Reading and Running.... Is there a correleation?

Is there any correlation between readers and runners?  I found a blog that I really enjoy be searching about a book I read.  I was looking for the correlation between Hunger Games and Matched.  The main purpose of the blog is now book reviews.  But the writer is a runner and often blogged about running and running accomplishments, goals, etc.  As a runner and a reader, I appreciate and enjoy all posts.

I joined a book club about a year ago.  At this point, there are about 5 of us that meet regularly and many others on the distribution list.  The others are all good friends that have known each other for years.  I was a little hesitant to join a new group, especially if I was an outsider but I am so glad I did and I really enjoy everyone in the group.  By chance, the 5 of us are all runners.  We're all at different levels with our running but runners are runners.  We've even talked about doing some 5ks together next year.  

It got me thinking - is there any correlation between readers and runners?  Or is this just a coincidence.  Charlie reads and runs.  My brother runs but doesn't read.  My coworker reads but doesn't run.  So maybe not.  Just something else that I ponder...

Don't worry Mom. We're good.

Here is another story of me trying to be a "fun mom".  Last week it rained.  A lot.  i know it rained a lot everywhere.  Thursday night, it still hadn't turned cold yet so I let the kids play outside in the rain.  It was fun.  We splashed and jumped in puddles.  After about 15 minutes I brought them in, ready for a bath to warm up.  I stripped the kids in the foyer to get them out of the wet clothes and I went upstairs to get the bath ready.  They kept saying they were still cold.

A minute later, they yelled up that they weren't cold anymore and found a blanket.  I looked over the edge expecting to see them wrapped in a blanket on the couch.  Nope - they were still in a foyer, naked wrapped up in the welcome rug!  We have about a 6' long runner that they were wrapped up in.  They are so resourceful.  :)  

It was so funny so I ran to grab the camera and took a picture.  Calvin asked to the see the camera and then deleted it!   Apparently, he thought that a naked picture of him wrapped up in a rug might come back to haunt him some day.  He's probably right!

My Little Parrot

Leave it to Calvin to bring levity to a serious situation.  Sunday night, we were out taking a pajama walk.  The kids had their baths and we were out playing in our pajamas.  It's fun to do every once in awhile.  We were in a row - Laci way out front on her bike, I was pushing Calvin on his little bike and Charlie was walking behind us.  We were constantly yelling to Laci to wait for us.  I kept reminding her that we have to be able to see her.  

Then it happened - she crossed the street without looking.  Our street is pretty quiet and normally this wouldn't be an issue.  But of course last night a car was coming.  Thank goodness they stopped in time.  But I remember the slow motion-ness of stopping and holding my breath as this happened.  Charlie was yelling and walking to catch up to her.  She was crying when we got to her.  I am still not sure if she fully understands what happened or if she was upset because we were so upset.  So on the sidewalk, we sat and explained what happened.

It was a very serious and traumatic moment for Charlie and me.  But Calvin was cracking me up.  He started repeating "do you understand... do you understand?" after we were saying that.  Then he walked his bike home in his sleeper saying "crossing the street... crossing the street...."  We got the bikes put away and went inside.  For some reason, Calvin started singing "Laci Hart got hit by a car... Laci Hart got hit by a car." It was highly inappropriate.  We were pleading with him to stop.  

Laci had hidden upstairs crying.  When we found her, she said she was crying because Calvin was making fun of her.  We tried to remind her that he was just repeating what he heard us say and he wasn't making fun of her.  Then Calvin walked in.  

Calvin's new thing is taking off his clothes.  Why? Because he can.  So he walked in naked... again.  He also ate dinner naked.  So our serious learning lesson time was again thwarted with me trying not to laugh at Calvin.  When he takes his clothes off and I ask him where they are, he always responds "I don't know."  Then he walks away, comes back with them in his hands and says "Oh, here they are" like he just found them.  

I hope Laci learned a lesson last night.  We tried to have another serious talk with her again... after Calvin went to bed. 

Let's Waff

 I visited a friend of mine and her new baby a few weeks ago.  I love the house of a new baby.  There are very few changes in the house.  On the end table or coffee table, there is usually a bottle, pacifier, burp clothe. There is the swing and maybe a little baby gym activity center.  Again, I think parents are eased into the chaos of parenthood.  I remember those days and when my house was like that.  I remember being in those days and remembered to cherish it because never again will I have that special time.

I came home and remembered that each year with our kids is a special time.  Calvin and I have a new thing we do at bedtime when we read books.  We laugh.  We laugh over the top and full of drama - you know that laugh where you tip your head back and laugh really loud - Ha Ha Ha.  We do that for about 5 minutes every night.  It's so sweet.  We will be reading and get to a point and he'll look at me and say "Let's Waff..."  And we laugh.  And we laugh.  And we laugh.  It's so sweet and special.  I love that special time with him every night.  Sometimes I say "Should we laugh?" and he'll say "no, not yet."  He picks the time that we waff.  

About an hour later, I put Laci to bed.  We read books too.  Whoops - I mean she usually reads books to me now.  I'm still getting used to her reading to me instead of me reading to her.  We snuggle in bed together and then I hug her and kiss her good night.  Every night is a special night with each of my kids.  

Yesterday

This one hit me close to home.  Not because I am a runner.  I am not a runner compared to the Boston Marathoners.  But because I am a sister.  My brother ran the marathon yesterday.  It was his biggest achievement.  He devoted the last 6 months of his life to training for this race and reached his goal.  His goal was 3 hr and he completed it in 2:55:59.  I am so proud of him.  It was his day.  

And then it wasn't.  His day, his memories of this day will forever be overshadowed with the tragic event.  This is not true of just him but of all the runners.  This was their day to shine.  And now it is a tragedy.  No one can take away his achievement.  

He finished the race at 1:00 p.m.  I heard about the explosions at 3 p.m.  My other brother and parents were with him.  I knew he had finished awhile ago and they had all met up so I had to assume that they were safely away from the finish line.  Fortunately, they had already made it back to the hotel.  But it was still scary not knowing where they were.  The what-ifs are scary.  The what-ifs have changed me.  The what-ifs linger on in my heart.  The what-happened for all of those other runners and spectators is scary and tragic.  I can not even imagine the emotions that went through everyone in Boston yesterday afternoon. 

I am a runner.  Not a runner like they are but a runner.  I will continue to run for all of them.  For all of those who trained and achieved their goals.  For all of those who trained and did not get to achieve their goals.  This was their day. This will always be their day. 

Reset - April 9, 2015

Calvin another seizure today.  He fell, blacked out and went limp.  I have to assume he fell from the seizure because he didn't fall enough to make him black out.  Fortunately his teachers know how that he is okay after.  But it is still so scary to hear about it.  So we reset his two years seizure free span to April 9, 2015.

I was still a little shaken up from hearing about it when I picked him up that I told Laci about his seizures.  Up until now, we hadn't told anything about it yet.  I hope she is old enough to understand.

This Is Engineering

I have always been very proud of my Purdue engineering degree.  I am very proud of my professional engineering license.  They are just two letters but they are important to me.  There is a Youtube spoof "This is Engineering" done by Purdue engineers based on the Thrift Shop song.  The Thrift Shop song is pretty inappropriate for Laci.  But I showed her the This is Engineering video.  She loves it.  I explained what engineers do and how important it is to be an engineer.  I explained the engineers design everything we use and everything we do.  I convinced her that she could become a Purdue engineer too. 

While we were in Nashville, the Thrift Shop song came on.  She randomly asked "Mom, how can you be an engineer if you don't design anything?"  Ouch.  She put me in my place!  The only comeback I had was that my coworkers design things and that I went to school and passed a test.  You really can't get anything past her. 

Surely the prescence of God is in this place...

Sunday morning on our trip was Easter Sunday.  Charlie lived in Nashville the first two years he was out of school.  So Sunday morning, we drove to Brentwood and drove by his old apartment, his old stomping grounds and went to his old church - Brentwood UMC.  This church was enormous.  We parked up front in the visitors lot.  The church was packed for Easter.  They didn't have Sunday school because it was Easter that day but they did have childcare for 2 and under.  It's a good thing we got there early because it took 15 minutes to find the right room (with two guides leading us) and get Calvin checked in. 

The sanctuary was beautiful.  We were obviously in an area of town with a lot of money.  Everything was grand.  As we waited for the service to start, I remember thinking "How do people find God amongst all of this 'stuff'.  Amongst all of this 'grandeur'".  Then I realized what a stupid thought that was.  Rich people have faith and God too.  If I went to my original theory, the only true faith and the only place to find God would be in small country, poor churches.  And that doesn't make sense either. 

I don't know if it was the choir, the music, the stained glass or what but God was there for me that day.  Easter is one of my favorite church Sundays.  It's what it is all about.  I was moved.  I was so honored to be able to share that experience with my daughter too. 

It's funny because later in the car, Charlie said the exact opposite.  He made the comment that the church is so big and so grand that it would be hard to find God there.  His comment was based on the fact that it seemed easy to get lost there.  I understand what he was talking about.  But I also know that if you look, God was definitely there that day and every day.

Sadly, this is the best family Easter picture I got.  Laci saw her muff in the car and had to put it on when I pulled the camera out.  She looks like she is about to rob a train!  :) 

Swimming Costumes

We're back from Spring Break.  And we had a great spring break.  I am sure I will have several blog post and stories from our week away and at home.  Laci's spring break started last Friday and my parents came to visit and spent the day with Laci and Calvin at home.  Saturday morning, the four of us went to Nashville for a few days.  We came home Tuesday night and spend the next 5 days at home.  It was nice to get away and to have some downtime at home.  I tried to do something special each day.

Before we get into what we did, I'll start with 3 nights in a hotel.  I have blogged before that nights in a hotel are not easy with some children.  They are impossible.  Our old routine was to have Charlie put Calvin to bed early - around 8.  Laci and I would go swimming and then sit in the lobby until she was tired enough to be able to go to bed.  Mornings were tough because Charlie had to get a run in before we left.  It's hard to entertain two small children in a hotel room. 

I think we are starting to get past that hump of hard nights in the hotel.  Laci assumes staying in a hotel means swimming.  It was hard to find a hotel in Nashville with an indoor pool but it was totally worth it.  We took the kids swimming all three nights.  Calvin got to go too.  When he saw the pool, Calvin asked if we could go put on our "swimming costumes".  I have no idea where he heard the phrase "swimming costumes" but I thought it was so funny, that I called it our swimming costumes the rest of the visit.  One of the highlights of the trip was Charlie throwing Calvin in the air and then Calvin giggling, pointing one finger and saying "One more time, Daddy.  Again!"  We are in the process of transitioning Calvin into his new room and a bed.  We decided to get a crib in the hotel just in case but planned to have him try a bed.  After Laci fell asleep on a bed with Calvin, he asked to go into his crib at 10:00.  I guess he isn't ready yet for a bed.  Monday, he was so exhausted, at 8:30 when the kids were roughhousing, Charlie threatened to put him in his crib and turn off the lights.  Calvin agreed and asked to go to bed and have the lights turned off. 

                                                          Enjoying our morning "coffee"

Another hotel highlight was when we went to the Gaylord hotel to walk the lobby.  Charlie loves doing that.  The simple escaltor was the highlight.  The first time, Calvin held on to be tight and told Charlie "Be careful, Daddy."  The second time he reminded Charlie to "hold on tight!"  By the third time, he was brave enough to stand on the escalator himself.  I lost count how many times we went on the escaltor.  There is a Dick's Sporting Goods near us with an escalator and they love going to that store for the escalator.  It's the simple things that they love. 

There is my first story on our vacation.  We had a great time and went to the Aquarium Restaurant, Adventure Science Center, Nashville Zoo, Easter at Brentwood UMC.  At home our highlights were Steak N Shake Happy Hour shakes, Build a Bear workshop, visiting a friend's new baby, Chuck E Cheese and my favorite - just hanging out at home.