7 Amazing Years

Last week, Carrie and I celebrated our seventh anniversary. It's been an incredibly joy-filled adventure with very little about our lives today planned or scripted from seven years ago. But, between faith and each other we feel incredibly blessed to be where we are and where we are going. This photo has layers of meaning. First, it's my "thing" to self-take our photos - even if people are walking by and offer to take it for us. Every fun trip we've ever taken includes a photo like this. Second, this photo is in front of a fountain by the downtown apartment building where we first moved after getting married. We were so excited when the put the small park and fountain in the vacant space. We still love to walk by it. Finally, as you can see we're both in a lot better shape than we were four months ago. A lot of hard work and sacrifice has gone into that (and still does) but we both made the decision that we had to make it important enough to happen now. We feel wonderful and hope that Rece only ever knows fit and active parents. Here's to another 50 or 60 years!

Rece's First Trip to the Omaha Zoo

For those of you that don't know, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo is a top-rated zoo in the United States - in the same league as San Diego and Cincinnati. When I taught, I would take my animal science students on a field trip there annually to meet with the head zoo vet and get a behind the scenes tour of the facilities to learn about animal care, nutrition and genetic research. I love this zoo. Expect to see LOTS of pictures of it through the years.

But this trip wasn't about animals for Rece as much as it was hanging out with cousins, Chance and Shelby, and grandma and grandpa Derner. While Rece had a good time in the aquarium, he had more fun getting attention and playing in the water feature. That's fine, buddy, we have lots of opportunity for me to explain the finer points of giraffe handling systems and large cat dietary requirements.

  

  

Jennie's back!

Carrie's sister, Jennie, is back living with us for the summer. She spent two and half years with us getting her marketing degree from UN-L. We've missed her a ton the past year. Unrelated to Jennie's return we took our first trip ever to Lincoln's horse racing track the first weekend of June. Rece had a great time all the way around. Good thing because we certainly didn't win him any college tuition money on this trip.

Rece gets brave

Just watch this. You'll see what I mean.

May flowers

Our spring was warm and all the flowers are way ahead of schedule. Thankfully, I did think to grab a few pictures of the fron beds in bloom. This never gets old to me.

Shell leaf penstemons - a tribute to the Sandhill pastures of home

The Pickup

Rece loves to play in my pickup. By "loves" I mean we have to spend at least 10 minutes a day in there...every day. I'm guessing I have a few years before he's big enough and coordinated enough to reach the clutch and start it. For now, thankfully, he's content with pretending.

Carrie's Half Marathon

Carrie signed up for Lincoln's half-marathon (13.1 miles for you non-runners, like me) back in December. She wasn't planning to run it, though, because of a hip injury earned while working out so much in March. But, by the week of the run, she decided that she'd try it - at least to earn the t-shirt.

Here she is at the starting line with Katie and Drew (good friends and neighbors for those new to the blog). We took this just as a thunderstorm passed. The day before was 94 degrees, but May 6 turned out to be gorgeous.

Rece and I went home for a bit after the drop-off. We missed Carrie running by at mile 8 because Rece had fallen asleep and was gawking at the spectators. We raced another mile down the course and got out to cheer on Carrie and snap a quick picture.

Of course, in the chaos of trying to find and pick up Carrie after the race, I totally forgot to take a picutre. I am so proud and amazed that Carrie finished the race. And, I felt like a real slacker the next few days as Carrie, Drew and Katie all nursed themselves back to health. None of them were interested in how the early morning drop-off really messed up my sleep schedule for a couple of days. Go figure.

Discovering the Hose

Rece was fascinated watching me water the flowers in the pots on our deck. So I got him a watering can to help. That was good enough for a day or two...then he wanted the hose. So, I gave it to him.

Then he decided he wanted a drink. I obliged.

Check out this concentration:

Soaked...

Fun in the Yard

I love to play in the yard with Rece. We run, roll around, swing...just hang out. Shot this video on an exceptionally beautiful May day after letting him "tackle" me to the ground.