What the Hubby & I Have Learned in 7 Years of Marriage September 30, 2011

Monday was mine and my hubby’s seven year wedding anniversary! Unfortunately, Brennen came down with an ear infection so we were not able to celebrate it like we normally would. However, the hubby and I got each other a card (I love sappy cards!) and a small gift to mark the occasion.

In honor of our anniversary, I thought I would share seven things that I have learned in our seven years of marriage. And let’s face it, although I have already given you a list of seven random things about Brennen, one list of seven things in one week is really not enough. 🙂 I was also able to coerce the hubby into giving me a list of seven things he has learned as well! (Note: The hubby and I did not talk about our seven things with each other before we created our lists.)

Here are my seven things.

1. Marriage is work. No really, it is. It is a lot of work! And both partners need to be working on the marriage in order for it to be successful. If one person isn’t putting in the effort, the marriage will suffer.

2. Your happiness can not be solely dependent upon your spouse.  I spent a little bit of time thinking that it was my hubby’s job to make me happy. That plan never worked, it never made me happy. Instead, I realized that I had to make myself happy. To do that, I make sure to make time for myself by allotting  part of each day to doing the things that I love. Like blogging and running. Ironically, my marriage benefits from my ‘me time’ as well. You know what they say, “A happy wife, is a happy home!”

3. Quality time is far better than quantity time. There are many days that pass where the hubby and I only see each other for a short amount of time. I have found that if we make the best of that time, we won’t really even notice that we didn’t have a lot of time together. On the flip side of that, we have both been guilty of spending a lot of time together but not really connecting during that time.

4. You will make mistakes. And I have made many of them. I have said and done some things out of anger that I have regretted. My hubby has made some mistakes too. Luckily, we both know each other enough to recognize when we are acting out of character and therefore give each other a pass on our behavior.

5. You will go through things that you would have never expected. Life is full or surprises. Some of them good and some of them bad. And most of them certainly can not be predicted. Having someone by your side to accompany you through life’s ups and downs makes the ride that much more enjoyable.

6. Having a child changes everything! If you have a child or know someone who has a child, I am sure you are well aware of this. But in all honesty, I don’t think the hubby and I realized how drastically our lives would be changed. Don’t get me wrong, Brennen is very loved and wanted. He has brought our lives a lot of happiness. However, the hubby and I had to adjust to our new life as a family as opposed to our old life as a couple.

7. I still have a lot to learn! As the years go by, the hubby and I continue to change as individuals which means that our relationship is continuously evolving as well. I am hoping that our journey has many, many more years ahead as I am convinced the best is still to come!

Here are the hubby’s seven things.

1. A happy wife is a happy home.

2. Being equal partners is very important.

3. It is not important who makes the most money. What is important is that there is enough money to pay the bills.

4. Family vacations are a necessity.

5. Find a hobby that you both enjoy. It is good bonding time.

6. Date nights are important. Once a week is ideal, but at least twice a month is a must!

7. Women need to be listened to. Listen to your wife when she vents, don’t try to solve the problem. It will just make things worse if you try.

 

The hubby and I each came up with very different yet slightly simliar lists. I have to say that I really love numbers 1 & 7 on the hubby’s list, most especially!

 Now it is your turn! How many years have you been married or how many years have you been with your significant other? What have you learned during that time? Would your spouse or significant other have a different answer to that question?

7 Random Things About Brennen September 28, 2011

Look what I got!

The Versatile Blogger Award! And I got the award not once, but twice! The first blogger to tag me with the award was F.E. Sewell and the second blogger was Andrea S. Michaels. Thanks so much! To help show them my thanks, please visit their blogs by clicking on their names!

The rules of this award state that I need to share seven random things about myself with you. But since I already did that recently, (click here if you missed that post) I am going to do what any other proud parent would do, I am going to share seven things about Brennen instead! Because really, what parent doesn’t like to talk about their kid?

1. Brennen loves, I mean LOVES mac & cheese!

See what I mean? He is Mr. Cheesyface 🙂

2. And he also loves muffins! But only if they are pumpkin or banana muffins!

Now that's talent!

3. I am convinced that when Brennen grows up he is going to be a gymnast / comedian / stunt double. Don’t believe me? He really and truly does that world’s best somersault. He also makes me laugh EVERY day. And he scares the crap out of me by jumping off of things that he shouldn’t. He has no fear!

Doesn't this make you laugh?

4. He is my biggest cheerleader! (Sorry hubby.) He tells me, “Good job, Momma!” and gives me a high-five for every little thing that I do. And it feels great! 🙂

5. Brennen has the biggest heart, especially when it comes to animals. One day after it rained we saved worms by moving them off of the sidewalk and into the grass.

6. When Brennen’s hair was longer he would always ask us to give him a ponytail. I hope that when he gets older, he will feel just as comfortable in his own skin as he does now!

He was so proud of his little ponytail!

7. Brennen is never very far away from his blankie. Luckily we have many of them as they are receiving blankets cut into fours and then sewn around the edges. I know that eventually he will outgrow his blankie. But I am not in a hurry for that day to come.

Brennen and his blankie! ❤

Now it is your turn! I want to learn something about your child or children! Feel free to tell me 1 or 10 things! I love hearing about other kids almost as much as I like talking about my own!

Half Marathon Training: Week 3 September 26, 2011

Overall week 2 of training went well, but I did have two small issues that I should mention. The first is that I have been extremely hungry lately. I am assuming it is because I am working out more than I am used to, but regrettably I have been eating food that is not so great for me. Namely sweets. Which I am sure in turn, is making me hungrier. So I am going to make healthier choices this week! The second area of concern is that my running shoes have been feeling uncomfortable. I have been running in the same size and same brand / style for over a year now, so this took me by surprise. If I run more than a couple of miles my shoes start to feel tight, especially on the top of my right foot. I have received a lot of great feedback about this problem from some of my Twitter friends. One of them has a great blog of his own about training for his first full marathon at the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. You should check it out! Click here! The other is not currently a blogger but she is a great person to follow on Twitter, click here to do so! They both agreed that I may need to get my feet re-sized and even look into a different shoe. They both run in Brooks running shoes and coincidentally on October 1st, Brooks is releasing a new line of shoes called the PureProject Collection. These shoes have certainly been causing a lot of chatter in the running community and after reading a review of them by Katie from KatieRunsThis (click here to read her post), I see why. So on Saturday after work, I will be stopping at the Hanson Brooks running store to check them out for myself and I even if I don’t fall in love with the PureProject line, I am at least hoping to find THE perfect running show for me.

Here is what week 3 of training looks like for me!

Sunday: 3.5 Mile Run

Monday: Pilates & Stair Stepper

Tuesday: 3.5 Mile Run plus Strength Training

Wednesday: Rest Day!

Thursday: 2 Mile Run

Friday: 5 Mile Run

Saturday: Stretching & Strength Training

You probably have noticed that my mileage is increasing this week. During week 1 and week 2 of training I ran a total of 12 miles each week. This week I will be running a total of 14 miles!

How about you, is your mileage increasing this week also?

Saturday Sound Off: Runners vs. Vehicles September 24, 2011

Going out for a run should not feel like a real-life game of Frogger. But I have certainly had my fair share of times when I have thought to myself, “Should I cross, does the driver of the car see me?” And the occasional, “Oh, crap! They don’t see me!” As much as I would like to give certain drivers a lesson on looking and yielding for pedestrians, it is probably easier for me to make some changes to become safer when running.

After a little web searching, I came across these tips from dummies.com.

1. Don’t wear headsets. This is the No. 1 rule for safe running. Why? Because when you listen to music or the radio while running outside, you can’t hear car horns, cyclists, or, heaven forbid, the footsteps of someone coming up behind you. This is a hard one for me as music and running go hand in hand for me. But I have my music volume low enough that I can still hear the outside world.

2. Run against traffic. A bicycle is considered a vehicle, so it is subject to the same laws as cars and trucks. Cyclists ride with traffic. You are not a vehicle. You are a runner. You are also in a highly vulnerable position if you’re running near cars, trucks, and bicycles. Luckily, I never have to worry about running on the road as I always run on the sidewalk. I would be too nervous to run on the road.

3. If you run at night, make yourself visible. Wear light-colored clothing and invest a few dollars in a reflective vest, which you can purchase at a local running store or through a mail-order running catalog. I am too chicken to run in the dark, but even at dusk I make sure I wear clothes that stand out.

4. Don’t challenge cars to a race. If you and a car are both approaching an intersection, stop and let the car go first. (News flash: They’re faster than you.) This one is a no-brainer!

5. Beware of stopped cars waiting to make a right turn. Stop and wait until they make the turn, or run behind them.

6. Run with others. This may be the easiest way to avoid problems altogether. Sharing the road with other runners is also a great way to stay motivated and to enjoy the sport. You can find potential partners through your running club, your running apparel store, or community bulletin boards at your library. And it is fun to run with our runners!

 

Photo from froggerdownload.com

 

How do you keep yourself from feeling like Frogger when you go out for a run?

Brennen’s Medical Journey: The Scoobys / AFOs Are Here September 23, 2011

These are Brennen’s Scoobys.

We have had them for one week now and currently we see them more often like the picture above than like this.

Right now Brennen wears them for one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon. Eventually he will be wearing them for most of the day, other than when he is sleeping. The arrival of the Scoobys has definitely caused some adjustments in our household. Obviously, the most affected is Brennen. The first day he got them he wore them for one hour. During that hour he pretty much cried the entire time and continuously asked me to take them off. He also refused to walk in them and just sat on the couch. As you can imagine, it was a LONG hour. I don’t think that they hurt him. I think he may experience some discomfort from his calves being stretched but I think he mostly gets upset because he doesn’t understand why he has to wear them. Luckily, as time has gone on he has become less resistant to them. The hubby has the difficult task of getting Brennen out of bed and into his Scoobys in the morning on the three days a week that Brennen goes to daycare. Brennen isn’t always very cooperative in the morning, so I give the hubby props for persevering with the Scoobys. As far as I go, I seem to be the one the gets the brunt of Brennen’s frustrations regarding the Scooby’s. He cries and resists them more often with me, but he is like that with me for most things. So I am just grinning and bearing it as I know this too shall pass.

Another challenging aspect of the Scoobys is finding shoes that can be worn with them. Because the Scoobys are made out of plastic they are very slippery on the bottom and thus have to be worn with shoes at all times. We were fortunate that Brennen already had one pair of shoes that could be worn with the Scoobys by opening the tongue up very wide and wedging them on.

 It’s quite a workout just getting the shoes on. However, we were instructed by the orthotist not to get a size bigger because they would be too long in the toe area and Brennen would have trouble walking.

We also bought Brennen a pair of slippers to wear around the house that fit over his Scoobys easily.

Who am I kidding?!?! I let him wear them out of the house too. They are way easier to put on than the shoes and he likes them better. They have a rubber bottom, so I guess they can pass as part shoe / part slipper. I think.

We are certainly seeing a difference in Brennen’s walking pattern when he is wearing the Scoobys. With them on he is forced to walk heel to toe. We are optimistic that with time, the Scoobys will correct Brennen’s toe walking by retraining his brain to walk properly. The plan is for him to wear them for three months and then remove them to see if he maintains the heel to toe stride or if he goes back to walking on his toes. If he maintains the proper stride he would be done wearing them. If he goes back to toe walking he would wear them again for another three months. In the meantime, we are just going to make the best of it and encourage Brennen to be proud of himself and his Scoobys!

Dirty Dog Dash: I am a Hell Survivor September 21, 2011

I have had Rodney Atkins song “If  You’re Going Through Hell” stuck in my head ever since I competed in the Dirty Dog Dash this past Saturday. It’s not that I actually heard the song when I was there, it’s just that my internal Ipod felt it was a fitting song for the event. Take a listen for yourself.

The Dirty Dog Dash – Hell Survivor was a 3 mile mud run with obstacles. It was held on Hell Survivors Paintball field just outside of Hell Michigan. Ironically as we approached the race location, my car odometer turned over to 39,666. I. AM. NOT. JOKING. I wish I had a picture to prove it but my hubby can certainly vouch for me.

Once the hubby and I parked our car, we picked up our race packets and prepped for the race. (Pined on our race bibs, used the restroom, etc) After that, we had a short amount of time before our wave started to watch other participants. There were two obstacles visible to spectators. One was a giant mud put and the other was a fire that you had to leap over. We also listened to a local band, ThunderFunk, who were quite good!

ThunderFunk!

Once it was time for our wave to start we joined a group of people at the start line. Some were dressed in costumes and some were not. The hubby and I just wore some running clothes that we didn’t care much about, just in case we had to throw them away.

The Start Area

Once the horn blew, we raced down a trail into the woods. The people in our wave varied from very fast runners to people who started walking before we hit the 1 mile mark.  The course itself was very hilly, something I am not used to as I live in a very flat area. Another challenge about the course was that since it was a trail run, you had to keep an eye on the ground to avoid tripping over tree roots and other debris while at the same time keeping an eye on the orange flags that marked the course. Prior to our wave we had heard a lot of chatter about the course not being well-marked. I personally only had a couple of occasions when I wasn’t sure which way to go, but again, I think it was due to having to be aware of so many things at one time. The obstacles on the course included barbed wire that you had to army crawl under, rope that was weaved spiderweb style in between trees that you had to meander through, ponds to wade through, etc. My favorite part of the course was how the paintball structures were integrated into the race route. Many of the structures had staircases that we had to climb up and then climb down. (Between the stairs and the hills my legs were getting an awesome workout!) They even placed a fog machine inside one of the structures, which was a nice touch. There were several times on the race where I thought I was getting close to the finish line, only to be routed back into the woods again. However, I finally did cross the finish line after going through the mud pit and leaping over the fire. I had a respectable time of 32:56. I was the 82nd female to cross the finish line out of 376 women. Go me!

Just a little muddy!

After the hubby and I both finished, we tossed our shoes into the garbage (I wish the Dirty Dog Dash would have partnered with Green Sneakers so I wouldn’t have felt guilty about throwing them away.) and hosed ourselves off as best we could.

Goodbye Shoes. 😦

We then headed to the beer tent (I detest beer, the hubby loves it) and much to our surprise each participant was entitled to endless cups of beer. Well, at least until they ran out anyways. Another surprise about the race is that the race photos are free! Once posted on the Dirty Dog Dash website, we can download them free of charge. Very cool! Another unique feature about the race is that the finishers medal is a dog tag.

My dog tag finishers medal!

As you may remember, I participated in another mud run called the Warrior Dash (click here for a recap of that race), a few months back. Because of this, people have been asking me to compare the two races. To be honest, despite them both being mud runs, they are just too different to compare. It would be like trying to compare one 5k race to another. Each 5k is different based on the course, the reason for the race, the conditions, etc. With that being said I will say this. The Warrior Dash is much larger in scale in comparison to the Dirty Dog Dash, probably because it is a nation wide event. The Michigan Warrior Dash that I was in had 10,000 participants and 10,000 spectators each day, whereas the Dirty Dog Dash had just over 700 participants and even fewer spectators. In addition, I would say that the Warrior Dash had more challenging obstacles but the Dirty Dog Dash had a more challenging course with all of the hills. And finally it should be known that the proceeds of the Dirty Dog Dash go to the Wounded Warrior Foundation, whereas I believe, that the Warrior Dash is for profit.

After competing in both the Dirty Dog Dash and the Warrior Dash, I am really starting to love mud / trail runs. In fact, I think I like them better than traditional foot races. Maybe there is a Tough Mudder in my future when it comes to Ohio in April 2012??? Only time will tell  . . .

Half Marathon Training: Week 2 September 18, 2011

My first week of training for the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon went wonderfully. I was able to adhere to the schedule that I made for myself on my last post and I even tried a few firsts in honor of my first week of training. I ran in a running skirt for the first time ever. You can read how I felt about it here. I also ran in a pair of compression socks for the first time during my long run. They felt amazing and looked super cute too!

I need to get more pairs of these!

I also participated in the Dirty Dog Dash for the first time. It was a 3 mile mud run filled with obstacles. I promise to blog more about that in the near future. That race deserves a post of its own!

Here is what I have on my agenda for week 2.

Sunday: 3 Mile Run
Monday: Insanity DVD
Tuesday: 3 Mile Run plus Strength Training
Wednesday: Rest Day!
Thursday: 2 Mile Run
Friday: 4 Mile Run
Saturday: Stretch & Strengthen

What does your week look like?

Saturday Sound Off: Things Are Not Always What They Seem September 17, 2011

I am excited to have Lauren from Forward is a Pace as a guest blogger for today’s Saturday Sound Off. You may already remember from a previous blog post that she is one of my favorite bloggers. But you may not know why she is one of my favorite bloggers. What keeps me reading Lauren’s blog is her zest for life and her ‘glass is half-full’ perspective. She truly has an upbeat vibe that can change how you feel about your day! I have never met Lauren in person, but that might change at the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. We are both running the half marathon with our husbands. Lauren and her husband are also running with Team Challenge to raise money for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. I have donated to her cause and I hope you will too! Just click here to contribute to her fundraising! Go Lauren & Team Challenge!

 

This is me.

 

 

 

I’m Lauren, a twenty six year old triathlete, marathoner, social media enthusiast, and oh-so-much more. (And I blog about it all at Forward is a Pace.) I’d like to ask you something.

Do I look sick to you?

Whatever your answer, I’m going to tell you mine. I am.

Rather, I live with a chronic digestive disorder called ulcerative colitis. I prefer to phrase it this way because it is something I will deal with on a daily basis for the rest of my life. I refuse to believe I’m always sick. “Living with ulcerative colitis” sounds better. It’s a part of who I am.

At any rate, although this is a sound off post, it’s not a “Why me?” post. I don’t know why I got ulcerative colitis, and frankly, it doesn’t matter. What matters is something I taught me that I’d like to share with you today.

Just because someone looks fine on the outside does not mean they feel fine on the inside. This applies to all kinds of things. Little things, like bad days, colds, and tiredness. Big things like chronic illness, death of a loved one, and heartbreak. (Yes, I think heartbreak can be, or at least feel, that big.)

The day that picture was taken, I was in the beginning stages of the worst ulcerative colitis flare up I’ve ever had. Even knowing that, when I look at the picture, I don’t see it.

This isn’t about sympathy. I don’t want you to leave here thinking, “Oh my gosh, poor Lauren, she has UC.” Absolutely not. It’s about taking a step back before you judge someone and realizing that things aren’t always what they seem.

Baby Reunion 2011 September 16, 2011

This past weekend my family and I had the special privilege of attending Reproductive Medicine Associates (RMA) of Michigan’s 5 year baby reunion. RMA of Michigan is the infertility clinic that helped my husband and I get pregnant and finally become parents. You can read more about my journey to motherhood in one of my favorite blog entries called Brennen’s Story: Part 1, by clicking here.

We got the invitation to the reunion a couple of months ago and I immediately knew that I wanted to attend. We are extremely grateful to RMA, not only for helping us to become parents, but also for the tremendous support and understanding we received throughout the IVF (invitro-fertilization) process. Infertility is not easy to talk about and it is even harder to experience, but the staff at RMA understood and empathized with our struggle. And although we had not visited the staff in a couple of years, we view them as part of our extended family. Each year we send them pictures of Brennen and a letter updating them on his milestones.

On the morning of the reunion I was unsure if the weather would cooperate enough for the picnic to go on as scheduled. On top of weather concerns, I was slightly apprehensive about attending the event. I knew that I would not know any of the families that would be there and thus by attending I would be proclaiming to a group of strangers, “I struggled with infertility.” Prior to starting my blog, only those closest to me know of my struggle to become pregnant.

When we got to the park where the reunion would take place, the weather cleared up right away along with my apprehension. Not only was the sun shining and the temperature warming, but I also got to watch family after family walk to the picnic shelter with babies and toddlers in tow. Moms and Dads who once thought that they many never become parents, just like my hubby and I once thought. I felt a sense of belonging amidst a sea of strangers. I knew they understood our struggle and I knew they understood our joy. And although each family had its own unique story, we were bonded together by our triumph over infertility.

Look at all the families! 🙂

To put it simply, the reunion was a joyous event for all. Each family was greeted by a RMA staff member and given a goodie bag for the kids. The bag was filled with hand sanitizer, a coloring book, crayons, a cookie etc.

Isn't this cookie awesome! It looks too good to eat!

There was a yummy buffet of food hot off the grill and even PB & J’s for the kids! The picnic shelter was right next to the playground. Brennen couldn’t get enough of the swings. Afterall, he is a big boy now and knows how to pump!

Such a cutie!

 They also had an air brush tattoo artist which Brennen wanted nothing to do with. But Brennen was enthralled by the balloon animal artist. Check out what Brennen got!

A sword the size of him!

 

While the kids played, the adults made small talk about the big football games (both U of M and MSU played that day), the weather and of course, kids. But also interspersed in those conversations was talk about infertility. For the first time in my life I had casual conversations with strangers about our infertility journey.

 

Although, I did not learn the full story of any of the families in attendance, I later learned the story of a local TV news anchor, Robin Schwartz from Fox 2 Detroit who also turned to RMA for infertility treatment. You can watch a video of her story by clicking here.

 

As much as I enjoyed seeing all of the kids and meeting people who understood our struggle to become parents, my favorite part of the reunion by far, was seeing my doctor who guided me through the journey. Dr. Wolf was with me from the day of my consultation to the day I was released from RMA to my gynecologist to finish out my pregnancy. She comforted me when I cried about fearing I would never become a mom. She encouraged me to be strong during painful procedures. She reassured me when I was scared on the day of my surgery to have my eggs removed. (I had never had surgery before.) She was the one who called to tell me I was pregnant and she was there to celebrate with me when I saw Brennen on the ultra-sound for the first time. (We have ultrasound pictures of Brennen when he was just a tiny speck on the screen.)

 

When we saw her at the reunion she remembered my name without hesitation. Brennen immediately took to her too, giggling and talking to her as if he already knew that she was someone special.

 

Not that best picture, but still a special picture!

 So thank you RMA for having the baby reunion! It was a special day! But most importantly, thank you for helping us become parents! You will always be part of our family and I can’t wait to tell Brennen his story!

My First Run in a Running Skirt September 15, 2011

Yesterday I finally took the plunge, I went running in a running skirt. I have had the skirt for a couple of weeks now, but part of me was still hesitant to try it out. I mean, who goes running in a skirt?!?!

Once I finally got the running skirt on, I started to warm up to the idea of heading outside in it. Afterall, it’s not very often that I look in the mirror after getting ready for a run and think to myself, “Hey, you look pretty cute!”

Cute, right?

 The first thought that crossed my mind once I headed out for my run is that people were going to think I was running in a skirt to get attention. In the last seven years of living in this area, I have NEVER seen ANYONE run in a skirt. The thought only stuck with me for a moment as I am past the age of really being concerned about what other people think about me. I just wanted to see why so many women are in love with running skirts. Now I know why! The skirt was super comfortable! Gone was the annoyance of the running shorts that ride up in the waist or in the legs. I also appreciated the extra ventilation the skirt provided since it was a hot day. By the time I came back from my run, I was pretty much on board with adding running skirts to my running wardrobe. I just needed to make sure of one thing. Did the skirt fly up in the back when I ran and therefore expose my butt to every passing car? I should explain that the skirt has an attached brief to it, but I still don’t need strangers seeing that either. My hubby willingly helped me resolve my last question. I ran fast, slow, with good form and with crazy form and much to my hubby’s dismay the skirt never rose up!

Speaking of men, I feel bad that male runners will not get to experience the freedom of running in a running skirt. Maybe I should invent the running kilt! Oh, crap! I am too late. It turns out they already exist. Don’t believe me? Click here. I would love to hear from any male runners who run in a running kilt!

So what do you think of the running skirt? Have you tried it yet? Why or why not?