In Pursuit of a Joy-Filled Life

Rock The Parkway Half-Marathon Race Report

2011-04-02T11:51:00.004-05:00

So, I did not really originally plan to run this race. Well, looking back at my last post (from a million years ago), I did plan on running it as a training run with a goal of 2:05. But, then I have this thing about actually signing up for races because I generally wait until the last minute because of hating to press the "spend" button.

But, then my running buddy, Pat, torn his meniscus and could not race it and let me run for him instead.

I'd been running fairly well and wanted to finally break the 2:00 barrier. My half-marathon PR to date was 2:04:59. So, at the last minute (two weeks prior) I both decided to run this race and to break 2:00. And, then I started to have problems with plantar fascitiis in my left foot.

Anyway, I stopped running a couple of days prior to help my foot and wore the special sock every night. Friday night I got ready. I gathered all of my gear, put a banana, a half a bagel, and some Gatorade by my bed, and then I crawled in bed before 10.

Strangely, I slept well. Normally, I don't because I'm so worried that my alarm clock won't go off. I woke up shortly before my 5:00 a.m. alarm was set to go off and ate the banana and bagel, had a swing or two of Gatorade, and went back to bed. I woke up again right before my 6:00 a.m. alarm was set to go off, got out of bed, got dressed, and headed out. I even remembered my Garmin the first time I left the house.

I arrived at the race in plenty of time to warm up and hit the porta potties (oh, there were plenty - this race has far fewer racers than the Kansas City Marathon, but probably had double the porta potties).

I lined up with the 2:00 pace group. This race used smart pacing, so the splits are not the same every mile. They start a bit slower while the runners warm up, run the uphills a bit slower, and pick up speed on the downhill. And, we were off:

Mile 1: 9:38

Mile 2: 9:45

I was feeling good and strong and was thinking that I would definitely be able to meet the 2:00 goal. My foot hurt a bit, but not enough to pose any problems.

Mile 3: 9:23

Mile 4: 8:23

Mile 5: 8:54

It was around here that my foot began to start affecting my gait. I wasn't limping, but I was largely dropping my heel.

Mile 6: 9:02

Mile 7: 9:23

Mile 8: 9:01

Around this point, I started dropping behind my pace group, but they were not so far away that I couldn't catch up if I wanted to.

Mile 9: 9:26

Mile 10: 9:40

Mile 11: 9:54

And, here is where I lost them. And, I knew that I was not going to sub 2:00, but I also knew I would PR.

Mile 12: 9:57

Mile 13: 9:25

pace for the last .1: 8:14.

And, then I crossed the finish line, got my medal and water and took off my chip. I have a new pet peeve: people who come to a full stop right after the cross the line. KEEP MOVING until you get out of the shoot, please. But, once I stopped running, I started limping. It took me a while to get to my car. By the time I got home, I could barely walk. Mostly, I'm jumping around on my right foot.

Garmin time: 2:03:15.49

I don't have the official time yet, but will update when I do.

My left foot not withstanding, I feel good. I'm glad I did it and I look forward to finally getting the two-hour monkey off my back. I'd like to really go for it again as soon as I deal with the foot problem. I know I can break it this year and I'd like to do it sooner rather than later.

Race review:

I think that this is my favorite half-marathon course ever. I really wish that my foot had not been hurting as much because I would have liked to have enjoyed it more. It was rolling with gradual downhill at the end and coursed through some lovely neighborhoods. The water stops were frequent and there were more than adequate portapotties. The medal was my best yet and the shirt was tech and had women's sizes.

I have only one complaint: too many people for the course. They capped it at 1400 and it really only started to thin out around mile 10/11.

I will do that one again for sure.

Back to Running; Time to Train.

2011-01-16T13:22:00.003-06:00

I've sort of being running aimlessly without a real or a well thought out plan. Part of the problem has been that I had not settled on my racing schedule for this year. Originally, I had the goal of doing the 50 States by 50, but, realistically, I cannot do that. I could run 50 marathons by 50, but not 50 States. There is more time and money involved in achieving that than I have at this time. I'm still going for the 50 States, but without the goal date of my 50th birthday.

So, my first, most important goal for 2011 is to run a half-marathon at or under 2:00:00. I'm also going to run two marathons and I'd like to PR both of the, but that shouldn't be a huge challenge since I've not been fast yet. Also, I will be adding in core, strength, and flexibility since I've done exactly nothing in that regard in about two years. I started with some yoga today.

My racing schedule for your viewing pleasure:

1. Rock the Parkway, Kansas City, MO, Saturday, April 2. This will largely be a training run and I will line up with the 2:05 pace group.

2. Olathe Half-Marathon, Olathe, KS, Saturday, April 16. Also, a training run. My goal will be to PR, but not push for 2:00.

3. Five Trails Half-Marathon, Lawrence, KS, Sunday, May 15. This is a hilly race that should be a challenge. My goal will be to do it in 2:05 given the hills.

4. Hospital Hill Half-Marathon, Kansas City, MO, Saturday, June 4. Though this is also a hilly race, it replicates much of my HM PR route (Kansas City Half-Marathon is a similar route) and will be my goal marathon. I will hit it in 2:00:00.

5. Deseret News Marathon, Salt Lake City, UT, Saturday, July 23. I'm not sure about this one. July 24 is Pioneer Day in Utah and the race generally coincides with Pioneer Day, but this year, the 24th is on a Sunday and a Pioneer Day race will not be held on Sunday. They have not yet posted this year's race details, so I'm assuming that it will be on Saturday the 23rd. This race is nearly all downhill which, for non runners to understand, is actually much harder than it sounds. My marathon PR is around 4:35, but I'm not looking it up and it wasn't impressive enough for me to remember. I honestly have no idea how fast I could do this race. When I look up past times, it is much slower than you'd think. And, it is hard to train for a race that drops nearly a mile over the course of 26.2 miles. But, it is part of why I picked the two hilliest half-marathons I could find in Kansas. So, the goal for this one is to just do it. I could finish in 4:00:00 and have the advantage of speed in the downhills or I could finish in 5:00:00 because of the hard work involved in breaking in the downhills. I just have no idea. I do know that my legs will be exceedingly sore when I am done.

Then, I will return to some half-marathons for the fall, especially if I have not yet hit 2:00:00.

6. I will run the Patriot's Run on 9/11 because I have a passion for this run. I do not know how much I will run. There is a marathon, a time run of 9:11:00, and a "run whatever you want" run. Don't know what I will do, but I will certainly be there to support this race.

7. Kansas City Half-Marathon, October 15, 2011. Sub 2:00:00 even if it is 1:59:59 (actually, that would be so hilarious that it would be better than a 1:59:52).

8. Route 66 Marathon, Tulsa, OK, Sunday, November 20, 2011. I would have a time goal for this one. Probably 4:20:00. Realistically.

I would say that would be the end of my season, but, it won't. There is a wee little fun race in a super-happy place in early January that I will be racing. Shhh. . . . don't tell the kids. That is going to be a surprise.

December 12, 2010 - a little bit of pleasure and a little bit of pain

2010-12-26T15:05:00.002-06:00

Right before the Children's Christmas Performance at church was set to begin, Jonathan fell and cut his lip deep enough that we decided that he needed to be seen by urgent care within a few hours. It didn't really bleed, but it was deep and we wondered if he might need a stitch or two. So, we left for the performance.

Lauren performed, but Jonathan decided not to. Lauren did a great job and said her lines well.

Once the performance was over, Jonathan and I went to Children's Mercy so that they could take a look at his lip and decide whether it needed any stitches. Jonathan had a wonderful time! First of all, there was no wait (which is amazing), then there were a bunch of nice people who were paying attention to him, and he had not only his mother's undivided attention, but her Angry Birds as well.

In the end, he did not need any stitches, just some tape. For which I was very grateful.

Joy Is. . . Watching the puppy enjoy her first snowfall.

2010-12-26T12:36:00.003-06:00

December 12 saw our first snowfall of the season and the first snowfall of Sandy's life thus far. She enjoyed it far more than I thought that she would.

Race Report: Operation Jack Satellite Run

2010-12-26T10:06:00.003-06:00

It was a refreshing 13* F at the 7:30 race start of Olathe's Satellite Operation Jack Race. The participants were cold, but their resolve was strong. There would be no detours to Starbucks today.

The field was deep and competitive, but two racers stood out from the rest. The men's leader was established early when Pat Cuejilo pulled way ahead. Refusing to be left with the pack, women's leader, Rebecca Miles kept pace with Pat.

The two leaders battled the entire race and the finish was tense with Pat pulling ahead of Rebecca, but Rebecca refusing to stand for second place. It was a photofinish with both leaders setting new course records for the men and women's divisions with a tie time of 58:55.38.

Congratulations to our men's and women's champions!

"Cousins," A Poem and Illustration by Lauren.

2010-12-10T18:59:00.001-06:00

My Little Flower. . . Third Grade Play (The Nutcracker)

2010-12-10T18:49:00.005-06:00

Lauren was in the third grade play this Tuesday evening. They did a version of The Nutcracker and she had a speaking part and was a Flower. The kids were adorable and the music was great. We were very proud of all of them.

After the play, we got some pictures of Lauren and her best friend. Remember holding hands with your best friend. Too bad we grow out of that. So very genuine and sweet.

Christmas Bokeh.

2010-12-10T18:36:00.002-06:00

Clogs!

2010-12-10T18:30:00.003-06:00

I cannot tell you how much I have wanted clogs since I was the age Lauren is now. I vividly remember our first Christmas in France (I was eight - Lauren is eight) really wanting clogs.

I am 41 and I have NEVER had a pair of clogs.

So, this year, I found the Christmas dress I knew Lauren would most want and, guess what, it had a pair of matching clogs. Financially, it was not necessarily the right decision for me at this particular time. But, she did need some shoes (she generally has two pair - a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of flip flops; she used to have a thing about the feel of all other shoes and refused to wear anything else, but has grown out of that). Anyway, they came and I gave them to her. She LOVES them (so do I).

So, while I still have never had a pair of clogs, my eight-year-old gets to live out my eight-year-old wish. And, that is even better.

Joy Is. . .Trimming the Tree with the Kittens.

2010-12-10T18:23:00.003-06:00

Joy Is. . . Key Lime Pie

2010-12-10T18:22:00.000-06:00

That is all.

Joy Is. . . Gingerbread Day with my boy.

2010-12-10T18:10:00.002-06:00

Last Friday was Gingerbread Day for the Kindergarteners at our school.

The station I was at was a feltboard storytelling of the Gingerbread Man. We read it nine times. Nine times. It was boring after the second telling. Know what? I didn't care. I was there with my boy. See his face? He said, "the best part of Gingerbread Day was that you were there." Doesn't get better than that.

(that said, two things bugged me about our version of the story and both had to do with his not getting eaten by the fox at the end. 1) it isn't how the story goes and 2) they said that he learned his lesson because he almost was eaten, but I think that if he got away from the fox, he'd only think that he was even more cocky.)

Yes, you can run in the cold.

2010-12-10T17:34:00.003-06:00

This is old. From November 25th. It was 21 degrees with a windchill of 12 and it was my first cold-weather run of the season. I seem to recall that I did five miles (with the dog).

Here's the thing: you have to wear a warm head covering, gloves, and cold-weather socks and the rest is less important. Sure, you should actually wear clothing, but you can get away with far less than you think. For this run, I broke out my wind jacket, long-sleeve shirt, and microfleece basepants. And, it was far too warm.

I went out the next day when it was 34 degrees. I kept the jacket, traded out the long-sleeve or a short-sleeve shirt and wore capris. Still too hot. Several days later, I went out again. 33 degrees. Long-sleeve shirt, no jacket, and capris. Perfect.

Here is the thing: you can do it. Cool/cold weather running can be fantastic running weather. There is something awesome about running outside when it is cold and clear, cold and cloudy, cold and snowy. Actually, cold and snowy can be downright peaceful. And, you get bad-ass points anytime you tell people that you ran outside when it is below freezing.

I often hear people question as to whether it is actually healthy to run when it is in the 20s and below. It is. Not only is it safe to run when it is in the teens, but it is safer to run outside in the teens than it is to run outside in the 80s. For real.

Just dress for the weather. If you walk out the door and feel fine, turn around, go inside, remove a layer of clothing, and go back out. You should be a bit chilly for the first mile, but then you'll feel great. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

That said, I don't like running in the cold AND dark. I can do cold. I can do dark. I cannot do cold and dark. I also dislike running in the cold and strong wind, but I do it anyway. I do, however, know people who love nothing better than running pre-dawn, in the cold and snow.

So, give it a try. Don't give up outdoor running this winter, but rather challenge yourself to get out there and do it regularly. Just remember: hat, gloves, warm socks.

Play along on this one, will ya? What breed is my dog?

2010-11-21T15:15:00.003-06:00

This is Sandy. She is six months and probably almost as big as she is going to get. Currently, she is about 25 lbs. We got her at the pound and have no idea what breeds she might be. She was listed as a "Shepherd Mix," but, really who knows?

Because everyone asks us what breed she is and because everyone has an opinion, I have decided to spring for the DNA test (for kicks and giggles). So, place your friendly bets on this one.

I'll give you the info I have:

"Shepherd Mix"

25 lbs at six months

Paws are white

Intelligent

Willful

Good jumper (can jump without assistance of a chair from the floor to the top of the table)

Not in love with water

Territorial

Loves to play

Hates being left alone

Very much bonded to me (one person as opposed to everyone in this family)

If you have questions or need more pictures let me know. Pick up to three breeds. Winner gets the privilege of being right.

Joy Is. . . Another Beautiful Fall Day (also, when Daddy comes home early)

2010-11-21T14:58:00.005-06:00

This fall has just largely been lovely around here. Anyway, I've been busy. I needed to get my second Biochemistry exam done (I'm behind in the class and trying to catch back up). Rather than go for my long run on Friday, I decided to stay at work, put in some last minute studying, and take my exam.

So, I did.

And, then I went to Hobby Lobby to get some more pictures and posters framed.

And, then I came home. I let the dog out and welcomed the kids. Eric had come home at lunch to let the dog out and rake some leaves. We had a note that said, "let the kids know that they can play in the leaf pile, but they cannot move it." So, when the kids came home, I passed the message on to them and they were out the door in a flash. Not a few minutes had gone by and Eric was home. I love when he gets home from work early.

And, so we played outside and enjoyed the last few days of fall we will get. Winter will be here soon. Most of the trees have lost their leaves and the color is starting to fade. Only a little bit longer and it will be cold and grey. So, we will enjoy what we have in the last few days that we have.

Can you see the boy in this picture?

How about here?

Joy Is. . . Community

2010-11-21T14:36:00.004-06:00

It is nearing the end of November. It should be freezing here by now, but today, as I type, it is 71 degrees. 71 degrees!! In Kansas. At the end of November. I have the kitchen door open and I am hearing the voices of my children play with some of the neighborhood kiddos in our backyard.

Yesterday was equally lovely. A bit cold in the morning, but warmed up in a way that felt like a gift from God.

Eric and I started our day going to the Bar Mitzvah of my mentor and his wife's youngest child. Though I have known them for almost as long as we have lived in Kansas, our relationship has been largely confined to the office. I was honored to have been invited and pleased to go.

After the Bar Mitzvah, we came home and ran a few errands and then just relaxed outdoors while the kids played. First the next door neighbors came over, then came the neighbors across the street. They played so well together and the weather was so delicious that Eric suggested that maybe we have a 'smores night.

And, that is how we found ourselves sitting around the smoker filled with a wood fire out on our back deck last night making 'smores with our neighbors.

The combination of the weather, the beautiful fall coloring, and community made me so grateful for the life that I have.

B is for Beets. . . or I must love running.

2010-11-21T14:11:00.003-06:00

Recently, I read an article about how certain weird foods/drinks are good for runners. I've been feeling pretty run down lately, so, for some very strange reason, I got the beet juice stuck in my head. Here's the thing: I think beets are revolting. Not just an "I don't really care for them." I think they are disgusting.

I know many people love them. I think that you either love them or you hate them. There is no "ehhh" about beets. I've tried them all different ways in response to everyone who ever said, "oh, but you HAVE to try them this way. They are delicious." Nope. Gross each and every time.

But, tell me it'll make me a faster runner and I'll be all over that. I'm already planning on drinking pickle juice (but, that's easy because I happen to crave dill pickles frequently - no, not pregnant) and I regularly drink coconut water (super-yum for me).

Anyway, Jonathan has been begging me to make juice with him, so I used this opportunity to do so. We made some carrot, apple, orange juice for the family. He had a great time wiggling his bottom and singing, "I'm a chef!" as he flung various pieces of fruit or vegetable into the juicer.

Then, when he was done, I went to work on the beet juice. Straight beet juice, but I'd had some of the other juice. No matter what you think about the taste of beets, you have to admit that they are rather pretty in their cut form.

And, then, after juicing, I drank about a cup. Honestly, while it was bad, it wasn't as bad as eating beets. Much sweeter than I can remember. I can see how they make sugar from these veggies.

Darned if I didn't perk up after drinking this. I did have more energy. And, I really don't think it was placebo as I sort of expected the benefits to be cumulative rather than immediate or short-term.

So, while it didn't taste yum, it did have a more positive immediate effect than even a Redbull.

What is good one day, must be good every day, right?

So, the next day, I did it again. Only this time, in the absence of the other juice and on an empty stomach.

I was, um, projectile vomiting within 15 minutes. And, what didn't come back up, was observed later in some, um, beeturia (sounds so much better than saying, "my pee was beet juice colored"). Turns out, both of those aren't uncommon. And, the beeturia often happens in people who are undiagnosed anemic. And, I've been super-tired and I've flirted with low iron levels in the past (whenever I donate blood, my iron levels are literally as low as they possibly for donation). Also, I read that people tend to not puke if they sip it (oh, so hard to do with a substance one does not like) and if it is mixed with other juices.

So, today, I decided to start again. Only this time, I included the carrot, apple, and orange. And, I drank it a tad slower. One cup over 15 minutes. So far, so good. And, I do feel less tired.

Rebecca's Beet Energizer:

1 beet including greens

1 apple

1 orange

3 carrots

Juice. Toss your left over fibers in the compost bin.

Should make two cups.

Drink slowly.

More Fall Joy

2010-11-10T18:46:00.002-06:00

Autumn has almost completed her fall show. I have to enjoy these last few days while I can. Winter will be here before I know it.

How can you have Joy when your neighbor has Loss?

2010-11-10T18:23:00.003-06:00

I'd had a normal day today. Kinda slow. I did a disability evaluation and a psychotherapy session, wrote up a couple of reports, got a large payment from a former client that I thought would never pay me, paid some extra bills, ran by the grocery store, went to the pet store with Sandy to buy a car harness (best $35 I've ever spent on that dog), and drove home. As I approached my home, I saw no fewer than 10 emergency vehicles including at least six long bed fire trucks (you cannot see all the vehicles in the above picture; they went down two different side streets and extended behind where I stood; this is the view from our home). Overhead flew a couple of news helicopters. My heart started to race.

The road was blocked off and I wasn't able to drive to my home. I couldn't tell whose home had been on fire, but mine was certainly a realistic possibility. My heart raced and my eyes started to tear. I asked someone standing by and got the impression that it probably hadn't been my house. I parked, got the dog out, and walked toward my home.

It wasn't ours. And, I exhaled with relief and joy, but the very quick feeling that followed was wondering how can I feel joy and relief when a tragedy has happened to my neighbor? (It was not anyone on my cul-de-sac, but the home is only a few homes away). My relief was because the tragedy was not mine, but someone else's. That isn't joy.

So, extend that. Where does someone become not my neighbor? One block? Two blocks? Different subdivision? Different zip code? Different city? Different county? Different state? Different country? When is someone not my neighbor?

My religious belief tell me that all are my neighbors. And, if tragedy and pain occurs to "the least of these" and all that, then they occur to all. It brings to my consciousness how so many tragedies throughout the world occur to people who are my neighbors. It just feels so overwhelming, so I shut them out and focus on my little family and my little neighborhood.

I find no joy in their tragedy, but I am human and I am relieved and grateful that the immediacy of the tragedy was not mind to manage. Somehow, that feels selfish. Human, I am sure, but selfish. But, I am grateful. And, I am especially grateful that the only loss was material and not life. And, I am grateful for our emergency response personnel.

Joy Is. . . A Beautiful Fall Day

2010-11-06T20:24:00.004-05:00

I used to live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Gorgeous. Lovely. Flowers year round. But, no true fall. Over the past nine years in Kansas, I have truly come to look forward to fall. It is even my favorite running season. Not much better than running on a lovely fall day.

Not that I ran today.

Saturday is my rest day following my Friday long run. It was so lovely, I almost ran today anyway.

Our Ginko tree dropped all her leaves today. You can see them dropping in this picture. She was full in the morning and totally bare by noon.

I've decided that my Hawaii vacation is truly over and that I need to get back to cooking meals, rather than throwing things together or going out. So, I made a Mexican lasagna tonight a la the November issue of Southern Living. Served with butter lettuce/pear salad and garlic green beans. It got a thumbs up for all four members of our human family. So, I'd recommend.

I cannot currently find it on-line, but it is the November 2010 issue (and, I HIGHLY recommend Southern Living).

And, then, for kicks and giggles, I made my first ever sweet potato pie. Also from the November issue. For a pie, I'd say that it isn't too terribly unhealthy. The kids had their requisit three bites plus two more on a voluntary basis. Eric and I finished our slices. But, I'm thinking that this won't be repeated. It wasn't bad, but not awesome either. That said, I'll probably have a slice for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow should be another lovely fall day. We have an extra hour, we got to the church we love so much, and I'll get to go out for an easy seven.

Team Rasmo Cousins Trip HAWAII, Day Nine Sunday

2010-11-01T22:52:00.004-05:00

After flying from Kona to Honolulu to Oakland, we slept at the Hampton Inn in Alameda (lovely rooms, btw). We woke up to say goodbye to each other. And, it was Halloween. Brooke passed out funny glasses for the kids.

And, then we had to have a few goodbye pictures. Cousins.

Of course, we had to do some jumping pictures. Unfortunately, we neglected to get the sacred marshmallows of departure. We will not forget again. It felt wrong and dirty to leave without them.

We had so much fun and we are so grateful to Gammie and Papa for helping make this possible. We know that we are blessed to have a family that enjoys spending so much time together and who makes an effort to regularly spend significant time together. I have such awesome siblings who are married to people I also love. I am lucky, lucky, lucky. I hope that my children someday realize who privileged they are and that they never take it for granted.

This all brings me joy.

Team Rasmo Cousins Trip HAWAII, Day Eight Saturday

2010-11-01T22:44:00.002-05:00

Time to go home. Sniff.

We had to rise early (now that we are finally on Hawaii time) and leave. Complicating our travel was the security problems with the tampered toner cartridges being shipped from Yemen. We had to prepare for tighter security (though we were flying out of tiny little Kona airport).

I had to snag a couple of pictures from the moving car as we drove to the airport.

"Save Ferris." How I caught that particular one is completely beyond me.

Goodbye Hawaii. We will miss you.

For what it is worth, I'm really glad we went to the big island, but I prefer Maui. I'm thinking that we will next hit Oahu. Maybe with the Rasmo Cousins in the future. But, next up for the Miles family: Playa del Carmen for Joey and Nayeli's wedding in January.

Team Rasmo Cousins Trip HAWAII, Day Seven Friday

2010-10-31T23:13:00.016-05:00

Our last full day. We are all already sad. This day was just an easy day at the resort. We had yet to play in the lagoon.

Sarah, Brooke, and I tried stand up paddle boarding. I wish I had tried it the first day because I would have made a point of doing it daily. And, Cameron joined us. At first he complained that we weren't renting a paddle BOAT, but we told him that he was always free to use his own money to do what he wanted, but with our money, we were renting a paddle BOARD. And, he tried it. And, it liked it. And, he was glad that we are smart women.

And, then the day drew to night and it was time for our luau. In Gammie made dresses and shirts.

During the show, they invited one man from every table to dance on stage. Dave went and was, by far, THE BEST of all the men on stage. He rocked.

And, of course, the kids liked the fire dancing.

But the evening was late and the kids were tired. Time for bed. Time to say goodbye to Hawaii.

Team Rasmo Cousins Trip HAWAII, Day Six Thursday

2010-10-31T21:38:00.015-05:00

You know, we've been in Hawaii nearly a week and have yet to truly hit the beach?!? Total shame. So, we did. Originally, the kids were going to stay with the grandparents while the three couples summited Mauna Kea (tallest mountain in the world from the base to summit), but after spending a day in high winds and stormy rain, we felt as if we need to hang with the kids on the beach. And, I'm so glad that we did. Such a fun and relaxing day.

Part of the day included the kids experiencing snorkeling for the first time.

We saw a turtle!

Team Rasmo Cousins Trip HAWAII, Day Five Wednesday

2010-10-30T02:03:00.014-05:00

The plan for Wednesday was to drive through Hilo and go to Volcano National Park. First, we stopped in Hilo to go to the farmer's market. While there, the kids were able to see and taste new fruits and foods. First, they cracked some macadamia nuts.

Lauren and Gavin (well, and all the kids eventually) tried coconut water out of the coconut. Lauren was not a fan.

They also tried mango (mmmmm-ey), papaya (insufficiently ripe), and dragonfruit (sort of a cross between kiwi and guava).

After the farmer's market, we went over to Ken's House of Pancakes for lunch.

I had banana pancakes with guava syrup. I LOVE pancakes. Especially banana pancakes.

And, then we drove to Volcano National Park. And learned why Hilo is the wettest city in the United States (with an average of 10 feet of rain a year including areas that get up to 200 inches). It was a very blustery day.

Checking out the steam vents.

We were able to see the caldera (hard to see in this picture).

Learning about seismic activity at the museum.

We decided that the weather was due to a fight between Kama Pua'a (Pele's lover and opposite). They, apparently, fight a lot. So, we had many discussions about why Pele and Kama Pua'a might be fighting and who might win in the fight - lava or rain.

After leaving the Jaggar Museum, we drove to visit one of the lava tubes. It was a beautiful example of a rainforest. We only wished that the kids would have been more psyched about indulging us with picture-taking.

Prior to our trip to Hawaii, Sarah had been talking about the importance of giving Pele the gift of gin. But, we ended up not giving Pele gin. Which is probably why she and Kama Pua'a were having such a fight. If she had gin, she would have been nicer to her lover and he wouldn't be storming. So, I blame Sarah. But, we drove by a place that had offerings to Pele.

I suspect the liquid in the bottles might be dirty, old gin.

And, that pretty much concluded the day. We drove home in the near pitch black darkness with a stop in Waimea for dinner at Pakini Grill (best bang for our buck on the entire trip).

Team Rasmo Cousins Trip HAWAII, Day Four Tuesday

2010-10-29T03:06:00.012-05:00

Lauren and I woke up early on Tuesday morning, so we went for a walk and got a croissant.

And, then, once everyone was up, we went to breakfast at the Cereal Bar.

The cereal bar is right next to the dolphin encounter where they have a new baby!

And, we met Ketchup, a resort kitty that is rather friendly.

Requisite "ultimate nerd" picture. We, as a family, have to take this picture every time we have a cousins' trip. Usually, the picture is taken by Cameron and me. I take a picture of him taking a picture of me. Tradition! Tradition.

This was one of my favorite moments. On Sunday, when Jonathan and I were walking through the resort together during my break, we walked up this staircase and saw this view for the first time. Jonathan, my five-year-old boy, gasped and noted the beauty of what he saw.

And, then it was date night. Gammie and Papa agreed to watch all the kiddos while the three couples went to dinner sans enfant.

Eric and I had a delicious and wonderful dinner at Brown's Beach House Restaurant They told us that we were getting the best seat in the house and I thought that they said that to everyone. And, then they walked us to our table and it literally was the.best.seat.in.the.house.

Team Rasmo Cousins Trip HAWAII, Day Three Monday

2010-10-28T02:24:00.007-05:00

This morning got us up early so that we could drive to Waipio to go for a horseback ride up the valley.

Upon arrival, we were able to sample many different tropical fruits that were growing wild on the farm. Lauren tried passion fruit. She thought it looked gross (it did), but tasted good. It took a bit to get her to try. We also tried wild bananas, starfruit, oranges, and guava.

While we waited, we also played with the farm dog.

The drive to the stables was beautiful, but the road was very steep.

In the valley are wild horses that are descendant from the horses brought over by the Spaniards.

My kids were scared. Lauren has gone horseback riding before and even went to a week of horse camp, but one of the guides was playing up the danger part and she got spooked. Jonathan, who has never done a horse ride, ended up refusing. Eric stayed back with Jonathan and threw rocks in the stream while we rode.

Near the end of the trail ride, we returned to the stables and picked up Eric and Jonathan (who was now willing to ride on the back of my horse) and for an additional 15 minute ride through the farm.

Upon our return, the family units split up and did their own thing for lunch. We had a loose plan to meet at the pool in the resort. We ate lunch and then took to the water slide.

After some water sliding, we found Cameron and Mads (along with Brooke).

Cameron and I have been having a bluffing game with regard to alcohol. I've been offering to him that I would buy him alcohol (knowing he would refuse) and he has been calling my bluff. So, when one of the waitresses walked by offering tropical drinks, I ordered two ALCOHOLIC (no, really make them virgin) lava flows. She brought back the (VIRGIN) drinks and I made sure that they were really ALCOHOLIC, right?, drinks. Then offered one to Cameron to call him on his bluff.

I WON! He conceded. But, he still had his brother try it first because he knew that I've never give a three-year-old an alcoholic drink. And, then he tried it. And liked it. And, I WON!

Now, I'm moving to harassing him about pot.

And, then it was time for dinner. We met at Queen's Market to find a place to eat. The girlies were wearing Gammie-made dresses. I was in the market with Ella and Lauren and a woman grabbed me and asked me if the girls were twins and where could she buy those dresses. No and you'll have to play their Gammie to sew some more, but thank you!

Team Rasmo Cousins Trip HAWAII Day Two, Sunday

2010-10-25T02:05:00.006-05:00

Day two started for me with six hours of live lecture over the computer (with live video lecture for which participation was expected). Class started at 6:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m. PST), so I set the alarm clock for 5:50 a.m., but because the kids were still on mainland time, we were awake by 5:30 anyway.

I had a one-hour break at 9:00 a.m., but I also needed to go get Jonathan (who was hanging with his cousins) as he had a need for a clothing change. After the change, he decided that he wanted to stay with me. So, after finding some breakfast, I headed back to class.

Class from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Oh, it was neuroanatomy.

Neuroanatomy done, the next order of business was to meet up with the rest of the family so that we could drive into Kona to hit Costco.

Of course, Costco with Gammie and Papa often means hotdogs for lunch. I felt horrible. Here we are in Hawaii not even 24 hours and I'm taking the kids to Costco for hotdogs. They loved it.

On the drive back, I stopped at a roadside, unmarked lava tube I had spied on the drive from the airport the day before. We got out and went down to explore.

Lauren had the wrong shoes for the short hike, so Eric carried her down the steeper part.

Upon our return, we went back to our room to bring up our breakfast foods and snacks, then headed over to Gammie and Papa/Sarah and Scott's suite in King's Land. First order of business was to get to the pool.

After swimming, we returned to the suite for a quick dinner. After dinner, it was time to go to bed as we were needing to wake by 6:00 a.m. so that we could leave by 7:00 a.m. to drive to horseback riding in the valley.

Team Rasmo Cousins Trip HAWAII, Day One Saturday

2010-10-24T12:18:00.009-05:00

We woke up early Saturday morning, mostly because we were so excited. We were staying with Gammie and Papa in Alameda and were traveling with them all the way to Kona.

Lauren has been enjoying my new smart phone, especially since it has Angry Birds.

Obligatory shot of the clouds from the airplane to Honolulu.

View of Honolulu Harbor.

Once we arrived at Honolulu, we went over to our gate to Kona. Shortly after arriving at the gate, we met up with the Batemans (my sister's family). Lauren and Jonathan were so very jazzed to see their cousins!

We boarded our plane for a very quick flight to the Big Island.

Waiting at the Kona airport.

I had ordered a lei greeting, but they were no where to be found. Hawaiian airlines had slightly changed our flight from Honolulu to Kona and had failed to notify the lei greeters of the change, so we were considered no-shows. We worked it out and the kids got their leis.

We arrived at the Hilton Waikaloa hotel and checked in. We saw a cool, green lizard on our balcony.

And, then we waited. Gammie and Papa and the Batemans were in a two-room suite in a completely different part of the complex. They checked in and then we waited for the Rasmussens (my brother's family) to make their arrival. The cool thing was the the Rasmussen kids had known nothing about any of this. They were taken out of school early on Thursday and driven to the airport where they flew to Seattle. They thought that was the surprise. Then, Saturday, they went back to the airport (and were bummed to be going home) only to discover that their plane was actually going to Hawaii. But, they still didn't know that their cousins and grandparents were going to be there.

So, we waited to surprise them.

Their hotel room was one floor up and a few rooms over from ours, so their balcony was visible from ours. The plan was that we would all go out on the balcony just to look at the ocean and they would do the same. Then, while looking around, they might look over and see all their cousins and grandparents!

And, then, Cameron saw us. He was totally surprised!

Then, they came over to our hotel room, we celebrated being together, and then walked over to the pool to play and maybe grab a bite to eat.

It was amazing how dark it got right after the sun went down. Given that we had a five-hour time difference, the Utah family had four-hour time difference, and Gammie and Papa had three hours, we were all pretty tired. So, we headed back to our own individual rooms.

Our kids fell quickly asleep, but ready to start the next day of cousining in Hawaii.

Joy Is. . . Finishing Her Costume

2010-10-21T18:25:00.000-05:00

Joy Is. . . my perfect five-year-old boy. . . when he is asleep

2010-10-21T18:24:00.000-05:00

Joy Is. . . Fresh carrots from the garden

2010-10-21T17:31:00.001-05:00

October 17: Cleveland at Pittsburgh

2010-10-21T17:27:00.002-05:00

Eric made pseudo Promanti Brothers sandwiches, but with grilled onion, fried egg, cheddar cheese, bacon, sliced tomato, and, naturally, french fries INSIDE the sandwich.

And, the Steelers won. 28 to 10. It was a good day.

M is for Missouri: The Kansas City Marathon

2010-10-16T17:04:00.013-05:00

Word to the wise: this post will contain some TMI, but, to be honest, if one is really being truthful about a marathon, it will likely include some TMI. Not the worst TMI I can think of. Not even by far. But, just a word of warning in case you have problems hearing about mucous.

I ran my third marathon today. My hope had been to finish in under 4:30, but my summer training was inconsistent due to scheduling changes, hot and humid weather (like in the 90s with 60% humidity hot), allergies, and lack of dedication. I pulled it back together at the end of August, but still toyed with the idea of bagging this race due to my allergies as I have spent much of the months of September and October coughing every sixth step when I run. Anyway, I have considered that until my allergies improve (I'm doing the injections), a fall marathon might be unrealistic, but since I've been a bit faster and have very recently been better managing my allergies, decided to go for it. Last week, however, I developed a chest cold, but felt fine other than increased coughing and I was looking forward to the race.

I pre-fueled and pre-hydrated well yesterday and went to bed early. It took me a while to fall asleep, I was awaken by the dog at 3:00 a.m. (because she also has a cold and had a coughing fit), and never went back to sleep, but I wasn't worried because I felt good and had good energy for this race. When I got up in the morning, I discovered that my Garmin had not been properly charged and was at 0% battery. I charged it in the car as I drove to the race. I got to the race just in time, ran to the portapotty, listened to the national antham ("Oh, say can you pee") while there, got out, and raced to as close as I could get to my pace group. My goal was sub 4:30, so I ran with the 4:25 pacers.

Gun.

I take off. They use smart pacing with the first few miles slower than race pace, slower pace on up hills, and faster pace on down hills. I felt GREAT the first four miles. Then, I felt good for the next four. And, then we split from the half-marathoners and headed up a hill. A four-mile hill (mostly). It was around mile 12 that I fell behind my pace group. I hit the portapotty at mile 13 (since I wasn't going to hit 4:25 anyway, I might as well be a tad more comfortable). I was going okay until about mile 18. Then, around mile 22, I was passed by the 4:30 pace group. Seeing that was demoralizing, so I stopped to walk for the first time. It was also then that my Garmin ran out of battery. And, my medicine wore off. It was then that I started coughing and, after several hours of suppressed coughing, each cough hurt. And, I walked a bit until mile 24. I refused to walk after then. I might run slowly, but I would not walk.

I crossed the finish line feeling stronger and better. I didn't hit my goal, but I gave it what I felt I had to give today. I kept seeing someone with a shirt that read, "when most people are asked if they have more to give, they answer 'yes'" and I kept thinking that I really didn't have all that much more to give today.

So, here are the splits:

Mile 1: 10:11

Mile 2: 10:45

Mile 3: 10:35

Mile 4: 10:17

Mile 5: 9:45

Mile 6: 9:57

Mile 7: 9:37

Mile 8: 9:44

Mile 9: 9:55

Mile 10: 9:41

Mile 11: 9:53

Mile 12: 9:54

Mile 13: 10:01

Mile 14: 9:42

Mile 15: 10:09

Mile 16: 10:23

Mile 17: 11:23

Mile 18: 10:14

Mile 19: 10:06

Mile 20: 10:39

Mile 21: 10:32

Mile 22: 11:14

Mile 23: 11:54

first .32 of Mile 24 was at a pace of 11:40

and, that is when my Garmin ran out of juice. But, the average pace for the remaining 2.88 miles was at an average pace of 12:14. Looking at the time change, it would be easy to assume that part of my drop in pace was because I was less motivated without the awareness of my pace, but, that isn't the case. I wasn't as well trained as I should have been, my medication wore off, and my cough returned.

Okay, first let's review:

K is for Kansas. Olathe Marathon. April 10, 2010. 5:24:44 (pace: 12:24). Beautiful weather, mostly flat course, strong wind, IT band injury with pain ranging from a 4 to a 7 on a 10-point scale.

C is for California. San Diego Rock 'n Roll Marathon. June 6, 2010. 4:47:47 (pace 11:00). PR by 36:57 and pace drop of 1:24/mile. Beautiful course, hot weather, large field, no injury.

M is for Missouri. Kansas City Marathon. October 16, 2010. 4:35:25 (pace 10:31). PR by 12:22 and pace drop of 0:29/mile. Perfect weather, injury-free, chest-cold with lots of mucous, very hilly, weighing 10 lbs less (rule of thumb is that for each pound loss, pace will correspondingly drop 2 sec/mile).

The good news is that I feel fine. Sore and I have a cough, but otherwise fine. No blisters, no bruises. Some minor chaffing on my bra line and an unfortunate hot spot from the elastic in my undies. But, I fared better today than I did following the other two races.

The question in my mind now is whether I'll do the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa in five weeks. Several weeks ago, I decided that I would not sign up until after this race and, while running today, I decided to give myself a few days to decide. Right now, I am tired. Yes, I'm tired physically, but it is mentally that concerns me more. Part of me thinks it would be nice to spend a few months just running. Not training. Part of me would like to do that race. I'll give myself a few days to recover before I decide.

It was a good race, but I did not race it as well as I would have liked. I have more work to do (obviously). I see that I had a hard time with the hills. I feel as if I could have stayed with the 4:25 pace group had the race been less hilly. This means I need to do a better job of training on hills. Yes, I do a weekly hills interval workout, but I need to do more tempo running on hills. That is going to be added to my training. Tempo runs on hilly terrain. I did okay, but I can do better. I will do better.

Just a few pictures. None of them good. Breakfast Friday morning. Bagel with two egg with spinach scrambled. Gatorade.

Only in Kansas would Beef be a major race sponsor.

After packet pickup, I treated the kids to Fritz's.

They love getting their food by train.

Then, we went to the Crayola store.

Dinner was gnocchi and coconut water.

Yeah, I know it is not the most flattering picture. It was a selfie in a hurry before a race.

10-10-10 One Day On Earth - A Day In My Life

2010-10-10T21:09:00.006-05:00

Challenged by One Day On Earth, I decided to do a Day In My Life on the same day as the project and submit some of the pictures. I did not pick this day. If I were to pick a day, this is not the day I would have picked. You will see why. But, it was picked for me and so this is my life on this day. For better or for worse.

Nine times out of ten, I am the first out of bed. Sandy and I get up around 7:00 so that she can go outside to do her business. Frankly, I'd like to get up earlier and always do my running first thing in the morning, but the reality is that I really like to be in bed. But, today, I knew that I would not have the opportunity later, so I had to get up.

I have a marathon in six days, so I was only scheduled to do an easy six today, but I got up too late and only had time for an four mile tempo.

After I get back, we are so short on time before church, that I jumped in the shower, threw food at my kids, got them dressed, and then we all jumped into the car. Eric grabbed a pair of shoes for Jonathan. When we got to church, I jumped out with the kids while Eric parked the car. It was then that I realized that Jonathan had two left shoes, one of which was a size that no-longer fits. Thankfully, he's pretty easy-going about his shoes.

I hurried the kids up to class. They are spending the next four weeks learning about El Salvador. I should explain that our church is liberal. Saint Andrew Christian Church in Olathe, Kansas, is associated with the Center for Progressive Christianity. The only one in Kansas. We have a twinning relationship with a community in El Salvador.

Eric and I then went to the service. From the balcony, I was able to observe the passing of the peace. Happy people.

And, then we listen to the sermon. Reverend Holly McKissick is our Senior Pastor and she never fails to give a sermon that makes one think.

Singing is generally one of the thin-spaces for me. Thin-spaces are times when the veil between here and God thin and it is easier to feel, see, and experience the divine and spiritual world. I most often experience the thin-spaces in music, communion, and nature. And, sometimes when I run and sometimes in my work.

And, then the children came in and sang to us.

We all like donuts - even the grownups. It is absolutely not the reason why we go to church and it is absolutely not the incentive for the children - we like our church and going is its own reward - but donuts are the icing on the cake.

Looking outside, it is apparent now that the earth has turned from summer to fall, even if we are still having temperatures in the 80s.

But, as soon as we came home, I had to leave my family and park myself in front of my computer. You see, I am back in school. I have decided to earn a Master's in Psychopharmacology. I may have mentioned this before, but several states have pass laws allowing licensed psychologists who subsequently earn a post doctoral master's in psychopharmacology limited prescription privileges. Neither Kansas nor Missouri have passed such laws, but Missouri is discussing doing so. The fastest I'll be able to get through this program is about a year-and-a-half, so I would like to get a head start in the event that either state enacts such laws. In the worst case scenario, I'll be more educated and I'll be better able to communicate about medicatios with my clients' primary care physicians who are prescribing. But, this program requires that I sit in front of my computer for six hours every third Saturday and Sunday.

The amazing thing about this program is that it is using technology that did not exist when I was last in graduate school. We barely had email midway through my program and only started using the internet near the end. Now, my class is held live over the internet. I am sitting in class, in my guest room, listening to a live lecture and having to participate in terms of question asking, responding to quizzes, and letting the professor know when we are not following the information. On one screen I have the video of the professor and on the other I have the slides we are discussing.

Right now, we are studying graduate level biochemistry and my mind is just about full to the top. This is really complex material for me and I need the hourly five minute breaks.

Given that I only have five minutes, I generally fold some laundry (something totally different than listening to biochemistry). It's been great because I've been better able to stay on top of the pile. Today, in addition to folding laundry, I also had a significant client crisis I have been dealing with all weekend that has required regular checking in in order to avoid an involuntary hospitalization (theirs, not mine). Finally, I regularly check in on my friend Brian's progress in the Chicago Marathon.

Midway through the day, we had a one hour lunch break. This is when I feel terribly guilty. I have neglected all four other members of my household for the past day-and-a-half. Eric has had more than his fair share of taking care of the kids and the pets. First, I go down and connect with Eric.

It is Sunday in the fall, so, of course, there is football. And football means football food. Today was take out from Buffalo Wild Wings. I grabbed a few chicken wings and sat down with Eric for a while.

Eric is very busy with work (always), so, given that the Steelers have a by week, he chooses to watch football while working from home.

After I finished eating, I went up to check on the kids. Both were sitting in front of the television. I asked them if they wanted to jump on the trampoline with me, but only Jonathan did. So, we jumped for a while.

Sandy LOVES the trampoline.

Then, I went back in and check on Lauren. Here is where I feel like a bad mom: she was a TV zombie. So, I essentially abandon my family for the weekend every third weekend. I don't like her spending the entire day in front of the TV, but it is a football day, so what are you going to do?

Later in the day, I do hear the kids outside playing with the neighbors and I feel better.

I finished up with my class at 6:00 p.m. (it runs 9-12/1-4 PST). Only then do I remember that one of the families in Jonathan's kindergarten class was hosting a class potluck. So, I scooped up the kids, left Eric to be kid-free, and caught the tail-end of the party.

After we returned home, it was about time to get the kids to bed. We tubbied, put laundry away, told stories, and put them to bed.

So, there you go: a day in my life on 10-10-10.

"I have a blessed life,"

2010-10-01T21:44:00.005-05:00

I thought to myself as I pulled into the parking lot at the Kansas City Zoo. I'm not rich and I'm not the best runner and I'm not Clarice (Silence of the Lambs) and I'm not prestigious in my field and I have but a couple publications (never as lead author) and I haven't been to all seven continents and I don't have a well-decorated home, but damn if I don't have a blessed life. It might not be the goal for all, but it really works for me. I love this life.

Today, I had the opportunity to chaperone three third grades as part of the third grade field trip to the zoo. I know it seems basic and every day and maybe even an obligation, but I love it. I love that I have the type of job whereby I can take the day to go on the field trip. I love that my daughter wants for me to go. I love that her school takes these kind of field trips. I love that we have a zoo that I love. I love that the weather was the perfect fall day. I love my life. It is blessed.

Lauren and two of the other little girls in her class were in my group. Their class is doing a project on zoo-keeping and needed to go to the zoo to observe what makes a good zoo. So, we walked around, noticing not just the animals, but the exhibits the infrastructure.

The girls like the cheetah exhibit.

We thought the East African Crown Cranes were funny looking.

The gorilla was magnificient (though it takes quite a while to walk to see him and we often do not take the detour when we come to the zoo on our own). But, such a regal animal.

Lauren has been assigned the Zebra for her project, so we observed the zebras and their habitat.

I liked the turtle on the log, which isn't an exhibit, but rather a naturally occurring resident of the lake.

Three cute girlies:

Lauren and I like the open field of kangeroo, but many in her class felt uncomfortable with them not being behind bars.

"How you doin'?"

We observed the zoo's season decorations.

And, we all really like the newest zoo resident: Nikita.

And, I'm not saying that I wasn't tired at the end of the day, but it was a day I wouldn't trade for anything.

I love my daughter, I love her school, I love our neighborhood, I love our community, and I love my life.

Local soup bones to beef stock to mushroom stew

2010-10-01T21:14:00.003-05:00

As I have mentioned a few times, we are lucky enough to get our beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and eggs from a local meat CSA. We never know exactly what we are going to get, but it is always more than enough. This last time, I got some beef soup bones.

Using this recipe, I made stock.

The most noticeable potential problem was that it was more gelatinous than I might have wanted, but it seemed to taste quite good and Sandy LOVED the bones.

Once the stock was made (aka, the next day), I used this recipe to make Mushroom and Beef Stew. Yum! I thought it was quite yummy and will definitely enjoy the leftovers. The kids, of course, found the onion pieces in it, but they both gave it one (as opposed to two) thumbs up.

I have a confession. . .

2010-10-01T20:58:00.003-05:00

My only pair of running shoes are 18 months old and have about 1,500 miles.

My feet are a full size difference. My left foot is a 7.5 and my right foot is a 6.5. I've come to the point where I know I cannot wear one size. I've been wearing an 8 (generally, running shoes are a half-size larger), but the right shoe is just too big. So, I have choices: the problems that come with running in a shoe that is far too big, buying two pairs of shoes and wearing only one of each, or getting custom shoes from Nike (which is not my preferred brand for running shoes).

In my decision-making debate, a year-and-a-half has come and gone.

It is time.

I am ordering the custom shoes from Nike.

And, some days, I don't feel joyful. I just feel crabby.

2010-09-26T20:25:00.010-05:00

It should have been a lovely day; it started out that way. We went to church. We love our church. There was an adorable new baby there today that I was able to admire. The sermon was from Micah 6:6-8.

⁶ With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

⁷ Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
⁸ He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Then, I came home and ran my hills run. Took a lovely shower and came down to watch the Steelers dominate with Eric. Eric made me a yummy sandwich. While we watched them play, the kiddos played in the backyard with the girls next door. They decided to start practicing their Halloween play and were all jumping on the trampoline, wearing Halloween costumes, and writing invitations to the party they have decided they are hosting next weekend. They spent three hours doing this!

And, then, I took a nap.

Sounds lovely, hun? It was. And, I should have been able to forgive what happens next, but it just turned my attitude sour. The dog knocked over Jonathan's not-quite-closed BLUE Gatorade bottle onto the cream colored carpet. And, that is how I ended up not getting a nap.

I tried, I really tried, to snap out of it. I tried to remember the joy of the day, but I couldn't get there. I knew I was being unreasonable so I tried as best I could to keep it inside.

We tried to clean the carpet, but the cleaners will have to come out and I'm not certain that it won't result in a new carpet.

Then, we went to the dog park - and that is usually a great time - but naturally occurring kid occasional whining was more annoying than usual. The dog was more annoying than usual. I was just crabby. And, then, at the end of the day the dog peed on my bed after an accident free weekend. And, Lauren wants, naturally, her Sunday night Mommy night (she sleeps with me on Sunday nights) and I just didn't want it. And, for the first time in an exceedingly long time, I actually yelled at the kids. I apologized and Lauren is having a Mommy night and I know that I'm crabby, but I'm still not yet ready for humility. I did not incorporate the lovely sermon from church today.

It is always so much easier to walk humbly with God when one is well-rested, well-nourished, and has almost no one needing from them (say, small children and pets), but the true test is being able to walk with humility and Grace when humility and Grace feel so far away.

I think I will require a full night of sleep for that. And, then maybe I can act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. But, right now, I'm rather human.

Steelers at Tampa Bay: Primanti Brothers Style Sandwich

2010-09-26T20:16:00.003-05:00

I have often thought that I should document some (all) of our Football foods.

On today's menu is an Eric-styled, Primanti Brothers-inspired sandwich and fries.

If you have not heard of the Primanti Brothers, they are a classic institution in Pittsburgh. Primanti Brothers are known for making sandwiches with the coleslaw and fries on the INSIDE of the sandwich.

Eric followed this coleslaw recipe. In his sandwich, he included ham, capicola, provolone, fried egg, coleslaw, and fries. We all really liked it! And, it worked because the Steelers won 38-13. Woot!

"Everything Happens For A Reason". . .

2010-09-19T11:33:00.002-05:00

In church today, our pastor talked about one of my most favorite concepts ever: The Belief In A Just World. She did not name it as such, but it was part of the sermon.

Belief in a Just World is the belief that things happen for a reason and it give one the false belief that one can avoid tragedy by making certain choices. Our Pastor's example was: "She died of lung cancer? was she a smoker?" "No, she was a vegan who exercised daily." If she is a smoker then we can exhale and believe ourselves safe, but if she wasn't, then we have to create a meaning around her death: "Everything happens for a reason, right?" The most common example I use is, "what was the rape victim wearing?" She left her back door unlocked, she was jogging after dark, etc.

NO! Not everything happens for a reason. God did not want that little seven year old I spoke about last week to die. There is no "reason" why he had to die, no "higher purpose." As our Pastor pointed out, what reason was there that six million Jews needed to die in the Holocaust? SIX MILLION?!? Kade wasn't run over for a "reason." It wasn't God's will that he should die and that an entire community should grieve. Bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people. Things happen.

But, then what do we do with it?

As a psychologist, I have long known that a common difference between those who have tragedy that they get through and those who have tragedy in which they remain is in the experience of learning or turning the negative experience into a growth experience. It did not happen or a reason, but to get out of it is to create something from the experience as opposed to remaining a victim of the experience. Creating a growth experience out of a bad thing is not to retroactively make a meaning as to why it had to happen, but making something good out of something bad.

Our pastor summarized it as such: "Everything happens. . . and we are called to bring God's compassion and love."

Amen.

Joy Is. . . Fried Pickles

2010-09-16T19:07:00.003-05:00

We love ourselves some fried pickles in this family.

So, Eric has been in D.C. on a B-Trip doing rocket science stuff, leaving me alone with the Kiddy Kats. While we miss him when he goes, we do things a bit differently during that time. For instance, we go out to dinner.

I had a good day at work today: four-and-a-half hours of direct service (plus one hour of full rate no-show) during six-hour workday. Finished all my billing, feeling on top of all business (just one outstanding paperwork obligation). Came home, met the school bus, and then the kittens and I took Sandy-Cakes to the dog park for an hour. Afterwards, it was time to go to the Blue Moose because we wanted some fried pickles.

Do you have a go-to appetizer? You know, the one on the menu that you will always get no matter what else is offered? Fried pickles are one of ours.

So, we rate them. Lauren gives Blue Moose fried pickles a two thumbs up, thought the saltiness and crunch were "perfect," and likes the dipping sauce. Jonathan gives them one thumbs up. I give them one thumbsup, think that they are a bit too salty, but really likes the sauce. I do not think that they are the best fried pickles every, but are up there.

We are on the quest and will let you know when we find the perfect fried pickle.

Joy Is. . . A puppy who is too big to get out of the fence.

2010-09-16T19:04:00.002-05:00

Whew! We made it.

That pocket beagle I've been fantasizing about getting? Not going to happen. I have learned the joys of having a dog too big to get through the fence.

And, the Earth Keeps On Turning

2010-09-14T16:31:00.008-05:00

It has been a rather rough and emotional past few weeks filled with some rather ugly and sad aspects of life.

It started when Ashley was visiting. On Friday, August 27, we were out early taking Sandy for a morning walk. Along the trail, by the playground, I observed what appeared to be a trail of dripping blood, but clearly that could not be, right? I live in a peaceful, pleasant, safe neighborhood. A family neighborhood where children play in the cul-de-sacs and it isn't the end of the world to accidentally leave your doors unlocked. Where your neighbors call you if you forgot to shut your garage door. So, obviously, it was not blood, but, given the proximity to the playground, rather grape juice. Right?

And, as we got closer to my home, we observed something odd and decided to go take a look. It was a dead dog - someone's pet - and it appeared as if the skin down into the muscle had been cut away from its saddle area. At first, we assumed it was killed by another animal. We aren't rural, but there are coyotes, foxes, and bobcat that live in the green belt that straddles the creek. But, the flesh was cut, not torn. It wasn't killed by an animal. And, it wasn't near a road. If it had been hit, it would have had to walk rather far. And, it wasn't near the area where we saw the blood, but rather over a quarter mile away. And, the skin was neatly cut, not torn.

Obviously, I called animal control. I've attempted to get a hold of them several times because if it is as I think it, those who live in our neighborhood have the right to know. I know they came out, I know they were evasive in answering a neighbor's questions, I know they called in someone else to consult, and I know they were there a long time taking pictures. I'd like to know what happened.

Midweek the next week, we received in email from the school principal informing the parents that some of the students had been approached by an adult man in a car offering them rides home. It wasn't raining. Who does that? Pedophiles. No one else would even think about it even if they just wanted to be nice. You just don't do that. Obviously, the police were reported and we were given an opportunity to discuss safety with our children.

Two days later, we received another email from the principal informing the parents that a seven-year-old in a nearby community had been run over and killed leaving school. By the report, it would appear to have been a faultless accident and the driver is also a victim, but all I could think about was his poor little body. And, the devastation that accident brought to the lives of his family, his teacher, his classroom family, his principal, his school, his parents coworkers, the driver, her family, her coworkers was overwhelming.

And, I sat in church last Sunday and cried.

I cried the entire hour I was there. I did not cry in anger at God; wondering where God was. God was there because God is everywhere, but it brings neither anger nor comfort. It just is.

And, I have no message. I have no positive spin. I have no great lesson to be learned from these three horrid experiences. The verse that kept running through my head as I sat there crying was a verse in one of my favorite children's books, "Morning, Noon, and Night" by Jean Craighead George:

And the earth keeps on turning, on turning, on turning. Good morning, the sun. "Cheer, cheer."

Good things happen, bad things happen, horrible awful things happen like sociopaths killing dogs, and pedophiles trying to molest children, and lives being forever altered by an accident, but the earth keeps on turning.

And, then, I come home and I see that the sunflowers have finally arrived. Most who know me know just how much I love sunflowers. When I found out that we were moving to Kansas, I was apprehensive until I learned that Kansas is The Sunflower State. I love sunflowers. They are sunny and cheerful and beautiful and filled with joy, but I'd trade every single sunflower for the rest of my life to undo those three horrible events of the past few weeks. Unfortunately, I cannot.

The earth keeps on turning. Sociopaths kill dogs and sunflowers return.

So, I will enjoy them and I will see them as a reminder that even when awful, horrible, wretched, inexplicable things happen, the earth keeps on turning, on turning, on turning, Good Morning, the Sun, "cheer cheer."

More Eight-Year-Old Deliciousness

2010-09-14T16:14:00.003-05:00

Lauren has been so well behaved in her class that she has earned classroom money to spend in the class "store." Today was store day, so she picked out her very own pink boa. Naturally. Duh.

When we came home, she also decided that she wanted to teach Jonathan how to ride his bike down the driveway.

Really, there is little better in life than a pink feather boa, an argyle sweater, a pleated skirt, a daughter helping a younger brother, and a dirt bike.

Hot Air Balloon

2010-09-12T15:00:00.002-05:00

Just a picture I took yesterday that I like. Nothing more. Simple.

Patriots Run 2010. Joy Is. . . being a spectator.

2010-09-12T10:58:00.003-05:00

Every year since 2003, Olathe, KS hosts The Patriots Run to commemorate the events of September 11, 2001. The race starts at noon and runs for nine hours and eleven minutes. And, it is always held on September 11. Doesn't matter if that is a Monday or a Thursday or a Sunday. You can run as much or as little as you want. There are a few different "races." There is a formal marathon that is run for time. There is also an ultra to run for distance covered in the nine hours and eleven minutes. One can start at noon or whenever one wants to come and join in.

I've long wanted to join, but have had small children not yet in school or a work day or whatever. This year, I couldn't do it because I was in school from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. But, I wanted to participate. So, the family and I brought our camp chairs and some Pepsi and some Jelly Bellies for the runners, and went to cheer on the runners.

I've been a runner in many races and it was my turn to cheer runners on. I got so much out of cheering and supporting the runners that I would really encourage any runner to take their turn along the race route and be the encouragement for others from time to time.

And, this was a great event for that.

I suspect that I will be in class next year when the event is held, so I will again go just to cheer, but in the future, I will run part of the day and cheer the rest.

Way to go Runners.

Joy Is. . . Big Sister Reads To Little Brother

2010-09-09T19:40:00.003-05:00

I love this.

Running Related Post: Running Glasses (somewhat graphic)

2010-09-09T19:11:00.006-05:00

For the life of me, I cannot put contact lenses in my eyes. Don't get me wrong: I have tried (and tried, and tried, and tried). I even had about a six month period when I broke my glasses where I had to wear daily contacts. Anyway, I worry about running with my daily glasses out of fear that they might fall off and break. I really cannot drive without them. So, I have been running without any vision correction at all.

Let me tell you a little story: this past April, April 5, 2010 to be precise, I went out for a LOVELY evening five mile run. It was dark and I was, as previously explained, not wearing corrective lenses. I was running great and feeling awesome when I rounded a corner in the sidewalk that took me into a darker section of road. I thought that maybe that there was a person lying in the middle of the sidewalk, but it wasn't until I was right upon them that I realized it was two teens having sex. In the middle of the sidewalk. With nice grass on either side. But, I didn't really see them until the last minute and had to sort of jump over while politely saying "hi" (it is important to be friendly and all). That night I woke up with a pain that felt as if I were being stabbed in the hip by a butcher knife. And, that led to a marathon time five days later that was a full hour longer than I had hoped.

I cannot be certain the the ensuing injury was directly related to the sudden jump I had to take over the sexing teens, but maybe it would have not happened had I actually been able to see. (and thus better plan for how to negotiate the sex).

Eric's company has the best vision policy ever. Ever. I get a new pair of lenses yearly and a new pair of frames every other year. My prescription is pretty much the same, I like my glasses, and I like my sunglasses, so I figure that it is time for some running glasses.

The selection was not awesome, but this is what I got.

I was able to pick them up this morning and broke them in with an easy five. (Come to think of it, I probably should have run that same route). It was misting, so I am not sure that my complaint is totally valid, but I found that they fogged up near the end (which made it harder to see - ironic, eh?). I'll try it again without mist and I'm going to look for some anti-fog stuff, but if they keep fogging up, I might have to return them. I do, however, really like being able to see.

Joy Is. . . One Passed-Out Puppy

2010-09-07T22:01:00.003-05:00

Normally, Tuesdays are a 10-12 mile tempo run (with about half at tempo), but I raced a 5k yesterday and Stacy suggested that I run today's run easy (hard, easy, hard, easy pattern). So, I decided to bring Sandy-cakes out on my warm up. Together, we ran a bit over 2.5 miles together. I had thought about adding on the half-mile loop around the lake, but Sandy clearly expressed to me that she was ready to go home. We got home and she passed out on the kitchen floor while I finished my run on the treadmill.

Joy is One Passed-Out Puppy

Joy Is. . . Winning the Race! (okay, there are some contributing variables, so don't get excited)

2010-09-06T09:16:00.008-05:00

Bike 4 The Brain

About a week ago, I became aware of the above race. I hadn't really paid any attention to it as it is a bike and my bike is broken, but last week I realized that they had a 5K. Given that I'm a psychologist and given that I preach cardiovascular exercise as a component of mental health, I thought it particularly appropriate for me to participate.

What I didn't realize is that it really is a bike ride and not a run. There were a couple hundred cyclists and about 20 runners. I've never been to a bike ride. They definitely have more colorful clothing than do the runners. Also, I wondered if I was going to know anyone. I saw a woman that I recognized, but couldn't place. I thought about going up and saying "hi," until I realized she was someone on whom I had recently done a disability evaluation. Opps. Good thing I chose to keep to myself. But, right before the start, I saw a friend who used to the the director of Child and Family Services at the mental health center at which I used to work. I had a good time quickly catching up there.

This was supposed to be a 5K, but I took a wrong turn at the very start. I ended up turning with the cyclists rather than with the walkers. In my defense, I will say that I was far from the only one who did this. The race is primarily a cycling event rather than a run/walk. There were a few hundred cyclists and about 20 runners. This added about a third of a mile onto my race. I was hoping for a 5k time of 27:42 (which is a pace of 8:55), but was a) nervous I could not do it, b) concerned about not getting lost on a course with about 20 runners and literally no course support other than an aid station around the half-way mark which translated to crossing streets with cars, and c) concerned that I would have no motivation with half the people walking.

But, I decided to suck it up and run it for time. Obviously, I didn't do it in 27:42. I did, however, 3.43 miles in 29:48.97 which is a pace of 8:41 and is better than my goal pace. So, longer and a faster pace. I checked my Garmin at the 5K distance and was at 27:01 (pace of 8:42). Using the McMillan Running Calculator, that would predict a marathon finish time of 4:23:23. Whew! I think I might be able to pull out a 4:30 after all.

And, I was the first woman and the third person overall to cross the finish line. Okay, so maybe there were only a half-dozen women running it, but how many of them started by going the wrong direction?

Anyway, it was great to beat my goal, it was great to have a reminder that I am on track for my marathon goal, and even though I know that it means very little, it was fun to cross the finish line first among all the women. Now, if only I could do that in a bigger race one of these days.

Race lessons:

1) I have to stop using SlimFast as race fuel. It makes me far too mucousy. I think it works great as fuel, but not given the mucous factor. I may not have tested positive for a dairy allergy, but evidence would strongly suggest that dairy seriously increases my phlegm.

2) DON'T FORGET THE INHALER. Especially given the increased mucous, I really needed the inhaler.

3) the Nike shirt I am wearing is gone. Too short. I don't like worrying about my shirt rising while I race.

4) I am going out and getting my bike fixed today.

Next year, I think I'll do the 10 mile bike ride instead. Hopefully, Lauren will do it with me.

Joy Is. . . Dog Walking In a Pink Tutu With Red Glasses

2010-09-05T18:35:00.006-05:00

I love this girl. There is something absolutely delicious about the eight-year-old girl who is still sufficiently in love with the princess as to not care about whether the pink and zebra print tutu properly matches the red sunglasses and black and green flip flop crocs when she goes for the anticipated evening dog walk with her mother.

May this continue for a long while.

I am reading The Mother-Daughter Project, by SuEllen Hamkins and Renee Schultz, about a program (if you will) with the aim of keeping mothers and daughters connected through the turbulence of adolescence.

Originally, I had planned on doing Girl Scouts together, but, for a variety of reasons, it clearly was not meant to be. So, I asked our Pastor and the Director of Children and Family Ministry if I could start up Roots and Shoots. They both said that could work, but. . . did I know that there was someone interested in starting up a Mother-Daughter group? Looking into the program, I decided that this was what I wanted for Lauren and for me as an aid to keeping our relationship connected (for better or for worse) during the difficult times that will come.

I know those times will come. I don't delude myself one second that just because of my profession, I/we will be spared. If anything, I think that psychologist's kids have the same reputation as the minister's child. I hope, however, that if we can stay connected, we can at least have the relationship through which to work through the hard stuff. More than anything, I always want her to deeply know of my love for her and my desire to be there for her no matter what she brings to the table.

In the meantime, Lauren and I have developed a routine that I love (love, love, love): we walk Sandy together in the evenings. Sometimes Jonathan comes and sometimes Jonathan and Eric come, but it is always OUR walk.

And, you've got to love walking with this girl. Because there isn't much more joy than

a puppy and a girl in a pink and zebra print tutu.

Joy Is. . .Pow Chicka Bow Wow. . . Pornography. Insect Pornography.

2010-09-04T18:20:00.007-05:00

Oh, come on, animals having sex makes us giggle. I know I cannot be the only one who is taken back to seventh grade (Mr. Wolf's class, ironically).

Anyway, Lauren and I were walking Sandy when we saw the above scene. I, obviously, had to run back to the house to get my camera (what with my already established role of froggy pornographer).

Then, I came back and did a bit of research. Okay, so these are Monarch Butterflies. (oh, I should note that googling the terms "Butterfly Sex" might not be the most effective terms to use in this research option; you'll get some other sort of information). So, I switched to "Monarch Reproduction." Even then, it was not all that helpful until I went to Wiki. From there:

Copulation occurs during the ground phase where the male and female remain attached for about 30 to 60 minutes. ^[28] A spermatophore is transferred from the male to the female. Along with sperm, the spermatophore is thought to provide the female with energy resources that aid her in carrying out reproduction and remigration.

So, there you go, a little bit of seventh-grade fun on one's evening walk. And, I learned something new. I did not know that butterfly had sperm. I wondered and all, but I truly did not know. See, learning new things is fun! And, that brings me a lot of silly joy.

Changing Mindset: Finding the Joy in the Frustration

2010-09-04T10:00:00.006-05:00

I think it is going to be one of those days. And, sometimes, when it is so clearly going to be one of those days, the only way to look at it is with humor.

Let's start with the 17 miles I ran yesterday because that really does set the stage. I often have difficulty falling asleep after running that long because my large muscle groups ache in an electric sort of way. I attribute it to carb depletion, but it could likely be something else. I'm pretty sure I was sufficiently rehydrated, but I did consume more water after it was clear I could not sleep. I also took an electrolyte tab in case that was a contributing factor, but the reality was that I did not fall asleep until after 2:30 a.m. even though I initially went to bed around 9:30 because I was so tired.

Then, let's add in the fact that I am dieting. Reasonably, for those with concerns about me and dieting. I had a net 1,000 (approximate) cals yesterday (net cals meaning that I actually consumed around 2,700, but I burned approximately 1,700 on my run). I ate the right things: simple carbs right before and during the run, nice carb:protein (with fat) ratio immediately afterwards, lots of veggies and lean meat. But, I'm still operating at a deficit. That's the point of dieting, right?

I find it hard to diet and to gear up for a marathon at the same time, and yesterday is prime example of that.

Anyway, hard time falling asleep.

Then, the baby girl (aka Sandy), got me up to go out to do her business at 3:30, 5:15, and 6:30. Normally, I'd get up at 6:30 and call it a night, but I was so tired that I went back to bed and let Eric take over all puppy and parenting duties. This is a big deal for me. I don't generally do that. Not because of him, but because of me.

And, I slept.

I slept until I heard the Bissell at 9:00 a.m.

Apparently, sometime between 6:30 and 9:00, she had pooped in two separate places on the main floor. Lauren, the big girl that she is, helped clean them up, but needed some assistance from Daddy.

While cleaning the poop with the Bissell, one of our picture frames from our recent trip to the Bahamas fell and the glass broke. I came down and immediately broke the glass on my French Press (huge tragedy as I'm sure many of you can appreciate). And, then. . . as I was typing the words, "It is going to be one of those days" into my Facebook, the above happens. It isn't even 9:30.

And, really, at those times, all you can do is given in to it and laugh.

Peace.

Joy Is. . . Racing With Your Daughter. AKA Mud and Muck Race Report

2010-08-28T13:16:00.011-05:00

About a week ago, I asked my darling daughter how she would feel about running the Mud and Muck run . To my surprise, she said, "YES!"

As it turns out, my husband and my Ashley had been sneakily planning for her to come visit as my birthday present! Woohoo! She surprised me on Thursday evening by coming up the stairs while I was home alone with the kids folding laundry in just a big teeshirt and undies.

So, she was happy to come along and be our personal photographer.

Friday, Ashley and I went to packet pick up. Packet pick up was right by Target, so I had to get Lauren some "running clothes." Yes, "running clothes" knowing full well the purpose of this run was to get muddy. And, mucky.

Saturday morning, we all got up and left the house around 7:45.

Once there, Lauren got pretty nervous. She was scared to be around the people and was anxious about losing me (though I told her that I would be right next to her the whole entire mile we were running). We also lost Eric and Jonathan (who had, apparently, told me that he was walking out to the mud pit).

Time for the start.

Since we were only doing one mile, it didn't take us all that long to get to the mud pit. Lauren fell on the way there and scrapped her hand, but she was able to recover and get back to running.

We finished with a PR of 18:00 (approximately - I wasn't wearing my Garmin ;) ). With my big girlie! I was so very proud of her.

We were so muddy! It was fun, but muddy, so we got clean.

With Ashley!

(all pictures by Ashley with the exception of this one that was by Eric).

Sandy, Three Months, One Week

2010-08-20T16:46:00.003-05:00

Okay, this dog took a step back yesterday. It is likely my fault. I say the following: "I think that she is 95% housebroken and any mistakes will likely be ours."

Since then, we've had MULTIPLE accidents. Including poop all over our bathroom. Ugh.

And, this dog refuses to go on walks and chews everything she isn't supposed to chew.

So, it is, as I said, likely my fault.

She is in the crate right now. She isn't allowed free in the house until she has peed outside. I'm taking her out every 15 minutes and she is playing, but not peeing. So, back to the crate.

I'm watching all the Dog Whisperer I can and have finished his book about puppies. I'm working on being Calm Assertive and I think that it will not be a problem for me.

But, we have a couple of goals for this week. The first, most important, is the walk. She has got to get to walking. A well exercised dog is a good dog and I want her to be a good dog. So, that is primary. Secondary is the housetraining. Third is the chewing on people. Redirect, redirect, redirect.

Love this dog. Love this dog.

Trying out Roctane

2010-08-20T16:24:00.002-05:00

Well, what do you know?!? It has been far too long. I need to get back to this.

I've been running, but not well and not to target. I have a marathon (will be my third) in October and my goal is going to be 4:30 (a) slow, I know; b) you don't have to be fast to be a marathoner). But, I switched my long run from Saturday to Friday as that way it will less affect my family's weekend time. When I do my long run, not only am I physically gone for three to four hours, but then I'm wasted for much of the rest of the day. Given that both kids are in school on Fridays now, I figure I'll burn that day instead and then be present on Saturday. It also means doing my hills workout on Sunday. I hope God will understand.

Anyway, I've been thinking about my marathon fueling, hydration, and electrolyte intake. After listening to someone from Gu talking about Roctane on the recent Marathon Show, I decided to give Roctane a roll in the hay. My goal is to try several different gels out to see what works best for me. Today was to be Roctane.

Given that I was not going to be doing a sports drink, I also had to figure out electrolytes. I purchased Hammer electrolyte after talking to the guy at the running store. So, I had my plan: 15 miles with a Roctane every 45 minutes and an electrolyte tab every 30 minutes.

But, there is an extraneous variable in this experiment: it was freakin' hot and humid even at 9:00 a.m. Maybe the humidity would be ESPECIALLY at 9:00 a.m. So, my feeling like crap and walking far too much of this run could be more reflective of the weather than my fuel/hydration/electrolyte situation, but I was not wowed by Roctane. I intend on trying again when the weather improves.

I will say, however, that I think the Hammer electrolytes REALLY made a difference. Which surprised me. I didn't think I'd notice a difference with them; I only thought they would prevent me from bonking. I think I'm sold on those.

But, I "ran" (if you want to call it that, she says as she rolls her eyes) 15 miles in 3:21.16.28 which translates to a pace of 13:22/mile. SUCKS. I will say that I notice that I'm about 25% faster with less effort when I run in the evening and I'm attributing that to humidity. When I arrived home, my clothing was as wet as if I had stood in a shower for five minutes. No joke. You could, literally, wring the sweat out of my clothing. Yum!

That's the end of my week. Next up: hills!

Joy Is. . .

2010-04-02T12:23:00.003-05:00

The first asparagus of spring.

In case you both like asparagus and are not growing them in your back yard, you really should consider doing so. It is very easy, though requires several years before you have a steady, consistent production. They are low maintenance and are so much better than what you can buy in the stores. I won't even buy asparagus in the store anymore. I make myself wait until they grow in my garden. The anticipation is so delicious. As is the final product.

Running Week In Review (and look ahead) - week of March 15, 2010

2010-03-20T17:28:00.003-05:00

This week was not quite as good as last. And, it should have been since the kids were on spring break and I had childcare that did not end when the school day ends. Anyway, I did okay until Friday.

Monday - 8 miles inclusive of 5 .5 mile intervals

Tuesday - 8 miles easy

Wednesday - SRD

Thursday - 4 miles recovery

Friday - was scheduled to run 8 easy, but had a HORRID wind from the north between 25 and 35 mph and I quit after 4 miles

Saturday - was scheduled to run 17 long, but the wind was still present, it was 26*F, and snowing. The snow was nearly horizontal and into my face. I gave it 9 miles and quit once my shoes were soaked.

Total for the week: 33.4, short by 14.

This coming week will bring:

Monday - 7 miles with 8 strides

Tuesday - 8 miles easy

Wednesday - SRD

Thursday - 4 with 6 strides

Friday - 8 miles with 4 at tempo pace

Saturday - 16 miles long

I need to suck it up and do it, but I'm telling ya: snow coming at you horizontally kinda sucks.

Notice Name Nurture - Sunday, March 14, 2010

2010-03-20T17:06:00.002-05:00

I went out trying to find something to name. I'd been thinking a lot about judgment and then I saw these thorns. I think unrequested judgment is like thorns: it hurts unnecessarily and separates us from getting closer one to another.

That said, I am frequently paid to judge, but I like to call it "assessment." For some reason, I've been confirmed with an assumption of expert knowledge on human behavior. Okay, I have studied it for decades and it is what I do. But, I also think that there is a big difference between judgment and assessment.

With judgment comes the explicit meaning that your judgment places you above. Also, it is generally unsolicited. If I come to you and ask you for your perception, then by all means, assess. But, if I do not, then why should you think that it is your place to do so?

Also, I generally see a huge difference between solicited assessment and unsolicited judgment: value. It frequently feels as if the judger devalues the other when they judge: my worth is more than yours because you made a choice that I judge as being flawed and because I see myself as being in a position above you, I feel as if I have the right to let you know.

That alienates others. EVEN IF THE JUDGMENT HAS MERIT. It alienates the other. How much more effective would we be at evoking positive change in others if the other always knew that their worth was not the least bit diminished.

My goal for every client who walks through my office to never feel as if I value them one ounce less for choices they make. That they know that I see their light. That they can walk in and tell me that they made the most objectively harmful decision and, while I will likely call them on it, they will be able to lay the decision on the discussion table and be receptive to growth because their worth is not one ounce less. Unconditional positive regard.

Consider then, if you will, the IMPACT of your words on others. Does it achieve the goal intended? Is the intent to hurt, to distance, to demoralize? Or is the intention to lift up? Consider the impact of solicited vs. unsolicited "advice." Consider that there is a living breathing human on the receiving end and not one of us knows what that person is going through. Are you truly showing love for your fellow human or hate? And, if you believe it to be love, how effective are your words? I would posit that growth happens more when there is warmth, sun, and nurturance, than under heavy winds.

Just something to consider.

Operation Rice Bowl, The Third Sunday of Lent

2010-03-20T16:45:00.003-05:00

Yeah, not so much. I'm not going to recommend this recipe at all. The Ginger Vegetables. We normally have left-overs that I take to work, but very little of the extra was eaten. So, proceed with that caution.

This week at dinner, we read The Beatitudes from Matthew.

Matthew 5

1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,

2 and he began to teach them, saying:

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Peace.

Running Week in Review (and look ahead) - week of March 8

2010-03-14T16:16:00.006-05:00

I had a great running week! Perfect! Awesome! I hit every run.

So, I did:

Monday - six miles including 6 strides

Tuesday - ten miles including 4 x 1 mile intervals at 5K race pace

Wednesday - SRD

Thursday - ten miles tempo (was supposed to be easy, but because of lack of time, I turned it into a tempo run)

Friday - five recovery pace after dark

Saturday - 21 miles. Yes, 21 miles.

Sunday -

It was a drizzly, misty, grey day. I did four 5.25 mile loops around my house. The best thing for me is that I seem to recall reading that your time for a 21-mile LSR is approximately what you can expect your marathon race time to be. I've been hoping that I'll finish under 4:20. I did not look at my time at all during the 21 miles, only my heart rate. I did it in 4:17.

Next week I have:

Monday - 8 miles inclusive of 5 half-mile intervals at 5K race pace

Tuesday - 8 miles

Wednesday - SRD

Thursday - 4 recovery + 6 strides

Friday - 8 miles

Saturday - 17 long

African Adobo-Rubbed Tuna Steaks, or Friday dinner during Lent

2010-03-14T16:15:00.001-05:00

I might have mentioned here that we aren't doing pizza and movie night through Lent, but rather are having a nice seafood dinner. It's been rather nice.

Anyway, tonight's dinner was www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/African-Adobo-Rubbe...

As I was mixing the spices in the bowl, I realized that the spices I was mixing up for the AFRICAN Adobo-Rubbed Tuna looked an awful lot like the shape of Africa.

Should I sell it on Ebay? Too bad it wasn't in the shape of The Virgin Mary. Kidding. But, it was cool.

The dinner was good. I'd do it again.

Operation Rice Bowl, Third Sunday of Lent

2010-03-14T12:51:00.002-05:00

For today's rice bowl, we went to Ethiopia and had some Shiro Wat.

No one in my family, with the exception of me, likes green peas. Eric said that it wasn't as bad as he had expected.

After reading our Operation Rice Bowl prayer. We had dinner.

During dinner, we read the bible story for the third Sunday of Lent:

Luke 17: 11-19

11. Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

12. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance

13. and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"

14. When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cleansed.

15. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

16. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him - and he was a Samaritan.

17. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?

18. Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"

19. Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

Notice Name Nurture - Sunday, March 7, 2010

2010-03-14T12:40:00.002-05:00

Today's NNN is very apt. I did this LAST Sunday (actually on March 7 and it is now actually March 14). At church on the 7th, our pastor was talking about NNN and talking about naming the negatives as well. Well, I'm naming one of mine: I am lazy.

Notice: how things just don't get done when they should.

Name: Lazy

Nurture: well, I'm assuming that I'm not going to nurture the lazy, but rather nurture the working to not be lazy.

Yes, I am lazy and I'm not saying that in a self-deprecatory manner. I am lazy. I don't want to do the mundane, boring, but necessary things. I don't feel less than for that, but I am aware of it. I need to do a much better job getting those mundane, boring things done rather than just letting them sit.

Washing the dishes is taking care of my family. It brings peace into MY life. How much nicer to have a clutter-less kitchen than one that feels chaotic. So, I will be working on this issue.

Running Week In Review (and look ahead) - week of March 1

2010-03-14T11:55:00.002-05:00

I'm behind.

But, lookie, lookie, lookie!!! Short sleeves and NO gloves! Woot! On Saturday, I did 15 miles in a teeshirt, no gloves, no knit cap. I could have even wore shorts, but instead I wore my capris. It was perfect, even with the HUGE blister I developed 1/3rd of the way through (those particular shoes will be leaving my home soon).

For the week, I hit:

Monday - Nothing (UsRD)

Tuesday - 4 easy

Wednesday - was supposed to be 8 miles with 4x.5 mile intervals, but was actually a bit over 6 with 2x.5 mile intervals

Thursday - 4 easy+6 strides

Friday - 6 easy

Saturday - 15 long

Total = 36.64 (short by about 8.5 miles)

This coming week, I have:

Monday - 5 recovery+ 6 strides

Tuesday - 10 miles inclusive of 4x1 miles at 5K race pace

Wednesday - SRD

Thursday - 10 easy

Friday - 5 recovery

Saturday - 21 long (21 miles!!!! eeek!)

But, I've started being able to run outside, in the dark, at night and it has been peaceful and lovely.

Dealing With Mites. . . (or in the pursuit of an allergy-free life)

2010-03-05T17:48:00.002-06:00

So, I had allergy testing this Tuesday. Turns out that I'm allergic to a whole buncha stuff including: cats, dogs, mites, ragweed, timothy grass, juniper, and some other weeds and grasses that I cannot remember.

Well, I'm not getting rid of the cat and I still hope to get a dog, so I have started the shots. I got my first shots on Wednesday and definitely noticed an immediate reaction with ear and throat itching as well as a tickley nose. I didn't have any reaction when I went back today (though I'd had Benedryl the night before). I'm on two nasal sprays as well.

But, today's task was starting to address the dust mites. There are a ton of things I'm supposed to do about the mites including: was the mattress pad, pillowcases and sheets weekly in hotter water (130 degrees or hotter), encase bed mattress and box springs in a zippered, allergen-proof cover, and place the mattress pad over the allergen-proof cover, encase pillows in allergen-proof covers, and replace pillows annually. Oh, and vacuum one to two times a week.

Eric is going to love this. For real.

But, I bought a allergen-proof cover for the box-springs ($100). Well, I only bought one today because that was all I was going to spend. I debated forever as to whether to put it on the box springs or the mattress. I decided to go for the box springs because I think I really need them on the mattress and so I'm incentivised to get one for the mattress as well. If it were the other way around, I'd not be in as much a hurry. But, I had to vacuum the bed.

Now, I've got to figure out how I am going to buy 12 pillows and pillow covers. I could buy just four for our bed, but I'd lose track. They would end up on the kids' beds. So, 12. That's a whole lot of cash and a whole lot of annual pillows to go to the landfill (though my mother told me to give them to animal shelters and I think hat's an awesome idea).

But, in the meantime, with all the dust in the air from all the bedding changing, my throat is awfully tight right now.

Joy Is. . .

2010-03-05T17:47:00.002-06:00

When your almost eight-year-old daughter who has been terrified about riding a bicycle, takes off and can finally do it HERSELF!

Operation Rice Bowl, The Second Sunday of Lent

2010-02-28T17:40:00.003-06:00

"God of all people, hear us as we join in prayer with our brothers and sisters in need. Bless our Lenten fasting, learning, and giving. May your generous love for your people be our guide as we reach out to all who live with hunger and poverty."

Operation Rice Bowl prayer

I cooked the Nicaraguan recipe. It was not as delicious as the Haitian one from last week, but that isn't really the point now, is it? People who are living in poverty do what they can. The point isn't deliciousness (though last week's was certainly repeat worthy even not during Lent), but solidarity.

Then, we read the bible story for the week from Mark 10:13-16:

13. People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
14. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
16. And he took the children in his arms, but his hands on them and blessed them.

Notice Name Nurture - Sunday, February 28, 2010

2010-02-28T15:46:00.003-06:00

It's that time of the week again.

It's been a good week what with "anticipation," but "anticipation" that was followed very quickly with signs of a rapidly approaching spring. It warmed up to the mid-30s, I saw the first flower of the season, the snow and ice are mostly melted, and I was really hoping that Spring would spring. So, this week's Notice Name Nurture would be so gratifying! I mean, shoot, I nourished "Anticipation," right?

So, the kids and I went for a walk to the park. Well, they went on their scooters and I walked.

As you can see, the snow and ice is melting and almost gone. So, clearly, I would be able to capture some meaningful sign of hope and spring, right?

We went to the park and the kids played while I went in search of some beautiful picture what would describe "Notice." It was brilliant, especially after "Anticipation," right?

Ha! There was nothing Spring-like or beautiful other than the melting snow. I was coming up with some things having to do with that, but what was really calling to me was. . . .Patience.

NO! I want something symbolic and meaningful. Something deep.

No. . . Patience.

Sigh.

But, all the while when I was contemplating Patience and trying to find appropriate things to photograph that were both beautiful AND had to do with Patience, I was listening to my children playing Hide And Go Seek:

Jonathan, "28, 29, 30, ready or not here I come!"

Lauren, "I'm not ready yet!"

Jonathan, "ready or not here I come!"

Lauren, "I'm not ready yet!"

Jonathan, "ready or not. . . HERE I COME!"

Lauren, "I AM NOT READY YET!"

Yeah, that is me with Spring. Ready or not, I want to find you. . . Spring, I AM ready, but you are not.

Patience.

Anticipation WITH Patience.

I am ready. . . . But, I can wait until it is time. I will nourish Patience.