Caleb's High School Graduation

Time goes by so quickly.  I remember someone telling me at church years and years ago (when I was struggling with the boys in the hallway because they couldn't behave in the church service), that this time in my life would be just a blink of an eye and all these hard things would be just distant memories, to just keep plugging along and try to just be consistent about bringing the children each week to church because someday they would grow into fine young men.  This week that day came.  Caleb has made me a very proud Mom.  He has had an exceptional year as a Senior in High School and has grown up so much.  Thursday night was Caleb's High School Graduation and here are a few pictures from that night.

picture of the program

another picture of the program

part of the program that show the names of those in the Senior vocal ensemble

Caleb, Jason and I.  

another picture with Caleb.  I think this shirt I'm wearing makes me look 40 pounds heavier, definitely a shirt I'll donate soon.

Caleb with his girlfriend Bryn

The diploma

Caleb and I again.  I insisted on lots of pictures.

James Caleb Clark

Can't believe Caleb is graduating from High School tonight

Two nights ago I attended Caleb's Band concert.  This was his last band concert of the year.  It was an incredible concert, those students are so great.   Near the end of the concert the band director got up to present a special award called the Director's award for Band.  In Band they only award it to one person.  The band director started going on and on about an individual he felt had grown over the 4 years that he's known him, who had shown the most Leadership, who had gone above and beyond anything he was expected.  Then  he announced this award goes to Caleb Clark.   I couldn't believe I heard my son's name being called out.  So incredibly awesome.  I was just filled with happiness.   Then  last night I attended the last high school choir concert of the year.  This concert was fabulous as well, so much talent displayed.  Caleb, Daniel and Jared were all there singing in different choirs.  My heart was filled with joy as I watched my sons all sing.

Near the end of the concert, Ryan Person, Caleb's Choral Director, got up to present some awards.  He was giving out the Fred Waring Director's award for Chorus.  Ryan then went on to say all these nice things and why he selected who he did.  Then he called out the winner of the award and Caleb's name was called.  I started to bawl.  I just couldn't believe it.  I am wowed that Caleb not only won a Director's award once, but then again.  So awesome for him.  Below are pictures of those awards, not his because his need engraved with his name.

Director's Award for Band

Fred Waring Director's Award for Chorus

Caleb Clark

An article was written about Caleb in the school paper. I'm retyping it for you all to read:

ON A MISSION

Graduate from high school. Go to College for four years, maybe grad school, then get a job. There's a fairly generic formula as to what to do beyond our high school years. Caleb Clark '11, however, is not following this in the least. Instead, the young man hopes to work for a year, go on a two-year long mission trip and proceed to major in theatrical lighting. Despite the fact that, surprisingly, one must pay around $10,000 to serve on a mission trip, Clark looks forward to the experience. "It's a cool opportunity to devote yourself to service," he said. Clark is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in which every "worthy" (determined by physical well-being and adherence to church rules) is requested to complete a mission trip. According to Clark, fellow seniors Brad Guymon and Ryan Stewart also plan to go on mission trips. Members of previous classes, such as Tyler Dawson '09 and Stephen Olson '09, are currently participating in mission trips, Dawson being stationed in Idaho and Olson in Uruguay. The members of the church have no choice in where they will be assigned (Clark himself hopes for somewhere warm), but regardless of the location, Clark hopes to help solve certain problems. "I think violence is an issue," he said. "It's around us so often we don't understand how it affects us."

After his mission trip, Clark plans to major in theater lighting, an unusual interest for a high school student. His fascination in the activity began when he helped out with the lighting for theater West as a junior. "It was love at first sight", he recalled. "Lighting can make people change their feelings about something without them noticing it . . . it is the ultimate manipulator."  Since joining the theater at West, Clark has applied his lighting skills to numerous other events and activities, which has only deepened his love for the art. He also enjoys watching various productions to learn and appreciate various lighting techniques. "I just love seeing all the cool artistic things they can do", he said. "There's just so many cool things about lighting."

Truly, it is impossible to tell what the future holds. But one thing is for certain: the path Clark plans to take is definitely, the one less traveled by, and it is bound to make a difference.----article written by Garrett Anstreicher

Marion Arts Festival 5K, Saturday, May 21st, 2011

Today was the Marion Arts Festival 5K Run or Walk Race. I was excited for this race since it is the first race I did last year. Also it ended up being one of the best 5K races of last year because of the food at the end, the chip timing, the low cost, getting a shirt and all the fun stuff you get in your packet. This year topped last year because I beat my time on the same course by a minute. I also won a $10.00 Gift Certificate to Running Wild (running store I love)!
Last year my time was 30:24 with a pace of 9:50 per mile.
This year my time was 29:21 with a pace of 9:29 per mile.

Jason's time was 29:18 so he beat me by 3 seconds. I was so sure I had beat him because he never passed me, however he started the race 14 seconds after me so he was literally behind me the entire race, but because he was catching up to me he actually beat me in the end. Too weird, but cool for him because now he gets to rub it in all day that he beat me by 3 seconds.

Alyssa's time was 38:29 with a pace of 12:31 mile. This is awesome considering it was only her second 5K and her first one was 6 1/2 minutes slower than this one. That's a ton of improvement in only 3 weeks.

Brenden's time was 23:33. His pace was a 7:36 mile. Super great. He placed 8th in his age group.

Here are a few pictures:

Picture of just us girls.  From left to Right  Stephany, Jennie, Me, Stephenie and Alyssa in front.  We had just picked up our packets from the registration.

Timing chips on our shoes!

Group photo of all of us that rode together.
Left to Right:  Stephany Coleman, Stephenie Hogan, Jennie McQueen, Me, Jason, Alyssa, Brenden

Alyssa sprinting to the finish.    She beat her personal best time by 7 minutes!

Alyssa's tired look after the race.

An after race picture.  Stephenie, Me, Stephany and Jennie.  Notice in the background it is raining.  I'm so glad that it didn't rain on us during the race, it was scheduled to be really bad thunderstorms, but the storm waiting for us to finish the race and get our food and results before it poured.

Jason getting a massage after the race.  He said it was awesome!

Some of the post race food.  I have to say that this race really does a fabulous job with post race food.  They had the following items:  Water, Pink Lemonade, Heed Electrolyte drink, many assorted cans of soda and regular lemonaide, oranges, bananas, watermelon, animal crackers, cookies of all sorts, donuts, pretzels, granola bars, and some assorted candy!!!

The front of the shirt we received.

The back of the shirt we received.

Items that were in our race packet.

2011 West High Prom

Another year and another prom. Here is Caleb with his girlfriend Bryn Hedlund. They went as a group with 5 other couples. Some of the pictures only show 4 other couples, but that was because one couple was late for pictures.

Day out with Brenden

A couple months ago Brenden was on the website called runningwall.com and he showed me a race he really wanted to do called the Mud Run. It is sponsored by the University of Iowa, but was two hours away in Des Moines, Iowa in Sleepy Hollow Park.   If you are unfamiliar with a Mud Run, it goes like this: 1 Mile or 3.1 mile course through fields of high grass, loose terrain, rocks, ruts, water, sand, thick mud, pond, obstacles like hay bales to climb, huge tree stump to climb over, tunnels to crawl through, ropes to climb over and under, and a very large steep ski hill to climb.  Originally we just signed up for the 5K (3.1 mile run) however Brenden and I both understood that the finisher medal went to everyone that raced, later we found out that we had read the registration wrong and that the finisher medal would only go to those who did the 1 mile fun run that wasn't timed.  So we ended up doing both races.  Only unfortunate things were these:  I am still suffering from a very tight IT band so the last 2 miles of my race were painful and I walked more than I wanted to.  Also the weather was only 50 degrees and a little breezy.  Very chilly for a day running through water and mud.  Great day overall.  I now believe I can run in absolutely any weather condition and through any course.
Our stats are as follows:
Brenden's time was 29:25.6    He placed 12th in his age group out of 41 and 79th out of 598 total people.
My time was 41:41.5  I placed 14th in my age group out of 28 and 410th out of 598 total people.

We both might have been a little faster had we not just ran the 1 mile mud fun run that wasn't timed.

Here is our first picture of the day.  Brenden and I before our Mudd Run race.  We were in the car staying warm because it was only 50 degrees out.

This was in our race packet with a brochure on poison ivy and that's all that was in our packet, guess it was a warning of what might happen to us.

Our 5K race was chip timed, but these chips were in special bracelets you wear on your arms.  We felt like power rangers!

Here is Brenden after the 1 mile race, he is proudly wearing his finishing medal and showing off his Mud Run towel.  He doesn't appear too muddy, but we were loaded in mud up to our knees.  Neither of us fell down so our mud stayed low on our bodies.

Not sure if you can tell but my shoes were super muddy.  My pink socks were now brown.  I should have had Brenden take a picture of my back because I had mud up my back.

close up of the shoes.

posing with our mud run towel.  This picture was taken after our 5K race.  Again,  I don't look too muddy, but I walked a bunch in places that could have splashed me so that I would stay mostly clean.  We had a long drive home so I didn't want mud all over me.

Here's a close up picture of me after the 5K race.  I had quite a bit of mud on me.

After we both cleaned up a bit we went to Bass Pro Shops that is located in Des Moines.  Brenden has always wanted to go there and since we hardly ever travel to Des Moines this was a great day to go.

Brenden standing in front of the 30,000 gallon aquarium inside Bass Pro Shops  pointing to a massive catfish.

Brenden with a stuffed bear.

Brenden with a stuffed cougar.

Our Mud Run towel.  Actually we both earned two of these each because we both did two races.

The finishing medal we both had to have.  Sometimes it's just worth it to run 4 miles!!!

Our Mud Run shirt

Now for the best part.  There was tons and tons and tons of food and the volunteers kept saying to everyone to come get more, so I took them up on that and kept getting in line.  here is just a sampling of what we received.  This picture is of the leftovers after we both had some bagels, chex mix and honey roasted peanuts.