six people ahead of us. Father Brian greeted Cameron with a big smile and her smile matched his when she emerged as an absolved sinless person.

Well, sinless until tomorrow I'm sure....