Author Archives: Julie

Rambling Rose Triathlon

Posted on by
2


One random day a few months back, JB found this women’s triathlon and we thought it sounded like a great idea. The training on it was actually a little easier than I recall for the 1/2 marathons and what a rush of accomplishment when we finished. They announced over the speaker your name and “you are a triathlete”. Should have been a “mini-triathlete” but I will take it. It was just so fun to try something different.


I was most nervous about the swim. You enter the pool about 10 seconds apart and I was worried about bumping into or passing people. But the tough part came for me on the bike. I had trained 8-9 miles once a week for the last several weeks, but I really didn’t feel like I was on my game. I mean, I get I am not the fastest. I placed 139 of 227 which is by no means top dog, but I just felt bad as I watched a handful of girls pass me on the bike route. I still say, my back brake was rubbing the tire and it was causing some drag or I was working too hard in the wrong gear, something… surely? I think the transitions didn’t do me any favors either seeing how #1 girl did T1 in 52 seconds and mine was 3min 33sec. I finished it up with a 2 mile run which I felt like I had down good. My legs were not cooperating as well as I liked, but I did good on that stretch.




The best was that our families were able to come and cheer us on. The race and crowd was very small so it made it easy to see each other on the course. We looped around Centennial Park so the kids got to see us several times. Second best, was of course doing this with my friend. This was the first race that we both were healthy and feeling good. We didn’t get to race together, but we knew the other was out there too. I love you girl. Another in our books, friend.

the last few days…

Posted on by
3

Where to begin, where to begin…

(View this video last. It hosed my machine every time I clicked on it.)
Noah
Let’s start with Noah. This week was his 6th birthday. Well, that just sounds weird. It would have been his 6th birthday, or I can say it was 6 years since his birth. But since the girls really think of Noah as 6, I guess it is his 6th birthday. Me? I am not exactly sure how I think of him. Is he 6? Is he the infant I knew? Is he just a perfect holy being? Whew – I try not to get caught up in all that because I just don’t think my human mind was meant to comprehend heaven. But for the girls, he is 6 and we celebrated. We did our traditional balloons. I like that now they like to write and draw pictures on the balloons. (We figured out one year that a balloon cannot take a piece of paper all the way to heaven.) We then decorated cupcakes and enjoyed the evening watching his video and scrolling through pictures of him in the hospital. I began to retell the story of where we were and why he looked that way more than I have in the past. It makes my heart so happy that my girls know who he is and help me keep his memory alive.


Church
We have such an awesome small group at church. We meet each week at our home and try to have some meaningful uplifting time while the 12-14 children play “quietly” upstairs. I have been blessed by many of the families in this group. This week on a moments notice we collected items to be taken to victims of the recent tornadoes in Alabama. I loved to see my car packed with shoes, food, toys, baby items etc. I am thankful for the generous friends that surround me.


Texas
Which brings me to this. Come on, I had to make sure you read the whole post. This is not one of those that you can just scan upon will. This is our home for the last 3.5 years. This is the sign that made it a reality that we are moving back to Texas. Ethan has been unemployed since December and was offered a job in Austin. Someone responded to your resume? “Yea.” Someone wants to hire you? “Yes.” We have to move to Texas? “We can do that.” We will be right in the middle of all our family instead of the east coast people, 14 hours away from birthday, holiday get-togethers. We are excited to be closer to family, but my heart will miss so much in Tennessee. I LOVE this place. LOVE. I have awesome friends who have been through the tough stuff with me. I have amazing neighbors who will do anything I ask. I can let my 7yr old walk down the street alone, I mean, that itself is hard to let go. The weather, the beauty and friendliness of this place is priceless. My prayer is that the Lord will graciously bless us in Austin with even half of what we have been blessed with here.

A bitter sweet Easter

Posted on by
2



We had a wonderful day celebrating the Risen Christ. Our church was able to meeting in a local hotel and I personally had one of the most powerful mornings of worship. We sat together with many from our small group and I loved to see the kids together and even watched Alyssa perform a song on stage with other young kids. It made my heart smile to see her up there, my one who has always been so shy in front of an audience.

We spent the afternoon with some of our favorite people who have blessed our lives so much. I am so thankful for friends like these who God places directly in your path.


New videos

Posted on by
1


Alyssa playing a few of her songs. For the first few months, I stuck with her. I would watch what she learned and practice myself. Christmas time came and I could play most of the songs in her book. Well, I am proud to say that she has far surpassed me. To the point that we were arguing the other day about a technique… she was of course right.


Then there is Audrey. There are few adequate words to describe this fireball. Like tonight at dinner, I thought she could just sit next to me in the booth. I am so tired of highchairs. She jumped, she twisted, she had her hands through the nasty blinds, she bounced, she was under the table at one point. All the while, Ethan calmly asked again and again, “do you want a highchair?” Finally, I gave in. She is full of energy, full of persistence, full of her own way. Here is a peak at bedtime.

our Greenhouse

Posted on by
Reply

Enough of the girls, now it is Ethan’s turn. While he is immersed in looking for a new job, his downtime includes things like gardening. He enjoys it for the sake of gardening, but also enjoys having a good place for his birds and butterflies. This year he decided to grow his own plants. It is much, much cheaper and we were ready to plant well before our official last frost. So he did his research, as he always does, and this is what we have growing in our guest bathroom.


Day 1


Day 3


Day 6

Megan’s soccer

Posted on by
Reply


A few pics from last weekend’s game. Megan does very well. She is fast. She can kick. She can get her foot in the small mob of girls when she wants, but she usually waits on the edge for the ball to come loose. She is very good at making friends, we switched teams after the first game, and she pays attention. I love to watch her play.

As good as any $25 picture I would have paid for, right?



Just for Fun

Posted on by
Reply

Do you think kids know how good they have it? Of course they don’t. I mean, yeah, they have to ask for permission before even getting up from the table to go to the bathroom, but they really have it good. I wish we could all enjoy days of no responsibilities, no pressure, no worries, no expectations, no plans. Just fly by the seat of our pants, moment to moment, with a handful of temper tantrums mixed in.




Living next to cool neighbors has its benefits.


Spring Break 2011

Posted on by
1

This year didn’t bring any big trip for the Whaleys….who am I kidding? No year has brought us a big trip, but we still managed to get a few fun days out of the time off school. For us, it is just nice to not have to keep to the school schedule. And can I get an “amen” for not making lunches? With Ethan home, he was able to join us on our adventures too, which we all love Daddy’s help, I mean his company.

We finally tackled the zoo. I don’t think we had been since last fall and it was fun just to experience it as a family. We actually spent just as much time at the playground this time as we did with the animals. The girls are at a great age to run around together and always want to play, but it was usually too hot. However, the weather was beautiful while we were there, ending the day with a cool breeze.

This photo cracks me up. It was the only one that I got with all three girls. And this is Audrey’s “I have to potty” face. I love that we captured it. She pants like a dog when she has to go and I will say “Do you need to go?” Her response is usually something like… “….ummm….. nope!” But the actions speak louder than words to this momma.


Next up we hiked up a trail at Radnor Lake. We were going for the moderate level one on the south side, but it was closed, so we did the hard one instead. It was a little of a climb for the younger ones, but we all made it. I for one got an awesome leg workout carrying an extra 30 pounds up the hill. The girls spotted a few birds with Daddy, picked up sticks and acorns, and ran screaming from a few bugs, but we still call it fun. Again, the weather was great. Just what we all needed, a little time outdoors to enjoy God’s beauty.

The rest are just of us around the house. You may not think much of them, but I love to look back at these photos years later. Audrey is wearing a Chelsea Football Club (soccer) jersey that was Alyssa’s. Ethan was so excited, I mean really, when I dressed her that day in uniform.

Survivor

Posted on by
7

Today, I am a 1 year cancer survivor! Though some of the days through this journey are foggy, I remember the events of this one. After finding the lump, an ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy, I was waiting for the results. I was at MOPS on a Friday morning and anticipating a phone call. With my phone in my lap, I waited. When it rang, I excused myself and answered. It was the nurse calling to tell me that the findings were not clear. My sample had been sent to another doctor at Vanderbilt for his opinion. You see, somehow, I just knew. All along I knew it was something. This moment was confirmation that we are not going to be able to dismiss this today. I remember my sweet friends who had followed me out of the room that day. Standing there to give me a hug without even know what was told to me. I continued on my day until late in the afternoon when my surgeon called. It was then, sitting at my desk, that I began jotting down words like DCIS, invasive, and cancer. It was then, that all the worries and fears had become reality. But it was also then, that God grabbed my hand and walked with me through the next 8 months. Exactly 8 months as I recall it. November 5 was my last radiation treatment… cool.

In 8 months, I felt that God was with me every step. I was scared, worried, hurt, but I was also at peace. A very hard thing to explain if you have never felt it. There was a mountain in front of me. A huge, I have cancer-mountain. How do I climb that? How do I get around it? How do I climb over? From a distance, the mountain seemed impossible to overcome. But day by day, trusting God, the mountain got smaller. I had sections to climb over, but I never felt like I had to climb it all at once. And now, I look back, and I did make it over that mountain. It is back there, I see it. I have learned through some reading that viewing situations through God’s perspective, thanking Him for the challenges in life, and trusting Him makes the hurts of this world bearable. The act of thanking Him opens your mind to the possibility of benefits flowing from my difficulties. And there were definitely benefits from my journey.

I had hoped for more from this post as I laid in bed thinking of it today. I snuck down quietly to have some time to thank God for this day and write a few words. But throughout my thoughtful process, children have awoke. They are hungry, fighting and one of them pooped. So, I guess it is time to be the mommy that God designed me to be. The mommy that He still needs me to be. Thank you for this day, Lord.

Meggers

Posted on by
3

You know how sometimes you take pictures of your kids because they are so cute and you want to show it off to someone. New outfit, new haircut, new skill. Well, I find myself taking pictures of Megan more to just prove something that she did, out of disbelief. I can’t wait to tell her all the stories I have about her as a child. Like how at age 4 she wanted to make lemonade for the neighbors.

How she mixed up water, sugar, a lemonade mix by herself in her own proportions. She took a little bottle outside with straws and cups and set them up for whoever might happen to stop. After a bit, she decided she needed something to make noise. So she began honking the horn on a bike to get people’s attention. I could hear her calling “lemonade!” She tried a few neighbors before she found one who was home and happy to try her treat. For the others she just left a cup of lemonade on their front porch.


Or how about how she insists on wearing a dress. It doesn’t matter the weather or the occasion, it doesn’t even matter what goes with it. But the chances that we had winter attire to match summer dresses was usually slim. I will tell her how she always wanted to look beautiful and when I tried to get her in jeans she would say it was “sooo boring.” She just has a style about her that is very peculiar.


And I won’t be able to leave out all her make believe. The most recent one being that she is a dog. I mean, crawl on the floor, lick your leg kind of dog. We actually went on a walk today with her boots on her hands walking on all fours. She barks, she roars, she pretends to be anything other than a little girl. When I try to bring her back to reality, again I get “people are sooo boring.”

And this, my friends, was all in one day. A day with Megan is always an adventure.