Married to Superman

I’m convinced my husband is trying to make me go into early labor. His idea of fun and easy is my idea of dangerous and hard. But there is no stopping Richard when he wants to tackle a challenge, even if it’s giving me an anxiety attack. I guess that’s what I get for marrying a Superman wannabe.

Last week, Richard and I picked up our new glider chair for Baby Kopp’s room. We quickly realized it was much too large to fit up our stairs and that my pregnant self was no help in moving it. I was ready to throw in the towel and return the chair to Walmart. Not Richard (his Superman complex makes it impossible for him to quit). So we called our friends Darin and Joe for help. But no angle worked – there was no way the chair was going to make it up the stairs into the second floor nursery. Darin mentioned trying to bring it in through a window. Immediately, warning bells started going off in my head. Moving a large glider chair up a ladder to a second floor window seemed like a very bad idea to me. But Richard, Darin and Joe ignored my protestations and next thing I knew, I was standing by, anxiously watching them maneuver the chair up the ladder. There was a moment when I was sure that the glider was going to fall on both Richard and Darin and that we’d be making a trip to the hospital. Fortunately, no one was injured. And because Richard’s positive attitude and stubbornness always wins, the chair actually made it through the window into the nursery. So, of course, I had to hear “I told you so” from Richard.

Less than a week later, Richard participated in the Tough Mudder – the “toughest event on the planet.” The Tough Mudder is basically a twelve mile course that includes lots of mud and obstacles, such as diving through ice water and running through live electric wires. I’m not sure why any sane person would willingly put themselves through this, but apparently thousands do.

While the Tough Mudder sounded like a nightmare to me, to Richard, it had all the makings for a grand time. So, once again despite my protestations, I found myself anxiously standing by while Richard began his twelve mile journey. While I waited for him to cross the finish line, a couple times an ambulance went by and I was sure they were en route to pick up Richard, that he had fallen in the mud and cracked his head open on a rock. But, as Richard’s luck would have it, and to my great relief, he made it through in one piece and I made it through without going into premature labor.

Here are some of my favorite shots from the Tough Mudder – enjoy!


Richard, giggly with anticipation and adrenaline, getting ready for the Tough Mudder challenge. Gotta love the goggles and knee highs. Oh, and those aren’t weird wrinkles on his head – it’s his race number written on his forehead.



Richard climbing the Spider’s Web with his shorts nearly falling off.



Richard proudly posing and showing some leg with his thigh-high slit. Very sexy.



Richard waiting to jump into what looked like and smelled like a septic tank.



Rolling under some barbed wire.



A determined Richard scaling a half pipe wall.



Richard smiling like a crazy person while going through muddy water and live wires, around the 8th mile.



Richard looks as capable as Tarzan, but, alas, he fell a few seconds later.



Richard losing his balance, but ready for the water once again with his goggles.



After finishing the Tough Mudder in under four hours, Richard had enough energy left to toss a couple kegs. To my dismay, Richard is looking forward to doing it all again.