CONCEPCION, CHILE

As many of you know, my parents are in Concepcion serving as mission president and they just suffered a massive 8.8 earthquake with over 200 aftershocks. Thank you all for your concern, love and prayers for my family, the missionaries and the people of Chile.

They are finally back up and running with everything except water and my mom posted this note to her facebook page with some more details. Just wanted to get this out for anyone who hasn't seen it yet:

Day 8, Saturday March 6, 2010...

With the earthquake a week ago Concepcion lost telephone service, electricity, running water, gas, and food in stores (from looting). There was also a curfew from 6pm to 12 noon so they could clean up/fix up the city. They've made great progress. Last night (Day 7) we happily got electricity but no internet. Now internet has arrived and with it our first chance to communicate. But still no running water, which means more buckets carried up and down lots of stairs. But all is well.

I would really rather not be here when the earth rolls up like a scroll. Honestly, how can we ever be prideful when we live on a big ball that can shake its guts out at any moment? So began our Saturday morning around 3:30 am Feb 27. The mission home is a large lovely condominium on the top-6th floor. There is no way to explain how an 8.8 earthquake sounds and feels. It lasted about 3 minutes...the belly of the earth groaning as everything's shaking and dumping and shattering. We made it down the stairs and outside just as the main quake was finishing. The building held like a fortress. I've never been in an earthquake and had seen the devastation in Haiti, so I figured since the building didn't come crashing down maybe this wasn't that big a deal. So I turned to Joe and said, Do you think this will make the news in other countries? Cause I really don't want parents to worry.

So imagine how we felt when we saw the destruction you've all seen on tv...so worried for our 156 missionaries and their families. We had an emergency plan that thank sweet heaven worked perfectly, with missionaries meeting at designated chapels. We gratefully and humbly acknowledge the Lord's hand in protecting them so completely. Not one of them has so much as a scratch. All the homes are fine. There was a tsunami and we have many coastal towns in the mission, but water never entered their doors.

One night I sat on my bed, the weight of the worry overwhelming me...what the families and friends must be going through...but then I remembered all those 100s of people were praying for us and these missionaries, and I want you to know we felt those prayers so powerfully every moment of this crisis. And they were answered.

The north and coastal areas were mainly affected. Further south lost power for a day then went on as usual. So hopefully we're stronger for all of this. Lots to do to get ready for a temple.

We love you. Thanks for praying for us. President & Hermana/ Jolene & Joe

PINK, SQUISHY TOILET SEAT

When our sweet, sweet landlord offered to replace our old toilet seat with a new one over the Christmas break, we had no idea what a treat we were in for. Apparently the old porcelain white seat we had was just too out of style for his taste.

We came home to this beauty.

This gem is not only pink, but it’s squishy foam covered in plastic. And slightly smaller than the toilet with a very small hole… I’ve never had to worry about aim before, but with a target that narrow, you start to wonder.

(Have I said too much?)

After a few days of shaking our heads and uttering… “Seriously? Pink? Squishy?” and debating whether the landlord is colorblind or genuinely thinks this is a good look, Brian broke down and purchased a new one. Back to white – so boring.

5k

Ok, so it’s no Ironman, or half marathon or even a 10k, but I completed the 5k Christmas Run this weekend in the pouring rain. Let me preface my results by saying that other than a miracle mile I ran at age 12 at 6:36, my miles have been sitting around 9:00 ever since.

Thanks to my Garmin watch and a recent conversion to early rising, I have been improving my time almost every time I go out. My goal was to average 8:15 minute miles, which would give me a total time of 25:35.

I am very happy to report that I came in at 24:16, averaging 7:52/mile.

This put me 7/92 for my age category, 37/463 females, and 141/787 overall.

Big happy face over here.

Krista and I were literally side by side the entire race - with the exact same strides as we came into the finish.

Here I am desperately trying to look tough & ready for the race. Where are the muscles that I am flexing? Oh right, I have none.Stretch it out.
Of course the second we took off our sweatshirts and put away the umbrellas to line up, the rain came on full force.
Here I am jumping to see Brian over the crowd at the start.
Coming into the finish line.
I think this is what death looks like.
Low five?
What a gross day!
What a cute supporter/photographer! Rain and all!

THANKSGIVING

Things I'm grateful for:

brian
every swenson & babcock
great friends
good health
the gospel
Jesus Christ

A simple list but each are huge blessings.

Spent our Thanksgiving holiday in Denver with the Babcocks and had 4 of the 5 brothers (missed you Mark, Jenny, & Liz!).

Here are some of our pictures of our nieces and nephew that we are SO SO glad just moved from San Antonio to Colorado Springs. We're always happy to have family closer.

October's End = Holidays are Here!

I have to hurry up and finish my posts on October so I can officially recognize that we are into holiday season!

I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but Brian gave in to setting up for Christmas already so our house is my own little holiday haven right now. Those pictures will be coming soon.

Back in October, though, we took our 2nd (potentially annual) trip to the Pumpkin Patch. It takes a little while to get there but it's always worth it. We actually finished the corn maze this year! Something to celebrate!Another blessed October event... Brian hit the big 3-1! Birthdays are always the best excuse to eat whatever we want and we took full advantage with a big pancake breakfast, Qdoba lunch (his work friends and I surprised him downtown with a cheesy party - complete with streamers, kazoos and balloons that said Brian) and chicken pot pie for dinner. Yum Yum.

Maybe we should start celebrating half birthdays...

Happy Birthday Baby.

BOUNCY CASTLES

How long has it been since you've been in a bouncy castle?
Most likely, the answer is "too long." For my work Halloween party, they set up this huge pirate themed bouncy castle/slide on the basketball court and let a few of us test it out before the kids got here. I'm not kidding when I say I wish I had one in my backyard at all times. Ok, first I guess I would have to wish for a backyard... but you get what I'm saying.

This is Robyn, for those of you who have heard me talk about her. I got to take off my shoes at work (I hate shoes,) get a little exercise in the middle of the day and LAUGHED.
A lot.
Best work day ever.

HALLOWEEN!!!

Who doesn't love dressing up? This year Brian and I went as Johnny Cash & June Carter. Or better yet, Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon.
Here are a couple videos with our best impersonations. I would also really like to say that this was Brian's idea to do the singing - he came home one day with Johnny Cash on his ipod and print outs of the lyrics. Just love him.

Brian was a huge hit at the single's ward party we went to. (Don't judge us.) He had multiple requests. This one was a fan favorite though - please excuse the awful camera work! This was meant to be a trial run but it's the only version I have.

Krista & Derek came to play with us dressed as the lovely Marilyn Monroe & smokin James Dean (pun intended). I realized this is my 4th year of Halloweens dressing up with Miss Krista Davis (Funk). Here they are...

2009

2008
Papa Smurf, Smurfette, "The Depression," Juno & Paulie Bleaker2007
She-Ra & Wonder Woman2006
Esmeralda, Pocahontas, Pirate Wench

WHERE DID SCABHEAD GO?

Typically on my way home from work, I slip into autopilot and either chat my way home (thanks Kate, E, Mom & Dad) or I sing my little heart out to make the drive pass by as quickly as possible. A couple times lately I've tried to get off the phone, turn off the radio, and see where my thoughts take me.

Random Thought #1: Where did Scabhead go?

Scabhead is a homeless man that used to walk the streets surrounding our apartment. He's bald on top with some hair around the sides and affectionately named for the ginormous scab on his head/forehead that never seemed to heal and was always in some state of bleeding. It looked kind of like this... but it's much bigger and he's not a baby.

I guess if you saw him on a dark night or in the back alley (both of which have happened to me) he's actually pretty scary, the perfect Halloween accessory. Even still, Brian and I were constantly on the look out and swapping happy texts about Scabhead sightings. As my random thoughts turn to him, I can't help but wonder where he's been. Did the scab finally heal and we just don't recognize him anymore? Did he move to New York to visit the Naked Cowboy? Or has he just found another block to explore? So this blog's for you, Scabhead, wherever you are, thanking you for the happiness and hoping you're well.

Go Air Force Beat the Cowboys!

In the past, Ali and I have divided blog responsibilities. I take the pictures and she writes the blogs (shhh….please don't tell her I got off easy). For this post though, I wanted to write a quick little something about the weekend I spent in Colorado.

For my dad's 60th birthday this year (it is now public information pops) all the boys pitched in and surprised him with season tickets to the Air Force Academy football games. When I was younger, my dad always had season tickets to these games and they provided so many great memories (I remember less of the football games but more of the pre-game flyovers, parachute jumpers and the post-game aluminum can collecting). This past weekend I flew back to Colorado and relived some of my childhood memories and went to an Air Force Academy football game with my dad. We even brought and sat on the same denim blanket we sat on 15 years ago. Air Force beat Wyoming 10-0 in a defensive battle. The flyovers and parachute jumpers were just as awesome as I remember. It was just like the old days, but this time I spared my dad from hauling home a giant garbage bag full of aluminum cans. I'm a proponent of recycling, but the stadium doesn't allow cans anymore. Thanks dad for all the memories and for such a fun weekend.

Mr. Incredible

Brian tackled the MS 150 mile Bay-to-Bay Bike Ride this weekend which to me makes him Mr. Incredible. Biking from Irvine to Carlsbad and then a loop inland for a total 100 miles the first day and then the remaining 50 miles from Carlsbad down to Mission Bay on day 2. It was amazing how many people were involved in the event and how many of them have someone very close to them who is or was suffering from MS.

It is also amazing that Brian is still walking.

Did I mention we woke up at 4:30am to get to the starting line in time. While I decided to attend, other girlfriends and wives of the riders decided they could support their men just as well from home. I'm just saying.
My involvement was limited to one heck of a massage, picture taking, and thanks to Brian's good suggestion, I volunteered and got to hand out snacks to all the bikers at the halfway point.Rest Stop #5 at Mile 52
Halfway there and still all smiles.Day one ended with a pile of mystery meat & a diet DP. And some BBQ sauce riiiight there. Despite my best efforts, Brian was too fast and I didn't even get to see him come across the finish line on day 2. I was frantically parking and running over there when he actually crossed so on our way out, he ducked under the rope and re-finished for me. What you see below are FAKE finish pictures taken over an hour after the race. You'd never know the difference right?
For all of those people who were disappointed that this post wasn't a picture of Brian in a Mr Incredible outfit... this one's for you.