Walk for Lucas

The same weekend Jason and I volunteered for the St. George Marathon, we drove down to Vegas to participate in the annual Buddy Walk in honor of sweet Lucas we lost a few months ago.

The guys stayed home so Deb, Katie, Sheridon, Melissa, Becky and I took the kids and headed to the park.

Deb bought t-shirts for everyone and proceeds were donated to the National Society of Down Syndrome Children.

Wyatt was so good, both on the walk and during pictures afterwards. During pictures he grabbed my hand and started pulling me toward the playground. "Shannon come on!" Cute little guy.

The walk wasn't long- just around the park, but there were so many people, so many teams walking in memory of lost loved ones.

I know we were all thinking about Lucas that day. Some of us think about Lucas every day.

We miss his sweet spirit.

Fall in Dixie

One morning as I was headed off to school I spotted these big beautiful bushes transformed completely over night. What had been just a boring green bush was now so gorgeous- entirely covered in purple blossoms.

Fall is in the air!

I took Ollie for a walk as soon as I got home to see for myself the beautiful changes fall had brought our neighborhood.

It wasn't much, everything was still pretty green and lush, or as lush as a desert can be. But it was one of those much needed walks, not the kind where you take the dog out and tap your foot impatiently until he finally does his business, but rather one of those walks where you, well... stop and smell the bushes.

;)

I did find some leaves, turned golden by the effects of the seasons, but hidden and found in small increments.

Ollie needs another haircut. He looks like a scruffy little scotty dog. :)

It's so different here than up north where I'm used to. There the seasons change and there's an abrupt shift in the air- no doubt that winter's here and here to stay. But here things are different. Last week we got some rain and just about broke out the sweaters, but now we're back in the 80's.

It's Fall in Dixie with little change in the air, purple blossoms and a bit of rain.

 Call me crazy, but that's just how I like it.    :)

STG Marathon 2011

Last weekend was one of those weekends you live for- complete with food, friends and family. In addition to the annual Buddy Walk in Las Vegas, General Conference and "Ladies Night" with my sister in laws, I volunteered for the St. George Marathon and had a blast doing it.

Not many things are worth a 4 a.m. wake-up call, but the sunrise we saw as the runners began their race made little to no sleep 100% worth it.

7,500 runners passed by our aid station at mile marker 5.

Jason, Larissa and our friends Leana and Lyndsay were sweet enough to join me. Together we sliced oranges and handed out half a million water cups.

Then we picked up half a million water cups. :)

When we signed up to volunteer, we had no idea we'd be working with the young men and women of a Washington Ward.

When I interviewed a few of the leaders I learned the ward has been helping out at the Marathon for 25 years!

When our volunteer 'shift' was over we headed into the heart of town to watch the first thousand runners cross the finish line.

Runners held hands, carried children and collapsed across the finish line. At one point Jason turned to me and said, "This might sound lame, but everytime someone crosses that line I almost get choked up." It wasn't lame though, because I felt the same.

You feel attached to them somehow, as if the service you gave them drew you closer. Then you find yourself feeling for every last runner. It's an experience I wouldn't take back. Even if it did mean six more hours of sleep. ;)

Read more about our experience at http://www.southernutahnow.com/articles/2011/10/03/washington-county-ward-volunteers-25-years-maratho/