Um.... WOW.

Last night was the Dare to Dream Gala presenting Dick Hoyt. Holy moly. It was AWESOME!! Ellie LOVED IT!!! She told me this morning that while we were watching the video at the dinner, she was almost crying. She was amazing during the almost 4 hour evening. The people at our table were a bit quiet towards us at first when we sat down. I thought maybe they might have thought, "Oh GREAT. We just spent 150 bucks each to come here Dick speak and we get the ONLY table with the kid!!" But after about a half of an hour they realized that she was very into the whole thing, and were asking her questions about her self. The only other couple at our table were to triathletes. The woman of the couple actually has done 2 Ironman's. TWO!!! I was in awe of her. I stupidly asked her if she has ever run a marathon before, and she said " I like to think that a 130 km bike ride as a good warm up to a marathon" She wasn't mad or rude or anything, but I dumbly did not realize that the length of run these amazing people do is a full out marathon. And this is AFTER the swim and the biking. I was just so impressed with her and her husband. One of the other gals sitting with us said to Regan, "I think it's so cool that you brought your daughter to this!" Regan said, "We thought it would be a good thing for her to see." Around 10 pm she was getting very tired though, and actually sat on my lap, which is very rare for her. We bought his book, and it was signed. I had brought along the movie we have of them to have him signed, but the timing never seemed right to ask him to sign it. Today, Ellie brought the book and the movie to class, and stood up front and held the book up and told their story. Later today they watched the 11 minute video (which I have provided a link to below a few posts ago) and the kids asked A LOT of questions, apparently. And Ellie answered them really well, her teacher told me. Her teacher passed it on to the gym teacher and hopefully other students will enjoy it as much as Ellie's class did. I told her how proud I was of her that she was helping to spread Dick and Rick's message of "Yes you can!" to the world. I was hoping she would be moved in a profound way by last nights event, and I could not have asked for a better lesson learned for her. And for Reg and I too. If you ever have a chance to see them in person, I highly recommend it!!

My birthday was great too! I had to go on a 7 am scavenger hunt for my present. (We open our birthday presents first thing in the morning at our house.) It was the sequel to Eragon, which I loved. But then Ellie said that Regan had bought me some new bookmarks. So I looked, and the "bookmarks" were 2 tickets to see THE POLICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now the back story to this is in 1984 I was OBSESSED with the police, for a few years, actually. And I went to buy tickets to the Edmonton concert. The only tickets left were behind the stage, and so I left empty handed and broken hearted. (insert Charlie Brown sad music here) Only to be further devestated by the fact that they broke up shortly after that. Anyway, I shared this story with Regan when we met, as he also was a huge fan of theirs, and actually did go an see them play. So the fact that 10 years later he remembered my story, and that he got us tickets, well... I cried. And he was very puffed up with himself all day. HUGE points for the Reg that day!! I then made my own cake and they decorated it for me. I have the greatest family ever.

Tomorro is Ellie's first communion, and I am just waiting for my inlaws to arrive from Edmonton. I can't believe she is having her communion already, I can vividly remember my own. Today I volunteered in her school to help her class make rosaries. We didn't just make rosaries, but the lady (she was amazing) taught the children all about praying the rosary, and the meaning behind it all. She was unbelievable. It took 3 hours, but was worth every single second. I got very choked up when we prayed the first joyful mysteries together. There is something about hearing children's voices in prayer or in song that makes me cry. It was beautiful. These are the moments that I really wish Regan was raised a Catholic. This difference does not come up very much, but this is one of those things that makes being Catholic special, I think. I actually belong to the Rosary Confraternity, and have since October 2005. It is a league of roughly 100,000 people worldwide, and we have agreed to pray the entire rosary every single week. I have been off of the wagon for the last few months, but I really miss it. Praying the rosary has become one of the joys of my life, and gives me peace in a way that nothing else does. I also have made rosaries, the wire/bead kind, which to me is such a beautiful gift to give to someone. I am almost done Ellie's that I started a couple of years ago. It is a very meaningful hobby.. I love it. For more on making your own rosaries just type in "Rosary making" on Google and there are many sights devoted to starter kits and supplies and instructions.

I went for a run yesterday after taking 2 days off. I was so so sore from the first time, but now I know why. I wasn't using my watch to count my minute of running and minute of walking, I was counting in my head. When I used my watch yesterday, I realized I was proabably running more like 2 or 3 mintutes at a time!!! So today I am not very sore at all, and am really looking forward to running tomorro morning before we have to get ready for Ellie's big day. I think I may add swimming to my training, and then maybe biking, and who knows, I may even do a triathlon some day!! After hearing Dick speak I feel like I can do anything, and I don't just feel it, I am beginning to even believe it.