Crazy Cousins and Crazy Signs...

Gotta love those crazy cousins… everyone has one but maybe not this crazy... keep reading!

This weekend was great, but pretty busy!

On Friday I got home and had to do a long run for tri training, and that went well… it was pretty hot out though)! When I finished Curt and I hung out (I think we did... gosh, I can’t even remember, how sad is that... oh well)?

Saturday we had to wake up early and get on the road to Pearland for Carrie’s 50th Birthday party celebration. It was so fun! Courtney did a great job hosting the party – it was at Adam’s house and we were so happy to see everyone, including Adam’s roommate’s basset hound puppy, Oscar. What a cutie! PaPa made homemade ice cream, Adam made *delicious* fajitas, and we all watched the slideshow that Heidi had made for Carrie. I loved looking at all of the old pics with Curt and Courtney as a baby as for whatever reason I’ve never seen a ton of these before? It was precious…really touching, as well :-)

Unfortunately we had to leave early as that day was also Paige & Keith’s wedding day back up north in The Woodlands. Kendyl was a bridesmaid and by the time we got there we were only 45 minutes early so I tried to help some in the bridal room but I tried to stay out of the way mostly as Paige's zipper busted. BRIDE'S WORST NIGHTMARE! She was trying really hard to hold it (emotionally) together but the thought of walking down the aisle in no dress or a busted one is no dream as you can imagine so she (as you can imagine) was not doing so well. I got the needle threaded with every strand of white thread we had available and her aunt started to sew her in... she and the maids went into the bathroom (for whatever reason she was calmer in there) and I tried to comfort Kim (her mommy) and coach her as well to hold it together and that all would be well... and it was! Paige was sewed in, the wedding was beautiful, Keith cried like a baby which I personally always love to see at weddings, and on to a WAY fun reception!!! By the way, we don't know what happened with Paige's dress. One of those wedding day mysteries where she had actually lost weight that last week, so who knows...? And she looked amazing... sigh... and so did Kendyl! They both clean up to be beautiful women :-)!

So the reception was a blast... the M & J families (and friends) know how to party! We all danced almost every song, and then Keith's crazy cousin Blaine kept entertaining the group with his crazy, and quite suggestive dance moves... and not just in the corner but on purpose as the reception-clown that loves loves loves the attention! LOL - I was cracking up b/c this guy was unlike any I have seen at a wedding... I mean, his shirt came off, his boxers were showing, and you can imagine the rest yourself - hysterical. I also bawled like a baby when Keith danced with his younger sister Kayanna (sp?). She is probably 19-20 now, but a couple of years ago was in a devastating car accident and sustained brain injuries, was in a coma for weeks, and the doctors said IF she survived she'd be a vegetable forever... well not so (thanks be to God), she is alive and she can communicate, and man she loves her "bubba." She's confined to a wheelchair mostly, but she can text and share her emotions and needs. She was a bridesmaid and looking amazing, and Keith went and got her, picked her up to a standing position, and danced with her to "Texas Angel," and the tears (for all) just flowed. I have always LOVED that song, but I think forever now when I hear it I will think of that dance... even the DJ, who I don't think even knows them, was bawling. What a special moment... I'm so choked up just remembering! So anyway, it was gorgeous... the whole thing... and I'm lucky enough to have a beautiful hydrangea centerpiece that I got to take home that I wish would last forever...

Sunday I did a practice run tri with the full lengths all back to back and did *great* so that was exciting. Curt and I rode our bikes to the Y (I had my swimsuit on already) which was 5 miles, he watched me while I did my laps, then we finished the 6 miles to make 11 total, and then I changed shoes and went on my run. I definitely need to invest in proper gear though as biking and running in my swimsuit isn’t going to work, but other than that I felt great when I finished. Also to note because I had decided to sleep in (due to late night wedding night before), I started the tri around lunchtime and was running in the full heat of the day by the time I was done - not bright, I know, but I really needed the rest so I was willing to pay the price with my sweat... :-)

This week so far I've been super swamped with work, but all is well... I did feel a moment yesterday that I had failed God, though, so I was a little emotional about that. Story in the smallest nutshell I can (but still not going to be small) is not even a week ago Curt and I were talking about how sad it makes me to see dead animals on the side of the road, and how I *never* see any still alive to try and save them and how much better I would feel if I had the opportunity, etc. Curt knows I'm a huge cry baby about this... I mean we pass a dead skunk and I can totally start the waterworks in a second. So Tuesday morning, rushing into work because I'm the only one with a room key, HAVE to be there by 7:30 a.m. to let guests into our room for a huge presentation, and basically it was my thing to plan and everyone was counting on me to do my part, etc. So I was in a time crunch and every second counted that morning to get out of here, etc. I go over the huge flyover, in the left lane, and see an injured pigeon on the left shoulder flapping around. I thought about pulling over, but wasn't really sure where I could safely as it was on a huge flyover, no shoulder, huge curve so would get hit, etc. and then when I looked at the time I knew there would be no way I could save a pigeon and not make a huge career limiting move... and I made the wrong choice... :-( I just felt like God gave me the opportunity and I failed Him... I tried to call Animal Control, but it was so early (6:45 a.m.) that no dispatchers were there yet, tried to call Curt and no answer as he was in the shower, and I was a huge disappointment to myself. I know that many would not care about a pigeon, but it was more "life" to me and it upset me so I prayed about it... So I do my deal at work all day, recap it for Curt on my way home and though he was trying to understand he didn't really and then I got MORE upset b/c he was talking about he would have been so mad at me if I had sacrificed my safety for a pigeon, etc. so it just didn't go over well (rational reasoning maybe, but I was emotional, people)!

Came home and it was a long run night so got on my way... I had planned to go 2 miles in, 2 miles back but when I got there I decided to run another 1/2 mile in to get to a water fountain. My last minute decision put me in the spot... as I was rounding a corner there was a turtle in the bikepath... a box turtle just like the one I used to have and I knew it was a sign. Background info, I don't ASK for signs, but when they appear I recognize them for what I feel they are... and my family knows me well for saving turtles, most of the time when they have embarked on the precarious journey of crossing the road. They just don't have a chance, you have to stop and help them! I've done this for as long as I can remember, and Curt has even told me before I need a bumper sticker that says "I stop for Turtles," because I always stop - even if I'm not driving I make a huge fuss that we need to stop, and my family has learned to humor me in this. So I picked up my new friend (he wasn't in huge danger as it was a bikepath vs. a road) and walked him deep into the woods, and was happy again... one of those swelling heart moments, I just love those :-).

Tonight enjoyed some hurricane rain while biking on the trainer in the backyard under the porch, and "So You Think You Can Dance, my new favorite show...

Exhausted so off to bed... here's to crazy cousins and those crazy signs...

Love,
Tasha xx