Running Momma

Running with a dog

2009-06-12T08:24:00.002-04:00

This whole streaking thing is made far, far easier by the fact that I now run with Maisy. She loves to get outside and go. Her tail curls onto her back and her ears flop up and down with each step. If I didn't hear her rustling around with excitement in her crate each morning when she hears the alarm, I would have far less incentive to get up and get the deed done. I am grateful to have such an enthusiastic, if smelly, running partner.

Streaking!!

2009-05-27T10:30:00.002-04:00

I am now 15 days into a planned running streak of at least 30 days. It is great fun, really. RunningAhead, where I track my miles, has a little widget on the tracking page that displays in a very large font the number of days in the current streak. I really like not having to wonder if today is going to be a running day or not. Even with the craziness of this week's schedule, getting in mini runs has been pretty easy.

My secret hope is that I am able to continue this streak at least through my training for the Monumental Marathon on November 7, 2009. So far, it keeps me loose, seems to really help my running times (except in the ridiculous heat) and maintains my motivation.

Maisy approves of this message.

My new running gear

2009-04-24T08:35:00.002-04:00

Bondi Bands FTW!

Derek's early project pictures

2009-04-08T15:02:00.001-04:00

OMG!

2008-12-09T12:12:00.004-05:00

I found this old picture today. Ethan had his first haircut at 6 months old. In hindsight, I think I should have done it earlier...

Meet my new baby girl!!

2008-10-29T11:24:00.003-04:00

Maisy!!!!!

Can it be true?!?

2008-10-07T08:39:00.003-04:00

I have had a tremendous amount of sadness and frustration over my increasingly slow running times. In the summer of 2006 I noticed that my times were getting slower and slower. While training for the Chicago half in August 2006 I gave blood and I don't know that I ever fully recovered my speed and energy. After that I had the issues with vertigo, then Ethan came along and my running became more and more spotty. I have worked very hard to get my mileage back up to 2006 levels, but my energy and speed are both still in the toilet.

I went to the doctor and the bloodwork came back normal. This would be a good thing in most circumstances, but I KNOW something is wrong with me. I went from a 10:30 or 11:00 mile to a 15:00 or even 16:00 mile with no obvious problem. I started reading and researching again.

It turns out that runners, especially distance runners are prone to a special kind of anemia. While hemoglobin levels (part of what my doctor tested) may look normal, ferretin (which dr. didn't test for) can be low. For runners, even readings in the low end of normal are unacceptable because they represent the amount of stored iron in the blood which prevents fatigue and boosts endurance. I could have written many of the personal accounts of this that I have read. After my blood draw last week I started supplementing iron, adding in a vitamin c pill to help absorption, and sadly, I also quit coffee cold turkey. Apparently coffee blocks iron absorption.

Early this morning I got up and very nearly went back to bed. I was frustrated and sad over my inconclusive bloodwork and it just felt pointless. I had the first strong run that I have had in a very long time. I was still not back to my 2006 levels, of course, but this was a 3.5 mile run and I got back to the house 15 minutes earlier than usual. I can't believe this may actually be working! My first marathon may not have to be over 6 hours!

Looking back, it all makes sense. Times tapered off as I was doing endurance training in the summer. Endurance training and hot weather are both bad for ferretin levels. Giving blood pushed it over the edge. I stopped worrying about it for a while because I was distracted by the vertigo situation, but when Ethan was born and I was ready to start running again, I began rinking coffee regularly again so I just couldn't recover.

I can't wait to see where this leads!

Wet your whistle

2008-09-08T14:42:00.002-04:00

The water crisis of 2 weeks ago was averted for this last long run. Instead of leaving from the house and going out and back, I hopped in the car and parked at my "out" point, did a water and potty stop at my house and finished my run at the car. This worked MUCH better than when I had to get the fill up from early morning car wash guy. I was a wee bit tired and twingey, but I attribute that to being off over Labor Day weekend.

This weekend is my first 14 miler ever. I am a little nervous, but confident that it will be fine. To date, the farthest I have ever run is 13.1 miles. I am making sure to plan ahead - smart food and naptime so I don't just gobble up any progress that I make. Running would go much more smoothly if I shed 15-20 lbs. Woe is me, right?

Feelin' Hot

2008-09-03T15:53:00.002-04:00

The heat has not been breaking here lately. I tried to go out last night but even after dark it was hovering around 90 degrees. This morning it was still a very muggy 75 when I ran. I keep repeating to myself that it is good endurance training and will make the cooler weather bring seemingly miraculous running.

In the meantime I have to remember to call some people about stashing water bottles... Maybe I will even do a destination (read stash the car with a cooler) run. I am feeling adventurous. It is a sweaty kind of adventurous but adventurous nonetheless.

My weekend off

2008-08-29T11:56:00.003-04:00

We're heading out in a couple hours to see the in-laws in North Carolina. A 10-12 hour car ride with a 17 month old is always fun. My main entertainment tool is the "Box O' Surprises" which is actually an old wipes container that I fill with various toys. He pulls them out and throws them on the floor, I pick them up and put them back in the box, then he throws them out again. It keeps him entertained. Oddly enough, one of his favorite "toys" in the box is a rock that we picked up in July when we vacationed in Michigan.

I never run when I am out of town. I usually bring my gear and then feel bad about not running, but this time I am sparing myself the guilt and fully planning to not run. It is all in the training plan. I started in early with the 12 milers so that I can comfortably skip a long run, come back with a 12 miler and then do my very first ever 14 miler the following week.

I can't believe I am still actually excited about this!

Lesson learned

2008-08-25T16:03:00.005-04:00

I have never before experienced a water crisis while running. It was so stupid humid on my long run yesterday that I finished all of my water after about 7 miles. I was a little sad about it but didn't worry too much.

Before long, I noticed that I had stopped sweating. Distance runners are familiar with the way salt crystallizes on the face in small amounts. Well by this point I felt like a crusty human salt lick. Before long, I started getting chills and feeling fuzzy-headed, so I started to look harder for water sources. The school on my route did not have outdoor water fountains or a hose hookup like I had expected. Finally, like a mirage in the distance, I saw car washing guy. He kindly filled up my empty bottle with his hose and sent me on my merry way. Thanks for being up at 6:30AM, CarDude!

I still ended up cutting my route short by a half mile, so I only went 11.9 miles. I blame the humidity completely and insist that my dinner the night before had nothing to do with my poor performance. Honey roasted cashews and peanut butter M&Ms are great body fuel, right?

Marathon Training

2008-08-22T16:17:00.004-04:00

Marathon training has officially started! In reality this doesn't mean much except that the running schedule is no longer in my head, it is on a piece of paper. This week's running has been less than stellar because of the delights of being a woman. I start the pill on Sunday for the first time in 10 years. I seriously can't wait!

So increasing my long runs back up past 10 miles has brought on several reminders and realizations:

1. Clif shot bloks are amazing things. I especially like the orange ones with a little shot of caffeine.

2. There is a LOT of litter on the road that you don't notice while driving.

3. I hate trash day and the smells that go with it.

4. Anything over 10 miles brings on random but temporary pains in body parts that I didn't know existed

5. Speedwork is useful but hard as hell to convince myself to do at 5 in the morning

This weekend's plan - 5 miles tonight, travel to Ohio and back tomorrow, then get up extra early for a 12.5 miler Sunday morning. Hooray!

The twinkle loop

2008-07-28T14:42:00.002-04:00

If you subtract my off-key singing, it doesn't get any sweeter than this.

Back from vacation

2008-07-14T08:52:00.003-04:00

We have now been back from vacation for a week. There were many, many rocks there so Ethan had a wonderful time. His dad and I had a lovely time as well. The weather and scenery were beautiful.

I am in a good running groove now that we are back. Last week was my first 20+ mile week in months, but it didn't feel unusual. I have my training plan, my inspiration, and my confidence back. For the first time in a while, I feel like I really can do this marathon successfully!

The new/old new shoes

2008-06-26T15:29:00.004-04:00

The new/old shoes look way better on him than they do on me.

The dreamsicles are now just a dream

2008-06-20T13:45:00.002-04:00

I am so sad. I had to take back my cute little orange shoes. Wednesday's run allowed me 2.5-3 pain free miles, but even after re-lacing, I was hurting less than a mile in this morning.

The good news is that I returned the new ones to the store today and he found a pair of my old style in the stockroom. I got a refund and a 450 mile reprieve. I'll probably start looking for a new favorite shoe in October or so because I don't want to be in the depths of marathon training and trying to figure out shoes.

The bad news is that now I have two identical pair of red and grey (officially passion and ice, I think) shoes. I have to work to keep them separate because if I cut the grass in my running shoes, I may never forgive myself.

New Shoes!

2008-06-18T08:05:00.002-04:00

I am now the proud owner of a new pair of running shoes. As a bonus, my style has been updated, the colors changed, and now my feet appear to be adorned in creamsicles. I am sure that will be helpful with my blood sugar issues.

The first run in the new kicks felt good, but for the first time ever, my right arch was twingey - it felt like it was being overstretched. I am going to try one more run tomorrow in them and tighten the laces better in the middle for greater support there, but if it still feels funny I may have to return them and get another style.

I love Pearl Izumis - they have been my shoe of choice for 2 years now. They are more supportive than many others that I have tried, yet they're not heavy. I feared I was still pronating more than they could correct, but the cute little college boy said my old shoes showed a very normal wear pattern. Here's to ne next 450 miles!

Training for training

2008-06-16T08:11:00.003-04:00

I have more than six months to train for the Disney Marathon in January, so why can I not stop thinking about it? I got a really great marathon training schedule from Jamie last week, and I am so ready to start it now.

Over the last several weeks, I have been experimenting with my blood sugar and I am pretty sure I have found the solution to my slowness and leaden-leggedness of the last couple of years. I think that the adrenaline of potentially running well again coupled with the excitement of a destination marathon gets me jittery with anticipation all over again.

So where does that leave me right now? I have been doing less than 15 miles a week for a couple months as I have been trying to figure out my screwed up physiology. The first thing I want to do is to build back up to 20-25 miles per week. I can do that within a couple weeks, assuming I can figure out how to convince myself to add back my weekend long run. Second, I need to shed about 15 lbs that I have been holding on to since before Ethan was born. I am a better runner when I am a lighter runner, but there is no way I want to train for a marathon while trying to lose weight. Finally, I need to get some new running shoes. I have been happy with my Pearl Izumis, so I'll probably be searching online. I am planning to train to get ready to start my training. Obsessive.

He isn't a baby anymore.

2008-04-10T08:34:00.003-04:00

First came the mobility. He gave up crawling for walking. He didn't need to be carried around anymore.

Then came the food. His eating has improved so much in the last few weeks - he doesn't really need things to be mashed for him much anymore.

Probably related to the food was his sudden jump in vocabulary. He is parroting us more and more. He sings EIEIO. He says night night. He calls me Daddy with mischief in his eyes, even when I say "can you say momma?"

Next was the bottle. I wasn't going to be in a rush to wean him completely, but for travel related reasons, he went two nights without a bottle and we decided it was foolish to give it back to him when he didn't seem to care about it one way or the other anyway.

And now the big one. He no longer wants to be rocked to sleep. We will have to reformulate his night night routine. My baby is now a little boy.

He'll be asking to borrow the car next week.

The little things

2008-03-18T10:22:00.002-04:00

All of the little races are now out of the way. Since I really started back racing in December, I have run a 4K, 2 5Ks and a 4 miler. I skipped out on my 10K last Saturday because of whatever weird funk I was in. That leaves my 10 miler in a little shy of 2 weeks plus my half mary in just over a month.

Making the move back to distance running is liberating but scary. Races make me nervous anyway. Derek has to practically drag me out of the house for each and every one. The longer distances make that even harder because I have more to psych myself out about.

I am grateful to have a supportive partner who goes with me to every race, braves the cold, the snow and the rain, and waits patiently for my slow ass to cross the finish line.

A year ago....

2008-02-25T09:55:00.002-05:00

This time, 12 months ago, Derek and I were incredibly frustrated. The adoption agency seemed to be hemming and hawing with our paperwork. Somehow, one of our reference letters was lost and had to be sent again. We were hungry for information and couldn't seem to get it fast enough. We tried to calm ourselves by recognizing that a year from then, none of the annoying details would matter. Guess what - they don't.

Passing Down The Wisdom of the Ages

2008-02-11T16:06:00.000-05:00

Ah, young one - when you turn one as I am doing today, you will be allowed your own serving of this ambrosia that I am graciously allowing you to sample.

Veggie Fried Rice

2008-02-07T11:44:00.000-05:00

Ethan is SO picky about food textures. We have had a pretty difficult time switching him over to table food. In the past week or so, we have modified our approach - milling up his food before we give it to him instead of offering chunks and then milling it when he refuses to eat the chunks. Overall, this has been successful. He has loved manicotti and the North African chickpeas and couscous. He will now eat pancakes and toast without having them mashed up. He does great with cookies and crackers.

I thought last night's veggie fried rice would be a no brainer. He loves the rice cereal, and although it had peas, which he hates, there weren't too many of them. As you can see, he was not pleased. My guess is that the pieces were still too big because it really was tasty to Derek and me. We'll keep trying!

Baby steps!

2008-01-28T15:23:00.001-05:00

I can't say he is walking yet, but Ethan took his first step last night. It was heavily coerced - I led him using a valentine's day mini-bucket that he finds most appealing. Step, step, face plant. I don't think he even noticed that he was walking, he was focused only on getting that bucket. The cats don't have any idea what they're in for.

Another race down!

2008-01-21T09:42:00.000-05:00

My second race after my full return to running was a success. The park in which it is run is very hilly. My pace was a full minute per mile faster than last month's race, which was run on the same course, albeit with more side loops. I was that much faster even though the race was nearly twice as long!

As you can see by the photos, some of us were more excited than others to be out there in the cold.

What Have I Done?!?!

2008-01-14T14:31:00.000-05:00

This message is generated as confirmation of your recent registration on Active.com. You have been successfully registered for the following:

Registration: 2009 WALT DISNEY WORLD Marathon

Purchase Date: 01/14/08
Category: WALT DISNEY WORLD Marathon
Event Date: 01/11/09

I am suddenly incredibly nervous about being able to run this far. Its all mental, right?

Photo of the Day

2008-01-11T14:32:00.000-05:00

I now present my father-in-law.

You can take a day off from running, but

2008-01-08T13:38:00.000-05:00

you can't take a day off from being a mom.

Ethan is feeling somewhat better, although he is still feverish, coughing and snotty. He has at least spent some time awake and has had some smiles and giggles for me. Being sick has made him extra clingy.

Last night, after I put him to bed I had planned on running. My own sickness has been getting worse, and I found that I was eagerly awaiting finishing my run so I could take meds that would make me drowsy. I realized that I was being silly - if I was sick enough that I was looking forward to medicine the way that I am usually looking forward to dessert, then I was sick enough to take the night off. I took the meds and went to bed.

It was not destined to be a restful night. He was up every 2 hours, screaming. Most of the time was spent downstairs on the couch with Derek. At 4:30, I gave up on sleeping, and strapped him into the stroller for a 4.5 miler. He fell asleep within 2 minutes and snoozed the whole time.

I am desperately hoping that he remembers how to sleep again tonight.

RIP Todd the iPod.

2008-01-03T09:42:00.000-05:00

Todd is nearly 4 years old. He has just about outlived his useful life. His scroll wheel is screwed up. The forward button doesn't work, so I can't skip songs. more importantly, I can't turn him off, which means that unless he is charging, he plays until his battery dies. This works fine here at work, but is utterly useless for running.

Today I am ordering a new Nano. Derek is doing the shopping for me because I hate doing it and he loves it. I have already picked out a new case that functions as a water resistant protector thingie, weather resistant running armband, and a belt clip, although I don't see me needing that particular function. Excluding shoes, this should complete my gadget needs for marathon training.

Welcome Rosabella!!

2008-01-02T10:45:00.000-05:00

Ethan met his new cousin Rosabella for the first time over the weekend. She has been home from Guatemala for a couple of weeks now and is adjusting beautifully. She is a happy, gregarious little girl. Aside from being adopted, Ethan and Rosabella share many interests, including chasing cats, licking things and pooping in their pants. It was wonderful to finally see them together!

Officially "Half"way there

2007-12-31T10:47:00.000-05:00

I just registered for the Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon. I think I may have signed up for it last year, but Ethan came way before we were expecting him, so I didn't get to actually run it.

Dad ran this one every year, and it was a big deal for him. I remember being a spectator for a number of years and a partial-participant when I was in 7th grade. Most often, he ran it with his buddy Danny, who is longer legged and faster than Dad was. I remember hearing repeatedly about the year that Danny's shorts were not adequately rinsed from the laundry, and as he worked up a sweat, his pants began to drip foam. I remember Mom rolling her eyes as we would have to go and get the car because Dad ran home from dropping the car off at the mechanic, or some other place while he was in training for the race. I think Brian and/or Andrew may still even sleep in old MiniMarathon t-shirts.

This year I finally get to make it MY race!

Races for 2008

2007-12-28T10:19:00.001-05:00

Here is my plan so far for races in 2008:

Jan 14 - Snowman Shuffle 4 miler
Feb 16 - Frostbite 5K (and Happy B-day Derek)
March 1 - Anthem 5K
March 15 - Rodes City Run 10K
March 29 - Papa John's 10 miler
April 26th - KY Derby Mini-Marathon
Summer - ??
September ? - Downtown Doubler 30K

2009
January 1 - Hangover Classic 10 miler
January ? Disney Marathon

And speaking of races, this is me at the coldest, slushiest race I have run in a long time. Derek calls it an "action shot" and says the blurriness just shows how fast I was going.

Rub-a-dub-dub, two babies in a tub...

2007-12-27T10:37:00.000-05:00

Running Partner

2007-12-26T08:30:00.000-05:00

I have a new running partner.

He is an early riser, often waking up earlier than me. His stamina is borderline - I have had to cut two-thirds of our runs a little short because he has run out of steam.

Sometimes he is gross - spitting all over the place, and even soiling his britches during the run. Sometimes he talks the whole time we're running, other times he stares into space or even falls asleep.

Even though I am accustomed to solo running, I wouldn't trade this new partner for anything in the world. After all - look how handsome he looks before our early-morning runs:

Mojo

2007-12-17T09:23:00.000-05:00

"You know, what have we learned here today? Perhaps it's that no one can take your mojo. You can look around all you want, but what you're really trying to find is on the inside. Take care of yourself, and each other."

Running a good race has done wonders for my level of inspiration. I have a schedule that I am getting ready to record into Outlook. I know of at least 7 races that I want to run this year, leading up to the Disney Marathon in '09. This is the first time that I have felt inspired to run (as opposed to obligated to run) in a very long time.

Zzzzzzzz...

2007-12-10T14:54:00.001-05:00

Golly - I didn't think I was THAT tired... I just fell asleep here at work for a millisecond. I had my head down checking things off on a list, and did that head-jerky thing that I remember doing in class when I fell asleep and started to fall over.

Does that mean I have more Jim Rudd in me than I thought?

One week and one day

2007-12-07T11:46:00.000-05:00

Until the Reindeer Romp. It is a teeny little race - just 4K, but it has done a good job of getting me out of the house and onto the streets for this past week. This will be my first race since the Anthem 5K that I ran right before Ethan was born. I'm even getting a little case of the pre-race jitters over it!

I don't know yet what Derek and Ethan will be doing while I am running. Historically, D has been my cheering section and photographer, but with chilly weather and a little man in tow, that may be tough, even for such a short race.

Becky - we are supposed to bring a prezzie for a kid 12-15 as registration for this thing. Since you are the proud owner of one within that age group, can you think of anything cheapo but interesting I can get?

Rebirth?

2007-11-29T10:33:00.000-05:00

My very first race as a runner was the Reindeer Romp in November 2005. It was a 4K - 2.8 miles, and I was terrified to run it. What if I didn't know the secret race procedures? What if I was last? What if I couldn't make it the whole way? Well, I survived it and did reasonably well.

The Reindeer Romp is part one of a three part series, the Polar Bear Grand Prix. The purpose of the set of races is to keep people running and racing through the winter months.

Pete says I need a goal in order to get off my ass and onto the street. I know he is right. Tonight, I am going to write out a check for $50 for all three races. Spending the money hits my tightwad self where it hurts, so it is great motivation to keep up with it.

It just seems fitting that I would restart at the same point I originally began.

Cookies

2007-11-28T08:39:00.000-05:00

Nom nom nom

Babies are gross.

2007-11-26T10:15:00.000-05:00

Ethan has been sick twice in two months. Derek and I, as a result, have gotten sick twice in two months. Before Ethan, being sick was a pretty rare thing in our house. We have had the pleasure, these last two months, of dealing with copious amounts of mucous, barf and pudding poop in addition to all of the regular gross baby things like blowing raspberries with a mouthful of green beans and attempting to poke the cats in their winker holes.

Indeed, babies are gross.

At lunchtime today, I am going to attempt to find a running stroller to take my little grody man out with me to hit the streets. I don't know how well he'll handle it, as he tends to get pretty wiggly in the regular stroller, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Finally, Derek found this really sweet picture from mid-May. I don't remember him being this tiny and helpless-looking, but apparently he was. Please note the milk reservoir underneath his ample bosom...

Hmmm...

2007-11-09T16:05:00.001-05:00

Disney Marathon 2009???

Lots of time between now and then to heal and train. Kid will be old enough to enjoy it by that time.

The seed has been planted...

2007-11-07T09:38:00.000-05:00

I don't know if it is because he has watching me do my PT exercises, or just because he has figured out how to do it (and that it gets a response from us), but Ethan will now shake his head back and forth on command. Now if we can only teach him the meaning of "no", we'll be in great shape!

Speaking of shaking the head, as mentioned this morning on the LTR thread, I do a lot of head-shaking while running because it is a great opportunity to work on retraining the ol' brain to understand movement and to quit shifting my field of vision like a Viewmaster. If it weren't 5:00 in the morning and I was actually visible, I'd probably be a whole lot more self-conscious about it.

Naked Pictures!!

2007-11-06T09:08:00.000-05:00

We usually end up with more water on me than on Ethan at the end of bathtime. That kid can splash.

Oh yeah...that running thing

2007-11-05T09:36:00.000-05:00

My last run of over a mile was in September. My last 1 mile failure (or feedback, per Renee) run was in early October. After a month off while faithfully sticking to my physical therapy schedule, I am happy to report that I had a wildly successful 3 mile run this morning. I won't go so far as to say I was fast, but I was somewhere between 1 and 2 minutes per mile faster than I was before the break and the rigorous PT. I still have a long way to go, but without a doubt this is the most encouraging run I have had in a good long time.

Undoubtedly, as hard as it is for me to admit, something really and truly was/is wrong with me. I am just glad I know how to fix it, albeit painfully slowly.

The hips are tight so I am considering alternating running days with yoga days (or somehow combining them).

Still up for the Triple Crown, Alecia?

Happy Halloween!!

2007-11-01T08:04:00.000-04:00

Bzzzzzzzzzzz

All of the kids:

Back row: Miss Devil Scary (Emma), Cap'n Pirate a.k.a. Cap'n Sword (Isaiah)
Front Row: Beeethan (Ethan), sitting on Cap'n Scary (Andrew) and Cap'n Goofball (Jonah) sitting on Brian, who is too old for a costume or alias.

Ethan + Cats + Laser Pointer

2007-10-29T08:18:00.001-04:00

I can't tell which is more fun for him - watching the cats or playing with the light.

Crawling!

2007-10-19T08:02:00.000-04:00

Of course, he didn't do it as clearly when we were filming, but in true twitchy wind-up toy fashion, Ethan is officially mobile.

Eeeeek! Demon Baby!!!

2007-10-18T14:17:00.000-04:00

Click on the pic for full effect. Daddy lookes nervous for a reason...

2007-10-16T08:28:00.001-04:00

The most amazing thing happened this morning. I opened the garage door to leave for work, and get this: discovered it was raining. This means that although rain was falling OUTSIDE, it did not drip, drip, drip into the bedroom and wake us up. I'll have Derek feel the ceiling once he is up and running for the day, and if it is dry, we'll actually be able to replace the moldy, stained drywall above the bed and have a decent looking bedroom for the first time in the three years we lived in the house.

Speaking of three years, three years ago yesterday, I took an impromptu half day off of work to hop down to the county courthouse to get hitched. It has been a really wonderful three years!

Finally, but certainly not of least importance, Ethan seems to be getting over his very first sick experience. He still got up a few times last night, but he wasn't too sad when he did, and he was ok sleepig in his own bed. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a full recovery by tomorrow.

2007-10-12T11:46:00.001-04:00

How in the world did we get by when Derek and I both were out of the house during the day? Since we have been back from vacation, we have had:

*A fella come to fix the microwave
*A plumber
*The chimney guy to (hopefully) fix the leak in the ceiling in the bedroom
*The HVAC folks to repair the air cleaner that we got when we replaced the AC in May
*A whole team of dudes replacing our roof today

We're broke now. Really.

My Favorite Rock Stars

2007-10-08T08:23:00.000-04:00

Yesterday afternoon was the first concert of the rock band Royal Tragedy. You can see my nephews Brian (13) on lead guitar and Andrew (10) on bass and vocals. It was a fabulous concert, but the video and audio quality sucks because it was on my little point and shoot camera.

Can't wait until the next concert!

2007-10-05T09:11:00.000-04:00

I hate doing my physical therapy. It is boring, repetitive, and makes me nauseous. It really does work though. Sometime this weekend I am going to have Derek do the exercises and tell me what he sees/feels while he is doing them so I can know what I am striving for. Since my inner ear is so out of whack, I can't tell what is normal and what isn't. It is probably funny to watch me do these exercises, since they're not the standard PT that you think of when you're working on a limb or back injury. Instead they work on my balance and visual perception.

There are 3 components of balance - the visual, the proprioception (what you physically feel - your feet against the ground, for ex.) and the inner ear. If 2 of these are intact, you can still function ok. In my case, my vision and feeling are fine, but my inner ear is shot. The balance portion of my exercises has me disable the 2 working mechanisms and deal with the one that doesn't work. I take 2 pillows, stack them and stand on them (to disorient my feet/ground connection), close my eyes, move my head back and forth, while marching in place. It is HARD!!! If I didn't do this in a door frame where I hit something when I am falling, I would be on the ground in seconds because without my eyes or my feet to tell me, I cannot sense when I am falling.

I also have to do visual perception exercises. These train my inner ear to be in sync again with my eyes. I take a marker, fix my gaze on it, and then move my head back and forth. At this point, I can read the word "Crayola" about a third of the time when my head is moving. This represents big progress, as the inability to visually focus when my head is moving has been one of the most debilitating parts of this (checking blind spots, distinguishing mailboxes from garbage cans from people during a run).

New Approach

2007-10-03T09:42:00.000-04:00

Running has sucked for the last year. My speed and endurance have gone downhill significantly and continuously. Whenever I get motivated, the less-than-stellar reality of my current running abilities discourages me. I haven't really, truly enjoyed running for a long time now. After remaining too long in the try/fail/try again cycle, I am now trying something different.

I know that the issue at the heart of my lousy running is my ongoing vertigo. I did the physical therapy thing in December and January, but quit after a while because progress was slow, and real life got so busy that I just kind of forgot about it. If I want to get better with the running, I have to fix the vertigo. As Becky and Alecia know, Dad's approach to any physical ailment, (which has somehow sadly become my attitude as well) was to keep going, push through the pain, and it will get better. In this case (and maybe some others - just ask Mom!) Dad was wrong.

The new plan is to run a little and do the PT a lot. I am committing to 2-3X day with the exercises. As the vertigo gets slowly better, my running will get better, and then my attitude toward running will improve as well. Once I can actually run a mile in less than 11 minutes (hell, I'd settle for less than 14 minutes right now!) I'll feel comfortable stopping the PT.

When it rains, it pours (onto my husband at 4 in the morning)

2007-09-27T09:53:00.000-04:00

We got the first good rain in months very early this morning. All in all, that is a wonderful thing, except for the fact that we have a damned roof leak that the three different fixer-folks we have called out have failed to fix. A water stain on the ceiling does not try my patience nearly as much as the water dripping on Derek this morning did. Why is this so difficult?

So after the non-fixes by Kirstan, Chimney Dude, and Susie's boss, I called the roofers we use here at work for our buildings. No deal -they don't repair unless it is a roof that they installed. I hate to just call someone out of the yellow pages, but my list of trusted repair-people has been exhausted, and you can see where that trust has gotten us - an ineffective job by two companies and one that the third company refused to complete, even though they at least think they know what is wrong...

So much for customer service.

Vacation Photos

2007-09-25T08:46:00.000-04:00

We now have our vacation photos posted to the Flickr site. To see them, click here.

2007-09-24T14:41:00.000-04:00

I think I may go out and get a reflective vest. I am going to sit and think on it a while to determine if it is overkill. I have reflective stripes on my shoes, a reflective armband that I carry my ID and key in, and a blinky LED that I wear on my iPod armband.

This morning, somebody wasn't paying attention and very nearly ran me down. He was speeding and turned in to the wrong lane. He was being lazy - it was 6 in the morning and dark. He just didn't expect anyone to be there, I am sure. I was less than 10 feet away from the sidewalk on the left side of the street. He stopped 3 feet short of me and I had nowhere to go. He was in the wrong, clearly, but when you're roadkill, it doesn't really matter who was right.

What scared me was that I wasn't as visible as I could have been. Todd the iPod wasn't with me so I didn't have my flashy LED. Instead of a white t-shirt, I was wearing grey. My shorts have white stripes down the side, but the shirt sleeve was covering up the reflective armband.

Am I overreacting by adding more to what I am already doing? Maybe if I go back to white shirts only and make sure that all of my other precautions are in place...

At least if he had smooshed me, I had my ID and they would have known who I was and who to call...

2007-09-17T14:14:00.000-04:00

We're back from vacation, and hopefully back into the routine. Ethan tolerated the travel and time away pretty well, although he was fussy the last couple of days there. I think he was suffering from a lack of sleep, as he perked up after a full day and night of sleep on the way home. I wouldn't sleep well in a pack-and-play either, even if I was that small. We saw dolphins, walked on the beach, swam, visited with family, and had a great relaxing time. It is good to be back home to our bed and the lonely cats.

Ethan now has his second tooth and does a couple of new tricks. He plays peekaboo by himself now and will also make a kissyface. He doesn't always do them on demand, but he clearly does them intentionally. Too cute.

Running just didn't happen while we were gone. The beach wasn't runnable, and I was just plain lazy. We were active every day - walking, swimming, exploring the area, just no running. I should still be fine for the half mary in October. Long runs start back up this weekend. In the meantime, I have made the mental switch from running to eat to eating to run. It is the state of mind I have been trying to get to for months!

Pics to come once we get them moved around and consolidated.

2007-09-06T08:58:00.000-04:00

Cute Ethan pic of the day - this is him in the hat that his oldest cousin Brian got him in Boston last month. Not only is it cute, it is apparently tasty too. He has learned to take it off to chew on it.

Today's run was a failure - I completed 1.5 of 5.25 miles planned, and then the legs just gave up on me. I'll make it up on the beach Sat and/or Sun. Tomorrow I have my long(ish) run of 7 miles planned for before we leave.

2007-09-05T08:16:00.000-04:00

I am now in week 2 of training for the louisville half marathon. I am still poky, but I am also looking at my second week in a row of 20+ miles. That is very good news for me. I feel better in so many ways when I am over that bump. Since we're leaving Friday morning on vacation, that means that I am squeezing 17 of those miles into 3 consecutive days, but I figure it will be worth it for 2 reasons. First, hell- it is vacation! Second, I'll be running on the beach next week, hopefully at sunrise if the tide allows, so a little PITA now will be repaid by the candy runs next week.

I am looking forward to taking Ethan to the beach. Seeing his cousin Jonah's (that is Jonah in the pic above with Ethan) beach pics from last month makes me feel pretty confident that he won't eat too much sand or get too crispy burned. He travels well, and will have 2 of us there to trade him off as needed, so it will be a good vacation. His second tooth has been struggling to come in. It has been this big grody and painful looking blood blister for a couple weeks.

We took him to the zoo last Friday and he had a good time. He didn't notice the non-human critters there, but really loved watching all of the kids. he really loved the cement turtle, as you can see.

2007-08-28T13:54:00.001-04:00

It has been over a year since I did my last half mary. I think I am ready to train for another one. There are 8 weeks or so between now and the 21st of October. All I have to do is add back my weekend long run to my existing running schedule. I can do this.

Maybe next year I'll do the full...

2007-08-23T08:14:00.000-04:00

Here are some of the photos we're sending to Ethan's birthmother this month. I would like to point out the copious amount of drool on the exersaucer picture and note that Rosie's eyes are actually green and not demonic red. The red eye repair function doesn't work on cats. It also, incidentally, doesn't work very well on Ethan's deep brown eyes either. That is another story altogether.

2007-08-22T09:04:00.000-04:00

Ethan is 5 months old today. I am amazed by how much his personality has come out in the past month or so. He is a happy, and giggly and busy all the time. I put together pics to send to his birthmother last night, as we do every month, and will try and remember to post some new ones in the next day or so.

Last night Mr. UPS dropped off the new running shoes that I ordered from shoes.com. Their warehouse is in Louisville. I was going to have them shipped to work, but that would mean that they would charge sales tax, so to save 6 bucks, I had them shipped home instead. Interestingly, the package was sent from Louisville to Indianapolis, and then back down south to Jeffersonville. Distribution logistics are tough to understand.

Either way, it is great to:
a)run in new shoes
b)have decent looking regular tennies now (my former running shoes)
c)demote my former regular tennies to yardwork shoes (the pair before that)
d)pitch my falling apart crappy yardwork shoes (three pairs removed)

Being a runner is complicated.

2007-08-21T09:22:00.000-04:00

Aargh!

I finished coursework for the MSSF degree in May. I still haven't received my degree in the mail. I e-mailed the department in June and she said to wait another month. I e-mailed the department yesterday and received a reply back this morning that says that the registrar deals with this, not the MBA/MSSF department.

This morning, I called the registrar's office. There is no notation in my transcript that I have been awarded the degree. She said I should talk to the department. I told her the department told me to talk to her. In that case, she said, the person I needed to talk to was away at a doctor appointment. I was promised a call-back this afternoon.

In the meantime, the registrar person called the department person and determined that they did not have an application for graduation on file. I called the MBA/MSSF person and told her that we had e-mailed about my graduation application on 1/29/07. She found a copy of the e-mail. Sometimes it is good to be anal about keeping e-mails. She will research and call me back soon.

Everyone I have spoken to has been kind, helpful and gracious. I am frustrated, but remaining patient. I have 2 e-mails from 2 heads of the department saying that my course schedule would indeed fulfill the requirements for the degree. Now I just have to wait.

2007-08-20T13:39:00.000-04:00

Guess who got his first official tooth Friday! I don't have any pics yet, but it looks like the next-door tooth will be coming in within days as well. He isn't sharp yet, so I continue to let him gnaw on my jawbone as he loves to do.

I am amazed at how much solid food Ethan eats. He will eat a whole container of baby food in addition to 2 oz. of formula blended in with rice. He seems to have enjoyed every food he has tried so far, even the grody ones like peas and carrots. He is even getting the hang of opening his mouth for the spoon. No shoving and prying is required.

2007-08-16T09:14:00.000-04:00

Every day for the past week, I have expected to find Ethan sporting a new tooth or teeth, but we're still not there yet. He has the low grade fever, the slobbering, the swollen gums, the fussiness - all the classic symptoms. You can see where they're just straining against his little gums, but they have yet to poke through. Last night, he was bleeding a little bit from one side and you could see where the gum had split a little, but still there was no telltale white poking through. This morning, that side was actually less swollen that the next-door tooth-to-be. I feel bad for the poor little guy - I hope he can get it over with soon so his little mouth won't be so sore...

2007-08-08T09:08:00.000-04:00

Here are some of the latest pics of Ethan. His hair issues seem to have been fixed - we have had pretty good luck with hemp oil. It takes away the frizz but still leaves it soft and not greasy.

I can't believe how much he has changed over the last few weeks. He's such a grown-up boy in his exersaucer, and he is really doing a great job of eating solids.

2007-08-07T09:58:00.000-04:00

There is a 5 mile race on Saturday morning at 8:00AM near where we'll be staying for vacation. I can't find much information on it online, other than to see last year's results. With my poky post-vertigo speeds, and if this year's race mimics last year's, I would likely be in the last 10 people (of about 75) to finish. Plus, will I really want to run a race after being in the car so long the day before. Then again, I know I am slow and am ok with that. A race on vacation would sure be fun...

Much pondering will occur between now and then...

2007-08-06T10:24:00.000-04:00

Hooray! I got my lazy hind-end out of bed this morning for a full 5.25 mile run. I feel pretty good, considering that it was (and is) stupid-crazy-hot-humid outside. It was a tough one, but it felt like an accomplishment when I was finished. Now I need to figure out if my headache is due to dehydration or just getting up too durn early. Nudge me if you see me falling asleep at my desk.

We're officially booked for a condo at Oak Island, NC next month. We wanted to combine a trip to the in-laws with an actual vacation so we could eliminate feeling guilty, and yet have a little relaxation as well. I think that this will take care of both of those. A trip that is 12 hours each way normally will be much longer with little dude, so we are planning on taking our time getting there. Damn - now I have to get into swimsuit shape before we go.

And I finally finished Harry Potter Saturday night/Sunday morning. Whew!

2007-08-02T16:13:00.000-04:00

Have you ever just had one of those days where you're down for no reason? Today was one of those days. I felt tired, unmotivated and sluggish. when I get in these moods I have a terrible time concentrating long enough to get things done.

I tried making a list and going through the line items. Didn't work.

I tried rationalizing; talking myself out of the funk. Failed again.

Then I pulled out my wild card - the mood cure-all that trumps my Papaw's CamphoPhenique or Grandma's CortAid. It worked. Here it is:

I feel better now. Do you?

Vacation

2007-08-01T10:27:00.000-04:00

I think we're planning a vacation in September. Derek and I are big fans of travel and have gone lots of places together, but other than a trip to Ohio last month, and one to eastern KY in May, (which don't really count because they were to see family and there were no overnight stays)we haven't gone any substantial trips since Ethan was born. As a matter of fact, the last time we stayed in a hotel was at the hospital when he was born.

So I've got the itch but don't know what sounds appealing. Anywhere we want to go is going to require a fair amount of driving, and with little man is going to take longer than it used to. We're going to have to do some research to see what is within a reasonable distance.

2007-07-27T09:50:00.000-04:00

So how do you decide?

Stay in the great house in the great neighborhood or move to the ok house on the amazing parcel of land?

The 'burbs or the rural area?

Deal with the hassle of moving or stay where we're settled?

Spend $$ on fixing up the new-to-us old house or on the higher mortgage of the old-to-us newer house?

What suits us better? Quirky character or trendy newness?

There are a lot of unknowns and a lot of variables. I think we are going to leave it up to fate - if it happens, we'll be off on a new, semi-scary adventure, if it doesn't, we'll still be content. Either way, we can't lose.

The Cereal Adventure

2007-07-25T11:08:00.000-04:00

Solid foods already! I can't believe how grown up he is. Here is Ethan's first adventure into eating like a big boy, complete with totally dorky "mommentary".

Infertility and Adoption

2007-07-19T13:04:00.000-04:00

Before we adopted Ethan, I put a lot of effort into thinking and worrying about our infertility journey. It was always out there - something that made up a big part of who I was. An unaccomplished goal combined with a desperate fear that I wouldn't be able to carry/give birth to/breastfeed a child. Now that Ethan is ours and real and tangible, it is so completely different. I don't pine for those things that I spent so much time and energy wishing for. I really don't feel like I missed out, perhaps because I was able to closely observe so many pregnancies through other people. Instead, I am glad for the time I spent waiting and wanting because it has made the *now* seem so much better. I am glad that we had the trouble we did - if we hadn't, I wouldn't have Ethan, and he is as much mine as any child that I would have given birth to. Our agency has a saying that "you will get the child you were meant to raise". When we were in the pre-adoption classes, I dismissed it as hokey, but now I believe it with all my heart.

2007-07-17T11:09:00.000-04:00

I officially sent in the form to register for my first race as a mom. It is a short one - just 4 miles, but it will be the first time that I can come through the chute and see little man and Derek waiting for me. As a bonus, it gets us free tix to the baseball game afterward, so we can stay and have some good, family-friendly fun. My smell after a race, however, is less than family-friendly, so I'll have to make sure there is time to go home and shower in between. I'd hate for the mascot guy in the furry bat suit to pass out before we can get his pic with Ethan.

2007-07-13T15:37:00.000-04:00

There is nothing in the world cuter than a baby in a hat. Specifically, this baby and this hat.

2007-07-12T09:37:00.000-04:00

I had talked to several people over the last few weeks about bringing more diversity into our lives. Adopting a child of color has really made it clear to me how monochromatic our lives are. Our closest friends, family, and church folks are primarily white. Our neighborhood is pretty diverse, but in general, people stick to themselves. We know a number of transracially adopted children with African-American heritage, but don't have any AA adults in our daily lives to serve as role models or simply to provide Ethan with a better idea of what it means to be brown-skinned in our area.

At my mother's suggestion, I talked to Billie Sue at the 4th of July parade. As a woman active in the larger community and more specifically, the African American community, I thought she would be a good starting point to help us as a family become involved and serve the community along side a more diverse group of people. Instead of recommending organizations or causes, however, she offered something even better. She invited us to become a part of her extended family and to join them at family gatherings. So now Ethan has a new "Granny" and we have a new path to expand our social group and meet more young families who can better help Ethan have a better understanding of the culture behind his African American heritage. How cool is that?!?

A great run

2007-07-11T09:47:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when I run, it feels completely effortless. I spring out of bed in the morning, get out the door in no time, and leap through the miles, bounding with energy. Other times, it is hard. I want to reset the alarm and sleep in, but I don't. I want to sit and read instead of lacing up, but I force myself to get out the door. I want to stop because it is hot, I am tired and my legs are heavy, but somehow I manage to force myself to keep going.

This morning's run was one of the latter kind. It was muggy, I was tired, there was lightning in the distance, and my legs felt like they had small children clinging to them. Despite this, I finished the route. Another 5.25 miles is permanently on my running log. Finishing up, I was feeling relieved that I had finally completed a bad run. I realized, though, that this couldn't have been a bad run. Despite having numerous reasons to turn back and go home, I kept going. I had the resolve to complete what I had started despite the obstacles. I think that qualifies it for the status of a great run.

Nature's Bounty

2007-07-10T11:21:00.001-04:00

I am having ratatouille for lunch today. Everything in it, with the exception of the garlic and the eggplant (bought at the local farmers' market) was grown in my garden. Every time I think about it, I marvel at the fact that these little seeds, the dirt in our backyard and some water every now and then, has yielded something that is this tasty and fulfilling. I feel very connected to the earth when I eat from the garden. That whole circle of life thing is pretty groovy.

2007-07-09T10:37:00.000-04:00

I love this picture. We call it the "what you talking 'bout, Willis" face. We notice it more in photos than we do in real life, but he sure is adorable when he is annoyed.

I get exclusive baby rights this week. Derek is working every evening through thursday, so Ethan and I are going to be hanging out by ourselves this week. We have exciting plans such as taking a trip to Petsmart and switching out his clothes for larger ones. Sounds thrilling, doesn't it?

This week should be the first time I have topped 15 mpw since Ethan was born. I am back running 5 milers instead of 3 milers, which makes it so much easier to get the miles in. I am still having trouble getting out there on weekends, but that will come sooner or later. There are even a couple of races on the horizon that I am eyeing...

2007-07-06T08:13:00.000-04:00

Derek and I really have a great arrangement. I feel very comfortable with him being home with Ethan during the day. He is a really great dad and they have a lot of fun together. It is cute to see their relationship evolve as Ethan becomes more aware of his surroundings and increasingly interactive with us.

Ethan is sleeping from 9:00 at night to 5 or 6 in the morning now. Typically, he'll take a bottle and go back to sleep at that time. I use that to my advantage - the extra commotion in the house provides an added incentive for me to get out of bed a little earlier for my run. I have gone back to running 5 miles at a time since that gives me a little more bang for my buck than the 3.5 mile course offers.

2007-06-29T15:44:00.000-04:00

Isaiah, Ethan, and I ended up going to the game after all last night. It was delayed almost 2 hours and we got soaked, but it was a lot of fun anyway. We rode the merry-go-round a couple of times and played on the playground in the stadium, splashed in puddles and ate cotton candy - all the makings of a great evening. Our final ride on the carousel rocked Ethan to sleep, which was precious, until he woke up after I dropped Isaiah off and decided he would test to see how loudly he could wail. Both boys were so good - I couldn't have asked for a more pleasant night with them, rain and all. I have a couple of cute pics of, but don't have them off of the camera yet, so I will post later tonight.

2007-06-28T10:01:00.000-04:00

Weather permitting, Ethan and I are going to a Bats game tonight with cousin Isaiah. That is him in the pic w/ 2 day old Ethan and their auntie Becky. The forecast is calling for t-storms and rain all afternoon and evening, so it may not happen. My boss has season tickets that he never uses, so fortunately, if tonight doesn't work out we can pick another day. Now I just have to figure out what we will do as an alternative if the game is a no-go...

I hope that the predicted rain will do something about the mugginess. This morning's run was oppressively damp and warm...

2007-06-27T10:55:00.001-04:00

I didn't wake up this morning to run. I think that right now 3-4 times a week is all I am going to strive for. I am comfortable with that - as long as I can maintain my fitness, I am not looking to gain any ground. I would much rather concentrate on being with my family and my overall health and happiness, which includes getting a full night's sleep. I take lovely lunchtime walks on the days that I don't run, so I am still getting out there and moving my body...

I miss my little man today. Last night was the third night ever that I missed tucking him in. It has been our agreement from the beginning that if Derek gets to be the stay-at-home parent, I have exclusive rights to the "night-night bottle" and the bedtime ritual. Today will be better - I won't be home but I'll at least have Ethan with me. It is always fun to show him off to new people. He is such a ham!

Race and Adoption

2007-06-26T10:42:00.000-04:00

Adoption, especially transracial adoption, gets you into some marshy territory. Like any parent, I want Ethan to grow up feeling comfortable in his own skin, as part of our family and embracing of and embraced by the cultures and groups around him. It is naive to think that it will be that easy. When he was just a week old, we experienced our first negative reaction to the fact that he is biracial. From discussions I have had with parents of other black and biracial children, it will most certainly not be the last.

When we were making the preparations to adopt, Derek and I discussed at length all of the books, articles and websites that we have seen about adoption. We both feel that they are too quick to blame adoption for any and all bumps in the road. The same is true for race. Is your child withdrawn? It must be because he is concerned about issues related to his adoption. Is he acting out? He is probably having trouble understanding his racial identity. Here, we have two very real, integral parts of Ethan's identity. We have to walk a very narrow road between acknowledging and embracing the things that make him different from many people around him, yet not allowing those differences to overshadow his everyday, normal life and development.

He is Ethan. He is black. He is white. He is adopted. He is loved. He is ours.

2007-06-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

I love the weekend. Being able to enjoy a little relaxed time together as a family is wonderful. This weekend, Ethan had his first chance to gamble at the racetrack. Here you can see him throwing away money like it is nothing.

Sunday we went on a drive to a state park that is close by. Derek took a lot of really nice nature and park photos, including this one of the young and enthusiastic hiker. I should mention that not long after this happy pic, Ethan started crying and didn't stop until he was asleep for the night. Don't let the cuteness fool you - he knows how to play us.

You can see some of Derek's other pics here

Happy Birthday Ethan!

2007-06-22T10:16:00.000-04:00

Three months ago, at about this hour, I got a phone call saying that a healthy baby boy with curls and a cute nose was born. The next day, on his auntie Alecia's 30th birthday, we got to meet Ethan and his birthmom and grandmother. Now here we are, three months later, and although the shock of the speed of the process has worn off, the excitement is still there. I am fully aware that I have first-time-mommyitis, but I am embracing it! He is such a joy and has added a whole new dimension to our lives. The pic above is one of the first we took of him - the first time I fed him.

This morning was a beautiful time to run. It was cool and breezy, and yesterday's day off made me feel energetic and pleasant. If all runs were like today's, everyone would be a runner and I wouldn't have had so much trouble getting back on track.

2007-06-21T11:24:00.000-04:00

It is official. Ethan is rolling over! He did it for Derek last week, but we have been unable to get him to replicate it, until yesterday. He rolled over a couple of times for Derek during the day, and then he did it 5-10 times after I got home. He even did it once for his Mamaw! We have so far been unable to capture this on camera, but we DO have eyewitness accounts. He grows up more every day!

Chiggers

2007-06-20T09:41:00.000-04:00

Before I get to the whole chiggers thing, I have to mention that Ethan is getting so big and grown up! He now says "whoa" (or at least the baby equivalent) whenever Derek plays airplane with him. As soon as Derek starts to move him and says "whoooooa", Ethan starts in making the same noise. Very cute, and of course, very grown-up.

Now to the chiggers. I don't know when they bit me, I don't know when they bit Derek, but they did. Thankfully, they didn't get the baby, but Derek and I are both covered in big red bumps. They're really, really itchy when I run and get sweaty, but are only mildly itchy the rest of the time. I was going to post an after-run chigger pic to show the beauty of their glowing redness, but it ended up just looking like some gross-out porn or other such weirdness. Close-ups of body parts become fairly ambiguous and unidentifiable.

Other than the continual itchiness, this morning's run was great. It was cool and crisp and beautiful.

2007-06-19T16:39:00.001-04:00

2007-06-19T09:14:00.000-04:00

I decided to move my stuff over here from the MSN for a couple of reasons. These seem a little less cumbersome (the other spot took FOREVER to post), and I want to be able to more easily link to and comment on other blogs.

I have been in a running funk ever since we found out that we had been chosen to be Ethan's parents. I think a lot of it was just the anticipation of and subsequent adjustment to being a new parent. Now, I blame the fact that I simply got out of the habit, my rekindled caffeine addiction, and pure early morning laziness.

This morning, with the help of some wonderful words of inspiration and wisdom from the VB runners, I got out there again. I admit, I bribed myself with coffee and the promise of a leisurely lunch hour spent reading. It worked. I ran. It was wonderful.