Royal Wedding... again...

I remember being a little girl.

My mom waking me up early in the morning telling me, "This is history - you'll want to see this"

... & I did... because it was every little girls dream.

A lady in a beautiful gown... marrying a prince... becoming a real life princess.

And I still remember everything about that wedding.

& here it is so many years later.... that Princess has now left this world... her son has grown up & it was his wedding day.

I got up early to watch it before I had to leave for work. 

Ricky kept saying, "I dont understand why anyone cares".... such a man...

When they showed Kate riding in the car with her dad & they said, "This is the last time a father rides with just his daughter... he will watch her become the future Queen of England" .... I got chills

& when William wouldnt turn to look at his bride & they said, "Everyone has now seen the dress... everyone except William.  He is last in the world to see his bride"... who knew William was such a romantic... I got all teary eyed... while Ricky just laughed at me & told me not to be late to work...

I have to say - I expected a wedding dress more in the style of what her sister wore...

But how elegant.  I instantly thought of Grace Kelly myself & then all the comparisons came...

She definitely looked elegant... regal... royal...

I dont know if I'll be alive when William & Kate's child gets married... but if I am, I'll get up & watch again.  Even with Ricky laughing at me....

...now I'm just waiting at my desk at work for that balcony kiss...

I hope "Happily Ever After" is in the future for these two....

Did you watch?  What did you think of the dress?  And how crazy were some of those hats?  (Yes, I'm speaking to you Fergie's daughters... wow!!!)

At a distance...

(This is part of the communion message I did for Easter.... so Happy Late Easter)

Ever have a child so excited to run into a toy store - or a playground?

I took my nieces to a toy store & one was off quick.  So many choices - so much to look at - so much to PLAY with..  No time to stand around!  Gotta get to the business of toy-hunting!

I could see her, I never let her out of my sight.... but she was just so excited, she kept running ahead.  Too excited to care how far apart we were from each other.

The distance was getting wider between us...

Then she turned around... but she didnt see me.  There were other people, other children, toys in her way - distracting her from my face at the end of the aisle.

... & I saw panic...

Panic because she felt lost.  Panic because she felt alone.

I even said her name, but the distance must have been too wide for her to hear my voice.  And maybe the panic prevented her from hearing her name...

I ran through the crowd & she saw me coming & relief instantly came across that face... I was there all along.

The Bible says that when Jesus was arrested,

"Peter followed at a distance...." - Luke 22:54

Here is a man who was near Jesus... & then pulled away...putting distance between he & Jesus. 

Did that distance cause him to panic?  Not to hear Jesus anymore? 

Obviously it did because next thing we see is Peter denying Jesus...3 times...

... oh how the distance must have felt wide...

Did he feel paniced?  Did he feel alone & lost? 

But Jesus came to him... 3 days later... Peter saw him - heard his voice...

what relief he must have felt...

Jesus died... rose again... conquered death so that there doesnt HAVE to be a distance between  us....

I pray I never run so far away that I dont hear His voice... see His face...

13.1 in 3 days for the 3rd time ... that's a LOT of 3's!!!

3 days... it'll be my 3rd time...

my 3rd time running a half marathon.... 13.1 miles...

I'm excited... but nervous...

Excited because I've put in lots of training.  Since the beginning of this year, I'm down 23 pounds - I've got faster times - I feel stronger.  I actually feel like a "runner" at times...

Nervous because I've missed the final 2 and a half weeks of my training... Julie & the boys were up, then I got sick... & I know this is a tapering part of the training anyways - I'm not supposed to be running long distances - but I feel like I havent ran at all... I havent even gotten in my normal 5 miles that I like to run every other day... so I'm nervous how my body is going to react.  Especially because I'm still a little weak from being sick.  I'm hoping adrenaline is what pushes me.

I look back at the first half marathon I ran.  Do you know that was my FIRST RACE EVER?  What was I thinking? A half marathon?  Am I crazy?!?!?!  I didnt even really train that well for it... & I swear, I almost died doing it.  I'm not even joking.  When I hit mile 8, if Ricky wasnt with me on that run, I know I would have laid down & passed out in a crying heap... I'm not even joking... it was BAD...

But I crossed the finish line.. a weak, crying, unable-to-move MESS... but I did it..

They gave me my first medal & it was like a switch was thrown on...

(Me at the finish of my first race... that medal changed my life)

I knew instantly I was going to do it again... even when I couldnt move, I knew I'd do it again, BETTER...

& I did...

Last year, I ran it alone.  & I felt better & I finished better.  I wasnt even sore at the end!  The only injury was the loss of my big toe nail.  Yucky - but a badge of honor in my book.

And I crossed the finish line, got another medal, & knew I would do it again the next year....

So here we are...

I'm praying I'm stronger then ever... I'm hoping the training shows me what a difference time makes, even as I've aged a few years.... I'm praying I dont get discouraged when I see everyone passing me... I'm hoping my body finds strength I didnt even know it had.

I have crossed every finish line alone since that first race... with no one waiting on the other side... it's just been me & me alone... I see husbands/wives, family member or friends meeting each other at the finish line.  Rooting them on... For me, its different - I cross the finish line & I get my medal & I walk to my car...just me... but I'm praying that when I cross the finish line again this year, I am proud of myself... and I'll remember its just a race between me & myself anyways...


...& then on the walk back to my car, I'll think about doing it again the next year....

Bohannon Boys...

Here are some of the pictures of the boys that I took of the boys while they were up...

These are actually all taken at the property that my church owns... it was perfect location for a shoot, dont you think?

(I know some computers make the pictures smaller/bigger... so if you want a closer look of the picture,

just click on it & you can see it larger)

I think this is one of my favorites... they are both in awe of the Ironman toy...

Can you get over those blue eyes????

The dandelions kept making Lucas laugh ... so we kept asking Isaac to give one to his brother. 

Made for a perfect picture

See?  It never got old...

Brothers... laughing... doesnt get better then that...

Which one is your favorite?  I'm trying to figure out which ones are going into frames around the house ... the hard decisions of life...

Project 365... 2011: Week 17

April 17 - Sunday - Time to say goodbye.... we took Julie & the boys to the airport.  Here they are waiting in the airport... Isaac with his new toy... & see Luke back there on Ricky? He was sicker then a dog.. he had a fever & just wanted to be held & wanted to sleep.  I felt so bad for him!  Then it was time to go & Mr. Isaac did NOT want to go.  It was awful... horrible... words dont even explain.  Ricky had to get a security pass to be able to help Julie get both boys to the gate.  I wasnt even sure they were going to let him on the plan because he just kept screaming.  Oh my... this was just a bad day...

April 18 - Monday - Tax Day .... Back to work & back to routine... & this was tax day.  I work in accounting, so it was a day full of cutting checks, writing envelopes, getting paperwork together... Whew...Busy day back!

April 19 - Tuesday - Its BLOOMIN' - after 16 months!!!! .... a co-worker got this plant for me LAST Christmas - yes, Christmas 2009.  It grew leaves but never bloomed.  All the leaves died off & I repotted it & more leaves came out immediately & this time, I got BLOOMS!  And this plant is amazing.  Like literally, at the beginning of last week, the stalk with the flowers wasnt even there.  Its like you can sit & watch it grow... so when I walked in & saw these huge blooms open, I was shocked.  It was a nice way to start a morning...

April 20 & April 21 - Wednesday & Thursday - UGGHHHH!!!!!! .... I could feel something coming on actually Sunday.  But it was staying off... until Tuesday night... & then it kicked in full force on Wednesday & Thursday.  My ears were killing me.  And I was told when my ears hurt, sinus medicine helps.  But my throat was like razor blades were just laying along the lining of my throat, so I downed BAGS of halls drops.... I'm not a good sick person.

April 22 - Friday - No Picture.... I had to take my dad to the hospital & it was too early to even think of a camera.  We got him home & I ended up napping... Headed to church for Good Friday service & was so caught up in the service to think about snapping a picture... it was a busy, tiring, hectic day... & no camera... I'm a failure...

April 23 - Saturday - Where's Noah? .... My goodness - we have been hit with some MASSIVE storms.  I'm talking about storms this week that had us sleeping in the basement a few times during the week.  And now, the results of all the storms - FLOODS.  Our roads are hilly & the water is ponding BADLY.  I ran out to get new running shoes & this was just one SMALL area of our road.  (The only safe place for me to stop & take a picture actually) .... most of the road looked like a LAKE... I've never seen it this bad around here before in my life... I kept waiting to see animals meet up 2x2...

Hope everyone has had a wonderful Easter Weekend!!!

I do plan on posting more pictures of the boys this week... so be prepared :)

Good Friday service draining my tear ducts...

I havent ran away from my blog... I've been sick... BLAH!

Yep - another ear infection.  It was in both ears, down my jaws, into my throat... it was fierce. Still is, kinda.  When I go to drink anything, its like acid is going down my throat. Sounds like fun, huh? But it is better.

Yes - I'm still working on pictures of the boys... I literally havent had my computer on in the past few days...

I was able though to be get well enough to join our church's Ensemble for our Good Friday service.  Just got home actually.  I was able to do a song in sign language while a quartet sang.  It was to Avalon's "Adonai"... one of my favorites... but its always so fun to worship God in that way.  I just close my eyes & its just me & God & let the hands fly....
The service was beautiful though... I was literally sitting in the front row bawling my eyes out at one point. 

Someone sang the song by Nicole Norderman, "Why" ... my goodness...the part where Jesus is crying out to God... & then the part where God is talking to Jesus?  ... Just stop it... its a heart breaker... & then add in the last line  .... OK - where's the Kleenex again.

Follow that up with another fantastic singer belting out a Ray Boltz song, "Do you still feel the nails, every time I fail...." - is church trying to see how dry my tears ducts can get? 

It was a beautiful sermon though...

A way to start into the wonderful, blessed day that is Easter....

I'm off to take some more medicine for the pressure in my ears & head to bed early...

I hope you all got to worship some way & reflect on what Good Friday is all about....

And if you want to get some kleenex & join in the crying, just watch this...

"My precious Son, I hear them screaming...

I'm watching the face of the enemy beaming...

Soon I will clothe you with robes of my own...

Jesus, this hurts me more than you know....

But this dark hour, I must do nothing,

thought I've heard your unbearable cry....

The power in your blood destroys all their lies

soon you'll see past their unmericiful eyes

Look there... see below the child...

trembling by her father's side...

now I can tell you why....

.....she is why you must die...."

who knew cutting the grass was so fun?

Ricky needed to cut the grass...

Isaac was a little intimated by the riding lawn mower - but we have a little daredevil who has NO FEAR in Luke - so we wanted to see how he did riding on Pappy's lap....

Does this tell you anything?  No - that's not a scary scream... that is a GUT LAUGH on his face.  We could hear him laughing over the sound of the lawn mower...especially on the hills... even more so on the DOWN HILL parts...

He was pointing at everything they would ride by & go "ohhhhh" - so when Ricky pointed at me, Luke pointed right along.... I may have even got an "ohhhh" .... is this the cutest picture?

And while that was going on... I got to play Hide & Seek with Isaac.... who hides like an ostrich.  Hide his face behind a newspaper & you cant see him - right?

(I love the sunlight in his hair)

Sydney even got to sit out front with us. She's the only one we can give that privilege on most days... the others want to run around & get lost... not Syd ... she's a good Country Dog who is happy just laying on the front porch watching the world go by.

(This was the day before Syd got shaved down too... all that hair?  Now gone!!!... she's much happier)

Isaac still didnt want a turn on the lawn mower... instead he just sat next to his mommy waiting for his brother to get off that loud contraption...

I think the next time Ricky has to mow the grass, he's going to miss all this company.....

the start of the pictures....

So I know it was "Dancing with the Stars" night.. but know what?  I didnt even really get to watch it tonight.

I actually ran to church - literally... still gotta get ready for the half marathon... & then did a Zumba class with some of the ladies at church.  It was so much fun.  It doesnt feel like working out when you're laughing & having a good time.  I'm sure it'll feel like a workout when I wake up sore in the morning...

But I came home & ended up working on some pictures.  These arent any of the photo shoot we did at the beautiful location - but here's just a preview of some other shots we took. 

Luke was just the most adorable little model this time.  Isaac wasnt cooperating that great for my camera - but he's been my perfect model on other trips - so it was a great time to catch Luke up on the pictures.  You all know the 2nd child doesnt get as many pictures as the first anyways... not in this case.  I think we're pretty even in pictures on both boys now :)  I'm such a good Nanny.

Look at him... he's ready for battle with his stick...

I loved biting these feet... & Luke would just laugh & laugh.  He's such a ticklish baby... which made me want to tickle him more & more...

Luke became quick friends with all the doggies too... Bruno is one dog who loves a little boy.  Luke was busy climbing on Buffy, our yellow lab - pulling up her mouth, poking her nose... dogs were great entertainment for him....

Julie is always a beautiful model herself... she went to get her hair done while she was visiting & I told her to come outside... we snapped these pictures in just a few minutes... I love these picture of her...

And yes, I got pictures of Isaac... I'll show some of those tomorrow... that also gives me more time to edit more pictures.  I'm so thrilled with the way some of these pictures are turning out. 

Stay tuned for some more cute faces....

Project 365... 2011: Week 16

So I have about 250 pictures to edit of the visit of the grandbabies... but here is just a quick glance at the week...

Sunday - April 10 - Playground Adventure .... Julie had a baby shower to go to & she took Lucas with her.  We had Isaac & headed to the local playground.  Does the blue in his eyes just match the playground, or what?

Monday - April 11 - Out the Window... windows hold a world full of adventure for a 15 month old...

Tuesday - April 12 - Playing at the park .... Julie went for a run around the park & what does a little boy need to do while we wait?  Throw rocks into a lake.  It made his brother laugh so hard... pure entertainment for everyone.

Wednesday - April 13 - PHOTO SHOOT DAY .... I have 112 pictures of this shoot to edit... so you only get to see one for the day....

Thursday - April 14 - Riding Lawn Mowers are the BEST with Pappy .... Lucas loved riding the lawn mower with his Pappy.  You could hear him LAUGHING - I'm talking hysterically laughing at the riding... I dont know who had more fun - Pappy or Lucas (can you see him smiling?)

Friday- April 15 - Morning Breakfast... This is how the dogs lay when Luke had his breakfast... ready for any drop of food.  The dogs have to enjoy the visit too, dont they?

Saturday - April 16 - Headed to see Great-grandparents.... We were going skating, but Thunder over Louisville canceled all the skating sessions.  It worked out though because we got to go see Great-Grandparents.  The boys loved Yaya & Papaw... Even Luke was saying "ya ya... ya ya... ya ya" for most of the drive home.  Now I just have to work on him saying "NANNY"!!!!!