I've got the blues

Just don't feel like doing anything right now. If you don't want to hear whining or frustration then just close the blog now.

My mom had a big birthday that ends in a 0 today so she is depressed. I didnt' make it out to visit her while she was on vacation and I'm upset that she'll be upset about that fact sometime when she gets over her birthday thing.

My nephew went in for coclear (sp??) implants today and had some minor problems with spinal fluid leaking.

My mother-in-law is doing worse every day. For those who may not know, she is in her final stages of brain cancer. It's returned for the third and final time, they can't do anything else for her now. Hospice started coming out to her house last week. I really don't expect to have her at Thanksgiving this year. It makes me so sad.

Today Ashton, my 7 year old, said "Mom, I cried at school today thinking about Diddie dying." I asked her if her teacher said anything. She said "she didn't see me, I was sitting at the back of the room working. My friend asked me what was wrong and I told her I would tell her later." So that made me cry, makes me cry thinking of how it's affecting my babies too. We will miss her so much . .. .

I have two things that make it harder - back in June or July I wanted to get a photographer friend of mine to take some very special portraits of Martha with each of the grandkids, real close up shots of them hugging or holding hands or something on black backgrounds, with black clothes, in black & white. Very intimate portraits. And a family portrait since our last one didn't have our little nephew in it. I wanted a big wall collage of all these. BUT it didn't work out. Edwin couldn't go in that weekend, and his brother had to work. They just didn't understand how important this type of thing is to me. Now she's too weak and depressed to do it. She doesn't smile anymore. She had a beautiful smile . . . .

Another regret is that backin July I sent a book where she could record herself reading a book to our kids. So they would always have this and get to hear her voice read to them. But could anyone help her do it??? NO! I asked Edwin and a couple of other people to help her do it and I am just so frustrated that no one seems to understand how important these two things were to me! Geez now I'm bawling again . . .

Now she's to the point that I don't think she can read out loud anyways ... .

maybe I'll feel better soon, but for now I'm just staying away from everyone.

Steady training

Well, i haven't blogged much because I feel like I'm doing the same thing over and over.

I ran 2 miles Monday, 2 miles Wednesday and 2 miles today. Time varies, I tell you I have no sense of time when running, it all feels the same. We (my neighbor Ana) might run 11 minute miles one day, sub eleven one day or like yesterday both miles were over 11:35! However I am running the whole two miles. She doesn't walk until she finishes 2 miles :) At least we change up the route every day. I think we've only ran the same route twice since we started running last week.

I missed Tuesday because it was Jenna's birthday and I had to take cupcakes to her school. I can't believe my baby is 4 years old already! I took her out today in her new boots for her birthday photo session, she's so cute if I do say so :) She came up with her own posing too, she likes to do that . . . So here she is, our 4 year old princess . . .

First Official Race Today!

Wow, I can't believe I've gone 11 days without posting. I HAVE been running, but haven't been posting it.

But today I ran my first OFFICAL 5k. I ran one a couple of years ago with zero training, just one of those spur of the moment really stupid ideas. That time was 40 minutes and something. My goal today was to run in 35 minutes. I forgot to bring Pedro (Edwin's GPS watch thing) So I have no clue what my splits were today or even how I was doing. I ran the first mile with Cassie & Sarah but after Sarah and I walked a little in the second mile, Sarah passed me too and I had no sense of time or speed.

It was unbelieveably hot and humid. It was pretty cool when I could pass someone, a little embarrassing when someone would pass me though. I was number 141 to finish with a time of 34:06 I think! So a PR (personal record for all my non-running readers) and better than my goal. If I had a watch I would have kicked it up a little at the end to get in the 33 minute range. Oh well, next time.

It was so nice to finally meet some of the Houston Running Bloggers! Vic, Barbara, Keith, Holden and Fran, Dave and son, is that all? I had already met Cassie, Manny, Sarah, Jon and Waverly. And I got to meet Jon's wife :)

Here are my latest runs:

August 6 - Total miles 1.78, Total Time 20:00
Mile 1 - 9:54
.78 - 10:06

August 8 - Total miles 2, Total Time 22:52
Mile 1 - 10:15
Mile 2 - 12:37

August 10 - Total Miles 2.32, Total Time 28:49 (with neighbor partner)
Mile 1 - 11:13
Mile 2 -12:08
Last .32 walked to cool down - 5:28

August 11 - Total Miles 2.5, Total Time 30:43 (with neighbor partner)
Mile 1 - 11:03
Mile 2 - 11:07
Last .5 to cool down - 8:31

Misc Ramblings

I'm getting the hang of this blogging thing and it seems like a good enough place to just put your random stupid thoughts on too.

Our girls went to cheerleading camp last week and learned a silly cheer. We got online to see if it was out there somewhere or if our cheerleaders were crazy enough to come up with it on their own, believe it or not it's already out there! It's Peanut Butter and Jelly Time!!

Also today was my second treatment from my chiropractor. I'm going 3 days a week now to see if she can help my poor old body get back to a healthy state . . . . a tough job I know :) But hey, anyone who tells me I NEED a massage once a week for 6 weeks I'm going to listen to. SHe has this cool new machine called a ProAdjuster, it's Chiropractic meets NASA. The adjustments don't hurt at all, you don't have the familiar popping and cracking from regular chiro adjustments, just a few tap taps here and there and you're better. It's really so cool!

I've had trouble with my camera clicking hand, it's been swollen and sore, I thought maybe I had Carpal Tunnel or arthitis, but she checked it and said no to both. She's been treating that with acupunture. Edwin gets the heebie-jeebies thinking about it, but it really doesn't hurt. Feel like little scratches as the needles are smaller than the lead from a mechanical pencil. I found some images on google that shows how tiny they are. It's supposed to trigger your brain to send healing to the little scratched areas. She used 4 in my hand, two on my arm and two on my shoulder. Itched a little after she removed them, but it seems to be working.


I'm going running tonight so I'll post about that later.