Bench Family: 2011

It's been a while. Time for a recap. In the months since December life has been full and frantic. So much to do, so little (you know the saying). In February, Matt turned 14. He's as tall as a 16 year old and as handsome as can be. In April, I ran the Boston Marathon for my first time. Oh, what a cool experience! I had been sick a few weeks prior to it and didn't actually want to go...didn't feel ready or excited. Luckily, the "not wanting to regret anything" part of me took over, and Troy and I headed to Boston. Wow! What a city Boston is. We loved, loved, loved it and are so glad we went. The weather was on the chilly side, but the day of the race was beautiful. Perfect, actually! Temps were in the mid 50s (ideal running material), the sun was shining, there was a slight tail wind (had I only pulled my hair up it would have been to my advantage), and the course was great!! I took the town of Newton (famous for the hills) head-on and finished with a pretty good time 3:47:11. Very happy with the whole experience! It was, quite literally, the perfect race day! No cramps. No untimely potty breaks. No extreme temperatures. And, a very helpful and loving support crew! Thanks Honey. Troy enjoyed seeing the route via bicycle. He said it was amazing to watch the elites literally "fly" by; their toes barely touching the ground. Thanks Boston for taking such good care of us! You are amazing!
In April, Jordan turned 16. All he wanted for his birthday was a car. After much searching and deliberation, we decided on a 2009 Subaru Impreza. We hadn't acutally found it until the morning of his birthday. He thought maybe we had already bought one and stashed it somewhere. Lucky for us, we found this one the morning of the big day and were able to surprise him with it. Let me just clarify...the car isn't actually his. It is the family's, but since he is the only one that will be driving it for a couple of years, it's techniquely his for a while. Now, I can say with assurity, the only thing Jordan needs from us is money--not the keys to our cars. I wish he needed hugs and loves more more often. I think he has reached that period gaining independence. The apron strings are being loosened. I sat by a woman on the plane once who helped me understand it. She explained that kids need to go through a separation period; a time where they learn to be independent from their parents. She said is it normal and very healthy. I was glad to learn this. No more feeling abandoned and betrayed. It's all a part of the cycle of life. He has to grow up and become a man, and I need to learn to let go. It's happy and sad times. Love you Jord!
Well, those are the highlights. Lots of little wonderful things have happened too and I will throw in a couple of pics for those as well. Now for the good part, the pictures. We all know a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a few thousand.

All three of the boys in braces