Happy Birthday to Charming!!!

 I don't know how it's possible, but our first born is 32 today!  (Which really doesn't make a lot of sense, as I'm holding somewhere between 35 and 40 myself, soooo...) 

Happy Birthday, Charming!!!

This is from 1994...You were 3. 
Let's not talk about how long you've been running!!!

Friday Photo Flashback

Friday again...pulling out photos from the pre-digital camera days and spending a time thinking about things long since past. This is the meme that Alicia at More Than Words has started and I don't see myself quitting it any time soon. Head over to Alicia's to see what everyone else managed to find...you won't be disappointed.

This week I found some pictures that I've always thought were "horrible" pictures, but I guess enough time has passed that I can view them for more than how I look in them.

The first one is me trailing behind Charming when he was three and 4 months and running in the kids' race at the Bastille Days 5K in Orange County, CA. I've always shared a similar shot with Superman running behind Charming at a race, but never showed this one because it was "horrible". Those days were tough in so many ways. I had just started running and we had no money for real shoes, real clothes, anything- coming up with the $10 to enter the 5K was a struggle...the huge t-shirt was one I'd worn when I was pregnant. I've always looked back at this picture and thought about being embarrassed, but you know what? I love it. Look at my little boy, running his little heart and so proud of himself. How could I not love this picture?

It was only the beginning...


2 years later, the family headed off to Derby Days 5K at the Santa Anita Raceway. Valiant was 6 weeks old and I was walking the 5K and the plan was for Charming to run the 1 mile kids' race. That is not how it turned out, however. Instead, Charming took off at a run when the 5K started and I shouted at Superman to follow him. Poor Superman! Charming ran the entire 3.2 miles! Oh, it was so funny!

As I look at the last picture, I'm also reminded of how hard Superman worked to restore that little car for me. Smog laws were so tough then and we couldn't find parts for it in the pre-internet days. Not long after this photo, we had to sell the car he'd so lovingly restore for me. I still smile when I think of it...it was truly a gift of love.

So, there you go, my little trip down Memory Lane this week. I hope you enjoyed it because I know I had fun sharing the pictures with you.