Wedding, writing, running

And then what happened...

Yeah, I'm still alive.  I promise.  But last week was probably the longest week I ever remember, and this week is shaping up to be long as well.

me & my kiddos ~ they're too cute, yes?

it wasn't a bad week though.  Just busy.  This blog post isn't much about running.  S'more about writing, weddings, and if you skip to the bottom there's a shout out to Starbucks.

To start my week, I was published.  (see how casual like I threw that into conversation?)  Sarah Bowen Shea was so busy writing her latest book, Train Like a Mother, that she asked me to guest blog on her blog.  (omgomgomg, my writing hero asked me to WRITE something for her & Dim's blog.... I could have died... I mean, I was ~way~ cool).  I told her, "Sure thing, no problem..."  <--- See totally cool.

Then what happened?

B'nut

The "20 something year old neighbor(s)" are former neighbors now.  Their mother moved, and they grew up into adults, got real jobs and no longer arrive at my house in their Pajamas at 8:15am for coffee.  I miss them.

This weekend, their mother got married.  It was like a family reunion, we spent the weekend catching up, and, in fact, right now one of them is in my guest room.

Zickie Zickie & B'nut having a dance

But as you can imagine... all that visiting with each other and bonding... well, it didn't lead to a lot of sleeping.


Dinners, Weddings, Post Wedding gathering #1, Post Wedding gathering #2, and onward...  So here you go.  A Super fast quick wedding recap.

My kids were in the wedding as "Ushers/Greeters".

B'nut ruled the world.



I knew that The Reception was going to be EPIC when one of the GBAs walked in the door.

Illusive wasn't, and he cleans up nice, yes?

Seriously?
SERIOUSLY?
Yeah, seriously.  Illusive made my night.

G, my dear son, Lord of the Dance.

Ann, Zickie & I have been friends for years

Liz & I may, or may not,
 have partaken in some drunk texting.

20 something year old neighbor ~Liz~ & I had WAY too much to drink... s'ok, cos Illusive took over my camera so the pictures weren't blurry...
wait, no, that was a kind of a fail.


Don't look for them...  THOSE photos won't make the internet.  Sorry folks.

And C, at 11, was the happiest girl ever... at an age where she could truly enjoy the wedding & reception & dancing without any of the social restrictions we adults suffer through.

Admittedly, I wasn't suffering too much....  in fact, I... yeah....

(gloss over some details here)

.... we got in really late.  I ~ah~ admit that we hung out at the reception a little extra time while I ~ah~ regrouped before driving home.  I'm good like that.

Zickie's an asset.  I'm just sayin'.

Of course, marathon training stops for no wedding.  So I fell into bed WAY too late, dreading my morning miles, but totally looking forward to my run.  If that makes any sense at all?

Surprisingly the run the next day was.... well, awesome.  I owned it.

It was a great run.  I ended up running 6+ of my 8 with a new friend, Birch.  (20 something year old neighbor named him, and I think ~ yeah ~ it's a cute name for him).  Birch has been here before, as the coach who never used to say Hi, even when I called him out by name.  So we ran 6ish together and had the most hilarious, serious, funny, interesting, odd conversation.  I can't even tell you.  I will tell you I think he's ...  well.... I'm a runner too.  We're all a little weird.  It's a good thing I've concluded.  Anyway, since the GBA's were all out and about, we hit Starbucks on the way home.

It was a GBA weekend...  I might be exhausted, but damn, I'm happy to have some of the best friends, whether they're 20something year olds, illusive, solid, "weird", or know how to say really wise things at really strategic moments.