at the dinner table

Madeline's either a math genius or just really likes saying the number 2. You decide :) Grandma Payne notice the green smoothie on Madeline's tray, she LOVES them!

Richmond Va

This post is a bit long and emotional so feel free to skim :)
So it sounds a bit crazy I know, but last Saturday I ran another marathon.
Let me explain: The night before my last marathon David gave me a great blessing promising me that I would be able to run the entire marathon and that I would have a really spiritual experience and be able to work through some of the emotions that I have been having. For those of you who don't know, David didn't get an offer for employment from his summer internship, so we have been looking for a job since August. It is a long, hard process and I have really been struggling with faith.
Well during the marathon I sort of gave up. I walked quite a bit and didn't have faith in the promised blessings I had been given. When I finished I felt that the lord was disappointed in me. I also felt like it was the same problem I had been having for months of not having faith in God. So I decided that I needed to run another marathon to prove to God that I would trust him. So I trained and 4 weeks after my last one I ran another one.
The hardest part was that I had to go through it all alone. We were going to make a weekend trip of it since Richmond is 5 hours away, but David realized a few days before the marathon that he had a big school function that he was in charge of on Friday so he couldn't go. That also meant that the girls couldn't go since I couldn't watch them. My amazingly sweet and kind friend Jenny watched them all day for me and then David had them until I got back.
I really don't like doing things alone. I'm horrible with directions and get scared pretty easily so I was pretty terrified of making this trip alone. It turned out to be a good experience though. I took a few books on tape, prayed a lot and didn't have any trouble with directions. I got to the hotel fine, slept great and got the start line with plenty of time to spare. I pushed myself really hard. My goal was to not stop through the entire race to prove to God that I would trust in him. It was dang hard! Around mile 13 I got horrible blisters all along my arches and had to run the rest with them. I really felt like giving up, but I persevered. God strengthened me and I had a pretty incredible experience. Around mile 18 I decided that I was going to call David at mile 20 for support and right after I crossed the 20 mile mark my phone rang. It was David! He said that he had a feeling that he should call me. The lord was really with me. It felt so great. I did end up walking some after mile 20, but I put everything I had into it. Ironically I only finished about 5 minutes faster than my last marathon, but this time I gave it my all. When I finally crossed the finish line I started crying and the woman giving me the medal asked if I was okay. It was just such an emotional experience. I felt so strongly that God accepted my offering. Even though I didn't run the whole way I did my best and it was enough. It was hard not having anyone there to greet me at the end, but God was there and that was the point.
Since I went alone I don't have any pictures to show, but I did take a picture of my blistered feet :)

Revolutionary War Re-enactment

I have lived on the east coast for over 2 years and now I can FINALLY say that I have seen a war re-enactment. I think I mentioned that I love history so this was SOOO cool. I saw a sign advertising a revolutionary war re-enactment a few weeks ago and got really excited. I asked Candy and Tony to come along and we all went today (minus my studious husband who had to study :( We missed you David!). It took place at Hope Lodge, which is just a few minutes away from Candy and Tony's house. A few men preparing for battle
Hope lodge was originally the home of a prosperous Quaker family. Then the Wests lived at Hope Lodge from 1776 to 1782. The house was then known as Whitemarsh Farms and as Whitemarsh Estate. The Wests were in residence during the Whitemarsh Encampment, a six-week period of the American Revolution when the Continental Army camped in the surrounding fields after the Battle of Germantown and before encamping at Valley Forge. During that time the house was used as headquarters by George Washington's Surgeon General, John Cochran. So the re-enactment displayed the fighting that took place in the surrounding fields. There were times that it almost felt like I could have been a part of it. Everyone was in costume and played the part really well. We saw a lot of neat things:

A surgeon describing and showing us with his tools how he amputated legs (really neat, but he said some people have actually fainted during the presentation!) Why is it that morbid stuff like that really fascinates me? I also love hearing about disgusting food that people used to have to eat (Seriously odd I know!)

We saw the actual food preparation of the time. It was especially neat to see them actually use the kitchens that usually just have fake food layed out nicely.

We saw a lady making silhouettes. I would LOVE to have one of those, so fun.

Gigi found a real "pioneer" hat. She has been wanting one for almost 2 years and we finally found one for only 5 bucks. For a price like that I had to get both kids playing the part :) Then Candy bought the girls a flute (we'll ignore the made India tag). Thanks :)

Gigi outside a tent. She was so stoked to have that hat. She was pretty bummed that I won't let her wear it to church tomorrow. I explained that the pioneers wore their hats outside. Then she explained to me that the pioneers often had church outside and so would wear a hat. No question that she is David's daughter...soo logical and clever :)

There was a tent set up with a surgeon from the time who was actually sleeping there tonight. He even let Gigi try out his straw bed.

Tony and Candy with the girls outside of Hope Lodge. It is a really beautiful building.

After the re-enactment Candy and Tony took the girls and I out to lunch. It was tons of fun. You guys are seriously so generous. Thank you :) Gigi and Madeline even got dessert.

Don't you love Madeline's smile? As we were leaving Gigi saw the claw game. You know the one where you can NEVER win a prize, but as a kid kept wanting to put money in, assuring yourself that this time you'd win(hmm maybe that was just me?). Anyway Gigi played once and of course didn't win. She was pretty bummed and so of course Uncle Tony decided to play for her. He has NEVER played this game before. Yes you guessed it he won a Dora doll for her! Wow!!! I was so amazed! Gigi was in heaven. Then a few minutes later I was in heaven because when we got to the car Gigi decided to give the Dora doll to Madeline because she knows that Madeline LOVES Dora. Wow again!!! Gigi sometimes has moments of such unselfishness. Way to go Gigi :)

Sweet Madeline exhausted after the long day. Isn't she sweet? We ended the day by watching a Betty Hutton film, the perils of Pauline. Betty Hutton starred in Annie get your gun (Gigi's fav movie right now) and so Candy taped it. It was such a cute movie. I highly recommend it if you like old comedies. Thank you Candy and Tony for enjoying such a great day with us. I will always remember it!

New Clothes from Grandma Payne

Thank you, Grandma Payne! She puts on this skirt and shirt every day now as soon as she wakes up!