Memories, Old and New

What a memorable weekend we had up north! (May 19-23)

A few months ago, our youngest daughter, Mindy, convinced eight of our family members 

to run Ogden's Half Marathon down Ogden Canyon on May 21.

Mindy reminded her dad that he had run a marathon or a half marathon with his other four kids, 

and he needed to run one with her. 

Rick's wife, Jodie, had also never run in one, so she signed up, and her daughter, Sadie;

our daughter, Missy, and her son, Jared, signed up and also Mindy's husband, Jeff.

More about that later.

My siblings and I try to get together every year around Memorial Day to honor our parents 

and decorate their graves in Logan. 

We travel from St. George and Elkridge in Utah and Caldwell and Boise in Idaho to be together.

It worked out this year that we could all meet up on that same marathon weekend.

We sure missed having Kay and Ken with us, who are serving a mission in Japan. 

On Thursday night, we drove to Rick and Jodie's, met Karleen for lunch in downtown Salt Lake on Friday,

after her shift at the Church History Museum, 
and then drove to Ogden to pick up the eight packets for the race, 

which was the next day.
We then drove to the Logan Cemetery to meet Hal, Patty, Joan, Cindy and John at 5 PM.
I have to confess that we were 20 minutes late,
trying to fit in too much, but we were so happy to see my sisters and brother.

Patty and Hal always bring the most gorgeous flowers from their son, Evan's, floral business!

Mom's is always pink, her favorite color.

We visited our grandparents' graves, as well as other relatives, and then headed to Wellsville 

to leave flowers on the graves of James and Sarah Parks.

They raised our Grandma Libby Peterson after her mother died in childbirth after delivering her.

Though a bit rainy and overcast, which was a forecast of things to come, 

the drive through Sardine Canyon was so gorgeous and green.

Another little tradition that we have started is to have a meal at Maddox in Brigham City 

before we all take off to our various destinations. 

John and Cindy usually drive all of the way back to Caldwell, having driven all the way to Logan that same day. 

The timing for our reservation at Maddox was perfect, 

because Missy and Jared arrived about that time from Boise for the race the next day.

We enjoyed a yummy meal together, but even better than the food was the company.
We revisited many old memories of times in the past.

We so love to be together, and there was lots of laughter and fun!

Not bright, but early next morning

(last shuttle up the canyon to the Starting Line left at 5 AM),

this crew took a pic while waiting for the starting gun.

Mindy, Jeff, Missy, Jared, Roger and I stayed at Rick and Jodie's in Salt Lake, 
so they had to leave for Ogden at around 4 AM.

Here is the weather report for the time of the race.

They ran the entire time through pouring, driving rain!

Editor's Note:

There is a very fine line between bravery and insanity.

Sometimes it is indiscernible.

Jeff ran ahead to take this pic on his iPhone.

That familiar Ogden arch (we lived in Ogden for 21 years),

was a welcome sight!

Rick and I were waiting at the Finish Line - 

waiting and watching, waiting and watching . . .

Here they come!

I cranked up my iPhone camera, snapped this blurry photo, while trying to balance my umbrella on my shoulder . . . 

. . . and proceeded to touch the circle button too fast in rapid succession,

resulting in getting these runners, 

who were trailing behind my loved ones.

Sigh!

Luckily, these four were photoed at the Finish Line by the race photographer.
That had to be a moment of pure jubilation!

We made our way to the Finish Line and found our soggy, freezing runners, 

jubilant that their race was over and that they made it back, undrowned and alive!

Roger's brother, Scott ( in the left of the pic), was there with his wife Sherie, 

to watch their daughter, Lexie, and a couple of daughter-in-laws, Carly and Julie.

They were shivering and soaked, but had big smiles!

Sadie and her boyfriend, Jake, finished about 5 minutes before the rest.

Back home at Rick and Jodie's that afternoon, it was recuperation time.

Jodie's energy is in the same category as Roger's and his mom's.

She hosted this weekend, 

making all kinds of delicious food, including homemade cookies, beef roast, mashed potatoes, carrots, homemade rolls, honey butter and Rice Krispy treats.

She is here writing a long letter to Josh, on a mission in Hong Kong.

She did all of this that afternoon.

She is one gracious host!

Mindy and Jeff had hurried from the Finish Line to Addie's dance recital, in Highland, 

 then soaked in the tub, etc. before coming back to Rick and Jodie's with their four kids.

No explanation needed for what Roger and Jeff did that afternoon.

The cousins love to be together, and we got a couple of blurry pics of the wrestling match.

I truly am so proud of Roger!

He has run three full marathons, and now this half marathon.

He came in third in his division, and if he was really running it competitively 

instead of just enjoying it with his kids and grandkids, he probably would have come in first!

It was too cold to get a pic of each one with his or her medal at the Finish Line, so we took one at Rick's.

Sadie was on a date, so we missed getting her in it.

Sunday night was Sadie's Stake Seminary Graduation.

She was one of the four speakers, 

and we were so pleased to be able to hear her great talk and be with her on this very special occasion.

Sadie with her proud mom and dad . . .

. . . and her proud Grandma and Grandpa Stratford.

Monday morning we drove back to Ogden to decorate Roger's Dad's 

and his brother, Gordon's graves with his mom.

This is also our tradition, though it was a little early this year.

We also drove to the Ogden Cemetery and decorated Lois's mom and Dad's graves.

Her mom died when she was eleven, and she and her sister, Florence, 

cooked and cleaned for her dad and brothers for years until her dad remarried.

She never knew her grandparents.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch at her favorite place in Ogden, Chuck O Rama, 

then we headed back to St. George.

Wonderful old memories were revisited and new memories were made.

It's official - I am now the only member of my family of kids and their spouses 

to not have run in a marathon or half marathon.

I am the only cowardly one or the only sane one - 

you be the judge!