A surprise gift

Well, as you can "see", Aaron and I hit the streets for another race yesterday on January 1st. It was his idea actually, and in fact, he even coerced his good friend Jeff to join in the cold craziness. As you can tell by Jeff's shirt, they have a "friendly" rivalry between the two of them (AAron being the HUGE NC fan that he is) as they decided to settle it once and for all on the road :)

About midway through the race, I caught a glimpse of their smiling faces and knew that this in fact was indeed a run, not necessarily a race - happy contestants to simply complete the feat and have a fun story to share.

I did want to take a brief moment and thank another man in my life who has been there for many races, be it swimming, track, cross-country, softball, soccer, or even water polo matches. A man who's voice I can pick out 100 yards away, hearing the words as clear as if he's standing next to me. A man who enjoys strategizing, guiding, coaching, participating, and loving his children in such a uinque way. A man who would bundle up and head outside on a cold windy day, just to watch his daughter and son-in-law. Father, I love you.

We've had the privilege and honor of hosting different members of my family throughout the past few days, and with that joy, I find myself reflecting tonight. There are few things in life we actually have control over, leaving many that are not. I was not given the choice of the family that would surround me, yet I was given the sheer blessing of simply carrying the family name chosen for me. Someone is hungry, someone needs a bed, someone needs a laugh, someone needs a listening ear, someone needs a hug - that's what family is for. Sometimes the word family also indicates hurt, pain, and remorse. Yep, comes along withe human territory. Yet, family is what we have been given. May we choose to honor this gift as often as we can this New Year. I gave some extra hugs and kisses tonight, and I plan on giving out tons more.

To my darling husband. Today's "run" together was such a gift to me. Those special "unplanned" times where God turns the dial on that shade of blue in the sky, and the sun seems just a bit brighter than the moment before, where the cold wind in your face does nothing more than make you smile wider, I am so thankful. Aaron, I am proud of your persistance, inspired by your pursuit of being a Godly Father, and thankful to simply bear the name of Conrad. Happy New Year!