Monday, October 02, 2006

IBM Uptown 10k and The Calf






What a weekend....

Sunday held a wonderful memory and beautiful morning. A perfect one for the IBM Uptown 10k. It is the first race of seven helping me to prepare for the Austin AT&T Marathon in February. What a show people can put on for events like these! I was truly impressed because 2500 people showed up to run. I finished the race in 46 minutes and 41 seconds. I even beat Rick Perry's time! This world truly holds some really fast runners. It's inspiring though and an inner competitiveness always kicks in during races like these.

Then Matthew and I headed to Llano to see his parents. The ranch is beautiful this time of year and vividly green. It was a hard day though because there was unexpected and very tragic news from my parents. But the best part of the day was a small miracle that has been ongoing for a couple of months. It takes a little background knowledge, but one of the Crowell's calves has been sick. The calf wouldn't move or stay with the herd because the back legs were crippled by a germ in the fields(correct medical terminology, no idea). I didn't know anything about cows before Matthew but they are herd animals. When they refuse to socialize with the herd something is wrong. Anyway, the calf was almost put down due to her ailment. It broke my heart to see a baby animal in pain, not knowing how the life of a calf should be (not great compared to us but just follow me.....). Luckily, they have the smartest blue Lacy in the world (Hank :) and (since I think animals can talk) he gave her fair warning that if she didn't get up and move she would be .......well removed from this world. And the day Richard planned to take care of this was the day she disappeared. For two solid weeks! And when the calf was found it was not the same pitiful calf. After two months of worry and constantly asking Richard and Virginia, "How is the calf?”, yesterday afternoon I was able to see the calf out in the pasture just as a calf should be. It was able to walk and run away from us even! I know it's a cow and it's not a person. And I realize there is a scale we all use that sums up the importance of one happening compared to another. But at the end of the day life is hard. At times life is devastating. But yesterday the small miracle meant something. And sometimes it's the small stuff that reminds us that life is still good. My mother would say, "It's still the best show in town". And we are all blessed, no matter what we endure.

4 comments:

andydawn said...

Laura can you become a writer? I am so proud of you and could only wish i could complete any type of run...it takes dedication, determination, and discipline!!! Can you be my trainer :)

Finally an Abrigg..... said...

i cannot believe you are training for a marathon. finally, all that running....unbelievable!!! that's awesome! way to go laura!

ThePoeFam said...

Such a sweet story...and, congrats on your run! I'm super duper impressed! I don't know if I could make it down my street without falling over! :) hA! Love ya!

campers said...

Wow! That is an impressive run. Poor little calf. Brent's grandfather has calves, and I love going out to see them! Even though they don't like seeing me! They are soo cute when they are all wobbly!!!