BUT... today has BIGGER, MORE IMPORTANT happenings anyway:
Jacob is 11!!!
At 1:31pm on October 3, 1997, weighing 7 lbs 15 oz, Jacob Michael Peoples came blasting into the world... he hasn't stopped moving since! What a bright and vibrant personality. We LOVE you so much, Jacob!
Jacob will spend most of today with his classmates, celebrating with chocolate chip cookies and fun Friday activities. His chosen birthday plans for tonight with Grandma include a trip to Crazy Bounce and the premiere of Star Wars: the Clone Wars on Cartoon Network (his choice). Happy Birthday!!!
And we can't forget Jacob's (almost) birthday buddy and great-grandmother, Nana:
On October 2, 1918, Joan Rodenhouse was born. Yesterday, Joan (Nana) Hoekstra turned an outstanding 90 years old. What a life she has lived... she was born at the end of World War I into a loving family in Grand Rapids, MI. She has lived through the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World War II (during which her 1st son, my dad, was born, and she watched her husband, brother and many other loved ones go off to war), the 50's, Women's Lib, the Cultural Revolution of the 60's, the birth of her seven grandchildren, beginning in 1974, the death of her beloved daughter, Christy, and cherished husband, Rich (Bops), and now the birth of (so far) four great-grandchildren, with another on the way! Difficult to comprehend the enormity of these years and the impact she has had on all our lives. Easy to see why they call her a part of the "Greatest Generation."
Happy Birthday, Nana! We LOVE you... God bless you!
Friday update: I'm not sure I'll have time to make it out for a run today, but I've managed a few good runs so far, including my intended long run for the week.
It has been mostly cold and cloudy with lots of rain. I wished I had my camera with me a couple of times... on Tuesday, there was a strong northeast wind and I watched 8 or 9 parasurfers on the south side of the South Pier... so close I felt like I could touch them! They skim across the water at incredible speeds, and I saw one of them leap from a wave and rise at least 30 feet up into the air. What a thrill! The waves are enormous when the wind is strong like that, and there were a couple of days that I couldn't make it to the end of the pier, as the waves were washing right OVER it. I didn't have a camera with me, but it looked a lot like this picture from a year or two ago:
The countdown continues. Only 9 days until Race Day. I still welcome anyone who hasn't taken a look at my fundraising page to consider a donation toward my efforts for Team World Vision. You can find all the details HERE. Thank you to everyone who has already pledged their support... it means so much to me!
I still have lots of last minute preparations to make to ensure that we are ready and everything goes smoothly. Otherwise, since I'm not supposed to do much running, it's kind of a waiting game now. (And a little gut-churning to go along with that.) Chicago, here I come!
We love you so much!
What a great kid!
still likes to snuggle with his blankies
the Dora "flashlight" 
