happy birthday natey boy

My best friend Emily recently commented that I should write about my family & our experiences together because we have some hilarious stories and characters among us. It's very true, but after being a part of it for so long you can't even see it any more. I'm going to do it every Friday and what a perfect day to start but Nathan's birthday?

The year Nathan was born, I was 22 months old and very clearly recall that I was sent to the neighbor's house to eat some watermelon while my Mom had a baby naturally, of course. My parents have always been very health conscious as well as drug free. Side note: we were the kids with brown bread sandwiches before they were cool, carrot sticks, apples and maybe a juice box of something 100% pure or a whole wheat fig newton from the health food store. The memories after Nathan's arrival are quite spotty, probably because I blocked everything out and suppressed the discomfort of not being the only child any more.  

Is this not the essence of big sister control? stay. still. baby. brother. The afternoon didn't turn out so well for that bear in the background either. My entire nap time I covered Brown Bear with Vaseline.

Rockin' Piedmont Park in this one. I can't believe my Mom took us there for picnics in 1979 when there were dead bodies floating in the pond. Wait, maybe that wasn't until the 90's. Anyway, I'm pretty sure Nathan is showing off the food in his mouth. Some things don't change. 

So happy and enthusiastic about everything, even a pumpkin! 

We had pretty wild imaginations and Nathan was always a really good sport with the stuff I made him do. I recall lots of Wizard of Oz, where I got to be Dorothy and prance around the backyard with a stuffed dog in a basket while he had to be everything else running from here to there. So gracious. In this one I think we were in a parade. 

A possible foreshadowing of becoming a pastor or teacher one day? Looks like a "Peace be with you" to me or I'm really excited about sugar. Happy 33rd Birthday Natey Boy! You are loved and missed. 

love these people

How much more fun can you possibly have on the most painful hill during the largest 10K in the world? This city seems small when you run into people you know and love. 

And not just any people...people who use empty beverage jars as restrooms before the race...(not him)

And people who generously give you impromptu rides home in costume.

Happy 4th of July! 

We had an amazing chocolate cake for dessert later that night but it was devoured before I could get a shot.
Sorry Martha. 

how the deal went down before the 4th

The transaction took place in the Starbucks' parking lot at Peachtree and 7th this afternoon. Pulled up to the dumpster area (no other spaces available) and looked for a guy named "Randy" in a "navy blue t-shirt". I told him I had "red hair". He was already waiting for me which made it that much easier. I thought I might just roll down the window, throw the money and grab the bag, but then decided I could be a bit less of a junkie than that. I paid him in cold hard cash and we exchanged a few words. He wished me luck and said he really wished he could keep it for himself, but it was doctor's orders that he not participate.

The goods...

In all seriousness I had no idea what kind of goods these really were!! I felt like Willy Wonka with the Golden Ticket! #3752 out of 55,000?! I wasn't prepared for this. I did start running again back in the Spring, but this group runs just behind the elite class aka: Kenyans. I think I'll be staying to the right--side of the sidewalk.

Three cheers for Randy--who even crossed out his name for me and put an exclamation after mine...he's excited and I'm just wondering if I'll live to tell about this.