LIVESTONG at the Y

We just graduated our first Livestong class at the Y in May.  I got my certification last fall and the pilot program started over the winter months in Cedar Rapids.  The instructor I teach with is

 a close friend and we have enjoyed working together. The program is a free 12-week fitness program for any survivor and their caretakers. 

The participants have been wonderful and such an example of how to live life.  While the situations are heart breaking,  the majority have forgiven those who have wronged them, fixed the things in their life that needed to be fixed and have learned to smile through incredibly tragic times.  For many of them it seems when they realize that time is short life becomes whole.

And I didn't realize at the time the best accomplishments would be the little things.  Watching people walk up stairs for the first time in months, hearing their stories of being able to get off the ground without help and watching the improvement in daily living.  We are teaching another session this summer and another great group of people.

Spring

We spent the past several months doing this....

and this ....(don't even ask about the driveway)

Needless to say it was a  LONG winter, but we made the best of  it.  The kids used a sled as a mode of transportation to the bus stop a the end of the street.   They would ride down in the morning and tie their sled to a tree and I would pick it up in the afternoon.

We took a short weekend vacation to Dubuque to the indoor water park. And had to make a stop at the new Grant Wood larger-than-life statue.  While Dubuque is a beautiful city to visit during the summer, there isn't much to do with snow on the ground but it was a welcomed weekend away.

Per tradition Jared took the girls out to buy new Easter dresses, they decided on matching this year and Ike picked out a new flashy suit....attempting to get a decent family photo :)

   

 One of the highlights of the Spring was the Mother's Day weekend Laces for Learning 5K. I signed up with a couple of sisters from church and all of the kids did the one mile.   Its was cold, incredibly windy and hilly.  Eliza was sobbing the last quarter mile, it was a track finish at the stadium and I thought i was going to have to carry her.  She said never again, until they called her name for 3rd in her age division, I think she wore her medal all week (and taunted her sister that she didn't place).  Erin missed placing by one second but ran an 8:12 mile (almost two minutes faster than Eliza but we didn't want to spoil to fun).

I love this age, its so fun to watch them grow and enjoy life!