Friday, September 28, 2007

What I have...


Since I am afraid to load anything else onto my already full computer I will share things that I haven't shared yet - even though they may not be recent.

I love this picture of Matt and Sam...I don't know exactly why, but I love the way Matt is looking down at him. And Sam with his swollen eyes and wild sleepy hair just all over the place. That was Saturday morning at our place.

Happy Friday to everyone and I can't wait to share more of my weekend later on...

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Ding Dong

The doorbell is out too.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Sam, Sam, Sam

Sam before Olivia's Party

I have recently had demands for more Sam. I don't blame you...I have more than this, but I am waiting to post because we are having computer issues at our house. Actually, we are having more than computer issues. Lots of issues such as:
  • Refrigerator out of service for 1 month so far. No ice, no cold. Thank God we have an extra fridge in the garage.
  • Air conditioning out on my Isuzu along with funny extra noises.
  • Key fobber on the Maxx is out - batteries do not fix the problem.
  • Old computer is full on memory.
  • New computer is being sent back to Dell because it's broken and won't start.
  • Projector TV out for over a month (this is where we watch any TV in this house...do you know that Fall shows are premiering this week!?!?) Sent it back to the manufacturer for the second time already.
Wah.

Enough of that. Roll with the punches is my motto!

By the way, I am definitely an analytical person. Sometimes I over analyze things. So that's why I was thinking about that post that apologizes for the me, me, me...But really. Aren't blogs about what you are up to??? So I understand that in some way that didn't make sense.

The reason I blog is to give family and friends insight into what I am up to since I am not near many of you and sometimes life is so busy it's hard to tell each and every one of you about what's up in person...So, I hope you get some enjoyment out of reading and seeing the pictures of what's up in my life. I hope I have kept the me, me, me in check. But I can't help that you will run into me here! Ha.

Happy Wednesday, all!

Monday, September 24, 2007

Thank you!


I am behind on many thank yous. I hate that...I don't ever want people to think that I don't appreciate their kind gestures!

Here is the series of cards I made for my most recent thanks.

Happy Monday!

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Sunday


I made a card yesterday, but the background I used to take a picture made it a bit boring looking...sort of washed out. I decided to share it anyway, because I know some people might find it interesting....

The card was for Olivia Lown's first birthday! Sam is getting invited to birthday parties and I think it's so cute! I am looking forward to planning his big day when it gets here in January. My little pumpkin is going to turn one in a few months...I can't believe it! I know, I know. I sound like a mom. Weird.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

shower card


I forgot to show you the card I made for the shower last weekend...Here it is!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and get much accomplished...

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Baby Cold



Everyone in our house has a cold now, except for Simba, that is. She seems to be left out of a lot these days...poor dog. We love her still, but Sam is a handful and Simba is fully trained. Don't they say that the good children always get the least attention? I digress...

So Sam woke up barely breathing through his nose...but still happy and just fine. He is playing and talking - ate his oatmeal with peaches and everything. Does that look like the face of a baby cold? I think he's handling it well!

So we will just go on with life at a bit of a slower pace. No running for mom today - maybe the evening. We will see...

Monday, September 17, 2007

Baby Shower!




Christy's family had a shower this weekend for baby Sophia who is almost here!

In addition to making her a nursing blanket exactly like the one I made for Renee, I also made a couple of burp cloths and cards for her to use as thank yous.

Is posting about my creations about me? Does that count? Because Sam is with me most of the time and he is involved too. ;)

Sunday, September 16, 2007

slow




I know that I have been a bit slow to post these days...just trying to get back into our life routine at home after being away so long!

Well, it's been a while since you have seen Sam. Have I been talking about myself this whole time? Hmm. I should monitor that. No more me, me, me...

I just got these shots of Sam today as he was preparing to eat dinner. I just love his face - drool and mocos included (for those of you who don't know Spanish slang, that's boogers).

I wanted to share. Here he is. I love that guy!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

A different kind of challenge...


Many of you have asked me how the Chicago Half Marathon went for me. I was soo excited to run this race! Christy, Melanie and I trained for 17 weeks to prepare for the event and it was my first half marathon.

So here is the story of my race: Saturday night Matt and I stayed at a hotel downtown and went out to dinner with our good friends Kelly and Brian Jackson. We decided to go to Carmine's, an Italian restaurant in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. It was a wonderful dinner. We had the best olive oil and Parmesan cheese with bread before dinner and I ordered a penne with meatballs as my main course. We even enjoyed dessert, although I must say that I tasted Kelly's cheesecake and hers was better than mine...

We went to bed early Saturday night and woke up at 5:45 a.m. so I could get ready and get down to the Museum of Science and Industry campus where the race was scheduled to start and finish. Matt went to pick up Sam, my mom, Titi Cucha and Benjamin.

My cab driver got me to the race site just fine and so I went to meet up with Christy and Melanie. We found each other and were just so excited to get started with our race. I decided to go to the bathroom before the race and joined the lines of hundreds of people who were waiting at the port a pottys that were lined up for the runners. It was about that time that my stomach started to rumble. Ooh. Nerves? Maybe. I wrote it off and decided to start the race with Christy, but told her that I wasn't sure how I would be because my stomach was starting to get crampy.

Christy and I lined up and started the race with the group scheduled to run at about a 10:30 mile pace. I started my stop watch as soon as we crossed the starting line. No less than 3 minutes into our run I HAD to stop because my stomach was again rebelling. I told Christy to go on without me and actually managed to run across the flow of runners who were still starting their race. I had to make it to the nearest port a potty.

I called Matt and Ben to tell them that I was sick and didn't think I could do the race. They offered to bring me stomach medicine because at this point they were still on their way to the race. I was feeling sick, my stomach was crampy, and I was in tears. I was so disappointed that I had trained and was so excited for this event and here I was at the end of the race line.

I will admit that I had many negative thoughts. Embarrassed to come back and tell my family and friends that I didn't meet my goal. Disappointed. Oh. And I had this crushed pride about being at the end of the race with people who were in the just starting the race and they were already just walking!

Don't get me wrong.I admire anyone who gets out there and exercises, joins an event and goes for it. But, I knew I could do better than that and I trained for that exact reason. I wanted to run the best race I could. Believe me, I am not a really fast runner by any stretch. Just average, and I wanted to run this race in about 2 hours and 17 minutes (10:30 minute mile pace). There I was barely running at the back of the race.

Matt called to check on me. I explained that I didn't even think that I made it past 1 mile at that point. One of the walkers said, No - we had just passed the 2 mile marker. I kept running.

I found Ben at the 4 mile marker - thank God I brought my cell phone with me. I had made a total of 3 bathroom stops by then. I was crying at this point...and just felt so sick and that I couldn't finish the race.

Ben and Matt got me medicine and water, and then insisted that I go on. They encouraged me SO MUCH by saying that I couldn't stop and that I had to go even as I sat there unsure if I could make it. I agreed to go - and figured that if I felt sick or weak that I would just walk the rest of the way. If I passed out from dehydration there were ambulances waiting for just that occurrence. An hour had passed and I started running at the 4 mile marker.

As I started to run, the cramps came and went. I decided to just keep running. I passed my mom and Titi Cucha along Lake Shore Drive. It was so encouraging to just slowly move up towards the runners. Slowly, but surely I started to pass walkers, and runners and just kept running along. I took Gatorade Endurance Formula and/or water at every water stop.

As I ran along, I was thinking of this awesome new song by Kanye West - Stronger (CLICK on this one. It's a great song!) "That, that, that, that don't kill me, can only make me stronger." And then, I started getting deep...what was I supposed to learn from this experience now? Is God reminding me that I am not invincible?

What did I learn? To be thankful and persistent no matter what. Really! I started to just be thankful that I could be running, period. When you run a race this large, you start to see all kinds of people. People with Cerebral Palsy running a marathon. People limping with hurting knees and feet. I realized that no matter what that I should work to do my best and complete this race under the circumstances that I found myself in.

Matt and Ben sent a text message to tell me to look for them at mile marker 9. I passed mile 9 and didn't see them there. I called and they said that they were after 10 now. But after passing that 9 mile marker I realized it - I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT!!!

I ran all the way to the finish line (walking as I grabbed my fluids along the way). My official finishing time was 2:40:46.

So...I finished. It was not the challenge I expected - it was a different kind of challenge. I am thankful for the experience and so happy I finished the race.

Now I am looking for another Half Marathon race. I will eat crackers and water the night before and am just aching to see how I do under "normal" challenges. ; ) (No more olive oil!!)

MANY Thanks to my supportive husband and brother who pushed me when I wanted to quit. Love and hugs to you!

And thank you God for teaching me something new.

Hebrews 12:1
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I Corinthians 9:24
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

My camera can do that?

We bought a camera when we found out that we were going to have a Sam. It's a Kodak Easyshare V610. I really like the size and how easy it is to use. We've had it for over a year now.

Do you have things that you realize that you are not using to the fullest potential? I do. I just realized that this camera can take video clips. It's really cool! It was a fun discovery...look what I caught.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Labor Day 2007


Our family grew up with the Abreus and Jackie Abreu got married this weekend! We had a wonderful time at the wedding - it was so fun to see our old friends and catch up with what is going on in their lives. As you can see, Jackie was just so beautiful! Oh. And the cake? AWESOME. Loved it!!! Mmm...

Sunday we went to Titi Lugu's house for a barbeque and ate well again - chicken, rice and beans, sundaes...Plus we got to enjoy being outside without roasting or risking heat stroke. Knoxville has been extra warm these months!

As you can see, we were able to jump Jonathan, my outgoing and sweet as sugar cousin. Ha! Those of you who know Jon know why this is amusing. :) Everyone had a wonderful time!

Monday we went to visit The Jackson Family. Kelly and I worked together before I got married and moved to Knoxville. We clicked and became really great friends and still see each other whenever we can many years later. It's always wonderful to have friends that you can just pick up where you left off. Look how cute the babies are!

I am WAY behind and do I have a post to share about the race on Sunday! I will be back soon...