{different}

change has been looming on the horizon for a while now. it's mostly been {rumor} which is always a real treat. i've done a lot of nodding...and smiling when i encounter people around me who seem to know more about my future than i do but to be honest, it's been tough to teeth my way through those conversations.

part of that is what comes with maternity leave. the note that reads 'you have a different job next year' must be burried under mountains on my desktop, waiting to be read upon my return{tomorrow}.

i found out today that i'll be teaching something {different} next year - for sure. it's not a rumore any more. i'll be packing my middle school bags and heading out for an adventure of another sort. the hours will be {different}. the building will be {different}. the collegues will be {different} but most of all, the kids will be {different}.

{different} is good but so is God. better, in fact.

and the {difference} is two grades. stay tuned to hear tales from the fourth grade...

Ryan is {6}

It's true. My biggest baby is growing right up.

I decided to take Ryan for a lil birthday photo shoot around the neighborhood. I just can't help but think about him as a senior in high school in some of these pictures!

Ry - You still suck your thumb and I'm sure we'll have the orthodontist bill to prove it. Old tricks die hard. :)

You are a spitting image of your dad right down to the way you shove your little hands into your pockets.

Your favorite thing to do is ride your new cool bike that Papa Bob built just.for.you.

You love legos and I'm quite impressed with your creations! You prefer your mind's eye rather than the box. LOVE that!

Your spirit is gentle...you think with your head AND your heart, as Uncle A would say.

You requested pizza for your birthday dinner and a bowling party, both of which came out of nowhere!

Your questions amaze me but even more so, your understanding.

You love to chill with papa, read The Making of Titanic, and draw jets with missiles.

You insist that you'll be working in the army...flying a P51 Mustang.

You love the Lord.

You have a sense of justice right now - especially when picking up toys you didn't play with.

You still scout stuffed animals with skinny tails that you can rub against your nose.

You wear glasses and a size 6 slim jean. Every pair of jeans you own have holes in the knees, by the way!

Your spirit is quiet but by the same token, you are a force to be reckoned with.

You've got one foot into manhood but lucky for me, you still run to my arms.

Happy birthday little {man}

---

Bowling Party:

My dad is seriously one of the coolest people I know.

Can you see the crazy in those eyes??? lol

teaching...

loving....

killing????

The 'cake' - those little white cupcakes are supposed to be bowling balls but I keep having to tell people that...lol!

Overall, a day DEFINITELY worth {celebrating}.

Happy 6th sweet boy!

bloomers; bloomie; bloom-a-luff-a-gus

that's me. for now. a bloomer...bloomie...and bloom-a-luff-a-gus.

this time last year, i was bloggin' about this dream to run a marathon. bloomsday isn't a marathon but it may as well be (from my point of view).

and so time went on...and i had a sweet little baby boy...and still, tucked away in the far corner of my mind...held on to the dream of running bloomsday.

but i let go of it. all in good time, i thought. all in good time.

but candy didn't let go...and she convinced...encouraged...prodded...called...even signed us both up AND picked up my race packet :) gotta love candy! i must admit though, i was secretly wishing she'd cancel!

and now i can say, without a shadow of a doubt, i am a bloomer. blooming slowly but surely. a bloomie.

jd thought we'd walk the whole thing. so did jeff. heck, so did i! to tell myself the truth, i was relieved to hear that they have a sweeper truck that picks up the slow pokes. that'll be me, i thought, gettin' swept up! who runs in a race 8 wks after having a baby? certainly not me!

the race started and i freaked out - was afraid i'd get trampled to death. the excitement kicked in my endorphins or some darn thing because before we knew it, candy and i were high-fivin' the 2nd mile marker! we had finished the first thirdish of the race in 20 minutes!!!! that's a 10 minute mile and that's AMAZING (for us).

we continued to jog...walk...jog...walk until doomsday hill. after mile 6, we just didn't have a whole lot left in us and ended up walking a lot more than jogging. we did, however, pick it up when we heard the rocky theme song and saw the finish line.

it was definitely an experience.
it was definitely FUN
it was definitely worth it (and worth doing AGAIN)...
definitely worth {blooming} and i have the shirt to prove it! :)

crossing the finish line