XC tidbits and a very fishy birthday cake

   So, I promised an update on cross-county, and here it is! (With as much brevity as possible...there's a lot to be said about the world's toughest sport, but I'm not ready to write it all. Yet.)

   I started the season fairly out-of-shape, but have moved up two ability groups since August. So...yay me!! I'm certainly not the best runner, but I do try. XC is definitely not my forte when it comes to running--track certainly takes the cake on that one, but I'm giving it my very best shot, striving to persevere despite triple digit heat, tough practices, vicious competition, and my tendency to get a little...nauseated...during races. Hahaha. Wait...why am I laughing?

   Because I'm a senior, I've run a couple of varsity races, going more for a good time than scoring a place (since that's not possible with an already wicked awesome varsity girls team...) Still, I must be patient. Track is just around the corner--after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year!! ;)

   As this is my last year and I realize...girl, you ain't gonna be a world-class two-miler, I've had to swallow a lot of pride and accept my demeaning times and places and go out of my way to find things to be grateful for. Most especially, my amazing coach, Neal Baumgartner--who is very patient with my stumbling efforts, extremely encouraging, and a huge spiritual leader in my life. I honestly can't imagine going to public school and having a better coach!

  
   My many, many friends on the team are so helpful, encouraging, and just down-right crazy fun that I actually look forward to the long grueling practices just because I know I can look over at their reassuring smiles and know: I'm gonna make it through this and come out a stronger person.

   There are my carpool buddies--my dear friend Christina, sensible Deborah and her brother Daniel (who scoffs at all my lame jokes haha), my freshman friend Amanda who sings the llama song with me rain or shine, Christina's brother Jonathan who never fails to remind me not to puke during my race, and my own little brother Greyson, who--crazy as he is--turned out to be a pretty decent long-distance runner.

  
   We bounce along in the van watching Narnia, swapping stories, sharing muscle fitness techniques and laughing about corny Gatorade jokes. At practice there's my amazing runner best friend Ernestina, wacky Hannah who matches ponytail styles with me and occasionally will match shirts too, Emily who finds shortcuts with me, my friendly-competitor Destiny (we run similar times and try to beat each other in races), Rebecca who shares her lifesaving ice-water, another Hannah whose always there with a pat on the shoulder and an encouraging word...and so, so many more wonderful people I'm privileged to call teammates...

   ...wait for it...

   {teary-eyed moment} :')

   Okay, that's better. ;) Well...I promised a short passage on cross-country, so I should probably stop now. I'll mention the pain and other good stuff later. :p

   Et-hem. Anyways, yesterday was Hannah and Po's combined birthday party, with an ocean theme: SCUBA, aka Super Cool Underwater Birthday Adventure!! :D

    I made the fish cake! It was lemon (almost from scratch...almost, but not quite!) Baked in a rectangle pan, I cut out the fish body, fins, and tail, iced it, added some amazing candy features (including green sour licorice seaweed!) and viola--a fish cake. :)

   Very cute if I do say so myself. ;)

   Also, the party was tons of fun!