Ever start cleaning, come across random photos from the past that never made it into the album? So you stop what you are doing, sit on the floor, couch, chair and thumb through them again. Forgotten times suddenly come flooding back in, you catch yourself smiling, chuckling, perhaps tearing up over the images that are before you. In the age of digital media, not a lot of printed out photos anymore, at least not at this house hold.
So this scenario happened to me this evening as I was cleaning the office. We have been in this house for almost a year, and yes still have packed boxes. Well with the extra time I have now that training has stopped and Rachel in NC; what better time than the present to get things cleaned up. Clearly there was no thought when packing the last few boxes prior to the last move. Just about every box I opened had more random pictures in it. So as I was looking them over I laughed out loud more than once. I laughed because of clothing style, my hair, trying to look "cool" for the camera, college parties, softball games, etc. So as I am currently living in the past I think how far I've come since those photos were taken.
Photo #1, pre-race at Door County Tri in 2005. This was my 1st race. I figured I was playing a lot of bar league softball, was pretty thin and was active; so this should be no problem. I know those were my thoughts going into it. Again, clearly I was wrong. But without that race I would have never picked up the sport that has given me so much happiness.
Photo #2, McQuads Softball Tournament. Most everyone is aware i used to play a lot of ball. So, of the two teams I ran, we picked a group of us and headed to Bismarck for a weekend of fun. The photo I am speaking of, Sunday afternoon, we just won the 3rd place game; had to play 5 that day to even get to that game. We are all sitting on a wall in a driveway, completely beat down, hot, dirty and looking like we just came from a serious battle. That was the also the 1st of what would be 3 years of us gong to that tourney. The guys I played with, still make the yearly trip and have continued to do well. But I will not forget the faces of the other teams when we showed up.
Photo #3, my 21st b-day. I was also living in Mpls at that time, fulfilling my internship for school. I was living with a high school buddy in Stadium Village on the U of M campus. That was one were I burst into laughter when I came across it.
Photo #4, Prior Lake swim 2007. Master's Jim, Sally and 2 others swam across Prior Lake last summer, ~2 miles to Capt Jacks for a beer.
Photo#5, this is my all time favorite picture of me. I look to be about 3 years of age, dirt or food in a few spots on my face, my fat little arms and gut shooting out of a yellow shirt that says "My parents created a Monster" Ziggy and his buddy are the cartoon characters on the shirt as well. I have this dazed look on my face, nothing out of the norm right, just staring back at the camera. I come across this picture every now and again and just think of what that little boy had and still has in front of him.

I am going to try and take these 5 pictures to work and have them scanned and posted in the next few days so people know what I am talking about. Here's hoping that every now and than you stop cleaning, and sit down to relive the past when you come across something you've not seen in long time.