Life on the Runn...

My job was such a major part of who I was, and the thought of stepping away from that - ever - didn't seem possible.  And then my daughter was born.   Leaving her to return to work became the ache deep in my heart and the nagging thought in the back of my mind.  I relished each moment, each sleepless night, each tiny squeak knowing I'd eventually miss those moments  (and fearing I'd miss many critical ones, all the firsts in our tiny human's life)  as I had opted, after an extended maternity leave, to return to teaching.  When I was pregnant, my mom determined an official retirement plan and gave me the greatest, most selfless gift: she chose to spend her time caring for our sweet, sweet HQ.  I'll never be able to repay her for this, ever, but when she mentioned wanting to visit Waco to see  Magnolia and the Silos, I started to plan.  Mom deserves all the little getaways she could ever imagine...and more!  "There are 79 parties ahead of you...."

Last weekend was a big one in the Runnells household; not only was it BR's first Father's Day, but it was also his first big bike race, a 100k ride. Brian and our good friend Scott tackled 60+ miles of riding in 90+ degree heat Saturday.  Nothing about that seemed easy - or fun if I'm being honest - but BR survived the Horribly Hilly Hundreds, and HQ and I were happy to be there to offer support along the way (I provided water and snacks, Harper provided smiles and giggles that I'm sure encouraged her father to fight the fatigue and cross the finish line).  To say I am proud of Brian would be an understatement.   After a little time to recuperate and a little more time to pack up the team car and the tiny human, who was a real trooper in the heat and with many trips in and out of her carseat to make it to meeting points for our riders, it was time to head home for celebratory guacamole and tacos.   Stop 1 Stop 2 climbing that final hill