Cross Country

Ryan Decided he wanted to run cross country this year. I was in Utah when it first started, so Casey took him shopping for his needed apparel.

It's still really hot when the season starts, so kudos to Ry for running in the heat. I don't think I would do it!! They had some beautiful places for the races. Some were centered around the schools, some were at parks, and one was even at a private lake.....Beautiful!

Ryan isn't all too competitive at heart. In fact, he's pretty chill about the whole thing. He's the most relaxed runner I've ever watched run a race. However, when he is within 100 ft. from the finish line his competitive gene kicks in, and he becomes the road runner. I keep reminding him if he applied that kick to the entire race or just some of the race, he'd be one of the fastest runners! He just smiles.

Wait, is that a yawn??

The very last race was the only one that was a morning race. It was below 70 degrees, and everyone was freezing! I think the runners prefer the heat over the cold. They had a good season, and it was fun to watch Ryan run. He says he's planning on going out for track - Sprints...he already knows he's not a fan of distance.

2 Years post accident

What a difference two years makes!

Casey's experienced a lot of improvement and progress since the accident. I'll go ahead and preface this post by expressing our gratitude for all that we've been blessed with. Not a day goes by that I don't think about what could have been and how difficult life might be had the outcome been different. However, that being said, Casey still struggles and has some residual pain. He's not one to complain, so I don't always understand the difficult days he's experiencing. I can only view the physical effects after long days/weeks at work. He is strong and capable of doing most activities. He won't make it back to 100%, as he's had nerve damage and other issues that aren't always visible but are felt. However, with a few diet changes as well as exercise and a lot of essential oils and massaging, we will press forward.

You've come a long way baby!!!

Isn't that great?! I love that quote!!

Life is Good♥

Birthday #14

I arrived home just in time to celebrate Ryan's birthday. Casey was out of town for work, so Ryan and I went out to dinner and came home to party!

It's really hard to believe 14 years has gone by so quickly. Ry is our tenderhearted child who always brings peace into any situation, whether it be with friends at school or at home with family. He's not a fan of conflict and chooses to avoid it at all cost. I've had to really be careful, because not only do words sting this boy but also any sort of disagreeable look. He is the sweetest, kindest, and overall caring child/young man.

It's been so fun to watch him grow up and mature. Time is going way too fast for this mamma!! We are enjoying every last minute we have left with our Sweet Ry.

14 fun facts about Ry that you may or may not know:

1.) He loves banana bread, bacon, beef stew, mashed potatoes, pizza, twix, kit-kats, almond joys, and Dairy Queen blizzards.

2.) His favorite subject in school is not math.

3.) He's becoming quite the artist.

4.) One more year until he starts driving....he likes to remind me often. Boo!

5.) His favorite restaurant is INOKOS - Japanese.

6.) His favorite music group is 21 pilots - He knows EVERY word to EVERY song.

7.) His favorite thing to watch is Good Mythical Morning on You-tube.

8.) He still loves his PB&J's...usually around 10 pm.

9.) He really, really, really wants a set of drums - parents remain undecided.

10.) He loves FFA. They've got a really great teacher that heads it up, so it makes it really fun. They are going to the state competition this year again in November.

11.) He is running cross country for the first time this year. He's doing good and makes it look easy. I don't think I would run cross country in the GA heat!

12.) He also says he wants to run track in the spring. I think he wants to do sprints. He's got quite the kick at the end.

13.) He still loves his XBOX 1

14.) He is a good helper and loves family time. He has a tender heart and a very sweet disposition. We love our sweet Ry!

Happy Birthday to our RJR - We LOVE you BUNCHES!!

UTAH

We all wanted to drive Cody out to Utah together and make it a family vacation, but Ryan had already started school and Casey was teaching, so I was the lucky one who was able to enjoy some time in Utah with family and friends. We stayed a few days with Grandma Ritz and Uncle Loren before heading over to Kaitlyn and Alex's. It's always so fun to visit with family. I wish we were closer and could do it more often. There's nothing better than Grandma Ritz's cooking.

Cody managed to get a side by side photo with his dad in the early days. Yes, they are very much related.

I was also looking through a family photo album and found Casey with his dad and brother Cory...time goes so quickly. These pictures become our treasures that seem to bring us back to a time in life we all too often wish we had back. It's fun to reflect and remember those that may not be here with us physically but influence is felt on a daily basis.

I also found pictures of Casey's parent's 25th wedding anniversary, which was fun to see since Casey and I also just celebrated our 25th year together. When Casey and I first met and were dating I actually spent more time with his family(parents and brother's family) than I did Casey. Casey was starting up a PhD program in another state. We saw each other as often as time would allow, but without face-time and "free minutes" our communication was limited to short phone calls and snail mail. I remember watching his mom and dad and how much love they exhibited toward one another. What a great example they were and continue to be for their children. A gift that keeps on giving.

Cody had a few days before he could move into his apartment, so we chilled out with Kaitlyn and Alex and enjoyed some down-time before the busyness of school and work began. We also took this time to do some shopping for school supplies and such. It was so much fun(not really). Some of us were not as thrilled as others. Thankfully Kaitlyn made a list and was checking it twice!

By the time we made it out of Target, we had 2 buggies(carts) full of everything you can imagine.

Cody's room mate is a friend he has known since childhood. They both came home from their missions around the same time and had planned on rooming together when they returned. It's so fun to see them together after all these years. They were cub scouts together and now are grown men starting their own adult lives. I love it! We love the Ouzts family!!

You can't be in Utah and not take a few drives through the beautiful Utah Canyons/mountains. The leaves were already starting to change color. The scenery is breathtaking no matter what time of year it is.

There were a few days I wandered over(just across the street) to the Provo temple. The missionaries were a constant siting at the temple. It was so fun to see these young men and women as they are preparing to leave for their prospective missions. I was approached to either take pictures or listen, as they practiced in their foreign language, the missionary lessons they would soon be teaching. I love missionaries!

We have several friends who live in Utah, some we met in Athens and they've migrated west and some we have known from way back in the early grad school days. It was fun to visit and see them all! I sure wish we could visit more often

I also happened to see a young woman I taught in our days at Virginia Tech. Thanks to facebook we have been able to keep in touch. We both knew we would be in Provo at the same time, but didn't know if time would allow for a meeting. As luck would have it, we happened to run into each other while shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond! So crazy! So fun!

One evening I was able to meet my sister and her cutie in Salt Lake for dinner. We ate at a delicious Mexican restaurant. Little Elijah LOVED the oranges! I think our sweet server brought him at-least 3 plates full of the juicy goodness.

My time in Utah was so fun. I enjoyed my visits with everyone. I loved the time I had to help Cody get his place set up and things ready for school. I loved being able to hang out and enjoy the company of my peeps. I love them all and look forward to Christmas where we can spend more time together.

Thanks Kaitlyn and Alex for being the best hosts and letting us invade your space...for the great meals, scenic drives, movies, and overall wonderful time♥