It's a Wonderful Life

We wrapped up the family visit last night. It was so enjoyable spending time with Dave's side of the family during this Christmas season. We are so blessed.

The mood for Christmas was set on the Sunday before Christmas. The choir sang and the bishopric spoke. It was a simple, unassuming sacrament meeting. As I was directing the sacrament hymn (Jesus Once of Humble Birth) I was really touched by the words of the hymn. So many of the phrases stuck with me throughout the day and on 'til Christmas. I spent a lot of time thinking about how our Savior came to this earth in such humble circumstances; how he meekly, willingly bore all of our hurts and pains; how he was rejected and despised; and he did all of these things so He could redeem and save us; so He could succor us when we are feeling rejected, despised, hurt, abandoned. I was so grateful to the Lord for putting those thoughts in my heart and mind.

There were many fun memories created during our time with Dave's family. One highlight for me was hearing my father-in-law pray over his family at Christmas dinner. He, much like his boy I married, is not an outwardly religious man; however, during those times when I have the opportunity to hear him pray there is no doubt about his deep abiding faith and love for our Lord.

I can't wait to see Les Miserable. That is on tomorrow's agenda. We are going to the theater with my parents. It's always fun to go to the movies with my dad and seeing a movie during the Christmas break has become somewhat of a tradition.

Christmas, time with Dave's family, movie with my parents (and maybe dinner?)... what a wonderful life.

A Redemption Run...Sort of

Oh what a difference a week can make in my running world. The wicked, kicking-my-butt head cold is winding down. The dip in hormones is on the way back up. So basically, energy levels are approaching normal levels. I was feeling so confident in my being back, I told Jessica that I would run all 12 miles with her.

Yes I still had to walk some of the big Mission hill, but I ran farther up it than I did last week. And I wasn't totally sucking wind and disoriented when I got to the top like I was last week. That was good. I felt strong running into the lovely head wind we had on the backside of the hill, but I was happy when it was at our backs down the homestretch.

When we hit the 8 mile mark, I was still feeling good. But it was just a short couple of miles later when I began to question why I had decided 12 miles would be a good idea. I hadn't run anything longer than 8 since the end of October. I hit 11.2 and I was done. Actually at 10.3 I was being to slow down, but it wasn't til 11.2 that I just didn't have anything left. Fortunately with a few small walk breaks I was able to get it done, but oh poor Jessica, I'm sure that wasn't the run she wanted to have.

So, you see, a redemption run of sorts. Good for 8 strong miles, a couple of OK miles and then a couple of ending miles just to remind me that I'm 41 and 12 miles is a big deal.

A Blog from Sad to Happy

I haven't felt much like blogging lately.

I don't have any cute kid stories to share. That makes me sad.

I have a wicked head cold that is kicking my butt. It started on Saturday and made for a really sucky run. That makes me sad.

I have a Pinterest account. And I have followers. Those poor people are going to be sorely disappointed. The fact that I have followers makes me giggle.

Even though I had a craptastic run on Saturday, I did find an unexpected running companion. I didn't expect anyone from the group to drop back and run with me for the last mile and a half, but one did. And she was the last person I would have thought would have done that. Just thinking about that kindness makes me smile.

We got our tree up on Sunday...finally! It actually worked out nicely because Katelyn was home by then to help decorate the tree. Carson actually cracked his little sheepish grin when I exclaimed "Oh this ornament is for Carson to put up. He always puts it up." Seeing him smile, even if just briefly, made me so happy and truth be told, a little misty-eyed.

Whew, I'm glad decided to blog. I feel much better. And ready for some more blogging.

Learn from My Mistakes, People

Do you have certain household chores, let's say cleaning the baseboards, that you let slide until a more convenient time only to discover that the more convenient time never seems to materialize? Then, before you know it, 12 years have passed by and those baseboards have been neglected for all those long years. But you don't really know how tired, dingy, and old they look until you go to re-install them after putting in brand spanking-new, shiny hardwood floors.

Does that sound like a scenario that could happen to you?

No? Well good on you. Please come visit me.

But if it is possible that you could foresee yourself in this situation, let me introduce you to two miracle workers...

Yep, these plus a little elbow grease can turn baseboards that look like this...

Into a baseboard that looks like this...

They aren't perfect, but they sure do look a lot better! And I promise there was no photoshopping or photography enhancements (I don't have the first clue how to do that). And I am not receiving any compensation from the above featured products.

You are welcome.

Funny Phone Calls from Kate

As soon as Katelyn got a cell phone (when she was 16), our way of communicating with her changed. As typical with teens, she preferred texting to calling. Her first cell phone bills were painful as she tried to balance her texting with her texting limit. She found an ally in her dad who convinced me to just bite the bullet and pay the stinkin' extra 10 bucks a month and get her unlimited texting.

When she was at home I didn't mind the text conversations because I knew she would be home at night and we could have actual voice conversations. But now that she is away at college, I wish she didn't have unlimited texting because that is still her preferred route of communication and I miss hearing her voice.

So I find it absolutely delightful when I get phone calls like this....

"Mom, how do you describe a lentil?"

or

"Mom, what's the name of the book about the three little pigs but told from the wolf's perspective"

or

"Mom, do you think something from the BYU-I bookstore would be just as good as a Seahawk sweatshirt?"


Random subjects, but totally Kate. I love it when she calls. And I am so looking forward to her coming home on Friday (or wait, maybe it's Saturday), she's not quite sure. Whenever it is, I'm taking the phone for those two weeks so she has to talk.

A Little Bit of Venting

I am restless and crabby. I want it to start feeling like Christmas around here, well at least around our house. I didn't realize how much decorating for Christmas helped set the mood for the season. I miss not being able to decorate. I was expressing this disappointment to Dave last night as we were driving home from the wrestling match and seeing all the neighborhood houses decorated. Then Carson pipes up from the back seat and says, "It's all frivolous any way. Sure it looks nice, but it's not necessary." Excuse me? This from the boy who is meticulous as he sets up the Precious Moments Sugar Town collection? Then I realized the words "frivolous" and "not necessary" were almost the exact words that were uttered by the one brother on Duck Dynasty. You are so grounded from watching the show any more, Carson.

Moving on. I'm still irritated about the RS from Sunday. Yes, it's Friday and I'm still ruminating on the message that was shared. Now, I think the teacher is a very nice, compassionate lady but her lesson really rubbed me the wrong way. I left RS far from feeling uplifted. I left feeling like I must be the most selfish and worst wife ever. The message was about becoming one in marriage. All I heard was that to be one in marriage you must give up all outside interests if they take time away from the family; you must never take your children to visit their grandparents if your spouse can't come; you shouldn't hang out with friends; TV and movies are things that should be left behind. One of the things that I appreciate most about Dave is that he understands the importance of each of us participating in individual interests. Yes, we do try to do some of those things together but sometimes what we are interested in the other is not. And since the men were not hearing the same lesson on Sunday it just felt like another lesson on submitting to male authority and the only way to become one in marriage is for the woman to give up everything that makes her an individual. I left feeling like somehow marriage must be some sort of "Borg" collective. Yuck.

Switching gears. Sometimes I think I should go to law school and the specializes in 504 law. Then I could work as a parent advocate or do trainings for school administrators. I think sometimes admininstrators just wish this law would go away since it is an unfunded mandate. Irritating that sometimes parents have to jump through so many hoops and see their kids fail before the school will write a 504 plan. Irritating I tell you.

One last thing. Katelyn had a boyfriend. Earlier this week she had to change her status on Facebook to "single". She was sad and didn't want to talk about it so she didn't call home. I found myself irritated at the guy for breaking up with her. Not often do I have the "mama bear" reaction to things but in the case I did which is weird because Dave and I both felt like he was too old for her. But I guess no one likes to see their kids hurting. And since this was Katelyn's first boyfriend I think the break up hurt a little worse.

Dave is supposed to be putting in our new hardwood floors this weekend. I hope he is able to get them in. I need to get the Christmas decorations up. I'm hoping with that my mood will be lifted and I'll feel more settled.

Memories of November in Photos

Most of our November has been absorbed in this...

Well crap. I was going to post photos of our redecorating project.

And I was going to post a photo of our quick visit with Katelyn in Rexburg.

And I was also going to post our Thanksgiving photos.

And finally I was going to post some wrestling photos since last night was the first wrestling match of 2012.

HOWEVER, I received a message stating that I had using up 100% of my 1GB storage on Picasa Web Albums.

First of all, I didn't even know that my pictures were stored on Picasa Web Albums.

Second, I don't have a clue how to access the album so I can delete pictures.

Third, I'm not sure that if I delete pictures from the Picasa album they will stay formatted in my blog.

Fourth, I hate feeling like a loser because of 1, 2, and 3.

So, I guess you'll have to look at the pictures on Facebook. Sorry in advance if you don't have a Facebook account (mom and dad).

Musical Memories

Pandora radio, what a great and wonderful technological convenience. I love creating unique radio stations. Some of the radio stations were created because they are nice to listen to while doing paperwork at work. Other stations are for the Christmas holiday season and are played from right after Thanksgiving until the new year. A few them were created because I like the memories that the songs bring to my mind.

The Harry Potter film score was playing the other day and my mind drifted to a time when I would read the books to Katelyn and Carson. Sometimes I would read on long car trips, but most of the time it was a nightly routine before bed. Katelyn would sit and listen intently, not really wanting me to stop at the designated stopping place. For Carson, the reading had the desired effect--he would inevitably fall asleep long before the chapter was complete. These are good memories.

I can't hear the Star Wars film score without reminiscing about Carson and his fascination with all things Star Wars. When he was little, I knew that if I heard the Star Wars theme song, my little Padawan would shortly come running to find me. He would come yelling "The words, Mom. The words." This would be my cue to rush to the family room to read the monologue at the start of every Star Wars movie. After awhile I had the script memorized and would recite it to him from wherever I was in the house. Thinking back on that time brings a smile to face every time.

I created Broadway showtunes channel so I can feel closer to my little, almost grown-up, college-aged thespian, Katelyn. Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Singin' in the Rain, Brigadoon...all of those conjure up memories of Katelyn. Sometimes I am reminded of how she would walk around the house either humming or singing the scores. Other times I smile as I remember watching her perform in the high school production of a couple of the plays. I am looking forward to the opportunity to watch her perform in a college musical.

Dave and I even have a few songs that have a special meaning to us. First is Richard Marx's song "Right Here Waiting." It came out right at the end of our senior year in high school. It was a perfect way to describe our year apart during our freshman year of college. "Fishin' in the Dark" brings back the memory of the time Dave and I saw The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band perform live on a wintery night in Park City. Then there is the Indiana Jones film score. It reminds me of the time when Dave and I were "extras" in the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectatucular in DisneyWorld. I pretended that we were an engaged couple just so we could be picked to participate in the show. Dave was such a good sport and just played along.

Oh my! The more time I think about music and memories, the more memories are stirred up. I am so grateful to have music as a part of my life to help me form and retain happy memories.

Grateful Praise for Some Random Things

The other day on the morning news there was a question about favorite children's toys. I thought back to my childhood and what toy brought me much joy and filled my time. Immediately I remembered how much I loved our Texas Instrument Speak and Spell. I would spend hours playing with that and practicing my spelling skills. I am pretty sure there were a few Christmas's when I asked for new modules for the Speak and Spell because I had mastered the old ones. That morning, as I was remembering the good ole Speak and Spell days I was grateful for parents who knew the importance of providing such educational toys and did so, even if it was a sacrifice. I have to admit that I did feel a little badly while I was reminiscing because I'm pretty sure this was supposed to be a "family toy" and I don't recall sharing it very well. Oops.

I had the opportunity to visit with our bishop the other night. I don't usually visit with the bishop. I can't remember a time when I have ever scheduled an appointment for ecclestiastical guidance. But as I have been thinking about some future plans I had the distinct impression that I should counsel with our current bishop. He is a good, thoughtful man. I am grateful for the time that devotes to our ward. I am grateful for his counsel and his willingness to meet with me.

As Dave and I drove down to visit Katelyn last Friday I was grateful for good roads, Dave's iPhone and Pandora radio. After visiting with Katelyn on Friday night, we could tell that she has settled comfortably into college life. She is doing a good job at managing her classes and her theatre responsibilities. I was grateful to see her happy and successful.

Monday was my last day at Greenacres Elementary. I have been at Greenacres Elementary since I started my school nurse career. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked there while my children attended that school. I am grateful for the relationships I formed with staff members and students. I am grateful for the new adventures that await me at Spokane Valley Tech and the Early Learning Center. I am grateful that I will be able to devote a little more time to Greenacres Middle School.

Dave is currently ripping up the carpet on our stairs and main level. I am grateful that he is such a hard worker. I am grateful and more than a little thrilled that we finally get to do some up-dating. After being in the house for 12 years (wow, I can't believe it has been that long!), the carpet and walls were starting to show some wear and tear. Thanks, Dave for pushing me to actually get this project in motion instead of letting me just keep talking about how much we need to update things.

In Observance of Veteran's Day

We have the day off of school today in observance of Veteran's Day. Carson is spending the day watching the HBO seriers Band of Brothers.

Watching these shows is not my favorite thing to do. I hate the violence even though I know war is violent. I find the death and destruction overwhelming. I don't even know how to fully express my feelings when I think about the great suffering that occurred.

I am humbled to know that men and women willingly chose (and continue to choose) to defend our country even though the threat of mortal danger was (and is) quite real. They believed in the freedoms of this country and were willing to die to protect them. How can I express my gratitude sufficiently?

This is going to sound a little strange. I have a testimony of how great this country is. Yes, we could be better. There is always room for more kindness, charity and gratitude in our society. But those principles that our founding fathers believed in

... that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
 

are still just as relevant today as they were in 1776. The belief and defense of these principles is what makes our country great. I honor and salute those men and women who will put on a uniform to defend those principles so that I might be granted life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Leroy "Bud" Swigart, my grandpa because I married his grandson. I love (and miss) him.

Good 'Ole Snail Mail

I received a little note in the mail today from a friend who moved to Arizona this past summer. I loved getting that completely unexpected note in the mail. I was humbled to know that I was important enough to her that she put her very busy life on hold for the few minutes it took her to write the note and post it. She could have so easily messaged me on Facebook or sent me a quick text. But she didn't. She did it old school. And I am so grateful for that. It was quite special.

Lesson for today is to remember to send notes the old-fashioned way. It is quickly becoming a lost art which is a shame because it is such a wonderful way to show someone you care and connect in a more personal way than texting, e-mail or Facebooking. Guess those Hallmark commercials have it right after all.

Moving On with Peace and Gratitude

I am not going to dwell on the disappointment of last night's election results. I have learned that for me dwelling on disappointment blinds me to seeing the beauty and joy that surrounds me daily. Last month I spent 21 days making a concerted effort to identify something virtous, lovely or of good report. I am not going to erase all of that effort by wallowing in disappointment.

I will find comfort in knowing that half the country felt as I did. I will find comfort in the belief that when one door closes, another one opens. I believe that while there may be some serious consequences that come from the results of this election, if I live my life with God as the focus and center-point, all will be well...maybe not free from hardship or tough times, but I can find joy if I remain faithful and believe God is faithful.

Today I am grateful for that peace.

Grateful Days

November 1st was a warm, sunny afternoon with only a few broken clouds interrupting a beautiful fall sky. I was sitting in the study room of Hutton Settlement's Cottage Two waiting for the young lady that I tutor every Thursday. As I was waiting, I watched out the big picture window for her and enjoyed seeing the leaves fall off of the old maple tree just outside the window.

Waiting gave me time to ponder what words I would use to describe the scene if I was somehow given the assignment of describing the scene. I thought about how I would write that the leaves appeared to be floating gently, catching a lilting breeze, and almost appearing to glow in the late afternoon sun. I wondered if that would paint as beautiful picture in someone's mind as was being displayed to my eye.

As I was thinking about this description, my mind wandered back to my first recollection of a creative writing assignment. I was in second grade and Mrs. McCartney had asked to write about how what it would feel like to be butter melting on toast. At first I was stumped. I didn't know what to write. Slowly ideas began entering my head and I would write them down. Before long I felt like I had written a good descriptive essay. I was crushed when Mrs. McCartney read mine out loud to the class and said it was a good example of "good attempt but not quite good enough." She then read another student's paper that was an example of exemplary work. From that moment on I was pretty convinced that I was not a good descriptive writer and my dreams of been a famous screenplay writer or play write were squashed almost before they even began.

As I sat waiting for the young lady and watching the leaves fall, I realized that I was grateful for those who do have the talent for painting pictures with words. Those talents make my reading hobby so much enjoyable and I seek out authors who can portray beautiful images just through words. I also read their works in hopes that some of their talent will rub off on me so that this little blog will be an enjoyable read for those that stop by from time to time.

November is "gratitude" month for me. My November entries will be about things I am grateful for and make my heart and life full.

I Just Can't Do It

I just can't do it.

Try as I might I can't leave a friend behind during a run. Any run. Doesn't matter if it is just a training run or a race, if you are struggling I will stay with you. Even if it means that I sacrifice my chance of getting a PR or placing in my age group.

I have had runs (and races) where I have struggled mightily just to finish. I know how hard that journey is and I don't want to see anyone face it alone. I want to help my fellow runner reach the finish line because I know how much joy and satisfaction can come from just reaching the finish line of a run that has been beyond hard and otherwise disappointing.

David doesn't understand this at all. He always tells me to run my own race (or run). And to tell you the truth, I really do start off with every intention of doing just that. But then if someone from the group starts to falter and fall behind, all of that "just run your own race" goes right out the window and I silently make the commitment to help that person finish. And the moment I make that commitment to myself, I completely forget about what I might be missing out on and focus solely on that person and providing them the encouragement they need, whether that is vocal "you can do it" or silently running alongside them carefully pacing them along.

So my friends, if you are falling behind I will help you. Please don't feel guilty about this (although if you truly do not want me to stay behind with you, I will respect that and move on) because I really want to be there with you, helping in any way that I can to get you to the end.

I had a couple of more thoughts after I hit "publish". First I want to clarify something about training runs. If we are running a speedwork training run, I might leave someone behind. I love speedwork. I enjoy seeing how hard I can push myself during those runs. I enjoy reaching the "I think I might vomit" stage. That's sick, I know.

Second, I absolutely do not expect others to wait for me. I know we all run/race for different reasons. Some of my running sisters run to see how hard they can go, trying to PR. Others run for emotional release. I don't begrudge anyone their reasons for running and I don't expect them to give up on their reasons just because I might be having a hard time. I have learned that most of my reasons for running revolve around running with my running sisters. Well and to say to myself, "Take that 41-year old body with all of your crazy food allergies, wacky thryoid/thermostat regulation, and perimenopausal hormones. Just look at what you can do!" But primarily, running for me is about the bonding that goes on during our time together.

So my friends, if we are running and you are stronger than me on that day, during that race, I will say "Go. Go be your best for today. I'll get this done and I'll be OK." And I will mean it. I will want to you to press forward and I will cheer you from behind for as long as you are in my sights.

Long-distance Parenting

This long-distance parenting is a little harder than I thought it would be.

First you worry about such things as what is your child eating. Did you teach them enough about balanced meals that she is making good choices? Maybe you should have spent more time having her help and prepare meals while she was at home.

Then you worry about if your child is getting enough sleep. How is she making it to her 7:45 a.m. class when she is staying up until 1 a.m.?

You also find yourself worrying about how classes are going for her and how her grades are. You can't ask too often because she gets really offended if you do. But you really want to ask because you know how hard college can be, especially if you tend to be a procrastinator and you know she used to be when she was in high school.

Worrying about if she is warm enough is also totally legit as your daughter is attending college in Iceberg Rexburg and they already have snow. You know you should have insisted just a little bit harder that she take a winter coat and snow boots, but she just kept saying "I'll be fine." And so you let her go off without a winter coat or snow boots hoping it didn't suck too bad to learn "you should have listened to your mom."

Even with all of those worries, the thing that I find most difficult about long-distance parenting is when she is hurt or sick. Trying to make a good assessment is really difficult through text messaging, but that is the preferred method of communication so you do your best. It is hard knowing that you can't really do anything to make it better, no saying "I'll get you scheduled to see the doctor." Nope, you just have to hope that whatever it is, it isn't too serious and if it turns serious that your child is smart enough to go to the campus health clinic or nearby urgent care center.

But still it's pretty scary not being there and not being able to get a good feel for what is going on, especially if they have a few hallmarks of a rather serious communicable disease (meningitis anyone?). I mean how do you get across to your child the urgentness (is that a word?) that they should seek out medical attention sooner rather than later if she has had the worst migraine of her life for 3 days, can't look down at her belly button without pain, and she "felt like a vampire reacting to the light" when she turned on the bathroom light that morning. YIKES!

Yes, long-distance parenting is hard, very hard.

PS She finally did make it to the urgent care center after I called her and woke her up from her nap to see what they said. I was a little perturbed that she had not gone right away. Anyway, the doctor didn't think she had meningitis, but the migraine lasted until last night.

So How LDS Are You?

About 6 months ago I was at a working dinner for our union's executive board. As the waiter was coming around to take drink orders, the president of the union leaned over to me and asked, "So how LDS are you?" He was obviously trying to gage if I was going to follow the "no alcohol" tenet or bend the rules a little so as to be part of the group.

"Well I'll be drinking water today if you want to know. I'm LDS enough to follow the "no alcohol" rule even if everyone else is drinking." That seemed to satisfy him and the conversation moved on to something else.

Then last weekend I attended a SNOW conference (School Nurses of Washington). Since the boys were off deer hunting and the conference was being held at the Davenport, I decided to stay downtown. I asked if any of my colleagues wanted to share the room. Two of the nurses from our district said they would love to.

As we were checking in one of them started talking about the Bicardi and lemonade she brought. The other said she had brought the wine. Then they both turned to me and asked "So are you going to be drinking with us tonight?"

"No" I replied.

"Man I thought for sure tonight would be the night," was the response I got.

What ever gave them that idea?

Why would the union president ask me about LDS I am?

I have to admit that these two situations have caused me to pause and ask myself what I might be doing or saying that would cause these individuals to question my religious convictions. After some honest reflection, I can't identify anything that would have given the impression that somehow my moral compass adjusts to the situation and I would readily compromise my religious convictions just to fit in with the group norm.

So how LDS am I?

I am LDS enough to follow the dietary restrictions set forth in the Word of Wisdom even if others in the group are doing something different.

I am LDS enough to willingly spend 3 hours at church every Sunday.

I am LDS enough to want to serve others in whatever way I can.

I strive to be LDS enough that I can be like this woman (I know we shouldn't compare ourselves to others, but this lady is awesome)

I want to be LDS enough that no one has to ask "how LDS are you". They will know that I know Christ and his gospel, that I love it, and I live it. They will know that I am trying to be a good disciple of Christ.

I hope to live by these words from Thomas S. Monson:
"Fill your minds with knowledge. Fill your hearts with love. Fill your lives with service."

Here are the Racks

So the guys had a great weekend as you can see.

Rich shot the biggest deer. He got his Saturday afternoon.

Carson had the next biggest. He got his shortly after Rich shot his. Dave was standing on a plateau trying to help Rich get his deer gutted and watching Carson through binoculars. Dave said it was pretty exciting to watch the events unfold as Carson tagged his first deer.

Unfortunately, Carson shot his late in the afternoon and Dave was already helping Rich get his out. That meant that Carson wouldn't be able to get his deer out that night. So the solution was to cut the head off and Dave left his shirt on the carcass. The head was cut off so some other hunter couldn't walk off with Carson's deer. The shirt was left on the carcass in hopes of deterring any critter who might want a snack. Each solution worked. The next morning the body was still where it was left and it was untouched.

Dave had the smallest, but it was still big. He shot his almost right off the bat Saturday morning. Rich joked that Dave finally was big enough to get his deer out all by himself.

And now for a few more pictures...

Men Who Stare at Racks

I think it is safe to say that for my boys there are 5 days each year that they await with eager anticipation: their birthday, Christmas Eve/Christmas, and Opening Deer Season Eve/Opening Deer Season. Today marks the latter.

The shopping has been done. The gear is packed. Now they just have to wait until the afternoon before they can leave for deer camp. Part of me hopes that they will see many racks this weekend, and at least a couple of them legal-to-shoot. That way when the guys return on Sunday they can come in beating their chests while saying "We men. We bring home meat." They are always so proud of themselves when they have had a successful hunt. But another part of me is hoping that the bucks will remain in hiding because our chest freezer still holds most of last year's deer.

But I know whatever the outcome, the boys will have some great memories and funny stories to share. That is the part that I am always eager to have them share with me.

I hesitate to post this today because I have been doing pretty good with my new venture into a "glass half-full" outlook. However, I see this commercial Every.Single.Morning and it irritates that crap out of me. So I am hoping that by typing out my feelings and then posting it I will be able to move forward and continue on with my foray into optimism.

 

 

I wish YouTube had the full version that I see daily. What the YouTube version cuts out is some of what irritates me makes me the most angry about the TV version.

 

The first couple of viewings all I noticed was the constant one-upmanship that was going on at the playground. And then I watched it closer and this is when I really became almost angry at this commercial.

 

The message about safe carseats was totally lost to me because I was seeing red due to the subtle, "mean girl" bullying that occurs for the length of this commercial.

 

Watch the commercial carefully.

 

Do you see it?

 

First, let's start with the fact that the ad company felt like they needed to portray a "dumpy" mom. She is dressed in a polo shirt tucked into khakis. She is also several pounds heavier than the other women in the video.

 

Second, they portray this mom as somewhat insecure. Notice how she is sitting away from the crowd when everyone else is standing. She also can't let go of her poor kid and instead continues to rub in sunscreen for a much longer time than is necessary...says security blanket to me.

 

Next, this woman tries to add to the conversation only to be COMPLETELY shut down by another woman.

 

Did you see the look she got when she responded, after being shut down, "I was going to say that"? Every time I see that brunette woman roll her eyes and look down her nose at that poor mom, I want to jump through my TV screen and slap the brunette upside the head. (Oh, I think that might actually occur only in the TV version.)

 

And the final insult? When the woman does offer something to the conversation, she gets an almost "duh" reaction when the brunette woman responds "That's obvious" and both the Asian woman and the token male look away.

 

How ironic is it that the government that makes us show anti-bullying propaganda information in schools produces a public service announcement that is fully of typical "mean girl" bullying behavior?

 

A more appropriate closing to the commercial should be...

 

"Do you know that children watch you carefully to see how you treat and speak to others?" Parents who really know are kind, considerate, and treat others with respect, not disdain and condescension.

 

Whew. Rant over. I think I am ready to move on. Sometimes I do over-react and read more into a situation than what is there so sharing my views (and getting feedback from others) helps me see the other side of the coin.

 

 

But here is a positive YouTube video...

Another Sweet Kid Moment

This week has been a good week for sweet kid moments.

There was yesterday's moment with Katelyn; the moment when she told me I couldn't over do her birthday wishes. It made me smile knowing that at least on her birthday I could repeat myself several times and not irritate the crap out of her.

And the night before yesterday Carson and I had our own sweet moment.

Here's how that went down.

Dave, Carson and I were watching X Factor. There was a young man who totally blew his Boot Camp Audition. It was so sad to watch it happen. And then when he was interviewed backstage, with tears in his eyes, he says "I just want my mom."

Dave looks at me. I have my sad face on. He looks at Carson, then back at me and says:
-Go hug your boy.
I say:
-He won't want a hug from me.
Carson says:
-I want a hug.

I was out of my chair so fast and across the room before Carson had any time to change his mind. As I was hugging him he said:
-I don't mind hugs from you at all Mom.

Awww.
Sometimes these kids still melt my heart.
Love you both so much.

Happy Birthday, Katelyn

Today is Katelyn's 19th birthday.
It is so strange to not have her home to celebrate with her.
But her Facebook post would indicate that her roommates made sure she had a great day.

She doesn't know it, but she totally made my day this morning.
Here's why.

I texted her the following:
-Would posting Happy Birthday on your wall, texting you Happy Birthday, and calling you later today to wish you Happy Birthday be too much?
-No

I was completely expecting a "yes, too much Mom" answer.
So when I got a "no", I was so happy.
That meant I could call her this afternoon and not feel like it was too much.
And be worried that she would be grumpy because it was too much.

We had a nice chat this afternoon.
She sounded so happy.
And definitely having a good birthday.
Her being happy made me happy.

So one more "Happy Birthday, Kate."
We love you very much.

Flying in Formation

Almost every morning for the last two weeks I have heard the noisy honking of geese as they fly over my house on their southward journey. When I hear the honking I step out onto my deck just to watch them fly in formation. I marvel at how they rotate through and that even though the transition can sometimes be messy, they quickly reform the infamous V. I absolutely love watching them fly and watching the teamwork.

Today as I was watching a group fly over my house I thought about church lessons I had heard in the past relating the flight of geese to different relationships (visiting teaching and Relief Society are the ones most often described). I wondered who I would identify as "lifter"--someone who honked from behind to keep me going just a little bit longer. I didn't readily identify anyone from my ward, but I know that if I really was feeling drug down and needing a lift surely there would be someone from church I could call--maybe they would be in my ward, maybe in a neighboring ward.

But today as I was talking to one of my nurse colleagues I knew at that moment I was part of a group where we all take turns "honking". My friend and I talked about how each of us seems to have a niche where we are strong--one is an excellent writer of care plans and if you need help with that, call Christa; one has mad triage skills and excellent dealing with mental health issues, so if you have a question about triage or need mental health referral, call Deb. And the list went on until we realized that we each play an important role in supporting each other.

School nursing can sometimes be a lonely job. Yes, you are in a building (or several) and interact with lots of different people, but only a few (10 in our district) really get what you do all day because they do it to. Today I am enjoying the moment...the moment of realizing that I am flying in formation with some great ladies.

21 Days of Following Thumper's Mom

It may surprise you to know that I am generally a "glass half-empty"-type. That is the sad truth. And I generally find it easier to default to my natural tendancy than to make the intentional decision to say things in a more positive manner. And the only reason I find it easier is simply because I have allowed it to become a bad habit.

And every month for about 10 days the Eeyore in me really comes out and my natural tendency towards pessimism is on hyper-drive. I try not to spread the dark cloud of doom to those who I interact with regularly. The boys will tell you that that is a FAIL.

So for the next 21 days (that's the generally accepted time frame for breaking a habit) I will make the intentional decision to find the positive, to watch my "phrasology" and state things in a positive, supportive manner, and not speak negatively. Pretty much I will be following Thumper's mom advice: "If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say nothin' at all." Except I will be going out of my way to say something nice since not saying anything at all doesn't seem to be working for me.

And it's a good thing I decided to go this route because I have a whole string of things that I am irritated by, frustrated about, mad at,  find ridiculous etc. and I really need to shift my focus. If those things are still bugging me in 21 days, maybe I'll blog about them then.

From the Nurse Graham Files

Scenario:
3:00 p.m. First grader brought to health room by her teacher in a near hysterical state (the 1st grader, not the teacher) and only saying her neck hurts. Earlier in the day she apparently fell from either the big toy or the monkey bars, was given some ice by the secretary, and returned to class. I had seen her at 1:45 p.m. because she said her neck was still hurting. I did a brief exam, including palpation of the head and neck. She didn't flinch at any time even when I touched the areas she said was hurting. So I, too, gave her some ice and sent her back to class.

So now it is time to go home and the teacher is concerned about sending the girl home on the bus. And who would put a student on the bus when she appeared to be in immense pain?  I tried to call her parents, but neither answered their phone and there were no other emergency contact numbers listed. I tried to assess her again, but she was so upset and crying so hard that it was difficult to determine what was going on. I asked her again to point to where it was hurting and this time she pointed to the front of her throat and said it went around to the back. Thinking maybe her throat was sore I got my flashlight to look at the back of her throat. I asked her to stick out her tongue. Not only was she unable to stick out her tongue, but when she tried it deviated to the left.

Red flags and alarm bells start going off in my head. I have a 1st grader who is hysterical. Doesn't know her sister's name or where she goes to school (I thought maybe I could look up the sister and see if she could come); can't get a hold of any parents; and maybe there is some sort of cranial nerve impact from the fall.

So I called 9-1-1. I didn't feel like I had any other option at this point in time. Sometimes it is hard to be the only medical person in the building and people are looking at you like you should have all of the answers. So I called in back up.

In the time it took for the first responders to arrive the girl, who up until this time adamantly denied needing to go to the bathroom and refused to go, decided she couldn't continue with the "potty dance" and finally went in to the bathroom.

She finished in the bathroom as soon as the first responders arrived. She walked out of the bathroom saying her neck felt much better. Her tears dried up instantly. She could stick out her tongue just fine without any deviation. She was just a totally different kid.

The EMT's examined her and gave her the all clear. And I sent her home on the bus.

Oh, and her parents finally called back at almost 4 p.m.

Monday Messages

Yesterday was one of those days when God was obviously trying to send me a message. First there was this video that I watched prior to going to church.

And then all of the talks in Sacrament meeting were about being aware of pride and seeking after humility. The Sunday school lesson focused on not setting our hearts on the riches of the world. By the end of the 3 hour block, I was pretty sure God was reminding me that he was the gardner and that Friday's events were just some pruning that needed to be done.

On a completely different note, I thought some of you readers might be interested in hearing from Kate. She appears to be doing great at BYU-I and enjoying college. Here is her most recent entry in her vlog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WDdULvdbMY&feature=g-all-u

I couldn't find her video to embed directly so you just get the link.

Well I hope everyone has a happy Monday and is off to a good start for the week.

Ugh, That Wasn't So Awesome

When an allergy to smoke, exercise-induced asthma and a half-marathon collide it is not a pretty.

The air around here has been pretty junky, although not as bad as some other parts of the state and for our neighbors to the east about 3 hours. But it has been bad enough that running has not been very much fun for me. And most days I feel pretty lousy with a headache for the whole day. So what did I decide? I decided that a half-marathon would be a good idea.

Um, today I learned that that decision was not one of my wiser ones. I did everything that I usually do, including using my inhaler 30 minutes prior to the start of the run. But I should have learned from the previous long runs leading up to this half marathon that the smoke was going to be a problem.

Oh and of course I picked a half marathon that was 1) run on dirt road for most of the time (I am also allergic to dust); 2) had parts that were very rocky; 3) had some rolling hills and false flats; and 4) had a 2-mile hill from mile 4 to 6! Seriously, was my mind so mired in allergy-induced fuzz that I couldn't foresee that this all would create a mix of nothing good?

Apparently not. And so I had to run/walk the hill (and most of the race after mile 7). Felt sick to my stomach most of the time. And just shook my head at my stupidity. I also have this wonderful "smoker's cough" and headache that will probably be with me for a day or so.

Still I managed to finish the half in 2:12:39. Definitely not my best, but also a good 20 minutes faster than my worst.

Thoughts on a Sunday

This morning I woke up thinking about roots...plant roots and the parable about seeds being sowed in different types of soil. My mind wandered back and forth between those two things. I considered what roots did for a plant. The roots of a plant provide support and life as they absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

So with that in my I thought about clemantis--a beautiful flowering vine, but only if it's roots are cared for properly. The roots of a clemantis have to be kept shaded and cool to get established. Once established, the clemantis can survive many different weather elements. And the plant can live for a long time.

Then I was caught up in thinking about grass and how at the start of every summer Dave and I have a heated serious conversation about how much to water the grass. Dave thinks every day watering is necessary. I revert back to what I have read from gardening experts and they say if you water deeply every 2 to 3 days. If you water daily it is overwatering. With overwatering the roots don't develop correctly and you wind up with grass that cannot tolerate any stress. Grass roots need to learn to probe deep in the soil for the life-sustaining water.

And finally I remembered the parable of the sower found in Matthew 13. The sower goes forth to spread seeds with some falling on poor ground, some falling in amongst the weeds, and others falling in fertile soil. It is those seeds that fall on the poor ground that I thought about when considering roots. For the scriptures say in verse 6: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

The seed is the word of God. The root is our spiritual relationship with Christ.

Now stay with me here as I finish up these Sunday thoughts.

Why did those plants on rocky soil wither up and die when the sun came out? Because on rocky soil the water does not penetrate the ground. The roots of the plant have it pretty easy, there is no need to dig deeper because the necessary water is right there for them to draw up. But because the water stays on the surface, when the sun comes it evaporates quickly leaving the plants without the essence of life. And because the roots have not learned to dig and probe deeper for the water, they wither and die.

Our spirits provide us structure. They give us life. They keep us in contact with Christ, the living water. However, just like plant roots must be trained to dig deep for water so the plant can survive times of stress, so must our spirits must be trained to constantly seek after Christ. And that during trials and stress is not always the right time to try and dig deeper, but instead is the time that will show how strong the Spirit already is.

Parents are given the responsibility of caring for and nurturing the tender spirits of their children. We are too help them establish a firm root system to use as a foundation for their life when they leave the nest. This establishment of the roots needs to be done by providing the necessary food and nutrients found through studying the scriptures, attending church meetings, and serving others. However, just like grass needs to learn to develop its own roots, so must our children.

And here are the questions I was left wondering about...have I taught my children how to probe and seek after the Living Water? Have I made things too easy so that their roots are only surface roots--by this I mean giving in when they do not want to attend church activities or acquiescing when one balks at attending Seminary? Will they have a strong enough root system to get them through their own times of stress, doubt, feelings of inadequacy? Will their roots be strong enough to cling to Chirst?

I think the answer is yes for one child; I'm not sure for the other. Being 50/50 makes me feel like I failed in that very important parenting task of teaching children to seek after and cling to Christ.

The Leader of the Pack

Somehow I have wound up the spokeswoman for our school nurse group. Well, actually I know how I wound up as the spokeswoman. I am spokeswoman because I am on the union executive board as representative for special services. Nurses fall under the "special services" catagory, making me the spokeswoman.

Usually I do not mind speaking up and leading when changes need to be made. But I learned a hard lesson many years ago when I was in a similar situation during nursing school--being the spokeswoman for the group. What I discovered then is that sometimes when push comes to shove you find that you are the only one on the bandwagon.

I am hoping that history won't be repeating itself and when I meet with the powers-that-be I won't be an island. If a poll was taken of the nurses, I want them to own what they have shared with me and step up if need be. I know a few will; but I want to see us all standing with linked arms.

And Off They Went

Wednesday was the first day of school for Carson. I had to take my lunch at 10:30 so I could run home to take a picture of him before he headed off to start his junior year at CV. Yes you did read that at 10:30 a.m. he still was not at school. That is because at CV only the freshman start at regular time; everyone else comes at 11:30. But because of the late start, he was wondering how he was getting to school. Fortunately, his big sis was around and wanted to take him to school.

Carson figured that since we were leaving to drop Katelyn off at college later that afternoon, that was kind of like her first day of school so they needed a picture together.

When I got home from work, it was off to Rexburg. Silly Dave thought we would be able to pack all of Katelyn's stuff into the Subaru. Katelyn and I were wiser and chose the truck. It was stuffed to the top of the canopy the entire length of the bed of the truck.

No, we did not pass this sign driving into Rexburg. If we had, I am pretty sure Dave would have turned the truck right around to drive back home.

We arrived at the Katelyn's apartment and started unloading. Of course her apartment is on the 3rd floor, but Dave makes a great Sherpa. She was the first one of the roommates to arrive, so she got to pick her room and where she was going to put her stuff.

Once all the stuff was unloaded, it was time to head to campus to pay tuition, get books, visit the grocery store and bank. It was a busy morning and afternoon. Then before we knew it, it was time to say good-bye. To be honest, it wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be.

Even though the saying good-bye wasn't too bad, I have had a few random cry moments over the course of the week. The first one occurred on Wednesday morning when I opened Katelyn's bedroom door to say good-bye before I went to work.

For the past several years, I have only entered Katelyn' room when necessary. Frankly, opening the door and seeing the disaster she called her room was pretty irritating to me. She had been instructed to have the room sorted, organized, and cleaned before she left. As of Monday of this past week, her room looked like it always does and no apparent progress towards cleanliness was seen. But on Wednesday, I could see her floor, a floor I hadn't seen since she started middle school! Her room was sorted and organized. Seeing that made me teary-eyed.

The second random crying moment happened after I took the picture of Katelyn and Carson together. I was so touched that Carson was the one who insisted on the picture and that his sister consented to such a picture. They, of course, were up to their usual antics of never quite smiling at the same time and overall making it difficult to get a good picture, but I did. And then I started to cry.

Another random crying moment occurred as we were signing the 3rd verse of How Firm a Foundation. This was the opening hymn for the President's Welcome. The third verse is built off of the scripture in Isaiah 41:10 that states: Fear not I am with you; oh be not dismayed for I am thy God. As we were signing, I knew this was true. I knew that Katelyn was at a place where God was. You could feel His goodness and presence. What a comfort that was.

The final random crying moment occurred was I was reading Maggie's post about sending Charlotte to kindergarten. She shared the words from her mother...that as soon as your child is born, your job is to get them strong enough to leave home. As I was reading her thoughts, I started to cry as I realized that we had successfully completed our task. But how can you remain sad when you leave your child looking like this...

That joy and excitement makes me smile every time. She's going to do fine.

A Big Week

At the close of the Labor Day Weekend, a new school year will be ushered in.

This year will be a little different.

Katelyn and Carson will each get their own "first day of school" picture. That hasn't happened since Carson started kindergarten.

Carson's will be on the front porch (as usual) on Wednesday morning as he heads off to start his junior year.

Katelyn's will be somewhere on the BYU-I campus on Thursday morning when we drop her off at college.

I picture this week filled with nerves, jitters, and probably a few tears (Carson is such an emotional soul).




Oh, and some news that I forgot to blog about at the end of August...

Carson got his driver's license. He will be driving solo as soon as he is eligible for the good student discount.

Katelyn had her last day at McDonald's. Don't worry, she'll be back when she comes home at the end of December.

Quotable Quote for August

This is Greg. He is my nephew. He is at the age where he comes up with some really funny lines. He'll show you how to make a funny "two" with his fingers...think "hookem' horns"...and tell you "This is a funny two." He LOVES Gummy Bears and will ask about a million times if you want to go for a "walk" so he can get to the Gummy Bears. If he beats you when you race he'll say "If you want, I'll let you win next time" especially if it means more Gummy Bears.

And he asks A LOT of questions,

-Carson (or Dave, I can't remember who for sure): "Man, he asks a lot of questions."
-Me: "Yes he is always curious."
-Greg (as he is walking by and overhears my comment): "Hey, I'm not a monkey."

Love that kid and his quotable quotes. I just wish he (and the rest of his family) lived closer.

It Was Almost a Wasted Summer

At the start of summer I had big plans. Plans and goals that would improve my organization, improve my health, and improve my spirituatlity. And even though I was excited and motivated at the start of summer, I failed in one important part of planning/goal setting. I didn't write the goal down and I didn't set aside specific times to accomplish the goals. I guess I technically failed at two aspects of goal setting.

I was going to eat vegetarian 5 days a week but I was unprepared for this major life change. So instead, I just didn't cook anything at all and we ate cold cereal for dinner more times that I would like to admit.

I was going to go to the temple once a week but I never remembered to call to set up a time. So instead, I let my recommend lapse.

I was going to organize my Tupperware/plastic storage containers cupboard but...oh wait, this was the only goal that I actually managed to accomplish. And while I was at it, I cleaned out two of the junk drawers in the kitchen.

So how sad is it, that the only goal that I actually fulfilled was the one of least importance? I can only imagine how fulfilled I would have felt if I had achieved the other two goals.

Fun Facts for Friday

• Today is my 22nd wedding anniversary. I can't believe it has been 22 years--mostly because that makes me sound so much older than I am; you know I'm still 29 right?
• Carson passed the written section of his drivers licensing exam today. He only missed two questions. His driving test is next Friday. How can a 29-year old be old enough to have her 2nd child be a licensed driver?
• Best thing about taking Carson to the DOL? I didn't have to do it! Dave got to have that adventure. I despise the waiting at the DOL. My interest in people-watching wears off after about 30 minutes and then I am bored out of my mind for the next hour that it usually takes before my number is called. Dave agreeing to take Carson to the DOL could possibly be one of the best anniversary presents ever.
• Katelyn's laptop came today. You would have thought it was Christmas if you had seen the smile and excitement in her eyes as she opened the box. Seriously, I'm not old enough to have a child heading off to college in 11 days.
• I had a great 8.5 mile run this morning. The first 5 seemed hard, but by time I met my friend for the last 3.5 I was warmed up and those last miles felt super easy. Guess I'm not really 29 because it wouldn't take a 29-year old that long to warm up.
• It looks like we should have nice weather next week for the last week of summer. I am so grateful for the nice weather we have had this summer.

Spokane 2 Sandpoint: The RR (race report)

We SODDO n’t Run!

What do two Bankers, an ambulance chaser, a software salesman, a stay at home mom, a concrete pumper, a cleaner, an HVAC installer, two elementary school teachers, a nurse and a juvenile corrections officer have in common? We SODDOn’t run!

But once again, we’ve come together to run for a good cause. Our team name honors those who serve at the Soddo Christian Hospital in Soddo Ethiopa.

You can identify our team through our black SODDO Shirts and our common language: Sarcasm.
And while we may act bitter during the race, we know that we are truly blessed to live in a place where we use vacation days and pay an entry fee to endure a small hardship like this race. So when we are hot, tired, hungry and thirsty maybe we’ll remember how fortunate we really are and that we are called to help others.

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2

 

That was the intro for our team as we were introduced before our 10 a.m. start time. Five other teams were in our heat and once their introductions were read, the starting horn blew and our relay adventure began.

First up was Nick. He had the pleasure of not only running the first leg, but also participating in the first contest...The Wild Wig.

I don't know what kind of clips he used to keep that wig on his head for the whole 5 miles, but he arrived at the exchange point with wig and cape on. He passed the baton off to me and I was off for the first of my 3 legs.

I also had a 5 mile run. My leg was from Bear Creek Lodge to the fire station. I was fortunate that most of my run was shaded and along the creek so even though the temperature was approaching 80 degrees, I wasn't too bothered by the heat. Of course, it did help that my run was downhill the whole way.

Feeling good and cruisin' down the mountain

Getting ready to pass the baton to Sandy

I knew I was going pretty fast (for me) but I wasn't sure how fast until I finished and realized that I had covered the 5.1 miles in 40 minutes. That was pretty sweet and the icing on the cake was that I passed two guys in the last mile. I had had one of them in my sights for at least the last 2.5 miles and steadily closed the gap. I can't remember when we picked up the other guy, but I do remember thinking that I didn't want to pass them too soon because I knew that would provide them some motivation to go faster because they wouldn't want to be passed by a girl. And in fact, one of them did pass me back after my initial pass, but he couldn't maintain the pace and I passed him again and picked up the pace just a little to put some distance between us.

Once I passed the baton off to Sandy, I was ready to cool down any way I could. Fortunately for me, the creek ran right behind the fire station and I sat down on a rock, put my feet in the water & took a few minutes to cool down. It was bliss.

Sandy had a 3 mile leg and passed the baton to Jen. Jen was amazing! She had the longest leg, 7.8 miles, in the wide open, absolutely no shade, and the temperature close to 90. But she just gritted her teeth and got it done with average pace around 9 min miles.

Jen still smilin' and killing this leg

Jen finished up and then passed the baton to Roy. We made a couple of rookie mistakes while Roy was running. First, we stayed too long at Jen's exchange point after she passed off the baton and Roy had to wait at the portage point for 3 minutes (runners are ported across Highway 2 by their support van). The second mistake was we turned right when we were supposed to go straight. Fortunately, Roy kept going the right way, but because we got off course we weren't there to keep him doused with water. I realized our mistake after about 10 minutes, but Roy covered about 1.5 miles in that amount of time. By time we caught up to him, he was pretty hot and ready to be sprayed down.

Roy finished up his leg and then it was Marv's turn. Marv not only drew a hard leg, he also was supposed to wear the "brightest outfit". By this time it was in the 90's and even though the rest of us were trying to talk him out of wearing all his garb, he was insistent that he follow through on what was asked of him.

Nick helping Marv get ready

Marv had a crazy hard leg. It was 6.8 miles of hills and heat. With 1.5 miles left, there was a couple who lived along the course and had set up a hose so the runners could cool themselves off. We insisted that Marv stop and spray himself down.

Marv was a trooper and finished up the leg with his full costume, including wig and sunglasses.

Marv passed off the baton to Van 2 after we had been racing for about 4.5 hours. We headed back to my house for some food, showers, and sleep. We had about 3 hours before we got the call that our turn was coming up again.

We started our next leg at Mirabeau Park and ran along the Centennial Trail to Coeur d'Alene City Park. Marv led the way, passed off to Jen (who ran 8 minute miles for her 3.8 mile leg), Jen passed the baton off to Nick, and Nick passed the baton off to me.

I won't lie, my second leg was the hardest one for me. I think it had more to do with the time of day (9:00 at night) than anything else. It was another 5 mile stretch along a pretty familar route. I didn't love that it was pitch black and I was running on the Centennial Trail through Post Falls all by myself. I didn't see one other runner while I was running this particular leg. I have to admit that I had mixed emotions about my teammates being able to stick close once I got on the city streets. On one hand, I was glad to know they were close and that made me feel safer. But on the other hand, I was feeling pretty tired and I just wanted to walk, but I couldn't walk with them right there. So, I just kept plugging along and finished up the 5 miles with a 8:45 pace.

I handed off to Sandy, who then handed off to Roy. Once Roy finished up (around midnight) we were done with our second set and it was time for some food and rest. We headed up to Roy's house and enjoyed the buffet that his wife had set out for us. After a shower and starting some laundry, it was time to hit the sack. We thought we would probably have about 3 hours before van 2 called us, but at 2:30 in the morning they texted us to say that their runner was only 60 minutes out. Ugh, that was 45 minutes ahead of schedule. Oh what I wouldn't have given for just another hour of sleep!

We arrived at the exchange point and it was go time again. Marv, Roy, Jen, Nick, me and then Sandy. It was so good to be done with my final 5 miles! After we finished up our final stage we headed to Jen's cabin on Spirit Lake for a little relaxing on the deck and dock.

Getting ready for my last 5 mile run

Jen, Me, Sandy, Nick, Roy, and Marv enjoying the lake.

Van 2 finished up the last 33 miles and after 26 hours 49 minutes and 52 seconds our Spokane 2 Sandpoint Adventure was completed. We finished 13th in our division (open mixed) and 19th overall. It was a blast and I would totally do it again, even though my quads were trashed from all of the downhill running I did (how crazy is it that 2 out of my 3 runs had a significant elevation decline?)

Even though the sign says "Start" it really was the finish.

Me and the 2 ladies who talked me into this crazy adventure. Thanks Jen and Heidi. I loved it!

 

Running a New Race

Tomorrow I am participating in a new race challenge for me. I am joining 11 other runners to form a team that will run from Mt. Spokane to Sandpoint, Idaho. I have never run this type of relay race and I am nervous as well as excited. My friend Jen talked me into to it.

So I have been doing some double runs, that is to say, a 4 to 5 mile run in the morning and then repeat that same run in the evening. I have also been trying to run a couple of mid-day run, which has met with little success. I just don't run well in the heat. I feel pretty prepared and fortunately I don't have any mid-day runs. I estimate I'll start my first run sometime around 10:45 in the morning. It is a 5-mile downhill run and should be pretty shaded. My next leg is another 5-mile run and should start sometime around 7:30 or 8:00 at night. I'm hopeful that it will be starting to cool off by then because the daytime temps for Friday are supposed to be in the mid-90's. Then my final leg will be probably early Saturday morning and is another 5 mile run.

The thing I am most stressed out about is actually quite a silly thing to be worried about. We are using my house as a pitstop on Friday afternoon and I'm worried about my house decor or lack thereof. How silly, I know, but nevertheless, I worry about being judged on my lack of home decor. My friend assures me that nobody is going to care about the house decor. She even joked that because it is 4 men that will be coming to my house they will not even notice the home decor. They will just be worried about showering, sleeping, and eating.

I'll provide a race report later this weekend.

Redistribution of Wealth?

This past legislative session our legislators kind-of mucked up the insurance system for public school employees. It was passed at the very last possible moment and without much time for legislators to read the bill. And there was definitely no time whatsoever for those affected, public school employees, to comment on the proposed compromise.

The law is complicated and the bill so poorly constructed that those in charge of writing the WAC's (administrative code) haven't been able to satisfactorily complete the codes. This has kept the school districts from being able to provide a clear picture of what the costs to the employees will be. There is one cost that has become clear...those individuals who only insure themselves will now have to pay a portion of their premiums. The law says that families will not pay more than 3x than the individual.

Oh how the wailing and knashing of teeth that has gone on because of that one item. Those who insure only themselves and choose a plan that doesn't go over the amount allotted from the state don't feel like they should have to pay more just to support those who have a family. Some of the arguments I have heard are:

• It's not fair
• I choose not to have children so why should I pay more?
• I've already spent 20 years paying the increased premiums when I had children at home, now it's my turn to suck off the system have some reduced costs.

But here is my take on this particular section of the new legislation...it is not that much different than socialism. The law takes money from those who have more (those who insure only themselves) and gives it to those who have less (families) all in the name of making things more equitable and fair. That sounds an awful bit like our current welfare system (and where our current president wants us to continue to languish) doesn't it? Take from those who have more (those who have worked incredibly hard to get where they are at) and give to those who have less (or perhaps choose not work because why work if the system will pay me not to).

This is probably not a very popular interpretation on the situation and maybe I'm wrong in my interpretation, but that is how I see it. I just wish I had been brave enough to share my thoughts about this today at the executive board meeting for our local teachers union--I'm a member of the executive board but definitely find myself in the minority of several political issues and it's hard to be brave when you are the only voice for that particular viewpoint.