Tinker Bell Half Marathon

Man! Long time no blog, huh? Well, I have been job hunting (to no avail) like a mad woman. There is a position out there for me, I just haven't found it yet. Since I moved back from London, I've had this itch to take a trip somewhere, anywhere. It's gonna happen. I can feel it in my bones.

I got an early start on my bucket list for 2014. After 20-odd weeks of (poor) training, I ran the Tinker Bell Half Marathon. I actually did better than I thought I would. I don't know that I ran one whole mile throughout the marathon, but I finished in 2:39:11. I was hoping for a 2:30 finish but realistically anticipated a 3 hour finish so I was very pleased with my time when I finally crossed the finish line. The 12th mile was the LONGEST! Holy Moly, I didn't think it was ever going to end.

The Tink Half attracted a big crowd and I loved reading everyone's signs. Some of my favorites:

"Run random stranger"

"Whine now, Wine later"

"The pain is in your head…and your legs, and feet"

"Mom, hurry up! Dad didn't feed us breakfast"

"I trained six months to hold this sign"

There are two sure fire ways to get me choked up. One is any type of military ceremony and two is total strangers cheering other strangers on. It's a reminder that human kindness still exists. I may or may not have teared up more than once hearing all those cheers of encouragement. What? I'm not a robot.

 I picked up my race packet two days before.

 My shirt was too big, but I wore it anyway.

 I woke up at 2:30am, got to Disneyland at 3:25am, found my place to stand at 4:00am and waited to start running at 5:40am. It was a long, tiresome process. I was SUPER nervous! Some of my concerns were:

"What if I finish last?"

"What if I don't finish at all?!"

"What if I don't run fast enough and they have to pick me up in a truck and drive me back?!"

"What if I get hurt?"

"What if I can't find my parents afterward?"

"What if my parents get into a car accident on the way there and one of them dies and the other one blames me because if it wasn't for me running, they wouldn't have been driving and who ever died would still be alive!?"

 I heard there was 15,000 runners! It was INSANE how many peeps were there!

 This is the starting line. They had us start running in groups. I was the last group to start.

 We ran through California Adventure and Disneyland park. There were a ton of characters to take pictures with that included: Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Monster cheerleaders from Monsters University, a slew of pirates, The Incredibles, and the longest line to take a picture with Darth Vader.

 The hostess with the mostess.

 The parks were all lit up and the race started with fireworks. It was pretty magical. Any other half marathon is just a really long, boring run.

 Forever my Disney favorite.

 I did end up finding a bathroom just before I left California Adventure at mile three. All those worries made me have to pee.

 Just before I crossed the finish line I found my parents cheering and taking pictures from the crowd. It was the best ending to my first (and probably only) half marathon. I got a medal and my picture taken, not to mention a banana, water and snack pack.

 My cheerleaders!

 Haha! I saw this guy while running. His butt says "BOOTY". There was a lot of runners dressed up. I don't how they did it. I had a hard enough time with my tiny backpack and yoga pants (wrong pants to wear, they kept falling down). I did love seeing all the costumes though. 

Once I was finished I had to walk from Timon parking lot back to Mickey and Friends parking structure. WHEW! I didn't know if I was going to make it. Usually people take that tram, but I did not see one available which I thought was silly because I just ran 13.1 miles and the least they could do was provide a ride to the parking structure, right?

Susan "Second Star to the Right and Straight on 'til Morning" B.

A Story of Coversion Part Two-The Wedding

Remember my friend Daniela from this post? Well, last summer she got engaged to the love of her life! I am thrilled that I was able to be a part of her special weekend. I flew out to Dallas the day after Christmas and from the moment I landed it was go time. I stayed at Daniela's house with her and her family. He mother is such a sweet and generous woman. I can see where Daniela gets her kindness from. I was given a warm welcome and practically pampered the rest of the weekend.

 After we had lunch, we headed to the Dallas Temple where Daniela went through for the first time. I heard a quote once that I'm going to paraphrase. It was something like, true conversion happens not at baptism but when the individual goes through the temple for the first time. I am so lucky that I got to witness Daniela's full conversion into the church. The picture above is of everyone who was there.

 The next day was the sealing. These two kids were meant for each other.

 Awe.

 The bride's parents were so proud.

 It was such a beautiful day in Dallas for a wedding.

 The grooms family.

 The grooms parents. I really enjoyed getting to know Blake's (groom) mother. Such a sweet lady.

 Groom and brides parents.

 Two families became one.

 The whole grooms family.

 The whole bride's family.

 I was so impressed with Daniela's grandmother. She is one awesome lady. On the morning of the wedding, she got up and went to a hot yoga class! Last year, she did this monstrous walk through Spain called the Camino which is like 500 miles long! On the morning that I left I said good-bye to her. She only speaks Spanish and I could only understand a little but during out good-bye I could tell she was expressing gratitude and love in the things that she said.

The boys, being boys.

The reception.

 Mmmmm. Red velvet wedding cake.

 There reception was at the Palace Arts Center next to the Palace Arts Theater. Inside, Elvis was strumming his guitar.

 This is the theater.

 Oh man. Main Street was so CUTE! It had such a small town feel with great old buildings and lots of Christmas decorations up. I was told more than once that it is the Christmas Capitol of Texas.

 I don't what this building is. It was across the street from the venue. Too cute.

 Water pumping windmill on Main Street.

Susan "hunka hunka burning love" B.

Friends For Life

I made a lot of friends while living in London, but there are only a few that I know I will be friends with for years to come. Two of those friends are Helen and Tim. I first met Helen on my first day in the Hyde Park Ward (least favorite ward ever). She asked if she could sit next to me and we have been friends since that day. She and Tim are from New Zealand and Australia respectively. They moved to London to find work and experience living in another country. Helen and I became friends at a crucial time in my life. I had been struggling with my beliefs and I was having trouble fitting in at church. If Helen hadn't been there in my ward, I'm afraid I would have stopped going altogether. I am really lucky to know both of them. They opened up their home to me, invited me for dinner, sat with me at church and taught me about their lives. 

I loved hanging out with Helen one on one, but I really liked being around the two of them together. They have such an honest and healthy relationship as far as I could tell. You can tell that they respect each other and are very much in love, but not in an over-the-top annoying way. What I liked the most was the expression on Tim's face when he looked at Helen. It seem to reveal what his heart was feeling. I could just see that he knew he had found the one and only girl that would make him happy. And she did. Every time I saw that I would think, I hope I find a man that looks at me, the same way Tim looks at Helen.

I miss them both terribly. But I know that I will see them again. Hopefully next year when they are in New York I can meet up with them. I regret not getting more pictures of us together. Helen had birthday breakfast with me and trimmed my hair. She met up with me for hot chocolate on one of my last nights in London to say good-bye which is where the above picture is from. I guess I will have to go to New York, if not to just get pictures of us together!

Susan "I get by with a little help from my friends" B.

Good-Bye London

My last semester at Richmond came to an end much faster than I wanted. My mom flew out to help me pack up and move back to the west coast. We played tourist for four days and it was nice to be able to say good-bye to all my favorite spots and to see the city one last time before I left. I spent a good portion of the weekend crying and fighting tears. London is my home. It has been for more than two years and I realize how incredibly lucky I am to have had the experience of living there. As much as I disliked the weather, I loved everything else. It wont be the last time I'm there. I will visit as often as life lets me.

 My last run through Hyde Park. I will miss the colors and vastness.

 On her first night, I took my mom to Winter Wonderland where we ate dinner and walked around.

 We went on a tour at The Tower of London and had lunch which is where I first had a good cry about leaving. I hadn't realized how much I would miss it until I had to say good-bye. My first visit to The Tower of London was on September 16, less than 1 month after I arrived the first time. It seemed appropriate to visit again before I left to bookend my time there.

 I showed my mom Richmond University on the hill and we went past Richmond Terrace.

 The weather was so beautiful that weekend. The sun came out and it was only a little chilly with no rain.

 We did a tour of Kensington Palace which I had been wanting to do all semester. I took a lot of pictures though out the Palace but I decided to only post a few. When I took the picture of my mom I was looking at the sun. That's why Queen Victoria does not have a head. OFF WITH HER HEAD!

 Inside you could put together a placard and present it to the chair and then when you sit down, the chair announces who you are. My mom's was: The Invincible Queen of the Castle. I was: The All-Powerful Princess of Everywhere. My photo was too blurry to post though. They give you a paper crown to wear during your tour. As if a paper crown would suffice for the All-Powerful Princess of Everywhere. Please.

 Listening to secrets of the Palace.

 So regal.

 We also toured Westminster Abbey and paid a visit to Big Ben.

 We walked along South Bank so my mom could see Cleopatra's Needle.

We went to Trafalgar Square to hear the carolers and they had put out memorials for Nelson Mandela in front of the fountains.

I'm back in the states and recovering from Christmas. I worked on my resume and have it all ready to send out to the masses in order to find a job. I'm ready to start working and be a big kid again. I will never forget my time spent in London and all the adventures I experienced. I have been so blessed and am grateful for the opportunity. I will always consider London my second home.

Susan "parting is such sweet sorrow" B.