Lost and Found

You can check out Max's blog for a rundown on the fun we had over Thanksgiving weekend.  We had a mild weathered weekend, and spent a part of it cleaning out closets...oh what fun!  We had far too many clothes that didn't fit so we weeded through them and gave quite a lot to the ARC Thrift Store.  I prefer to give to them because of the services they offer to the developmental disabled community, including being advocates for kids like Max in the school.

I think when it was all done we had 5 huge black trash bags full to take them.  It was interesting watching how each one of us reacted to getting rid of "stuff".  Abbey had a hard time convincing me clothes still fit when they were too short, and didn't like getting rid of clothes she really likes, even though it no longer fit.  Steve didn't like to get rid of things that he could need in the future;  dress shoes, suits, coats.  And I had a bit of heartbreak with getting rid of the most lovely shoes.  But, we don't ever go anywhere to wear fancy schmancy shoes.  Especially when they give me blisters.

We were pulling out the hospital bags that sit in the back of the closet, at the ready for hospital visits, and decided to empty and reorganize them, when out fell my iPod touch that has been missing for almost a year!  I was so pleased to know I hadn't really lost it! It was just waiting for me to find it.  I also found my sunglasses, and some chocolate from Paris.  Essentials for any hospital stay.  I knew I lost these things in our December hospital stay, but I assumed they were thrown out in a bag at some point, not knowing they were in there.

As we were going through my many many shoes to donate, I got a little melancholy about saying goodbye to these things...they are, afterall, just things.  Things I don't use, things I don't wear, things I likely won't ever wear again.  But, they had some feelings and memories attached to them.

We have heard before of grief weight.  Or extreme weightloss due to grief.  For us, we bought things.  It was something we could control.  We felt we were treating ourselves, when life wasn't treating us so well. And we did it up big.  We bought nice clothes, and shoes, for the "Someday".  The "Someday" when we would live in London and be able to pretend life was normal.  The "Someday" when Steve would work in an office again, because we wouldn't have to be tied to the house.  The "Someday" when we would get to go out on date nights together.

As we put the 20 some pair of shoes in the trash bags, I felt a patch put over a wound.  I'm sure at some point, that grief will come up again, and I'll go looking for another pair of lovely heels, but for now, I hope they all find their way onto someone else's feet, and make them smile.

Abbey's Lifting...

Abbey has been preparing for a weight lifting competition for the past couple of months, that finally happened this past weekend.  This is a note Steve wrote about how it all went.  We're so extremely proud of her accomplishments.

Two years ago my 11 year old daughter starting going to CrossFit with me.  The coach Jonathan at our gym DEFY! graciously and patiently allowed Abbey to join the adult workouts and Abbey would huff and puff and grind through the workouts like the rest of us.  For two years, Abbey would go to the gym all summer with me then every visit when she was in town.

This year Abbey came to live with us fulltime and one of her first desires was to be in the gym each morning.  She wakes at 5:30AM to go to the gym with me before school.

Over the past two years, I have seen her learn the discipline of hard work, of grinding through physical challenges when your mind and body want to quit.  I have seen her push through tears and frustration, not quitting, fighting and sometimes beating the rest of us adults to complete a workout.

The successes of first pull-ups, push-ups, sprints, tire flips, weightlifting, box jumps.  Daily disciplines developed over the last two years that have transformed her from an adolescent indifferent about physical activity to one that can articulate to you the ways daily exercise affects her body.

Today, she competed in her first power weightlifting competition.  At 13 years old, she entered the Junior and Teenage Divisions of the NASA Colorado Regional Powerlifting competition.  Entering at a weight of 104, there were no state records set for weight class 105, division Junior or Teenage nor national records set for weight class 105, division Junior.  She was literally the first person in the nation to compete at her weight class, division Junior (that has been documented or submitted) for the NASA Powerlifting Association.

By successfully completing the lifts, according to the strict powerlifting rules, she set the Colorado state record for weight class 105, division Junior and Teenage AND the American records for weight class 105, division Junior.  Nine records in all today (six state, three national).  Bench Press, Back Squat and Deadlift for the three aforementioned categories.

Oldest and youngest competitors at the competition.  This gentlemen was 90 years old.  After seeing Abbey's lift, he came and found her to congratulate her.  (I want to be doing this when I'm 90.)

She muses now about the olympics, competing at Nationals (to set the World records) and powerlifting competitively through high school and college.  She has natural ability in this space that could take her as far as she is willing to work.

I am thrilled she has found an outlet she enjoys and something she is willing to push herself in.  The excited of trophies and the crowd yelling your name is exactly what this 13 year old is looking for.  

But the daily discipline, work ethic and knowledge of how to push yourself through a hard situation when all you really want to do is quit is priceless.

videos:

"the future of women's powerlifting" - 

"Powerlifting Back Squat" - 

October in Colorado...

This week has been typical for Colorado in October.

We've had sunny, warm days with golden and red leaves.





We were even able to fly a kite Max made in Science this week.


And we tried for a shot of us all together.  This is the best one out of 6 or so tries.



We got our house decorated for Halloween.









And, woke up to this, this morning!



Look closely...that's snow.  About 6-8 inches of it!







George thought snow was the BEST!  Olive thought it was as terrible as ever.  She likes to go out, do her business, then get back to her warm perch.  George just wanted to play in it...all. day. long!

Here he is getting  a little wild with the running around in it!

Now we're all snuggled up in our beds, with the heater on for the first time this season.  It's supposed to get down in the teens tonight.  Then back up into the 60's by Halloween.  Just another week in Colorado!  

Where's the sandman?

I  thought I had finally gotten him to sleep, and creeped out of the bedroom to sit down to my computer, only to hear him wake up and start kicking the wall again.

It's been like this every night this week.  Abbey gets in bed at 9:00, Max goes to bed around 9:00.  Then Steve and I finish up whatever kitchen clean-up and thirty minutes of visiting we get before he's too tired to stay awake.

I go back into our room to try to quieten Max to sleep, so I can try to work on my coursework.

But, as soon as I sit down, I do mean literally as soon as I sit down, he wakes up and starts kicking the wall.

He's telling me, "hey - get back in here you Momma!  I need to hear you by me at all times in order to sleep. ".

Oh well, I'll try again tomorrow.

Some newness

In case you've missed it, we have a new family member.  More accurately, Max has a new family member.  His name is George, and he's harrier than the rest of us.  But, he's very much loved by us all.



You can read all about how he came into our lives on Max's blog.

A look at things...

I'm still plenty busy with my writing course, but I wanted to share some of the beautiful things we're seeing as the seasons are changing here in Colorado.

Max at the Botanic Gardens in Denver.  A bush of yellow!



Funky cool trees.



A rose for Grandma.



Quaking aspens dancing.



A house hiding in a grove of aspens.



Beautiful fall colors in Colorado.







Max and Addie watching the "ocean" as Addie insisted it was called.  And the ducks.



And, we're getting ready for a super fun holiday/birthday around here.  Abbey's getting ready by finding everything skeleton to decorate with!





Now, back to writing!

Where I'll be...

I just submitted my first assignment for Writing Lives online course through Oxford University. I set out to find an online course that would give me something to work towards. I looked at local universities, and then thought, if it's all the same online format...let's go abroad!

So, over the pond I went. Back to the place I love. Only to find that most of my course-mates are from all over. It's been fascinating reading about all of them today. I think it's going to be an interesting 10 weeks.

I've been writing my blog, and Max's blog for almost 6 years now. And I have a lot of stories, but have millions more to tell. I just don't know where to begin, or how to best organize them. Hopefully, this course will help me with that.

It will be fun to be doing something that is all for me. Even if it means staying up until midnight to turn in an assignment. :)