Aunt Lois

Aunt Lois passed away three weeks ago on May 8th.  She was Uncle Dale's wife, my mom's second oldest sister, my loving aunt.  Her death did take me by surprise, I guess I didn't expect it so soon after Uncle Dale passed away.  Yet, it feels like she passed away several years ago, once the Alzheimer's took possession of her mind and body.  

It's difficult to say exactly how I felt about her death.  I suppose Uncle Dale's funeral served as a sort of farewell for the two of them.  Which dissipated most feelings of sadness I might otherwise have had once the news of her death was relayed to me.  Instead, I felt happy.  Happy that finally, after several years, the stranger that once occupied her body has now left.  I wasn't able to make it to the funeral, but both my mom and brother said that she looked like herself again, lying at peace in her coffin.  I am happy that Aunt Lois is able to reunite with Uncle Dale!

Uncle Dale and Aunt Lois, August 2006

My stop in Wyoming during my move to Oregon.

Aunt Lois took me in as one of her own grandchildren, just as Uncle Dale did.  She was a wonderful woman.  I know that she had a reputation of having a sharp tongue as well as having had a good streak of getting on people's bad sides... as people likewise often got on her bad side.  For some reason, I was fortunate enough to always stay on her good side.  I kind of feel special that way.  I don't have very many memories of her being upset with me.  And the memories I do have of her being upset with me, always resulted in me winning her over.  I suppose you could say I had her wrapped around my finger... Perhaps because I'm her baby sister's baby?  Truthfully, every one of her grandchildren probably say the same thing - they had her wrapped around their finger.

I just know that I was one of the very few that was allowed to use the indoor bathroom at the family cabin.  And I remember on one occasion, I was able to convince her to make apricot syrup for the traditional family pancake breakfast (after she shot down a handful of other requests for the same syrup).  

Aunt Lois was a beautiful seemstress.  I loved receiving packages in the mail from her because it was usually something special that she sewed for me.  I still wear the pair of pajama bottoms she made me nearly 12-years ago! And they're still in tip-top shape!  I LOVE them!

I could go on and on about how much I loved this woman!  And I think it had to do with how much she loved me!  She is someone special.  I can't wait to see her again!

Aunt Lois and me at Uncle Dale's funeral

(photograph courtesy of my cousin, Abbie Rufener)

Pancakes!

Stephen Wildish

Recentings

Here's a little something that has been occupying the majority of my iPhone time:



Look at those little paws! And those flippy-floppies! I have watched this video an undisclosed (e.g. 100+ ) amount of times the past few days. One might say that I'm on the ledge about to jump into the obsession category. I'm pretty sure if I was in close proximity to a baby sea otter I might exhibit some of the same characteristics as one Elmyra Duff.

Apparently it's illegal to own a baby sea otter. Or regular-sized sea otter for that matter. It seems as though people are a bit fearful of the everyday commoner owning a wild animal. I have no idea why one would be afraid of their next door neighbor owning an wild animal?!!!

Even so, I've told Wyatt that I want one to live in our bathtub. I don't think he realizes I'm serious because he just laughs. Or maybe it's a nervous laugh... I made my friend Tessa, who is visiting Alaska this Spring, promise me she will "grab the baby from it's mother's clutches" and bring it home to me for my very own!

Soon you will be mine baby sea otter!!!

Another video viewed an unusually high amount of times:



Wyatt and I LOVE the dancing!

And you thought I was going to debut with something clever...

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Cards of Christmas' Past: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Uncle Dale

This week I am grateful for eternal families and the plan of salvation. My dear Uncle Dale passed away on November 11th. He was 84 and sick, so the news of his death didn't come as a surprise. Even so, it's not easy to come to terms with the fact that someone you love has passed away. It truly is the atonement that has helped me cope with his passing. Knowing that his time on earth was nothing more than a fraction of his life. Knowing that I will be able to see my sweet uncle, with my other family, again in the afterlife. How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father that understood love and families, and provided a way to make them eternal.

I wish I could express exactly how my heart feels about Uncle Dale. My mother's parents died when I was very young, too young to recollect any memories of them. Uncle Dale and Aunt Lois understood this and filled the void I would otherwise have. They stepped in as my grandparents and treated me as if I were one of their own grandchildren. I have many fond memories of Uncle Dale.

Uncle Dale and me, 1988.

Many summer vacations at their cabin in the Uinta Mountains of Wyoming.

My week visit alone to the cabin and their home in Green River, Wyoming in 1988 when I wasn't quite six.

My visit with my cousins to their home in Thermopolis, Wyoming in 1995 when I was 12.

Uncle Dale and Aunt Lois's visit when I lived in Chicago, 2001.

Our lunch date at Little America when I was passing through on my move to Oregon, 2006.

The thousands of griddle cakes Uncle Dale cooked on an open fire.

The blue jumpsuit he always wore.

The way he always sang.

His smile.

His giant bear hugs.

Uncle Dale with my cousin Collette's kids. I love the smile on his face.

Uncle Dale had a way of making everyone he met and knew feel special. I know that every grandchild thought they were his favorite. He made me feel the same way; I felt like I was his favorite. He always called me "English" (derived from Brittany - Great Britain - England - English). He could light up a room simply by walking into it. He had an unwavering testimony of the gospel. He had an infinite love for my aunt.

I received a letter from Uncle Dale last December that I have cherished ever since. My aunt had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's for a handful of years and the effects of the disease were transparent. Even so, Uncle Dale met this adversity with a positive attitude. The following is an excerpt from the letter he wrote me, describing his feelings for Aunt Lois:

"I am thinking of moving her to another location closer to where I live... I love her so much so maybe I can spend more time with her also. She is doing amazingly well. She knows me and calls me by name. We told the beautician not to color her hair and it has come in the prettiest gray. Not white gray but gray gray, it is so pretty and shinny. It just enhances her looks. I take her for a ride in the car about at least once a week and some times twice. She seems to soak up everything and reads me signs, tells me when the lights are green for go and red to stop. Her health is excellent other than Alzheimer's. She tells me she loves me and wants to kiss me. I love it."

Uncle Dale and Aunt Lois at the cabin.

I can only hope that Wyatt will be in love with me after 60 years of marriage the way my uncle was in love with my aunt. He was chivalrous.

I am looking forward to seeing you on the other side Uncle Dale. I love you.

Marathoner

mar·a·thon·er, noun. Someone who participates in long-distance races (especially in marathons).

In recent news, I have elevated to "marathoner" status. That's right my bloggy readers, I now have two marathons under my belt! "My name is Brittany Wilson, and I am addicted to running." My bud Jen and I dragged our husbands to Chicago two weeks ago so we could compete in the Chicago Marathon. Yay!

When we decided to run the Chicago Marathon, it was already filled. So we had to purchase bibs from people that were no longer able to participate. Jen bought a bib from Brynn (the butcher) and I bought my bib from Nupur. I had a friend draw the above picture, I added the words, made a silk screen, and printed matching shirts!

The Chicago Marathon had 37,000 runners! A far cry from the 800 in our Newport Marathon last year. Oh, and one lady ran 38-weeks pregnant and had a baby shortly after crossing the finish line. And another man died. So yeah, I ran in a race where one life was taken and another was given.

I won't bore you with all the details. Though, it has come to my attention recently that many people are unfamiliar with the ends and outs of a marathon. Notably that a marathon by definition is a 26.2-mile race. I've had many people ask me how far my marathon is/was. Also many people are unaware of how long it takes one (of average running speed) to run a marathon. I've had one person innocently say that they heard I ran the race in two-hours, and was able to qualify for Boston. Yep, that was me, drafting behind the Kenyans... (It's the elite runners that come in around the two-hour mark. The average time (at least for the Chicago marathon) is four-hours and 45-minutes. And my age group (female: 25 - 30) has to run a marathon under three-hours and 40-minutes to qualify for Boston.)

Us, running in the MASS of people. It never really did thin out... even at mile 26.

The Kenyans. I think the winner came in at 2-hours and three minutes. Like I said, I was right behind them. Because I look like I am an elite runner...

By now you're wondering what my time was. Drum roll... ... ... ... ... I was successfully able to shave 17-minutes from my last marathon, bringing me in at 04:02:37. Not too shabby. Especially considering that I was not feeling confident the morning of the race that I would even be able to beat my old time, let alone reach my goal (which was to run a four-hour marathon... I know, two-minutes over! Even so, I'm counting it).

Mile 12. The only time Wyatt and Jon were able to really cheer us on.

I could go on about how we walked the streets of Chicago far more than we should've the day before, how my ankle/shin was sore from all the said walking, how I didn't sleep very well two-nights before, how I woke up at 3am WIDE AWAKE race day and proceeded to stare at my clock for three hours, how I was successfully able to "go to the bathroom" before the race (a stress of any long distance runner), how I surprisingly felt GREAT the first 21 miles, how I peed my pants at mile 24 (yes, while running), how I nearly gave up at mile 26 (who's bright idea was it to add a hill 0.2-miles before the finish line?!!), and how great I felt at the end of the race. Yeah, I won't go into detail...

Another shot of the thousands of people.

Here are the highlights of the weekend:

1. Returning to my beloved city, Chicago! It has been five years since I lived in Chicago and I felt like I had never left. I was GRINNING from ear-to-ear the minute the plane landed.

Grinning from ear to ear!

2. Strolling (and running) the streets of Chicago with Wyatt (just strolling, not running), Jen and her hubs, Jon (also just a stroller, not a runner).

This is what Jen looks like when she's not running. (I thought she'd appreciate this picture.)

3. Absolutely PERFECT weather! Sunny, CLEAR, and warm (the temperature hovered around 75 d's the entire three days.)

4. Visiting with my Chicago friends I haven't seen for years (sad I missed all the others).

5. Running a marathon.

Happy finisher!

6. Seeing Wyatt act as the paparazzi as he sprinted by my side, camera in hand, trying to snap a few shots of us as we passed.

7. Chicago food. It is the best.

Yeah, so it was an awesome weekend. And I'm sure I'll be maintaining my "marathoner" status by signing up for another in the future. Next time, I hope I can come in sub-four-hours. And maybe, with a lot of training, someday I will qualify for Boston.

The marathoners (plus Jon) basking in the sun of a job well done. (About to gorge on some delectable Italian Beef sandwiches!)

The Summer that Never Came

Here it is, August 10th, and we have had roughly 15-days over 80-degrees since the start of summer. 15! And things are looking pretty dim for the upcoming ten-day forecast. I know, I know, I am obsessed with the weather. I'm not going to deny it, I am. But frankly when you've been counting down the days until your favorite season and it doesn't have the decency to show-up, you too might be on the verge of a hysterical break-down.

Wyatt said it best when he said, "Oh, Fourth of July must be around the corner". Because it feels like we're in eternal spring here in the Pacific Northwest!

So for all my bloggy readers that are amidst a heat wave, just take a moment and think of me and my suffering (I'm not being dramatic, I am suffering). Would you rather that your heater automatically turn on in the heart of July? Or that you needed your heated blanket in the middle of August? Because your dreams could come true if you simply lived in Oregon!

Let me just say that my worst nightmare has come true. And that I am still waiting for summer to start as of August 10th. And that La Nina is officially on my bad side. I hate her so much!

PS - I wasn't lying about the heater or the heated blanket. Both of these events did take place in my home this "summer". I feel so sorry for myself that I could cry.

PPS - It's no wonder that no one reads my blog anymore. All I do is talk about the weather... I guess that is what my world revolves around.

PPPS - I was going to blog about how I know of 66 women that have been/are pregnant this year. And how 53% of the babies are boys, 41% are girls, and 6% are unknown. And how April, June, and July were the most popular months to have a baby this year. And how 34% are first-time mothers, 21% had baby number two, babies three and four both had 17% of the pie, 11% had five or more. Yes, I am a nerd and have been tracking the stats in my trusty excel workbook. I know more than 66 women but I got tired of tracking and stopped. That is a lot of babies!