Why I run!

So my friend T. officially named our unofficial running group. Not only did she name it but she started a blog for it, the it being team Run Like a Mother...(I think I'm the only one that adds the ..., but I think it's funny)So she asked us to write a little bio on why we ran, our background, and then to answer a few questions. So here's my running bio.


I run because I can...no really I can.


Ok, I'll explain. I had to have major surgery so I could run. Alright, that really didn't explain it either. I had Pectus Excavatum, it's where your breast bone grows inward. You know you've seen that, just picture a really skinny prepubescent boy who's chest looks concave, that was me with breast. So there wasn't a lot of room, so when I did exert myself physically I got winded very easily. So let's just say, endurance wasn't my thing. I went to a Dr. in college and he told me that to fix it would involve breaking, yes I said breaking that bone and pulling it out then bracing it. There was usually a lot of blood loss and it was a risky surgery. Needless to say, I peeled out of the parking lot on 2 wheels getting away from that Dr.

A few years later while living in VA Beach, I came across an article talking about a new procedure to fix "the Dent" (as my friends so lovingly referred to it as). The Dr. was located at The Children's Hospital in none other than VA Beach. So I booked an appointment, I went through a series of test which showed that although it's not the worst they had seen it was pretty bad. I discovered I had a heart murmur which happens fairly often with this condition and basically when I went to exert myself there was just no room. My heart, lungs, everything was just smooshed together and my heart was basically hitting my breastbone. So I decided to have the surgery, next to open heart surgery it's the most painful surgery they perform and it lived up to it's reputation. It involved putting 2 metal rods under my breastbone popping my breastbone up then leaving the rods in place to keep it up. It was excruciating. You keep the bars in for 2 or in my case 3 years then have them removed with the hope that the bone will stay in the new place. I had the initial surgery in Jan. '05 and had the bars removed Jan. '08.

I always wanted to be a runner, I didn't really know what that meant but I always admired runners. I mean think about when you go on vacation, who are the people out early in the morning, runners. That 's the kind of person I wanted to be. When I was recovering from surgery and I was really incapacitated I made a vow with myself that even if I didn't run I wouldn't let an opportunity go by not to move my body.

I started running after I had my son and while I still had the bars in, I trained for a 5k race. I cried when I crossed the finish line at that race because I never really thought it would happen and I was becoming that person I had always wanted to be.

I was nervous to get the bars removed but they surgery was easy and I kept running. I've completed numerous races since but the big kahuna is the marathon I'm training for in Nov. I always thought if I can run a marathon then it means I'm a "real" runner. I don't really think that's the case now but it's the goal I set for myself and I'm going to do it. I'm planning on sending my marathon picture (if it's not that embarrassing, I'm not known for the great race pics)to my Dr. I'm sure I'll be crying but it will be one of my greatest accomplishments. So that's why I run...because can.

Favorite Race: Turkey Trot 10K, I loved the T-shirt. Tough run though!!
Favorite Reason to Run: to feel proud of myself
Current Goal: one word...marathon

J. Bird's 1st

Ok, big shocker to anybody that knows me well...I didn't keep a baby book. In my defense I tried, I really looked for a cute, hip baby book and when I couldn't find one that met my incredibly high "cool" factor I decided to buy this fun bright red scrapbook. I should have listened to the voice inside my head that said "you're not a crafty type person, you lack follow-through, and (if I could tell the future) your child will have reflux & won't sleep the first 6 months". Needless to say, the cool red scrapbook has been sitting untouched at the top of the closet with a pair of newborn footprints tucked inside because even on the way to the hospital I thought my inner scrapbooker would eventually come out.

I moved on to trying to keep a journal of daily occurrences. This is not the first time I've attempted this, I've been trying to keep a journal since puberty it usually started after some angst filled teenage drama and ended just as quickly. So I pulled out the journal I was keeping for my precious son to record his every new step. Yup, started it 7/07, last entry dated 11/25/07 and this was after a month long hiatus. The journal, although probably my longest journal, didn't even make it 6 months. Pathetic!

So needless to say, I have built up some Mommy guilt. My son's not even 2 years old and I'm already dreading the day when he asks me about his First_______. Anything, fill in the blank because I'm sure by that time I will remember nothing.

This blog and this entry are my attempt to redeem myself and assuage some of the guilt.

**This post will probably be a work in progress as I attempt to rack my brain about J. Bird's 1st. I'm also consulting the "journal" and my husband's memory to compile the list.

J. Bird's Baby Book

Breastfeed(he will cringe when he reads this in years to come) - 13 months

1st tooth- 4 1/2 months old.

First solid food- 6 months started with rice cereal

Favorite 1st food- I can't say that he had a favorite (consulting journal) by month 7 he was eating butternut squash, carrots, apples, bananas, and oatmeal. The only foods he didn't like at first were yams and the texture of apples.

*Bonus points for making all my own baby food. (the bonus points are for the Mommy guilt I'm working off)

1st time left with someone else other than family- 7/15/08 Church nursey, I cried.

Sitting up unassited- 7-8 months

1st Family vacation- Duck, NC 8/4/07

Weight check- 8/15/07 15lbs. Dr. not too concerned but said they will check again at his 9 month appointment (Ok, so it's sort of funny writing all this stuff after the fact. I can't believe we were ever worried about his weight. You could seriously injure yourself if you pick him up wrong now. I have a friend that's pregnant that peed herself when she picked him up the other day, that's how solid this child is now.)

4 teeth by 9 months

Started Crawling- 9 months

Sitting up from laying down position & started pulling himself up to a standing position- 9/12/07 so 9 months probably not all on this exact day.

Started throwing full-on tantrums while changing his diaper- 9 months (hey it's in the journal)

* Month 9 was a busy month for J. Bird apparently.

1st cold- 10/2/07

By 10/17/07- 7 teeth!!! Babbling, no words. He'll do high 5 with you.

11 months- He's clapping, waving, and signing "more" & "all done" when prompted. Pretty much on all table foods, prefers fruits and cards, just like his mama.

Started Walking- 13 months, took 1st steps while Gram McNelis was here watching him during my surgery.

22 months 10/30/08 Fell down the stairs for the 1st time. Good Mommy!!

To be continued...I promise!

The nicest compliment

So if you couldn't tell from the title I got the nicest compliment today. One of my former teachers from high school occassionaly brings 2 of her grandchildren to J. Bird's music class. We've spoken a couple of times about school and her grandchildren.

So she was there again today and after class she comes up to me and says "you know what I remember about you from my class?". Now let me stop here and say all of a sudden I got really nervous. I flashed back to high school and I remembered having my desk moved several times for talking in class. I remember getting kicked out of my Spanish class for being a smart a**. I also think that JMU actualy reconsidered admitting me after I took a math placement test freshman year and was sent to the lowest level math class JMU had to offer, we're talking basics here. This teacher was my former Trig. teacher so now you can see why all of a sudden I wasn't so sure I wanted to hear what she was going to say. I took a quick look around at who was going to hear this revelation and only my friend N. was within earshot not too bad. With a shaky laugh I said ok. She said "I remember that you always had a smile on your face". At the time I was too relieved to actually take in the the compliment but now it brings a smile to my face and I hope it's one that's there as often now as it was in high school.

100+ Things

So I first saw this on my friend T.'s blog and thought it was neat and as my blog lurking continued I saw on several more blogs. I always wondered how long it would take me to come up with 100 things about myself, so I thought I would give it a whirl. I'll let you know how long it takes.

1. I have a supportive, sweet, and loving husband.
2. I have a hilarious, active toddler son.
3. My favorite movie is Urban Cowboy. The first time I watched it, I was by myself and drank a 12 pack of Bud Light.
4. I'm a extremely fast reader and can read a book in a day.
5. I'm addicted to magazines and often wish I could retain everything I read.
6. I start my day reading my e-mail and MSN headlines on my phone.
7. I wish I knew more about politics and how Wall Street really works.
8. I always wanted to be a runner and I'm getting ready to run my first marathon.
9. My parents are still married.
10. I have one younger brother.
11. I always wanted a big family but I think we'll stop at 3.
12. I went to JMU and majored in Social Work.
13. If I could go back to school I would study nutrition.
14. I gave up beef and pork a couple of months ago.
15. My favorite ice cream is chocolate chip cookie dough.
16. I prefer out-of-the-box cakes to store bought.
17. I have to eat first thing in the morning, I usually wake-up hungry.
18. My husband got me addicted to burritos, now I crave them too.
19. My favorite color is yellow but I often wear black.
20. I wish I looked more pulled together but I don't take the time.
21. I'm love, love, love beauty products.
22. I will research a product online extensively before buying it.
23. I research EVERYTHING online.
24. My dream job would be writing beauty product reviews.
25. I have big ideas but I'm not good with follow-through.
26. This is the 3rd home we've owned in the 5 years I've been married.
27. We've moved more times than can count but we've lived in 4 cities and one of those cities we lived in twice.
28. My first car was a Toyota corolla.
29. I drive my dream car now, a Toyota Land Cruiser, my husband will love me for saying that.
30. I love T.V. and especially enjoy reality shows, thank goodness for TIVO.
31. I can't live without my cell phone but I can't stand the idea of being on an "electronic leash".
32. My favorite season is Fall
33. Christmas is my favorite holiday but I hate the day after.
34. I've been out of the country once to the Netherlands but I want to travel more.
35. I went to Asheville, NC for my honeymoon.
36. I was suppose to go the the Dominican Republic.
37. I love thunderstorms in the summer.
38. When I cross the bridge to the Outer Banks I always listen to James Taylor's Carolina in my Mind
39. I love the beach and I always pictured myself living there.
40. I'm not a huge fan of the sand.
41. I would love to have a alternative life living in NY city, I love the energy.
42. I also really like airports and hospitals because I love the coming and going.
43. I don't mind being by myself but I also like to be in the hub of things.
44. I don't like coffee but I love chocolate.
45. I'm naturally blond but I love really dark hair.
46. I have an unnaturally long torso.
47. I've had one major and one minor surgery, the major one hurt like hell.
48. I have one tattoo in a private place and I love it!
49. I'm not sure I would want my children to get tattoos.
50. Watching the Olympics this summer I was sincerely sad that I would never be in the Olympics.
51. I was never even close to being that good in any sport I played, but I think I would have been a good swimmer.
52. I always wanted to play the guitar, now I'm too scared to try.
53. I just started cooking recently and I actually enjoy it.
54. We have 2 cock-a-poos, Belle and Lucy. They are great dogs and love to give kisses.
55. My new favorite dessert is Skinny Cow ice cream cones.
56. I'm a huge history buff, particularly World War II but I love history and old things.
57. I love all kinds of music except heavy metal.
58. I am a Christian and was raised Southern baptist.
59. I prefer fruits over vegetables and have been know to eat a whole watermelon in one day.
60. My first "real" concert was Micheal Jackson and my last concert was O.A.R.
61. I was deathly afraid of someone breaking into my house so what happens, someone tries to break into my house. They arrested him and I had to testify in court against him twice. Now I'm not so worried.
62. My birthday is Jan. 17th, I wish it was during the summer.
63. I'm a Capricorn but I think I'm more like an Aquarius so I read that horoscope instead.
64. I'm now deathly afraid of not seeing my son grow-up, I'm not scared of dying itself just leaving in the middle of a very good story.
65. I collect pigs, not your average country kitchen pigs but unusual ones or cast iron ones that catch my eye. I'm a picky pig person.
66. My favorite chore is grocery shopping, I get a little rush going into a grocery store.
67. I detest cleaning the bathroom.
68. I think my greatest trait is empathy, I once felt so bad for a substitute teacher in high school that I started crying in class.
69. I can also be very stubborn and I don't hold much back good or bad but then it's out there and I'm done with it.
70. I would choose beer over liquor or wine and my favorite beer is a Corona w/ a lime.
71. I'm slightly obsessed with Costco and will make up reasons to go there. It's a happy place for me and I like sharing it with others.
72. My son is now as addicted to samples as I am.
73. When I met my husband he said he wouldn't get married until he was 30 years old, he was 24 when we got married.
74. I was once a probation officer. My co-workers said I was a tree-hugger, they weren't too far off.
75. I loved college, not a day goes by that I don't hear a song that reminds me of JMU and my girls and I don't smile. Today I heard Macy Gray and thought of my friend Ellen.
76. I really believe time flies when you're having fun.
77. I have never broken a bone but I have a lot of scars.
78. I put salt on everything, pizza, apples, you name it I put salt on it. So does my husband.
79. Neither of us have high blood pressure but I won't let my son do that.
80. I did a happy dance when I realized my son wasn't allergic to peanut butter because I eat it w/ a spoon out of the jar. Now we both have PB&J's for lunch now.
81. My husband is my best friend. He wants only the best for me and for me to be happy 100% of the time. I'm very lucky.
82. I'm dying to try p90x after watching the infomercial, I want to know if my abs could look like that.
83. I love watching sports in person but not so much on T.V.
84. I find watching my husband swing a golf club to be very sexy, he says he wants to look sexy every weekend for about 4 hours.
85. I love being a mom and I hope my son knows I light up every time I see him.
86. I live in the same city I grew up in, I still don't know where I'm going half the time.
87. Due to both being sentimental and thrifty I tend to hang onto things way, way too long. My life would be easier with less stuff.
88. I can throw others people's stuff away with no problem.
89. I think I'm a good mix of both my mom and dad. I wish I could tell a story like my mom.
90. I never liked cartoons but I've been watching a few w/ J. and they're not that bad. The only one I really liked back in the day was Jem.
91. I put a lot of stock in "signs". Ex: I was debating on a toy for J. for Christmas, I picked up the box and got the worst paper/cardboard cut of my life. I took it as a sign, I didn't buy the toy.
92. I sometimes wonder what my life would be like if I had gone to UGA, not in a wistful "don't love my current life" kind of way, I'm just curious.
93. I really don't like re-watching movies but I will watch For the Love of the Game with my husband anytime. It brings back cozy feelings.
94. It may seem cheesy but I can't wait to go with my family to Disney World. I actually daydream about it.
95. I talk to myself a lot.
96. I wish I kept in better touch with my friends, I think about them often but the days just slip by.
97. Nothing beats a good pair of jeans.
98. I cried when I crossed the finish line of my first race, I'm sure I'll cry when I finish the marathon on my 5th wedding anniversary.
99. I once rode an Elk in college, a statue in front of the Elk's lodge, I still have a scar on my chin.
100. I never imagined writing 100 things about myself would take 2 days and keep me up at night racking I'm brain but I'm done.

**So I decided to keep adding on things as I thought of them.
101. I'm a procrastinator.
102. Other than buying one of something, I have to buy things in even numbers. So I can't buy 3 cans of green beans, I have to buy 4.

20 miler

So if I had written this post yesterday, I might have mentioned the exhaustion I felt or the fact that I was hobbling around like an old woman. I might have also thrown in about how I didn't exactly dress for the occasion and probably wasted a lot of energy trying warm up all the body parts that had turned blue. But in the 24 hours since my torture, I mean run, I have a little more perspective.

I always pictured running being a solitary sport but now I can't imagine not running with my friends. We support each other, inspire each other, and certainly make each other laugh. There's not any topic that's off-limits and it's amazing the things you share on a run or the questions you'll ask your friends when you don't have to look them in the eye. Not much stays a secret within the group but not much gets out. Without these very special women I don't think I would be where I am today as a runner, a mother, or a friend. Even though I wasn't loving every minute of my 20 mile run I certainly wasn't hating it because of them.

I do have a to give a special thanks to g. because without her humor and spirit I don't think I would have made it through the last 12 miles. Thanks G. !!

My 1st Post

Wow, so I've been a little nervous to start this blog. I've been thinking about it for awhile but was slightly intimidated because I'm a professional lurker. I tend to read friend's blogs, friends of friends blogs, random blogs I happen upon during my Internet "research". I sometimes (often) come away feeling slightly voyeuristic, thinking I should be spending time documenting my own life then reading about the Brown's recent camping trip. Do I know the Browns? No, but I'm pretty caught up with their Fall activities. So I'm stepping out of the shadows and writing my own story.

Another reason I hesitated was a lack of confidence. I have a friend T. that happens to make me laugh every time I read her blog. I read several running blogs mostly for inspiration. Now, I know I'm not that funny unless you count saying "that's what she said" as funny. Nor do I find myself inspirational unless I inspire you to stop reading this blog and write a better one of your own.

The reason I'm really doing this though is for my son. He is the funniest, most inspirational person I know. So until he can type on his own, he's stuck with me trying to document our life, our baby steps.