I remember my cousins from Maryland, the McHale's, coming to visit as well as going to visit my Corey cousins in Connecticut (I think that is the right state). Extended family was a big part of my early years. When I was five, we moved to Saipan, which is an island in the Mariana Islands. My dad applied for a school administrator position that was looking for an american to fill. My parents, who had also lived in American Samoa for a few years (my sister Ruth was born there) were the type who clearly loved adventure and moving to far away places, packed up the family and moved us there. My sister Maria was the baby at the time. During the four years we lived there, Barbara, the youngest of the eight, was born (my mother flew to Guam and lived in a convent when she was due... Saipan's one hospital was less than ideal to deliver a baby in. The best story is when the gentleman from the census came around and my mom answered the door. Imagine his surprise seeing this full term pregnant woman answer the door at the CONVENT :)
Obviously Saipan was not the type of place that you jump in the car and get to in a few hours. Nor would a quick plane ride get you there. So needless to say, we did not see much extended family during our time there.
When we moved to Cincinnati, our Connecticut cousins had moved to Atlanta. We saw them once a year for a couple of years when they came for Thanksgiving. The last Thanksgiving they spent at our house, I remember my cousin Matt breaking the wish bone and then having an utter meltdown when his wish didn't suddenly "appear". It was pretty funny. I remember thinking what a baby he was being. Today my cousin Matt is currently serving in Afghanistan.
I don't even know how much we saw our Maryland cousins but I know it wasn't much at all. We did have cousins in Indianapolis that we saw a few times a year, but still, not much. My parents were good at keeping in touch with their siblings by phone and e-mail and would frequently update us on our cousins. I attended both my cousin's weddings in the 90s and then attended their mother's funeral in February of '99. Those events, weddings and funerals, were the ones that brought us together.
Enter Team Mitch in 2006. The devastating death of my brother-in-law in February of 2006 sparked the beginning of our two families, the Coreys and the McLaughlins, joining together the first weekend in May and running parts of or all of the Flying Pig Marathon. My cousin, Sean, who had completed several marathons, came out and ran the full Pig that first year. I cannot remember if his family was with him that year, but they have been most years ever since. His brother's Brian and Stephen have also come out to run. Stephen ran his first marathon for Team Mitch and has since done another (Marine Corps) for Eden Autism to support his nephew's school.
Enter Facebook. In 2011, the Corey's (from Atlanta and now in Oregon) came to celebrate that weekend. I believe it was through Facebook and our frequent postings of the 2010 Team Mitch weekend that captured perhaps my Aunt Beth's attention. My Aunt Beth and Uncle Charlie, along with their three children, Andrew, Elizabeth and Matthew and their families, came out to participate in the 2011 weekend. I had the time of my life reconnecting with cousins I had not seen in literally, many years. Matt was no longer the "baby wish bone breaker", but a strikingly handsome young man (and SINGLE for God sakes). Andrew, who is my age, an incredible runner himself, brought his wife and two daughters, who I remember meeting 12 years ago when they were babies practically. And then there was Elizabeth and her husband Casey and their four REALLY young kids. The last time I had seen Liz was at her wedding in 2002, when I was two months from delivering my third baby. In 2011, every single one of my siblings participated in one of the Flying Pig events on marathon day. Some ran the full, some did half and some did the relay. My Oregon cousins also all ran in the Pig... Andrew doing the full (and clocking something ridiculous like a 3:06 for his second marathon ever) and Matt and Liz doing the half. My Aunt Beth also did the half marathon. It was an unforgettable weekend.
On July 4th, my parents, both in their seventies, did their first official 5k, with my mother placing third in her age group. And on July 15th, I ran the Fueled by Fine Wine half marathon in Oregon with none other than my beautiful and fun cousin, Liz, who lured me in via a Facebook invite on our official Team Mitch Facebook page. Two of my sister's, Maria and Barbara (and my adorable niece, Mariana, named after the group of islands on which my sister was born) also came. My Uncle Charlie and Aunt Beth also did that same race, with it being my uncle's first half marathon ever!
Running has connected my family in ways I never imagined it would. My husband began running to help keep me company for half of my first ultra marathon, which I did after being inspired by my brother who has run many. My 13 year old ran a half marathon after being promised a paint ball gun if he could complete the training. Ok, that has nothing to do with anything inspiring and sounds more like he was bribed... but who cares? He did it! And the confidence that kid has gained through completing not only the training, but the race will shape the rest of his life. My brother Joe, a smoker, ran a full marathon then lit up in the finishers chute (classic picture... my favorite of all time), my brother-in-law Scott ran his first full marathon for Team Mitch and has since done several halves. It's been awesome to think of how far we have all come in just a few short years and how many of us are intrigued by the sport.
On a run last week, Sarah joked that I have probably been "hidden" or maybe even "deleted" on Facebook because of all my "running posts". I laughed as I imagine all the eyeballs that roll when I post pictures of my most recent races. I said she was probably correct. I was also talking to a friend today who told me that someone we mutually know said that it's pretty annoying that all I ever talk about is running. I've actually been told that by more than one person (don't ask who, John. I won't tell you because then you won't like that person and I actually do!). I certainly don't post my races to brag about my race times. On the contrary, I sometimes cringe to think I may be drawing attention to that aspect. I understand why some people would feel it's overkill. But perhaps if those people understood that the very thing I place very high on my priority list is also the very thing that has healed my loved ones broken hearts and brought my family closer together, they may cut me a little slack. But if not, no biggie. Delete me. I intend to keep posting :)
