A much needed holy week

5 1/2 hours of mass in three days, about 10 hours in the car, one non-alcoholic pina colada, and lots of gutter balls. It was an Easter season I will never forget.  Every year, special days, holidays and seasons come and go in the same order and often in the same fashion.  But once in awhile, we experience a holiday or event that is marked with something extraordinary. Those moments - or collection of moments - are dated and stored, engrained in our memory and labeled appropriately.

Holy week this year was my favorite Easter celebration ever. It was exactly what I needed after a painfully long winter and it came just in time before the light at the end of my tunnel faded completely. In fact, it was quite symbolic of how my energy and light for life has been relit. And isn't that the point of Easter? We are celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus, who is the light of this world, and honoring his sacrifice. There is so much symbolism in the Easter vigil mass, which is why it is my favorite mass of the year. Christmas is beautiful, too, but there is something about the Easter vigil that re-centers me. It is 2 1/2 hours of candles, special music, prayer and celebration of sacraments. It is solemn in such a good way. And even though he pretends to complain about it, Mike enjoys it, too! (Shh, don't tell Grandpa - I don't want to blow his cover).

We did a lot of traveling this week. On Thursday, we went to Waseca for Holy Thursday mass and to visit with Mike's sister Tricia, who was home from Duluth for the weekend. Friday we headed to Medina to visit my side of the family. The original 5 (mom, dad, ty, ali, adam) were all in one place at one time - which doesn't happen as often as we wish. So, in honor of being together, we completed a project in the basement. We put Uncle Mikey on "Haddie duty" (tough to be Mike, NOT) and the 5 of us went though piles and piles of art projects from elementary school and other early school memorabilia. And of course we all got quite a few laughs - particularly the way Ty rhymed her poems, the way Adam painted his pictures and the way I expressed my bitterness in writing. I feel sorry for my parents for having dealt with me as a child. I don't remember being so bitter but the stories and the notes I wrote to them sure tell a different story. One of the letters we found is now taped on their cupboard and serves as a constant reminder that Ali Bean was high maintenance as a kid.  But I really didn't like summer camp! I wrote them a letter from camp demanding that they pick me up..."NOW." Anyway, I am a much happier adult and I am proud to say I no longer demand that they pick me up, ever. (And I don't go to summer camp anymore, either).

Saturday was a gorgeous day. I went for a nice run in the morning and then we headed to Waseca for the evening. Because Easter vigil is my favorite mass of the year, it was part of the weekend I was very much looking forward to. We went to Pizza Ranch (a family favorite), played lots of cards, ate a lot of food and laughed until our sides ached...in fact, I think we saw the clock strike 2am we were having so much fun! Despite being the subject of the joke of the weekend (thanks for that JimBob), I was once again reminded I have the best in-laws - the whole family, Wobschalls & Rohdes - and I will fight till the death to defend their title.

Our Easter tradition with the Wobschall/Rohde side always consists of lunch in Apple Valley at Aunt Michele's and then the MIAC bowling tournament. We have almost every school covered in the bunch - Gusties (the best and smartest, obviously), Macalester, St. Thomas, St. Mary's, St. Scholastica, University of MN, and St. Olaf. As a member of the Gustie team, I am proud to say we have won 3 years in a row. Shine on Gusties :) *I can only take credit in the encouragement dept. this year as I did not participate in the bowling. I will say, however, that I had the high score last year so that's got to count for something, right?!

After a wonderful afternoon with the Rohde clan, we headed to Eden Prairie to visit my favorite Hahn family. They are all very special to both Mike and me, but little miss Ally has an extra-special place in my heart. It had been a long time since we'd seen them and I couldn't believe how much she had grown and the funny things that were coming out of her mouth!

Ally was so proud to show me her big girl bed. And she so confidently reminded me that the mirror on her wall was the one I made her before I moved away. It was so adorable. What a sweetheart. 

After a long weekend of driving, we decided to make one more stop at my parents to celebrate with them. There aren't many things that make me feel more at home than seeing the table so beautifully set, dogs in the driveway, and hearing a baby giggle and splash in the kitchen sink. It was a wonderful evening.

Trivia: who is holding Haddie? Mama or Auntie? :)

Thank you to both our wonderful families for making Easter a weekend we won't forget (and for putting up with me and my picture taking - I promise someday you will appreciate it). We love you all!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Lesson Learned.

2 1/2 hours of sleep after being sworn at by crabby college students (and no, they weren't drunk - that might be the worst part), no food, a 2 week old virus that will not go away, crappy weather and a bad attitude do NOT make for a good combination when running a long distance.  I have officially learned my lesson - and incredibly embarrassing it was.  Last Saturday was the Earth Day 1/2 Marathon in St. Cloud and despite feeling terrible, I decided to give it a shot because I am incredibly stubborn and wouldn't walk away from something I signed up to do.  Nothing felt right and I did the one thing I know I should never do and I went against my instincts to do it.  And it caught up to me. I started feeling kind of dizzy around mile 6 but of course didn't want to stop, walk or deal with it.  I tried to talk myself into believing it would go away or that I could just get through 13 and then deal with it but I humbly learned that it isn't always mind over matter.  Despite having run 14 and 15 miles not too long ago, 13 just wasn't going to happen that day.  I got to mile 10 and that's about the last thing I remember.  For the first time ever in my adult life, I blacked out.  It was the closest thing I've ever felt to what people describe being drunk feels like.  I don't remember what happened in between the time that I closed my eyes because everything went black and the time I realized I was talking to my husband on the phone, telling him something about someone not letting me continue the race. I was taken to the medical area at the race, where Mike joined me at some point. It was definitely the most embarrassing thing that I can remember experiencing in a long time. And as much as I hate telling people about it - yes, it is still terribly embarrassing - I have a lot of runner friends that hopefully can learn my lesson without experiencing it for themselves. So...eat something/anything the day before the race and the day of, sleep longer than however long you plan to run, don't try to run off your virus (I promise, it doesn't work), move to a state that doesn't snow in the middle of fricken April, and be happy. :) Lesson learned. I am alive and well.  I still have the virus that seemingly decided to permanently reside with me BUT I did run 6 miles this morning and felt fantastic. 17 on Saturday will be interesting.

My friends that also ran the Earth Day run did awesome, by the way. They are rock stars and finished despite the crappy weather. I promise I will not be such a dud next time we run together, Angie. :)

Breathe. And feel alive.

There have been some sad reminders lately of the harsh reality that life is never long enough.  It is a rude slap in the face when someone young or old is taken from us, either suddenly or expectedly. And for the brief amount of time as that reality settles, life seems more urgent - we look at our life lists and decide which exciting item we want to experience next.  But slowly the normalcy returns, the life list is put away and the routine reemerges. I have yet to find a way to reconstruct my reality to reach a perfect balance between urgent and carefree. To no longer need the reminders but to live in the moment and preciously prepare for the next. 

It is really special when you find yourself in a carefree moment - a wonderful, everything-but-harsh moment - and you are not only reminded of that same principle but you are able to breathe it in. It is in those moments that I feel most alive.

I have been lucky to have just had a week of those carefree moments where I was reminded what is truly important in life. I wish it didn't take trips away or devastating moments to be refocused on what is most important - it is a flaw I am constantly trying to reconstruct - but regardless, I just returned from a wonderful week in Jupiter, Florida with the husband, where I was replenished to breathe in each day.

Here are some of the images we captured along the way that might explain some of those moments...

People couldn't help but notice the adorable dad playing with his daughter in the water. I absolutely love that his pants are soaking wet. What an awesome reminder that we need to worry less and just live. 

Can't complain about our view from across our driveway. No golf balls came our way but I'm guessing there have been some lost in those flowers!!

Don't ask Mike how many times in a row I beat him in Sequence...he will not appreciate it. :)

My reading list for the week...

My grandma, Marcia - who truly has one of the kindest hearts of anyone I know.

One of the new ice cream places we found!! For anyone who goes to Florida, I have a full blog coming about places to go in Jupiter!  

And I have NO shame admitting I had ice cream every single day we were there. It was a must. 

Mike, clearly a rookie when it comes to eating ice cream in 90 degree heat. Come on darling. :)

Whether you are harshly reminded of the importance to cherish each day or you encounter a carefree moment, breathe. And feel alive.