Last Class

We celebrated last night, with pickled herring, pistachios, gouda cheese, Ritz crackers, a glass of merlot of course, music of Sarah Brightman, Ray Charles etc, and orange swirl icecream, because Lloyd had his LAST CLASS this weekend!! Yea! Three years ago this month, we were running through the skywalks of downtown Minneapolis, after losing time with parking troubles, to make Lloyd’s initial addmission interview for University of St. Thomas on time. Thanks to marathon training, we were able to find and arrive at the interview location within moments of the scheduled interview, with only slight huffing and puffing noticable. Now it’s three years later, and the coursework is done!! When we reflect upon the last three years, it is amazing to us, how the weekend classes in MN and on-going requirements have fit “easily enough” into the rhythms of our family and work lives. Lloyd has loved every minute of this program (except for the research classes). I’ve loved watching him do it. It has been enriching, and has sparked many a good conversation in our portable living room, i.e. the Nissan Mirano. Sometimes we wonder if we’ve shared more cups of coffee in the Mirano than we’ve shared in our living-room, over the past few years. Truth be known, most of our ideas, dreams, goals have been “car-born”. Anyways, classes are done now. Lloyd has his written exams on May 11th, and orals on May 18th. Then a week of residency in MN in early June to prepare for disseration. We wonder how long the dissertation might take, and how to organize our life rythms to expedite it. Are hoping that 2 years is about right, but realize revision of this aspiration may need to happen. Meanwhile, we sit here on a Sunday evening in DSM, watching Date-line and eating fresh salad and pork-chops fresh off the grill. Life is good.

Posted by vicki Sunday, April 29th, 2007 at 6:15pm 2 comments

Final training run

Never got a medal and new running shirt on a final training long run before:) Actually, this training run got a little longer than the anticipated 20 miles:) Friend, Steve, rode with us this past weekend, to St. Louis where we went to see friends, Gil and Jan Kamps, and where he planned to run the Spirit of St. Loius Marathon. Since I was due for a final 20 mile training run (for Flying Pig on May 6th) I figured the first 20 miles of the St. Louis course would be a great idea. Built in water stops, crowd support, mile markers. Wow, all the good stuff. Felt so good though, that I decided to keep going and finish the course after all, strong and easy. Lloyd took this pic of Steve and I at a stretch stop on the 6 hour drive home.

Now it’s count-down/taper to Flying Pig. Can’t wait to run with you, Kris!!

Posted by vicki Tuesday, April 17th, 2007 at 6:32pm 5 comments

For some odd, very strange reason, Reuben’s birth has been on my mind lately:) Lots of thoughts about the day that we, completely pregnant, left from 4600 Victory Avenue in Racine, WI, to head for St. Luke’s Hospital, after dropping Kristin and Nicholas off at Grandma and Grandpa Veenstra’s. After checking into St. Luke’s the evening of July 1st, and enjoying a quiet evening of anticipation, we woke up on the morning of July 2nd, for a scheduled 7:30AM C-section. Only minutes after 7:30AM, little Reuben Leendert Vanderkwaak was born!!!! In those days, most of us did not know if our babies were going to be boy or girl. We did not know, and we pleased as could be, for another son! It is amazing that Reuben is now a grown man, married, and very expectant father. Time flies. Generations turn over very quickly! We can’t wait to see Reuben and Heidi’s baby!!!!!!!!! This Nana and Papa thing is so very fun!!!!!!!

Posted by vicki Friday, April 13th, 2007 at 6:20pm 7 comments