Love....Disguised as a Turkey

The annual Kroger (Ann Arbor) Turkey Trot.  The kids come home for it like a bee to the hive.  It's probably our favorite race of the year because of the pictures, the medals, the t-shirts, and the treats at the end.  Ethan and Rebecca told us first that they were coming, and Mark jumped on board, and then seeing as Hannah hasn't been home in forever and a day, I flew her home for it as well (and it's yet another one of our activities that she hasn't experienced).  And since it was the weekend preceding our 30th anniversary, we just rolled everything into one big ball of Kennedy fun.  I should've made a t-shirt for the event, but we'll just count the race t-shirts as the remembrance.

Ethan was flying in from DC so that he wouldn't miss a day of work, and Rebecca and the babies drove in on Wednesday afternoon.  Before Ethan landed, we took Rebecca to her favorite restaurant around, Smokehouse 52.  On the way, Baby found a bunch of ginkgo leaves along the ground, and we had a nice little Lollie teaching moment about ginkgo trees :-)

Then we drove to Detroit Metro, and while I ran in to use the bathroom, John got a ticket--like, from the Airport Police--because the tags on Greenie are expired.  John tried to explain his way out of it by saying that we might be moving to PA and he didn't want to pay for registration here if we are just going to move.  The police office (G. Shorter) told him that that excuse actually didn't fly because the states would make him pay for the expired months, but in the end, he just gave him a warning which was really, REALLY nice of him.  Ethan hopped in the car after the office had left because the last thing we needed him to see was that Rebecca had to hop in the back back of Greenie because we had six people in a five-passenger car ;-)

We rushed home, watched Survivor as a family (which was SUPER fun) and then raced back out to pick up Hannah.  Try as I might to park in front of some other car, it was only five minutes before the police lights were flashing again.  In the words of Rebecca, "Is this really happening again?"  I'm sure the policewoman was surprised to see me roll down my window laughing, and it only took here a second to say to me, "Okay, tell me your story."  Thankfully,  when John had been getting his ticket, I had been typing out his name (thanks OCD), so I could tell the police woman the name of the ticketing officer.  She laughed with me and drove on, four cars ahead, and turned on her lights again #PoorSuccor

It was so good to have Hannah home again.  She just doesn't come home enough.  She spent a long while telling us about her new dating interest, and Rebecca and I ate it up.  It's always so fun hearing about new love <3. And to say the animals were happy to see her would be a serious understatement!

Thursday morning, Baby ran into our bedroom with "Lollie, you had to come see what's outside!"  Yep, our first snow of the season!  Baby and I headed out for playing in the snow, and for bagels.  I mean, there's nothing like a half-dozen Barry Bagels for breakfast.  Baby man, she gets in the car, and you need to be prepared for non-stop talking.    Rebecca had challenged me to go out wearing what I was wearing which I did.

Brother had a haircut appointment that morning (he always looks like such a little man when he comes home from the barber) and then Rebecca, Hannah, the babies and I went shopping for clothes for our family picture.  Ugh, clothes shopping for tall us is never easy.  However, we found some nice things for Hannah, and I found a sweater in Talbots that I honestly can't wait to wear.

We had a few extra minutes before my shift, so we ran into
the Bloomfield Hills stake center.  I played the awesome
pipe organ, and Hannah sang along <3

That night, John and I had temple shift, and everybody joined us.  I assumed that Hannah would just follow me around that night doing whatever I was doing, but during prayer meeting, I was handed my slip of paper with my assignment.  I saw there wasn't much on it which seemed a bit strange, and I couldn't make out what it said without shining the light of the film on the slip.  I was very surprised to see I was in the baptistry that night!  Normally with a baptistry shift, I show up early, get the laundry going from the previous shift, head out to talk to the kids, and just prepare.  But the training film had already started and I didn't think I could leave.  Needless to say, five minutes later, John (who was outside waiting for the new endowment to arrive) poked his hair into prayer meeting and told Brother Kaski (our coordinator) that I needed to get out there now.  Ugh, if I had known that I would be working in the baptistry, I would have worn different clothes and probably asked to do something else because I had other plans for the night!   In fact, I had my slippery garment bottoms on which allow my pantyhose to slip down quickly--I figured that would be okay because I would probably be in sealings.  But after ten minutes of walking around the baptistry, I knew I was in trouble, so I grabbed a pair of rental knee-highs, ran in the bathroom, ripped off my pantyhose, put on my knee-highs and headed back out as if nothing had happened ;-). Try as I might, I was still a sweaty mess by the time I left.

It was a great night in the baptistry though.  I love being with the kids and being busy.  But I've never gotten that laundry done so quickly!  Hannah, Rebecca and I had tickets to see "Last Christmas" with Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding (from Crazy Rich Asians), directed by Emma Thompson (Professor Trelawny), and it was at Emagine Saline.  We booked it out of the temple, and I hated that I was sitting in soaking wet garments (DriSilque does NOT absorb).  So when we got to the movie theatre, I went in the bathroom, stripped off my garment bottoms, and just went commando.  Yep, I did it.  I felt so gross and sweaty and wet anyway--what embarrassment is there in making myself just a BIT more comfortable?! ;-) The movie was rather gritty, but it has stuck with me over the past few days.  It had a very tender ending.  We even ordered a pizza to our chairs ;-)

John and I had found a twin mattress in one of our storage units, and we brought it home for Hannie (so she wouldn't need to sleep on the couch).  Dash seemed to appreciate our efforts as well!

Crazy thing was that we were headed back to the temple the next morning for family baptistry time.  Several weeks ago, I made a connection to John's Croatian ancestors, and I had about 20 of those names that needed baptizing.  I wanted Ethan and Mark there to do the baptisms because they are so good with those kinds of Eastern European names...and because they are their ancestors.  Unfortunately, Mark couldn't arrive until later that evening, so it was just John, Ethan and Hannah doing the baptisms, but it was so beautiful.  Just our family and some temple workers in the baptistry, and thankfully some of THE nicest baptistry workers I've seen in a while.  Rebecca and I got to be the witnesses for the baptisms as well.   I will admit that I was hoping for some really great spiritual experience with all of that family finally having the. experience of being baptized together, but it was just a sweet moment.  And how thankful John and I are again that our children are always able to enter the temple.

We left the temple at 11:30, because we had an appointment with Kristin (our realtor) to see the PARTY HOUSE!  Seriously,  we wanted everybody to see it and to weigh in with what they thought.  Thankfully, the had the same feelings John and I do--it just feels like it's ours already.  I sure hope we get to stay here and move in there.   And keeping with the party theme, we went to Black Rock afterwards for lunch.  We had an AMAZING waiter who gave us every discount possible.  It sure was nice having a little break from the babies and just relaxing and celebrating.

And we only saw them for a couple of hours before we had Eden (one of my YW) come over and babysit so that we could go to a MICHIGAN HOCKEY GAME!  WOOT!  The season opener against the Minnesota Gophers.  One of the kids said that if we stay in the area, we need to look into season tickets, and I agree.  We love going to hockey games.  And man alive, Hannah was READY with her Michigan hockey jersey! ;-). We had great seats, and the game went into overtime which is always fun.  You know what would have been MORE fun? Michigan winning (insert eye roll emoji here).

  

Mark and Allison arrived safely that night, thank goodness, and stayed at Allison's parents' home because we just don't have enough room here in our two bedroom apartment ;-)

The next morning, John and I were up super early to take the old dogs to the groomers, and then we headed out to Hudson Mills Metropark for the Turkey Trot!  We had decided that we were going to wear our best running clothes so that we might possible get a family picture, because the photographers on this course are fantastic, and the downloadable pictures are FREE!  Both Mark and Ethan came armed with great hats!  Of course, it turned super cold, and was only 27 degrees when the races started.  Ethan and Rebecca had made a run to Meijer the night before to buy the 30 cheapest cans of food for the food drive at the race....and they earned three free leftover t-shirts as a prize ;-)

Brother was having a melt down in the strolled behind us, but the rest of look GREAT!

Brother...crying on the cold, wet concrete...

The 5K started first.   Allison stayed with the babies, and Brother was having NOTHING OF IT with his mom running away from him.  Yes, he cried the entire 25 minutes until his dad crossed the finish line.  Baby, however, was more than happy to play at the playground...in the 25 degree weather!  I tried to run it, but I'm just too heavy now which felt very strange since I walk 5-7 miles a day.  But everyone finished quickly....except Rebecca.  She tore her achilles tendon a month ago and was determined to finish the race even with an ankle brace on.  It took her just under an hour, and she was the champion of the day!

Hannah, Mark, Ethan and John then started the 10K an hour after the 5K began while Rebecca, Allison and I stayed with the babies.  Thankfully, there were some fire pits close to the finish line so we stood around those for a while.  But just 30 minutes later, the mile fun run began which Baby was registered for.  It should have been a "fun run" but just minutes after she started, some bigger kids started passing her, and Allison said she broke down crying, saying she couldn't do it.  Yep, we had warned Allison that if she pretended to race Baby during the race ("let's race to the next tree"), she needed to lose or Baby would "lose it", but we forgot to tell the other 20 runners that as well ;-). However, Allison talked her into keeping going, and she was the cutest thing when she finished!  And pumpkin pancakes afterwards?  YES please!

Everybody came home very tired that afternoon, and I will admit that there's nothing nicer than a nap after a run!  Thank goodness Hannie documented the exhaustion...and the fact that Ethan DOES on occasion nap.... ;-)

That night, I had bought tickets to see the Ann Arbor Symphony playing Star Wars music.   Allison went all out, dressing up like the admiral in the last Star Wars movie (with the purple hair), and she looked AMAZING!  We were going to stop by Target and pick up SW tshirts for the rest of us lame-os, but we ran out of time.  However, we DID still have time to drop by Vault of Midnight and Cherry Republic before the concert #win! The concert was fast and fun and easy, and I'm so glad we went.

The next morning, the kids sang in church, and I said goodbye to the Young Women.   We then came home, and everybody worked together to throw us a 30th anniversary party.  The decorations were AMAZING--gold and white and confetti everywhere....including Brother's chubby little feet!

  

Steaks and barbecue chicken, sweet potato fries, fresh pineapple, and a cheesecake that could have sat in any Cheesecake Factory window!  In fact, Cheesecake Factory HAS a 30th anniversary cheesecake, so Allison decided to, you know, no-big-deal just replicate it perfectly!  Since we won't be together for Thanksgiving, we all went around and said what we were thankful for, and there were so many sweet, tender moments.  Then we did what turned out to be one of the funnest activities of the weekend--we put together a puzzle that Rebecca and Ethan had created and had made for us.

Brother might be "helping" with the puzzle, but Uncle Mark wanted to watch Coco with Poppie and Baby (who knew he hadn't seen it before????)

Isn't this such a sweet gift?  Documenting our 30th anniversary trip in a PUZZLE??

I loved this weekend. I loved how busy we were, and I loved all the things we did together.  Like I told the family, when I thought about what picture would best represent a 30th anniversary for John and me, all I could think of was a picture with the family. They are the best things that have come out of 30 years of living, and they are the only lasting "things" that we will have to show in the eternities.  In fact, when we were singing around the cheesecake (insisted on by Baby), we realized that the cake and the song represented the birthday of our marriage.  It all began 30 years ago, and it couldn't have been any better.