Happy Birthday Lynnette!

Today is Lynnette's birthday. To celebrate her, I thought I would list what I consider to be the Top Ten Moments since she joined our family:

1. First time I met her - in St. Louis - where she was working at the same summer youth camp as Sam (and where they met). Maribeth and I drove up in my (at the time) car - a Volkswagon Cabrio (small convertible). Sam, his friend Bugg, Maribeth, Lynnette, and I all went out to dinner in that car -boys in front and girls in back. Luckily Lynnette is tiny, which made up for all the space I was taking up in the back seat. However, since she is tiny, I also thought she was still in high school (I think she was in grad school).

2. Doing her first "big" race - the now defunct Minnie 15K. I kept sight of her jogging ahead of me until I finally caught up with her and we finished together. I think that was the last time we finished a race (that wasn't a fun run) together!

3. Her first Davidson Disney trip - she roomed with Molly and got the full Davidson Disney drama - tears, hurt feelings, dining ressies, late night at the parks - and we didn't even stay on property!

4. The "all girls" Disney trip when she, Marilyn, and I all got to the airport at the same time and got the rental car and headed out to Wilderness Lodge - after midnight. We couldn't work the GPS thingy (a first-gen GPS) on the car and ended up driving around and around past the MK, looking for the road to to to Wilderness Lodge. The good news was that there were no lines at check in!

5. Her first (to date, anyway) marathon where Maribeth and I were her race crew, meeting her at every two miles to provide drinks and support. Which was handy, since she was a little preggers (unknown to anyone) and feeling the need to toss her cookies (or crackers or whatever) every now and then on the course. Luckily Sam (who did the half marathon) joined the support team when Maribeth had to go to work and could ascertain whether she needed to quit (she didn't!).

6. Any road trip with the family, which usually involves made-up games, arguments about trivial nothingness, and surveys about ridiculous things.. Luckily she travels with an Ipod and not a gun, because I'm not sure whom she would shoot first!

7. Her willingness to travel with Maribeth for a special mission, which mostly involved Lynnette spending time in her room at a Microtel (which will also hopefully be her last time in a Microtel).

8. Her tenure with the Cabrio and the various car situations it presented.

9. The family Thanksgiving trip to New York City which involved dead batteries on planes and crashing private parade parties.

10. Lindley's first diaper dash - when she couldn't crawl - and Lynnette getting her to the finish line!

These are just a few of the fun times we've had, and there are many more to come - Happy Birthday Lynnette!!

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Today's blessings: 2 miles with the Karens in the cold; floor dudes at M&M's house; getting projects complete; actually figuring out the DVD player and watching 3 movies