Our 10 year anniversary!

 

The first thing that comes to mind when I write this is the fact that My husband and I don't really need a special day to celebrate and tell each other how we feel about one another.  But, 10 years IS a milestone.  Loving sentiments are things that we say to each other-things that we sit and talk and WONDER about- almost on a daily basis.  I'm blessed (and a little intimidated!) by the ways Miles always words his love for me...  He can encompass what lives in both our hearts and navigates our days together in just a few beautiful sentences...leaving me lacking in words and loving him fiercely.

I love that after 10 years, holding hands, laughing together, displaying our love still comes so naturally to us…it’s apparent to everyone and I hope it inspires.  These last 10 years have gone in a blink of an eye and yet have been SO FULL with all the amazing LIVING we do.  I am unendingly grateful for this life we share full of love, patience, laughter, tears, support, respect, worry, exploration, admiration, evolution, joy, and contentment.  Miles Pruner, you are my best friend and soul mate and I am honored to walk through the years of life with you.  The greatest happiness is looking forward to many more.

I love you beyond the beyond, my husband…and I thank you for being YOU.

The Odd Couple!

And on this Father's day, to the man who lives to be a DAD, one rarely meets a father who loves so intensely, who is so dedicated, who's soul's food is his family. I adore you and THANK you, my LOVE...

And then heading off to the Double Musky in Girdwood for dinner!

Make that 5 MILES, not 5K!!!

Duh.  I spent a month and half after signing up for this race thinking it was a 5K.  I even trained on the course, wondering why the hell it was taking me so long to run 3-ish miles!  Imagine me on race day, watching the MILE flags marking the MILES pass by one after the other..."Oh, SHIT!  It's 5 MILES!"
The Alaska Run for Women, to raise money for breast cancer research, is a big wonderful event here.  I HATE that this race has to exist... but it does, and with promoting breast education and empowering all involved, it's a great thing.  I signed up with The Brewbies, our team representing the Great Northern Brewers Club that Miles and I belong to.  A couple of us ran in the 5 mile timed race, some in the untimed, and the rest walked in the Party Wave.

Of the 3 races I've run this summer, this was the more grueling.  Thinking I just had to blast out 3 miles, I ran it hard and fast.  It was a bit of a shock when I realized it wasn't 5K, and I did slow down a little at the end, but I'm proud of my effort and time...41:36!  I ran in honor of Megan and Tina.  I held them in my heart as I ran and while I have NO idea what these women have gone through/are going through, thoughts of their strength gave me wind in my wings, power in my legs.  You are WonderWomen, ladies!  I came in strong at the finish and passed many splats of puke as I slowed to a walk to find Willa, Miles, and water.  Stopping made me feel woozy, so I kept meandering and waiting for my other running teammate to finish so I could greet her.  After she finished we had a bowl of fruit, hit the potty, and found other Brewbies to cheer on.  I missed the last of our bunch because they decided to make a pit stop in the park to drink homebrew with some of our GNBC "supporters" and I had a regatta practice to get to (that'll be another post).
All in all a strong race day for me...and a morning of joy, empowerment, grief, education, teamwork, strength, camaraderie, and HOPE.

Pre-race with my biggest fan

Entertainment around every bend!  This bluegrass band gave me a happy blast of energy!

The steady deep beat that the Tomodachi drummers where laying down as I came into Westchester Lagoon had the hair on my arms standing on end!  What an unexpected and COOL surprise!

About to cross the finish line

An example of the fun and outrageous costumes

Willa loved getting to wear a big flowery bra for this silly photo op!  Guess who's obsessed with boobies now?!

The Skinny Raven Twilight 12K!

2 Races in under 1 week!  Whoo-hoo!!!  And I'm headed to another one (The Alaska Run for Women 5K) this morning-making it 3 races in 2 weeks.
 A couple days after the 1/2 marathon, I got an FB message from our friend, Martin, wanting to know if I wanted to join him for the following Friday's Skinny Raven Twilight 12K run.  Still quite sore, I figured, "Well, what the hell...I can make it an easy run and just enjoy the atmosphere...".  Miles wanted to join, too, and by Friday we were both freshly UN-sore and ready to KILL it! 
It was a MUCH larger run-about 3000 runners as opposed to the half marathon's 200!  Such a great vibe going on at the downtown starting line at the Skinny Raven running store!  Martins wife, Mary, and their son joined Dylan and Willa as our cheering section both at the start and the finish.

 
The course was a challenging one with a few long hills leading us into various Anchorage neighborhoods filled with spectators-some solo on their front lawns and some holding block parties greeting us with music and cups of water-there was even a duo playing violins on one corner! Sweet!  At one point I saw a guy sitting  comfortably in a camp chair in his driveway with a rack of beer next to him...I thought,"Kinda wish I was THAT guy!".  Then I thought,"WTF?!?!?  I get to be out here RUNNING with good people, my Hunny, my friend, on a very pleasant evening through Anchorage, Alaska!  I can sit on my ass and drink a beer anytime!"  PLUS, at the end of the race BEER and PIZZA would be waiting for us at the finish line in the Park Strip!!!  What's sweeter then well earned beer and pizza?!
I ran a really good race even though I forgot my fucking Ipod...my aural motivation.  But it was ok.  While coming down the Government Hill Bridge, I pulled ahead of Miles and Martin(who had to make a pit-stop) and got into a nice zone.  NOT having the tunes allowed me to focus more on the crowds, my running mates, and everything going on around me.  Martin the Marathoner caught up to me toward the end and really encouraged me to finish strong up the last hill to the Park Strip.  Once on the grass, I was like,"WHERE'S that fuckin' finish line?!?!?"!  Martin said, "Just around the corner...I'll race ya?".  We kicked it in and pounded it out HARD to the finish line!  Of course he beat me...but what a fun end!  Miles came in 2 minutes later, we found our cheerleaders, changed into warm clothes and enjoyed the spoils of the race's end.  Food, brew, and friends.

Willa waiting at the finish line

Martin and I about to cross the finish line

Friggin photos always make it look like we're trotting when we were totally CRANKIN'!!!!



Here comes Miles!

My first race blister

Ahhhh!!  Liquid reward!



And Ms. Peggy was there!!!  Willa's Waldorf kindergarten teacher!!!

My time !!!

Cheer squad-thanks guys!!  <3!

Photo booth was set up at the finish party-SILLY!

Fresh babes in da house!



Smoochie boochins!

God DAMN, we truly live in such a fantastic place!  It's been a LONG time since we've had much moose activity on our property, let alone a mama and newborns taking residence!  Our record snowfall is finally melted, the grass is greening and the buds are finally popping(what wasn't devastated over the last 2 summer's worm blight).  What a treasure to come home to this new family relaxing about 40 feet from our side door!  I was tromping indelicately up our stairs, laden with groceries and about to go into the house when I caught the twitch of an ear out of the corner of my eye.  I looked over to see Mama laying there with her 2 babes splayed out in the sun.  The fact that she didn't rise as I clomped up the steps was a good sign.  As a mother, I fully understand her instinct to fiercely protect her babies...and I have been on the receiving end of a mama moose's intensity.  I was treated the other day to the site of her chasing another huge rogue moose off the property into the neighbor's!  SERIOUS crashing through the brush!  DON'T mess with her, Dude! 
She hasn't seemed to mind our humanly comings and goings and the activity inside the house.  We've taken a lot of photos and video right outside Willa's bedroom window.  She was excited to have "Lick, Snack, and Mama" sleeping over outside!  What an amazing event to witness !  We can sit out on the back deck and watch/listen to Mama munch on tender grasses, strip bark from the trees and nurse her babies.  And there is nothing friggin' cuter then those little ones frolicking and playing with each other!  Barring any upset, Mama will probably hang around the area for the next week or two while her babies grow stronger and faster on their gawky legs before heading off for new territory.  While it's a pain that we can't venture out onto the property to play, that we have to be very cautious walking around the house, and that we have to keep an eye out for grizzlies hunting moose calves, I think it's a great trade for the opportunity to observe this fierce and tender wildness.  What a spectacular place to grow up in!!!!!

Someone is tying to make pee pee

It can be quite unnerving how quiet and still these huge creatures can be.  You can stumble right on them if you're not careful!

Glorious 6am nursies