Here are some pics from our recent trip to Rockford, IL. Lots of drama surrounding this trip, resulting in days of exhaustion upon our return home. BUT, it was all worth it to see Grandma and cousins, Gavin and Ella. To begin this trip, Nevi, Robb and I were out the door at 4:40am Friday morning on June 25th (planned on leaving at 4:30am but running a little late) to catch our 6:30am flight. It was a smooth drive to the airport until we arrived at our park-n-ride, where we were held up significantly by a VERY slow shuttle ride to the terminal. At this point, we had 50 minutes still to check baggage and go through security. We stood in line to check our bags for 8 minutes only to find out that bags must be checked 45 minutes prior to departure and we had missed our window by 3 minutes. So, we stood there in shock as they told us we couldn't board (plane still not leaving the airport for another 43 minutes). The next flight that had seats available was the NEXT morning, same time. Soooo, we did the same thing all over again on Saturday morning, only we left the house at 4:15am on the nose. By the time we actually landed in Chicago, we had Saturday afternoon and Sunday to hang with mom, Gavin and Ella. Kristin and Keith were unable to get off work so they dropped the kids off so the cousins could play. VERY nice of them to do this. Our flight back to Denver left OHare at 7:20am Monday morning, so we left Rockford, once again, at 4something in the morning, arrived back home feeling pretty beat and bruised.
By the time we got home and settled, Robb was off to work and Nevi had 102 degree fever. She was fire hot with goose bumps all over. I called our pediatrician and did what they said (Tylenol and tepid bath) and put her down for the night at 6pm. By morning, her fever was gone and I could see how happy she was to be home. I think the early mornings and missing hours of sleep really took its toll on all of us.
TEETHING: Today, July 5th, Nevi is doing well. She has been teething for the last few days, which is obvious by Nevi's lack of contentedness. Her bottom left molar is pushing through the gums. If it is anything as painful as it looks, she is being a trooper, considering. But she is sleeping more and 'not quite herself' as this tooth comes in. Her molars on the the other side have already come in.
EATING CHANGES: Up until 3 days ago, Nevi has eaten anything we offer her. Suddenly and completely out of nowhere, Nevi has decided to be a little more picky about what she will eat, or more accurately, more picky about what she will keep in her mouth. She will still put most anything IN her mouth, but if she doesn't like the texture or taste of something, she will spit it out. I'm finding that she likes mostly bland foods right now. She is back to getting the 'chills' when food is too seasoned or not a pleasant texture. She did this 'whole-body-chill' thing when she first started solids but hasn't done it now for quite some time. Additionally, she is not eating as much and pushes food away when she's done, or just starts throwing it on the floor. I am happy to see that she recognizes 'full' now, however, we will be working on proper communication via sign language or spoken word to avoid many more carpet stains.
Many of you already know that Robb and I are training for a Half Marathon in August. GrandmaMom and JimPa will be coming out here to be with Nevi for a night while we take on this challenge, running from Idaho Springs, CO to Georgetown. TRAINING: I ran 9 miles this morning.... I ran for 1 hour and 48 minutes, straight. I never imagined in a million years that I could do this. And that I could enjoy doing this is even more wild. For the first time since I can remember, my body is accepting the challenges of running and it is being received with a small but welcomed sense of grace. Also contributing is my mind, with focus and perseverence. AMAZING how much the mind contributes to our successes and/or our failures. I have a lot of time to think during these long runs and this is what pervaded my mind this morning........After 7 miles, I felt tired but I still had 2 to go. I had to dig deep to find the strength and energy to continue. So where was this strength coming from, I asked myself? The answer came in less than 1 second...the sum total of all my experiences that have made me who I am today. My age, my continually changing perspective and the wisdom that comes with these has been slowly turning my pond-sized spirit into an ocean. Everyday, I see older people struggling in life, with physical pain and with the emotional challenges of facing death and loss. I find that I easily get caught up in the sadness of aging, the 'courageous journey' of it all. But I think I'm becoming more in tune now with the amazing things that happen with age, too. I'm finding that SO many components of my life just keep getting better and better (and yes, I understand that I'm not 'old' yet, but the way I see it, if life keeps getting better and better for me now, imagine how amazing it will be with exponential levels of growth and awareness, something that takes time to simmer and brew). Everyday I thank the Creator for my life, but I find this happening more often when I'm running, surrounded by the beauty of wilderness with nothing but time on my hands. Time that I don't have in many other parts of my day. I think a lot about Robb on these runs. How he supports me in whatever I do, even allowing me/encouraging me to run for 2 hours on a Sunday morning, all the while, holding down the fort and playing with Nevi while I'm gone. He has so much faith in me, that he alone has energized my spirit to infinite levels of expansion. He brings out my humor, which is a skill that is held by very few. AND, after all of our experiences together, we are still each other's biggest fans. Also contributing to my pool of strength is Nevi. My body endured a 9 1/2 month pregnancy, a 14 hour unmedicated labor/delivery and 13 months of nursing. And while I know that women do this all the time, all over the world, it is impossible for me to minimize this experience and the effects that it has on one's body and soul. Bearing a child, then raising a child is hands down, the most intense experience of my life. And all the while, feeling exhausted and surrendered, I also feel like I have a bottomless well of love for my family and feel a deeper happiness and greater sense of accomplishment than I ever thought possible. Bottom line....the most miraculous and fulfilling things in life are most often the ones that challenge us to no end. Right now, I feel like I can do anything. I feel like all the strength and love I need is in me and it will always be there for me if I need it. And that the ocean-sized spirit I feel in me now may even turn into something larger if I keep filling it with the right stuff, like the accomplishment of a Half Marathon! I feel like anything is possible if I dig deep and keep my faith, all the while continuing to dance on that fine line between the simplicity and complexity of everything that exists in nature. 
