What's been going on... and IN?

Life is too exciting with Judah around. After his big weekend, Kenton and I worried that he may have an overblown concept of reality. Life can't be "ultra-exciting" all the time right? Well, so far Judah's on a four day streak.

Friday was 'Babes and Books.' Judah got to make his very own umbrella, earn his "duck feet," sit on the coveted teacher's lap during circle time, and walk away with a cool new book.

Friday night, he got to go to church and hang with all his friends and be "dropped off," his new favorite activity. "Are you guys going to drop me off' or are you going to stay?"

James and Stephanie arranged for our monthly Arise meeting to be a date night. They arranged the child care and we got to have a nice night out. THANK YOU GUYS!

While we were enjoying ourselves, Judah was making 'Gak', watching movies, and eating popcorn with Ms. Michelle. He was so hyped that he was dancing around the house when we came home. He could barely rest for bedtime.

When Saturday rolled around, we couldn't go out to play because it has SNOWED IN APRIL!

So, we went to the Y and let Judah go swimming. As if that weren't enough, he had to go home to rest up for the Circus!




We went and enjoyed watching his face light up at every spectacle. He loved the tigers, especially when they jumped through the flaming hoop. He loved 'Neano' the clumsy clown, and he really really loved getting his light up spinning globe sword! He suckered us out of ten bucks for a $.25 toy! Man his life is good!













Sunday morning brought us a beautiful day. It went from snow on Friday to a 75 degree sunny Sunday. So we took advantage of it! Kenton loaded up the bike and I laced up my shoes. We all managed 16 miles, either by running, pedaling, or riding like royalty with all the snacks and toys you could want, while your daddy pulls you along.

It was good to run a great 16 miler, exactly TWO WEEKS from the marathon. I still had a real smile when I got home too!

So, we showered and drove to Grandpa's house. Judah got a chance to go to a parking lot carnival last spring with his Grandpa and Nana. When it was set up two weeks ago, they wanted to take him again. Since the weather decided to turn into winter we had to wait until yesterday. It was the last day, but Judah made the best of it.

He didn't know how to describe the place so he started calling it, "Grandpa's Fun Place." The name stuck.

He rode every ride he was tall enough for and he rode some of them twice!

I know, I know, the kid's got it rough!

We literally said, "how is he going to handle a boring Monday after all this?"

Well, never fear he made a way for it to be just as exciting, and definitely thrilling!
As he was burping and hiccuping much more than normal, I asked,"what's wrong buddy?" "I just did swallow one my marbles and now it's in my tummy."

With as much cool as possible I called Kenton and he rationally instructed me to call the doctor. The doctor surprised me with instructions to take him to the hospital.

Kenton made it home and we took our frighten little boy in for an X-ray. All those times I warned that putting toys in his mouth could send him to the hospital, we're coming in to reality. I couldn't believe it.

As the techs calmed all his fears he found the whole thing amusing. And as she showed us that it had passed through his stomach and we just needed to "wait" for it's "return" the overwhelming reality that we were raising a boy was painfully clear.

He's going around telling everyone, "I swallowed my marble, I have to poop it out." We are so in for it!

(you can see the marble just to the left of his spine, all the white around it is the gas building up from the foreign object)

Goodnight.... Lord only knows how he'll keep the ball rolling tomorrow!

Running Down the List

Marathon Update:
Today's the 12th
29-12= 17 DAYS 'til the big 26.2!!




Wendy and I finished our "long training run" last weekend. Here we are running in the last few steps of our nearly 21 mile run. It got real quiet the last few miles. We were both pulling out strength from the ends of the Earth to get back home. All we could say was, "Thank God it's over!" Pray for us as we get ready for the big day, we're going to need all the support we can get. (Oh, and if anyone has some tips about how to look better after all those miles, I'm very open to suggestions!!)

HOSANNA!!!

My favorite Sunday of the whole year is Palm Sunday. It never fails, I can't hold my tears back when the little kids come in waving their branches. Even before I had Judah, I couldn't fight back the tears. He had to have a little help getting down the aisle this year, thankfully Duane was there to scoop him up and encourage him to welcome the Lord's Presence. Judah said, "I don't want to say Hosanna, I want to say, 'Hooray! Hooray! God is Here!'" It was a precious day.

That evening we walked the Resurrection Trail. It's been amazing watching Judah learn more and more about the life of Jesus. Each time he hears it, he understands more.

We followed the steps Jesus took and a few stops really stuck out to Judah. He didn't know why he had to wear such a "sharp hat" and as you can see he was disgusted by the vinegar and said, "Why'd the give him that?!"

Last year when Judah watched Jesus rise from the dead, he screamed out, "He's AWAKE!!" It's renewing to hear the innocence of a child's words. Yes, he is awake and how amazing it is that he endured so much for us...just plain old us.

As we rose on the Saturday before Easter, we were greeted with the coldest, windiest, and most unseasonable April morning in memory. What was worse was that we were also greeted with the realization that we signed up for a 10K run that started at 9:00 am.

Whew! That was an experience! Kenton and I ran it together and while the feeling in my feet finally returned after about three miles or so, it's not an experience I need to relive!

Major kudos to my husband. He hasn't run more than 4 miles in several months and he stuck it out for the full 6.2! I was very proud of him. It's amazing when you literally watch someone change. The Kenton I knew would have thrown in the towel when it got tough, but the Kenton I now know, beared down and pushed through because he knew that it was always in him to be a finisher. I am still so proud of him!

At the frigid starting line I set a goal of running this cold race in under an hour, when Kenton started questioning his last leg of the race I pressed on to accomplish my gaol, only to be surprised he was just a few seconds behind me!

225 LACY HANSEN 25 F WICHITA KS 58:21

233 KENTON HANSEN 25 M WICHITA KS 58:58

After defrosted we celebrated some Easter traditions with my parents. Yummy food and dyeing eggs. Judah couldn't understand why we wanted to "dive" them. "After we dive them, then they'll be killed!" Ah, little boys!

Easter Morning greeted us with yet another cold day. So the sandals I had to go get for Judah were not needed and so much for an Easter dress! But never the less we rose with the sun and were off to enjoy a pleasant day. Church was packed both services and it was a special blessing to have Judah in the worship center giving me sweet little waves while Kenton and I were on the worship team. I'm sure visitors were probably wondering, "who is that girl waving at?" Michelle let Judah sit with her during worship since he'd just about had enough of children's church for the day. (He had been there going on four hours, thanks Debbie and Michelle, FOR EVERYTHING!!!)

We spent the afternoon with Kenton's Dad's family.

Judah was swarmed with cousins, Aunts, Uncles, in-laws, friends, great Aunts, Great Uncles, and a GREAT GREAT Aunt Faye. There was plenty of family to go around. He helped Aunt Faye hide eggs and then quickly he hunted them with the whole lot. It must be tough being the star of the show!

Well, almost the single star. Judah's cousin Audrey did a little upstaging as she entered for her first Easter celebration. The little angel endured oohing and awing all day long and just took it all in stride. Uncle Kenton practiced his signature swaddle with Audrey and then to keep it fair he swaddled up our little man, so he could be just as comfy!

Judah was adjusting to sharing his stage with Audrey, but I think he'll do just fine. He bonded with her and I think he's hooked too!

It was a great day.

It's A Girl!

Today we all had a new member join our family.

Kenton and I just met our one and only niece. Judah met his first girl cousin.
Kenton's step-sister Tara and her husband Scott welcomed little Audrey Kay in to the world this morning.

She arrived right on time and is as beautiful as can be.

Since the gender was a surprise Judah sure didn't know what to think of a baby girl. "Girls are hard to play with."

"She's too small." Was the only other statement he had after they met.
She is very precious and we're so happy to have her in our lives.

Welcome Audrey!

Audrey Kay Norris
Born: March 28, 2007
Weight: 7lbs.
Length: 20 inches

Aye! The Luck of The O'Hansen's!

As you all know, or should have known, last Saturday was St. Patrick's Day. Something about these little holidays that always makes me happy. I don't know what it is. As a child all it meant was wearing green, eating corned beef and cabbage with green milk for dinner, and the sugar loaded parties at school. (Hmmm... I wonder if the connection between all the sugar and the holiday has anything to do with my excitement???)

While all these activities were sufficient to make all my St. Patrick's Days enjoyable, seven years ago another event took place that has now become my greatest joy in regards to this Irish celebration.

I was 18 years old. Finishing my last quarter of my senior year. I was hanging out at a friends house. It was a Friday, and I was wearing green because it was March 17th, 2000. The doorbell rang and I offered to go up and answer it, knowing that an expected guest was arriving. I opened the door to let said guest in only to find she had brought along a few friends. One of these friends was a very tall boy. He had dark rimmed glasses, blue eyes, and the largest mop of curly hair had ever seen in real life. "What did he say his name was?" "His name is Kenton."

And so it began.

As these past seven years have seemed to race by, I still cherish my special memory of the day I met my best friend. I would have never guessed that by just opening the door I was welcoming my future in. (awe...take a moment to exhale adoringly... go ahead, it's okay... no one will know why you're doing it, they won't laugh... well they might, but go ahead anyways.)

This was us a few weeks after we met.

And this is us on March 17th, 2007.

It's safe to say we've changed just a little.

We spent our St. Patrick's Day taking in all the Irish festivities that this Mid-Western city could offer. We began by making sure our attire was appropriate for the day.

Check!

(Man, we all could afford some lessons in picture posing!)

Judah's Auntie Lindz came along with us too! Bonus!

We headed out to the Delano District watch the parade. Judah got into the spirit too. His Meme had just sent him shamrock stickers in the mail that morning and he eagerly gave them away to kids along the parade route.

I was really proud of him. I was such a frighteningly shy child and I know it never served me well, so to see him approaching strangers and offering them a sticker, really showed me what sort person we're dealing with.

Wichita sure does it's best to put on a parade. A for effort. But as you know this Irish rich community only has so much to work with. We saw plenty of men in kilts and heard our fill of bagpipes.

Judah was stoked to get a ruler from some construction company. Lindsay was hit on (hand kissed and everything) by one of the Renaissance players. We all tried to find somewhere else to look when the scantly clad belly dancers giggled by. As the street sweeper concluded the brigade, we joyfully headed for the car.

Next up, we were off to The Artichoke Irish Sandwich Bar. This was the location and starting line of the annual St. Pat's Run and Party.

We met up with a few other familiar faces too.

Jeremy was back home for a few days due to a funeral and decided to run with his wife. I guess my Dad had nothing better to do. Ha! He joined at the last minute and we all warmed up or chatted, however you see it for our four mile race.

The whistle blew and we all set in to our own strides and met up again on the other side of the line.

Our chilly morning turned into a HOT afternoon. We all crossed sunburned and sweaty.

The fickle friend of running always leaves you surprised. I was feeling great and Wendy was feeling horrible. She shooed me on when her run was leaving her lagging.

I reluctantly accepted her offer to leave her behind, and managed to finish with my fastest 4mile time yet. Despite her frustration, she crossed with a personal record too.

My Dad pulled closely behind us with a great time and Kenton and Jeremy finished within one second of each other. Kenton says, "I totally beat Jeremy!" HA!

Official Stats

Lacy 33:04

Wendy 34:12

Randy (my Dad) 35:52

Kenton 37:07

Jeremy 37:08

Judah and Maddy lined up next to give the kids race a go.

Judah had been so excited about his run for days. He said he and Maddy were going to be the winners. You can see he was flashing his "I'm number one" while waiting at the line.

Two seconds before the race starts Judah got upset that his number was crumbly and as the whistle blew he reverted to a typical three year old and was not cooperative.

With his head down and back turned all the other kids raced by him and he pouted at the line over his crumbly number.

His Mother was ticked, his Dad was steaming and some how we made it through.

He was the last to cross the line dragging his heels and crying. (we felt it was important he finish..regardless of his opinion on the matter.)

All in all it was a great day. We hang around for the party. Ate Irish stew, Kenton had his green beer (uk! Beer is not my post-race choice, but whatever), then we headed home to nurse our sunburns.

My, my how time can fly! I never imagined this seven years ago...who knows what will happen in the next seven!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Side Note: My mom was behind the camera all day and she and Lindsay spent the afternoon chasing Judah around...many thanks to them!