Porter's Great Adventure

I got the call you never want to get, my neighbor calling to say that my little one is out and is heading towards a busy intersection. I'm at work.

So I immediately call in backups and run to my car, speed all the way home and call my helpful neighbor on the way. He says, "there is a lady out on her run... she is trailing him. He's running from her though."

As I get within a few blocks I call again, I get vectored into their location and I park at the curb. As I get onto the sidewalk I can see our helpful-runner coming my direction... as I look in front of her I see it. A little black speck, running his guts out and barely cresting the small hill.

I yell, "Porter! Come here!" He stops, utter confusion... "What is Mom doing out here in this wierd place? And why is this crazy lady chasing me?"

After I called him again he came and jumped into my arms, gave me a few kisses and then continued to pant his guts out. He had one hell of a run!!

I thanked my neighbors profusely and gave out a few hugs.

My helpful runner-neighbor said that he gave her a good workout! Took her on a new route, hit a hill she wasn't used to, she had to use her arms as she blocked traffic for him to cross the street, etc... and 30 minutes went by so quickly already!

Maybe Porter has a new career ahead of him, Personal Trainer! Not if I have any say... his cute little butt is only leaving the house when I'm attached to it from now on.

I got home, he ran for water, I found the warped part of my new fence that he got out through and blocked it with a huge rock.

I loved on Ike a bit... obviously confused as to what was going on. When I opened the door he was waiting for me, swollen with the expression of, "MOM, PORTER IS GONE. I don't know where he is, and I think that guy next door with the crazy dogs is chasing him."

I got them all tucked in, left out lots of treats and puzzles to keep them occupied and left... hoping that everything will be ok when I return from work.

It does make me feel a bit guilty though, he wouldn't be trying to get out if he didn't feel like he was missing something where he was. I need to be home more. Here come all the "guilty-mom" feelings.....

I snapped this picture before I left... I can't tell if he's longing for another adventure or grateful to have survived the first one.

The bigger the key chain the more important you are

 My keychain used to look like this...

Now it looks like this,

and I couldn't be happier about it.

After four years of being "part-time" (yet working full-time hours) at Westminster College, we finally got word that this year budget was approved for me to be full-time staff/faculty.

So, this year I am moving over into the newer training room. For the past week I have been cleaning and rearranging. I can't take clutter and disorganization very well, so that was the first thing that needed to be fixed.

This year I will be responsible for Men's Soccer, Snowboarding (Men's and women's) and Cross Country/Track (Men's and Women's).

Men's soccer started yesterday. It's going to be a long, crazy season... but I am ready for the challenge and to prove that I can knock this out of the park.

I also took over the snowboard team, and I really mean took it over. My technical job title is "Head Coach", but it should really be Director of Operations or General Manager. I won't do much coaching, but I am in charge of everything else. So right now I am at my desk and taking a break from responding to recruits. Luckily I have watched my parents do this dance for years. I have watched them build teams and manage them awesomely, so while I know that this will be a huge job, I know that I can do a good job.

I am also taking over a new class to teach. I will be teaching Intro to Athletic Training, on top of my other three classes I teach in the health and wellness department. I will have a full schedule, but I am excited about it. Two days a week I will have three full hours of teaching. I love teaching, it makes me feel like I am doing some good in the world... so I am excited to get some good classroom time and tell some fun stories. This should be a great class for sharing stories, pictures, x-rays, videos, etc.... sound like a great time. :)

So, yes, it's only the beginning of July... and yes, I am already busy busy back at work. I didn't really get a summer this year, but then again, who does?

I have been working for this for a long time, and to be here at 31-years-old is an honor.

Who needs Magic Mike when.....????

  Poppa and Owen got hired to work the Spartan Race in Midway, UT yesterday... and they roped me into it. The good news was I was able to tag along with this guy all day!! Yep, that's my stud of a bro Owen, and YES, we are covered in dust/mud... and I do mean COVERED!!

Owen was a roving medic for Phase 2 of the 13-mile course and I was assigned as his sidekick. We had at least half a dozen "obstacles" in our section including cargo nets, sandbag carries, mud crawls, barbed wire crawls, carrying buckets filled with rocks, eight-foot walls to climb over... not to mention trail running, and lots of it.

As we were driving around in our UTV (utility-terrain-vehicle) I quickly realized three things...

1. This was going to a long, hot day for everyone involved.... runners and staff alike.

2. We were going to get REALLY dirty.

3. There was A LOT of eye candy.

I didn't realize that mud runs = little clothing. Makes sense... but I wasn't expecting it!!

I quickly realized that muscles + mud + sweat = FUN!!

So... I got a front row roving seat for this all day....

Crawling under barbed-wire....

and rolling under barbed wire...

and crawling through mud....

and wading through mud...

chopping and throwing...

carrying sandbags...

climbing walls...

and climbing nets...

looking manly...

and finishing...

luckily, lots of finishing.

We had a great time. Quite a unique race that was very impressive to watch. We handed out lots of water, electrolytes and encouragement. Honestly, we didn't see anything too fun (fun = gorey).... but any day with these two is a great day.

Oh, and we found these crazies along the way as well!! They volunteered in registration and the bucket brigade. Dirt and sweat for everyone!!

(Jake, Abby, Pops, Owen, Me)

Our 12-hour day is done... give me some pulled-pork nachos (YUMM!!) and send me home for a shower!