Saturday, February 23, 2013

Our baby boys. Hmm. Ok, our grown guys!

We hit the road this morning with a couple of water bottles and an iPod and headed east. Stopping for coffee, blasting the tunes (window down, yes, but not long enough), having a couple of serious heart-to-hearts (Shawn isn't sure what the recurring theme of his life is), and we were in Milwaukee in no time.  We decided last night, late.  I convinced Joe that it was no big deal to add a few hours onto our plan - we were already going to Dubuque for the Indoor Championship meet for Track and Field, for (Captain) Austin, who wasn't running until late in the day.

We agreed to lunch in Milwaukee.  I'd call him from the road, we decided, at 11:05, just to give him a heads up.  We planned to be there at 11:30.  He planned, quite possibly, to be in the lobby, waiting.  11:05: ring, ring.  No answer.  11:10, no answer.  11:15, no answer.  Where IS he?  11:20, no answer.  11:25, OMG, no answer.  We pulled in at 11:27, snuck in his secure building, and, simultaneously, pounding the brass knocker on his door and phoning him, finally, I heard his sweet voice.  Hello?  We woke him.  We felt bad.  He felt worse.  This kid is sleep deprived, big time, and I can't do a thing about it.  Well, except for listen, and visit, and allow him to buy us coffee, and later, lunch.  This is what working 120 hours per week looks like.  Dear Lord, did I tell you how grateful I am that he finally answered the door?

And then the hard part, saying good-bye.  And then the really hard part, trying to find an MOG dress in Madison.  Don't ask.

And then more fun.  Dubuque.  Austin was running anchor in the Distance Medley Relay (DMR).  It's the last time he competes indoor . . . ever.  And he was fabulous.  Did you think that the mindset when you run track in college is just to run as fast as you can?  Nope!  There's a lot of strategy.  A kid from Simpson College was on his hip.  Austin sensed that.  He knew he couldn't give his all at first because the kid was sticking and he needed to beat him.  So he kept it even and saved his energy.  Austin ran the first 800M in 2:19 and then he got serious, running the second 800M in 2:12.  That's amazingly odd.  Most runners are slower in their second half, but Austin kicked it in incredibly.  It was a lot of fun to see discipline in action.

Seeing our babies today is bound to chase away these winter blues.   We know they're all grown up (duh!) but in the quiet confines of the car, we can't help but call them that.  Love those guys!
Back to my birth state!


We love road trips!


Cup of Joe at Kasana




Then lunch . . .


Thanks for buying, Joe!


And then, back to work.











Anchor Austin


Waiting for the baton



Ready . . .



Simpson kid is sticking . . .


KCRG's Scott Saville, talking with Austin's coach


Winners


3 up from the bottom - look whose name we found!

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