The "run" down

Maybe you noticed I changed the name of the blog. Oh, and I changed all the decor as well to match the new family photo (which if you are like me and read a blog through a reader, you don't get to see the "decor" anyway). I have no idea why I changed the name, I just felt like it. I find it a very odd thing to keep a blog anyway. I feel the same way about journals and I figure this is my equivalent of a journal. Why do I do it? I have no idea. LOL! But for the 3 people who actually read it (and likely look at Facebook, too) at least I have photos to share.

In a fit of insanity and not a little peer pressure from my lunatic friend Lynda, I participated in not one, but TWO, activities at Disneyland. The first was a 5K run (I didn't actually run, I just walked) and the second was a 1/2 Marathon (again, mostly I just walked . . . for 13 MILES!!!) Here are two pictures. You can see in the second one this is long after I have showered all the sweat off (what you can't see is the wheelchair I needed to get to this bridge - well okay, not really, but I was REALLY hobbling).




This next photo illustrates just exactly how you feel by the time you are at about mile 9:



You really, really appreciate all the people who take the time to stand out there and cheer you on: cheerleaders, high school bands, hula dancers, mariachi bands, spectators, neighborhood residents, police officers, etc. Many of them will call out your name (because it is printed in big letters across your front) and when you are at that stage of exhaustion and just going on pure willpower, it is very touching and motivating to be encouraged on by random strangers. I finished in 3 1/2 hours. And I doubt I would ever do it again! It took me 3 days and a vat of Bengay to recuperate. And many tolerant friends and family had to listen to quite a lot of whining afterward.

I'm still jumping through hoops with my research project. I heard today from the Kaiser regional nursing council that they approved my project (to now move on to Kaiser IRB for approval). The nice thing is that they really liked my project and want to hear back from me about my results. They also encouraged me to consider publishing the results. Right now I just want to get started on data collection which I can't do until I get Kaiser IRB and then GWU IRB approval. (I know that sounds like "blah,blah,blah" to all of you. That's what you get for reading this thing!)

Martin and I are planning a vacation in October. Actually Martin is doing all the planning. Looks like we are going to Roatan Honduras to do some awesome snorkeling! I can't wait.

And speaking of my sweetheart . . . he bought me an iPhone 4! And I already had a chance to "Face talk" with Andrew. Oh yeah, it's all about the babies.

That's it for now. Everyone is fine and we're hanging in there. We're all in this together.