April 2: The Garden Still Grows

Saturday was--busy, beautiful, crazy, fantastic, exhausting (in the best kind of way).  We got up early to get ourselves ready for the 5K that Mike's school sponsored for Olivia's House (a grief and loss center for children).  Mike, J, Brigie, Mary & Brian toughed it out in cold, windy weather, all finishing strong with respectable times.  Megan, Blake and I watched and cheered, with kids in hand.  When Megan (who is training for a half-marathon with Mary) suggested that we walk the 5K instead of standing around and waiting for our peeps to finish, I responded, with great disgust in my voice "I am NOT walking 3.2 miles!  Are you KIDDING me about that??  Maybe a mile...maybe."  With the comedic timing of a laugh legend, Henry chimes in "Mama, where are they running to?"  allowing me to respond "Nowhere honey, they are running nowhere." 

After the 5K, we packed up our stuff, drove home, changed into church-gear and drove to Pittsburgh for our annual mass and celebration honoring my grandfather, William B. Williams.  It was a lovely mass, and I felt so proud and loved as I looked around at the four (maybe five) pews that had been reserved for our family--in true William style they were packed to the gills.  My Nan probably would have preferred that things be a bit quieter--we were in the very front of the church, and it was, after all, a mass dedicated to my grandfather.  Watching my family members reminded me of being a kid at mass, knowing that as soon as this is over, you're going back to the social hall for donuts.  You're trying as hard as you can to sit still and pay attention, but you can't seem to keep your feet from dancing around, and you're excitedly looking back and forth to see if your sisters are as amped up as you are for D-O-N-U-T-S!  The "donut" in this case, was the celebration that followed mass, and it was as fun and delightful as we had anticipated.

There will surely be more pictures that follow (especially if my cousin Aaron was taking shots w/his camera...sooo talented), but this one that I saw today is one of my favorites.  My godmother, Aunt B, and my little angel, Alice:

 The Garden Still Grows.