Touch the Tundra '08

Runner Boy has been training and looking forward to a spring 1/2 marathon for months. He and my sister-in-law (Auntie "Q" to the kids) have pounded the pavement, compared injuries and talked strategy along the way.

One of the highlights of the Green Bay 1/2 Marathon is running through Lambeau Field on the way to the finish...imagine circling the field while listening to the theme of Rocky and "We are the Champions" by Queen...exactly what you need when you're gasping for breath dreaming of a brat and beer at the finish...

We arrived Saturday afternoon in time to check out the expo, pick up Runner Boy's bib and time chip and make a sign to cheer family on!

Kate helped me make a sign and proudly displayed it inside the Lambeau Field Atrium. She loved the expo...she found a mat to practice her gymnastics, ate chocolate and found markers and stickers...can you beat that when you're 3 1/2?

Runner Boy got a pre-race pillow massage arranged by Kate. ...note the toddler in the background...he's working on the heating/cooling unit it our room. He jacked up the heat right before we went to bed, so Runner Boy woke up to our room feeling like dry sauna at 2:30 a.m. Thanks to our little maintenance man.

The race started at 7:00 a.m. and included a 5K, 1/2 marathon and full marathon. The kids were packed in our double jog stroller, so I ran around the course trying to catch glimpses of Runner Boy. (I love cheering him on!)

I love watching the elite runners and the ease in which they move...must be due to those great quads. (ever look at the quads on a distance runner...you should...it takes a long time to earn those bad boys.)

Here are 2 of the cutest fans on the course...Kate is looking at the runners (checking out their quads), while Sam studies the cop car nearby.

Here's another elite runner...if you look hard enough, you might see Runner Boy tucked in behind him to draft! Can't see him? look harder...

So, the quads start to burn, the breathing gets irregular and the miles seem endless...just then, Lambeau appears on the horizon. The crowds cheer on the runners, the music starts to pound and the end comes into sight.

Runner Boy and Auntie Q ran a great race. They kept their focus, ran through their pain and finished well! We are so proud of them. My dedicated little fans started to melt down as we waited at the finish line, so they didn't finish quite as well.

Sam pulled it together when a local jazz band started to play and he got a post-race cookie. He munched on his snack, swayed to the music and took in the sights. (Note...we have now switched to winter coats--tundra temperatures.)

The post race party was a great way to celebrate Runner Boy and Auntie Q's success. Auntie Q set a new PR and looked great. What a million dollar look! (Not only can she lay down the miles, but she's a rockin' Mom!)

Here's Runner Boy (cow juice in hand) and his Runner Buddy (fermented hops in hand) comparing race notes. What do you have a post race party in the Frozen Tundra, you ask? ...you know the classics...white, strawberry and chocolate milk...beer...brats...cream soda...cookies...and, oh yeah, the healthy stuff like oranges and bananas.

Runner Boy did fantastic and Kate and Sam were so happy to see their Daddy. He trained for this race while putting his family first, spending time with the kids and working hard.

Daddy you're awesome.

A Weekend of Running...

We spent this morning cheering Runner Boy run his spring 1/2 Marathon --pictures to follow...we cheered Daddy and our beloved Sister-in-Law (Auntie "Q") through the miles.

Well, Kate was still in a cheering mode this afternoon. We took Runner Boy out for a little walk to stretch out on the parkway.

Kate looked up and saw a couple of runners...to the first one she comments...

"Go, Runner, Go! You look really nice!!!"

To the second one, she says..

"TURTLE!"

Way to encourage someone Kate...

Busted!

Runner Boy...I found them...my little lounge pants!

Home Improvement...

The bottom stair of our concrete front porch has fallen off the rest of the stoop. It just experienced too many Frozen Tundra winters and gravity took over. This appears to be a symptom of a greater problem, so Runner Boy and I decided to get some estimates to fix the problem.

I had no idea that concrete is expensive.

I got 4 estimates. The 1st guy looked like grizzly, tobacco smokin' concrete dude. He took a few measurements and told me it would cost $$$$.00. (Maybe he didn't want to do the job, we speculated, so he overpriced it.)

2nd guy, showed up in his overalls...he's been pouring concrete for 50+ years and is doing the gopher work for the business that his sons now own. Yup, they would do it, too...for $$$$.00. Uh, oh.

3rd guy shows up with his long, thin braided hair and gets all geeked up about the project. He was full of ideas to improve the feng shui of the house...extend the porch, change the sidewalk...all for $$$$.00. (Or, he would just do the same footprint for a little less $$$$.00.

4th guy shows up with a binder, lots of examples of their work and a few suggestions to improve drainage around the basement. He would do it for $$$$.00.

By now we see a pattern developing...concrete is pricey.

So, we picked one of the 4...and will be paying somewhere around $$$$.00 for the porch. I think I may be in the wrong business.

What Not To Wear...

Runner Boy has had enough. Enough of my beloved flannel lounge pants. This started with a few comments last week about them...

"So, how long have you had those?" (Pointing to my flannel, toile-print, baggy friends.)

Me, "Ahhh, 5 or 6 years, but I love them...they're broken in."

"You know, they don't exactly fit you." (They are allegedly a "small" but they are enormous.)

Me, "Yeah, I know, but they're comfy...the same way a bowl of chili is after a day of downhill skiing. I know that one of the offensive lineman from the Packers could wear them, but they're MINE."

"If you were on the show, "*What Not to Wear*", I'd toss those things into the basket." (This is one of my fave TLC shows.)

Me, "Huh? It's not like I grocery shop in them...I'm just hanging out at the house...you would get rid of them?"

Now, Runner Boy almost never says anything negative about my clothes, so this vicious attack on these shapeless, pilled pants blew me away. I had no idea what would come next...until yesterday...
****

Runner Boy gave me a call at work while I was wrapping up my clinic leftovers...

"Your lounge pants are been confiscated..."

me, "What? gone? you took them?" (I pictured them laying at the bottom of the trash can...)

"Yeah, I felt so bad about givin' you a hard time about them that I bought some new ones for you--they're even your size. So, the other ones, are no longer available...but the new ones are cute."

me, "oh."

****

After I got home there was an adorable pair of lounge pants waiting for me...sure enough they fit!

Thanks, Runner Boy...

In Our Prayers...

Please have the people of Sichuan, China, in your prayers. Our beloved Kate was adopted in the capital city of *Chengdu* in 2005. We have very fond memories of our time there and of the people. The orphanage where she spend her first year is said to be fine and we were greatly relieved to know that the children are safe.

I am passionate about the people of Kate's homeland and can only think of the suffering and pain they are feeling. I hope her birth family is safe, they gave us one of the greatest gifts could have every imagined.

You are in my prayers *Sichuan*.

Mother's Day 2008

We had a wonderful Mother's Day out our house. I am so grateful that I have the privilege to be a Momma...

grateful for:
little arms squeezing my neck and pressing a chubby cheek against mine...

hearing "thank you for supper Momma...you make good supper!" from Kate...

Saturday mornings at Chinese school with Kate learning language together...

2 little ones to take to the zoo and explore...

prayers together at night...

laughter and giggles as Kate & Sam play...

kissing boo-boos and making them "better"

peeking around the corner to find the kids "reading" books on the couch...

God that He gave us these to little souls to love...Thank you God.
*********


What to get Momma for Mother's Day...hmmm. She likes HGTV kinda stuff, so maybe a shop vac? ...can you imagine Runner Boy buying me a shop vac? He'd say something like, "Honey, I know you like to decorate, paint, and pretend you're "The Next Design Star", so I thought I'd get you something to clean up after yourself."

Nah...instead, I found 2 pairs of sparkling eyes...phew...no shop vac...


I did get a really cool gift, however. Daddy helped Kate and Sam make me a patio stone. I love to garden and am very sentimental, so it's wonderful. Kate loved putting her hand print into the concrete, but Sam let everyone in the neighborhood know that he was not too keen on the texture.


Then Kate helped to paint her work of art with Daddy. She was so excited!

The hands of Rembrandt and Picassso...


Thank you Steve, Kate and Sam for a wonderful day!

Looking at ourselves...

As I mentioned in a previous post, Kate is a bit obsessed over bodily functions. She finally learned to go poo-poo on the potty months ago, but she doesn't like it. In fact, she hates poop. She hates it so much that after she finally gets around to pooping (when peristalsis can no longer be denied) she jumps up off the potty to distance herself from the dreaded "poopy".

It typically goes like this. No poop for a few days...Mommy gets suspicious. I know it has to come out sometime...there's just so much room in that belly. Kate becomes quiet and avoids going near the bathroom.

Mommy inquires, "Kate do you have to go poopy?"

Kate IMMEDIATELY responds, "No, no."

...sometime later in the day, Kate urgently announced, "I have to go POOPY!" We run up to the bathroom and tears begin to flow.

"I have to go...I'm going...I'm going. I have to go...I have to go....I done."

Mommy peers into potty...nothing there.

"Kate you need to go...you'll feel much better."

More tears flow, "I have to go!!! I going!"

poop plops...

Kate bounces off potty and puts a few feet between herself and the potty.

Mommy empties potty and Kate instantly stops crying, wipes her nose and says, "Bye-bye poopy...Momma, can I have my M&M's...I went poo-poo in da potty!"

The drama is amazing and makes me wonder what she'll be like it she ever has a baby.

On the other hand...it makes me wonder what areas in my life that I am like Kate. You know, things that I should do or need to do, but I put off because I don't like it. Then when it finally gets done, it's such a relief. Nothing like potentially seeing yourself in your preschooler...

Monday Medical Note

I was going to post some profound medical quote today, but it got derailed by my last week at work.

So, today's tidbit is related to personal experience over almost 6 years in practice...

"It never pays to lie to your medical provider...they have smelled rats before."

Over the past 3 clinic days, I have had 3 patients lie to me. While there is no class in "Smeling Rats 101" in medical training, we do figure this out over time. The problem with lying to one's medical provider is that it breaks the trust. While it is true that patients need to trust their providers, the relationship has to go both ways.

The patient needs to believe that the medical team is providing the best treatment for their case, but the medical team has to trust that the patient is doing their part, too. What is the patients responsibility? following advice, attending physical therapy and taking medicine AS DIRECTED.

So, if you tell me that: your friend stole your medicine, your pain doctor won't see you for ever, you didn't realize that the bottle said take AS NEEDED, you've had to go to multiple ER's for pain meds, or nothing is touching your pain (while you sit comfortably in your wheelchair)...I will smell a rat.

I done!

Kate has become increasingly aware of human physiology and bodily functions. This escalated to epic proportions this past week when her dear brother threw-up after breakfast.

I commented in passing that Sam threw-up after he coughed. She heard, "Sam ALWAYS throws up after he coughs..." Thus, she is paranoid that he will cough and blow chow while eating. Each time he coughs or sneezes, she looks alarmed, starts to cry and yells, "I done!"

Tonight she was reticent to even look at him during our meal...for fear of "the throw-ups." (Please keep in mind he did loose his breakfast only once the past week while he was getting over a virus.)

Taking a peek at the camera...without looking at Sam...



Awww, come on Sissy, look at me...I won't throw up...promise!



She studied her plate, the placemat, the floor, daddy's plate, the table, the cheerios on the floor left over from breakfast...



Sissy, please look at me! Sam tried sticking his fingers in his ears and making faces at her...does this kid look like he's about to throw up? I think not!



But to no avail...she was too worried that if she looked at him, he would puke.


So, brother made it through supper with only a burp of satisfaction, Kate avoided looking at him through the meal, and the parents are convinced this is just a preschool phobia.

Fieldtrip...

Today we headed out for a little field trip. We were loaded up with goldfish crackers, juice and the camera...

Apparently the zoo is cutting down on staff, so here was our welcome committee. Kate wanted to feed them and was pretty brave about it.

Sam took a few minutes to introduce himself to a few new friends.

Kate begged to visit all the monkeys, gorillas, and orangutans...she was pretty impressed by their antics.

She's already planning the next trip...