Silent Deadly Ninja Monkeys!?!?!

This weekend I went to Vegas (which I love altogether too much for a gal who won't drink the kool-aid) to run a Ragnar Relay Race. There were 12 of us that ran 195 miles total - each of us running 3x. Our team name was The Silent Deadly Ninja Monkeys. That's right! I still have no idea what a SDNM is, but as you can imagine, a boy was in charge of the name, so we just tried to wing it. And, it all turned out so perfectly...



Because sometimes we acted like monkeys...

And, sometimes we acted like ninjas...

But, ALWAYS we acted like crazy people. We even made it on the news in Vegas (though, we may or may not have been mistaken for dogs from time to time).

The race took us 28 hours (or so). Which was apparently ridiculously fast because we finished in the top 20 (19th place overall out of 258 teams).

I can only imagine how fast we would have been had we not been late to the start, 5 minutes late to exchange 6 and late again somewhere else along the route.

We split up into groups of 6, so we could take turns picking up/dropping off/running and eating/sleeping (or trying to). Our Van (Van 2 - the best van!) may or may not have taken a wrong turn and ended up 40 miles from where we were supposed to be (but miraculously lost no time because April has a lead foot). And, we may or may not have somehow locked the car keys in our van, requiring Kelli, Jess and I to hitch-hike (in Vegas at 1 in the morning - no big deal) to our next exchanges while the others waited for AAA. But, we pulled it off.

And, as a reward for our accomplishments, we stayed at the Venetian, got dolled up and trolled the town, on Zombie Walk Weekend. I thought the people-watching in Vegas on a normal day was awesome. Zombie Walk Weekend topped everything I had ever seen in Vegas. Jess and I both got yelled at (in Zombie). Nothing like a whacked out chic with fake blood dripping down her cleavage yelling at you "I want to eat you for dinner" or "you can't come to Vegas during Zombie Week and not expect to get *messed* with by a Zombie".

Viva Las Vegas!

Tender Mercies

Bad week. REALLY bad week.

But, I had one of those weeks that people have when they notice that although they were puking all weekend, someone was holding their hair back. Well, I wasn't sick, but hopefully you get the analogy. I recognized a lot of greatness in the midst of a really bad week. Tender mercies, if you will.

Here are my thank yous for all four:

1. Wes. Thank you for showing up at my house with a drill ready to fix everything that's broken in my house, since you clearly recognized you couldn't fix everything broken in my life. I adore you for that.

2. Mo. Thank you for sending me a ticket to come home, knowing that's the only place I need to be right now. It means more to me than you'll ever know.

3. Elyse. Thank you for being you. And, for shaking me around like a snow globe for the better part of a day. But, more than that, thank you for being that friend that I can look at sideways... and then... "whoa, look at that Devonshire, I used to live on Devonshire....". There are very few people who can make life better and know exactly how to do it with only one glance from a very close friend. You make my life better.

4. Jeanette. You are a blessing in my life, every day. Cute as a button! I am glad I don't have to go through a lot of my uncertainty alone.

We're all being punk'd

Cori and I met when I was just starting college. She's 12 years older than I am. And, when we met, her youngest son, Bricen was 4.

Cori now lives in Hawaii, where she grew up, which works for both of us. If she lived in Kentucky, I might NEVER visit her. And, I am beyond thrilled that our latest Hawaiian adventures are about to happen for a week in November.

Is it November yet?

Bricen promised me when he was 4 that he would NEVER grow-up. Well, he lied, of course. And, now he's 18... sweet mercy, where did the time go?!?

Now the liar lives in California, right down the street from me. And, I couldn't be more stoked about it. We play, and it's fun.

Bricen just got his first job and he recently had a conversation with his mom, which she retold to me. I found it perfectly apt in describing how I feel lately. It went a little something like this...

Cori: Bri, how is the new job going?
Bricen: Well, it sucks I hate it.
Cori: Why?
Bricen: I just don't like it. I feel like I am being punk'd.
Cori: Welcome to life son, we're all being punk'd.

I have an amazingly wonderful life. I am blessed beyond measure. But, I sure could have done without 2010. Each and every day I hope I am getting punk'd. But, I am not. This entire year was one I could have done without. I sure wish trials and tragedies would space themselves out a bit. I am exhausted.

If it's not November yet, I don't suppose I get any repreive from 2011 yet either... oh well.