We Remember

Today, this glorious Memorial Day, we remembered. We promised to never forget the sacrifices made by our military service members and families. Today we did what those 6,469 service members who died during the Iraq War could not do. We ran. We ran as a pledge to always remember those men and women who have given their lives for us...for me...for you. 

I think as civilians, we never fully understand what it's like or what it really means when there is a loss in the military family. I (like so many civilians) could turn the tv off when I got too uncomfortable with the consequences of war, or put down the paper when they spoke of the devastating going-ons of war...but the military families can't.  It's their reality, their life, their friend, their neighbor, their comrade. They live with this pain, through this pain and suffer more consequences of this war than we do. The military families and especially the spouses, come together and join each other in their grief, walk each through it and find a way to support each other no matter what life brings. One particular military spouse's husband died 23 days after the birth of their third child. He died without ever being able to hold his baby girl. He died serving us. His wife worked through her grief by running. Out of this healing came the group, Wear Blue: Run to Remember. They pledge to run in remembrance for all those military service men who have fallen in the last 11 years. Every Saturday they meet and form a circle of remembrance and read the names of those that have died over the past 11 years on that particular weekend. Then they run a select amount of miles for those fallen men and women. Whenever they run, they remember and honor those service men and women by wear blue. So today, we joined thousands of others, and pledged our miles and ran for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. We run for the Fallen. For the Fighting. For the Families.

Wear Blue: Run to Remember!

Here's our little group getting ready to run:) We had many pledge miles and run on their own, hopefully next year we will have a much bigger group turn out!

I do have a funny family story...it's never dull when you're around my family;) So, my mom, aunt and uncle decided to walk their pledged 5 miles, but they wanted to walk to High Bridge. I told them that it was 4.4 miles to High Bridge. They told me the map said 3ish and I just dropped the subject. Well...after wondering when they would return, my poor dad (who ran the 5 miles with us) then walked 5 miles to find our "lost sheep". It ended up being much further than they had thought (I will not rub it in, but...I WAS RIGHT!) and they walked for 9 miles! Way over the amount pledged. Over achievers;)  What a day! Let's hope everyone recovers from their little adventures;)

Catch up

A little over a week ago, my college roommate and her daughter flew down from Wisconsin for a visit. We had a wonderful time hang out and letting our kids meet. Colleen had met Alley when she was a little baby, so it was fun introducing her to my younger two and meeting her little one. Anna was just about the cutest thing around (besides my little ones;) ). She was so quick and on the go all the time. She was so ready to start walking that we were positive at any moment she was just going to take off. I loved watching all 4 girls play together. I can't believe we have kids!!! It seems like just yesterday, Colleen and I were in college moaning about classes and just hanging out...oh those were the days...;)

I didn't take many pictures while they were here. Colleen and I could barely talk facing each other because we were constantly chasing a child around the house;) We did introduce Anna to bathing as a group...by the look of her, I don't think she liked bathing with the McPherson girls;)!

Roomies and the babies...my how time has flown!

Yeah for visits from close friends!!! I was so glad to get to see Colleen and spend time with her. It was Wonderful...come back soon now, ya hear;)

Portraits 2012

Confession......

We have not had a family portrait taken in over 9 months...ouch! Bad mom moment...

I'm ashamed to say we didn't even get a picture of the 5 of us when I brought MC home from the hospital....WOW!

I can't remember last time we all got together in front of the camera?! I have had multiple failed attempts to get a picture of the 3 girls, but for some reason I never thought about trying to get a picture of the 5 of us. Maybe it was my subconscious shielding me from the frustration;) So, I decided to ask a friend, who is a photographer and happens to have 3 "full-of-life children" like me, if she would be up for the challenge. She was more than willing to try and capture our girls personalities and get that ever elusive family photo. Here are some of my favorites:)

One of the first family pictures. We decided to take the family ones first just incase the session started to go downhill;) She was smart! 

I love this blue swing!! I told Andy we have to get a swing and paint it some wild, bold color...he reminded me that we need a tree to support it...darn;)

The neighbors had horses!! Be still our beating hearts...I am surprised we could tear the girls away for the remainder of the session. Of course we walked away having renamed all the horses after Disney characters.

Oh yes, we all had boots on...I mean come on, we live in Farmville;)

Don't we look like a good ol' southern country family;) 

What??!! They are both looking at the camera AND have decent looks are their faces??!!! So that's what they look like when they aren't fighting or goofing off;)

Smiley-Cate in full bloom

Bubbles, glorious bubbles!

MC was not going to stay still on the trampoline...she kept crawling forward towards the camera...if it's not one, it's another;)

The best shot of all three...they are a mess;)

I can't believe we actually got a decent family photo at the end of the session...boy were the girls DONE!

 My sweet sweet girl. Such a joy!

Peek-a-boo! This girl is a serious mess. I love that grin and her full-of-life personality

So serious about her flower...she must be telling us a story about it...that girl is full of stories, mostly musicals. I mean come on, isn't your life set to music?! ;)

I thought this action shot was cute of the older girls. Such joy on their faces.

Well, now I can check off get a family photo and not be so embarrassed on how long it took us to get one...I think they all turned out pretty good:) Thank you Austin-Lee for hanging in there with us!!!

Escape

For the past 3 days, the McPherson's have been MIA...and it felt GREAT! The girls and I tagged along with Andy to his meeting at Virginia Beach. What was meant to be just a 2 hour meeting was turned into a 3 day escape:) How can you turn down a gift of a beach front hotel?! I sure couldn't!:) I will say, amidst the excitement, I was a little apprehensive about an overnight stay in a hotel with all the girls. I mean, let's face it, our last hotel adventure didn't end up so hot. Thank goodness we had a much better time this go around and no repeat performances from Roanoke...whew! The temps were great but the wind was quite cold. We did manage a little time outside though. The girls spent the rest of their time at the indoor pool. They absolutely looooove swimming.

Our first run on the beach. Thank goodness for the break in rain clouds:)

racing around

digging a hole...like a dog

 daddy being a warrior and pushing the stroller in the sand the whole time:)

getting chased by the FREEZING water...it freaked Kendall out so much that from that moment on, she refused to even go near the ocean

happy as a lark...so bright she wouldn't keep her eyes open.

serious thinker

dig, dig, dig

digging is tiring work

Kendall smelling the sand....yuuuup, that sums it up...

The Neptune statue...the girls would randomly start talking about the man holding a turtle then laugh....best part, he was located right next to a playground ON the beach! Praise Jesus!

checking out the playground...I think she was trying to decide if she should just jump over or listen to her mother and walk around...ultimately she did the right thing;) Whew!

 to slide...or not to slide?

peek-a-boo

First thing they did when they woke up...go straight to the porch and look out at the ocean

ready to take on the world....let me out!

eating breakfast...somebody has to tie this little thing down when she eats because she is constantly moving and wont eat unless you sit there making her

watching some cartoons and eating

moved to a much better view...I'm right there with ya girl;)

the view from our room

playing with daddy

on the go

patiently wait to go to the pool with daddy

trying to escape....again;)