God is good, Bananas are GREAT, I'm just plain crazy....

Celebrate Life ~ Tri Columbia

Honor the Fallen by Challenging the Living ~ Team Travis

Advocate for the value, acceptance, and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome. ~ National Down Syndrome Society

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Chesapeake Man Endurance Festival

Skipjack event

1.2 mile swim, 64 mile bike, 10 mile run

3:45 am Hampton Inn, Easton, Maryland.  My eyes pop open and search for the clock, what time is it, did I over sleep, where is the clock?!  3:45 am phew.  Up and out the door, been to Wawa for coffee, and on the road to Cambridge by 4:55 am.

Once you choose hope, anything's possible.  ~Christopher Reeve

 

7:30 am ready for an 8:13 am swim wave

One of the best things about a triathlon is being up before the sun and watching it come up and cast brilliant shadows and sparkles on the water, sand, and trees.  Saturday was pretty overcast and threatened rain all day.  But the light, the light was still brilliant.  Temperature was mild and slightly humid, water temperature was reported to be 72 degrees.  Not too bad for a September swim.  Glad, ever so glad, to have the wetsuit for the sole purpose of keeping the nettles at bay.  Glad, ever so glad, to have been unaware of them until race morning.

8:08 am or so the skipjack division was allowed to enter the waters of the Choptank River at Hambrooks Bay as several of the Chesapeake Man Ultra swimmers were exiting from their 2.4 mile swim.  So impressive and motivating.  Water was warmish though I still shivered and chattered.  Water was shallow and we could stand before the start. Thrilled to be with my friend and coach Suellen and her other prodigy Jill M.  Suellen was my college cross country and track coach at UMBC, responsible for keeping me out of Saturday Nite troubles with early morning Sunday 10 mile runs, and teaching me some of the finer things in life.   I believe her final words before the horn went something like this.  "Oh man I have to go to the bathroom again"  another racer "just go"  Suellen "eh, I don't want to get the water dirty".  Oh, Suellen.

8:13 am, ready, steady, GO!!!  Not a crowded start, plenty of room to find a line and swim forth.  Nettles, here come the nettles.  Probably had 6 or 7 stings to the arms that I was aware of.  Am still aware of the one under my right arm, and the one right above my heart, that sucker got in under my wetsuit (sleeveless) and my tri tank.  Bugger.  Swim was great, I was relaxed, confident, and smooth.  Coming out of the water to the cheers if Jill Eisenberg was awesome.  Seeing the 38 minutes and whatever seconds on my watch, fabulous.

Off to the bike.  The bike would be my least favorite and of course the longest portion of the race.  Though it is not my favorite it is definately the HEART of the race.  The portion for the most self reflection, prayer, and stillness.

Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier.  ~Author Unknown

The first 5 miles were good, the next 15 not so great.  Had some pain in my upper legs, mainly the upper hamstrings and nerves near the sitz bones.  I really could not find a comfortable saddle position as the pain began radiating down my legs.  For about 20 miles I had ALOT of doubt about finishing this thing because of the pain.  I had not planned to take any tylenol until about 25 or 30 miles but mile 12 screamed for it.  By the time I got to the first aid station about 23 miles in, I was annoyed and doubting.  However, God is good and

BANANAS are GREAT!!!!!

I truly believe the banana I received from the beautiful man at the aid station was God's answer to my pleas and prayers.  3 miles later I was comfortable in the saddle and calm in the mind.  I vowed to stop at every aid station for some banana for the rest of the ride.  Mind you I had my own fuel which I also ate but it was those bananas the fueled my mind and spirit. 

Around mile 43 Jill M passed me on the bike and having trained with her some this summer I knew I could ride with her, so it was time to pick up the pace.  The bike is pretty lonely, not too many people near, so it was nice to have a goal in sight, most of the last 20 miles.  Without Jill M I would not have gone as hard on the bike.  Another 10 miles and we hit some bumpy road, annoying but passable.  3 miles later water covered road.  Not so bad but rendered my socks useless for the run.  Mile 64.  Mile 65. Mile 66. Is this a joke?  I knew I had not missed a turn because there was a line of about 6 riders up ahead.  MILE 67!!!!!  Finally, there is the high school!!!!! Bike 67.33 miles according to my bike computer. 

So ready to get off this bike and go to the bathroom.  I was VERY happy to have to go to the port-a-jane, yes they are pink, for the first time.  Usually, my body shuts down and I wind up with nausea after such a long ride.  This time....

BANANAS!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you....BANANAS!!!!

Remember those water covered roads?  Yeah, well, my socks were soaked and I decided no socks over wet socks for the run ( I did not plan for this so I did not have extra socks in the run bag).   BAD IDEA.

This is the worst one, two days after the race.

I know, you really want to see my feet.

This is the sucker that hurt the worst and bled through my shoe.

When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
~Author Unknown

Karma was good to me on the run.  I try to make sure to thank all of the volunteers during the race because with out them we could not do this crazy.....stuff.  The run was an out and back course which was good for this day.  There was water at every mile and therefore a friendly face.  The last thing I wanted to do on the way out to the 5 mile mark was say "good job" to the runners heading to the finish but I made myself to ALL of them.  I figure the more positive vibes I dole out the less agony I will feel in the end.  By mile 5 ish I had caught up to Suellen, who had flown by me on the bike, and in typical fashion she gave me support.  "You have heart.  I always knew you were special".  Thanks, Coach. 

Mile 7.  Six monkeys had jumped on my back.  I did not know there were monkeys on the Eastern  Shore.  Baby snakes, big snakes, possum, raccoon....all dead on the side of the road.  But MONKEY's?  Seriously, I had a hard time keeping my head up, literally.  I forced it up to say "good job" or just "job" with a thumbs up to every runner.  By this time many of the Ultra runners were heading out for their MARATHON.  I was so glad to be finishing and not headed out for 26.2.

Mile 8.  I had kicked off a couple of the monkeys realizing I was pretty much home free.  I started thinking about my babies that would be at the finish line back at mile 1 so now I was getting really excited.  Then. I. Looked. At. My. Watch.  I was going to finish around 6 hours and 15 minutes.  Ugh.  I told Jerry around 7 hours. 

Will they be there? Won't they be there? There? Not there?  I battled this for a mile then with one to go, I vizualized my finish.  Running in with Erin and Eoin, could I hold Bridgie too?  Was it safe?  I kept up the vizualization with tears streaming.  My babies.  As I came up the high school drive towards the finish.  My eyes frantically scanned the crowd.  No orange double stroller.   A single but no double.  No babies. 

Way to go, Cindy.  Great Job, Great Finish.  Jill E.  Thank you Jill E, you are the best.

I finished.  FINISHED.

I was dazed.  Shaky but still standing strong and surprisingly not sore.  Feet bleeding yes but still strong. 

Wheezing.  Definite Wheezing. Which scared me.  But it only lasted a minute or so.

Overcome.

Blessed.

Happy.

Jerry and the kids were lost.  Because of the wrong directions I had given them.  They got to drive the water covered road though and see the riders navigating the 'muddy puddles'.  I am sure Eoin would rather have gotten out to jump than come find me.  We did meet up and it was great to see them. 



Why?  There is unbelievable power through strength.  I know I am physically strong.  Mentally, Spiritually....this requires work.  By challenging myself physically, I challenge and strengthen my mind and spirit.  I have always run with God.  To find him, to hear him, to obey him.  Now I swim, bike, and run with and for him.  I mentioned in an earlier post that God whispers his plans in my ear as he sits on my shoulder during runs.  Well, God screams to me as I fly on my bike.  And God reassures me in the water as I pray to him.  Slowly, God's plan for me is coming together and it involves YOU.

Sanity may be madness but the maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should be. 

~Don Quixote

Coming soon.....Bridgie's Brigade

15 out of 31 females

 6:14:21

Swim 38:29--thrilled with this

Bike 3:55:16--I believe I rode a faster rate here than at Iron Girl

Run 1:33:19-- 9:20's--it'll do.

So Creative and a Mess a Minute

‘Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.’

Roger Lewin

Erin came home from school yesterday chattering about a doll with a backpack that the little girl who sits next to her had brought to school.  And the doll could wear the backpack, and the backpack opened, and there was a little notebook inside, and there was a pen inside, and you could play school with the doll, or camping with the doll...and, and, and, and.....AND Can you buy me one mommy?  Um, I don't know, probably not.  You have a lot of dolls, honey.

Off I went to bookclub and did not think any more about it.  Well, this morning this is what she showed me.

Mommy, remember I was telling you about that doll?  Remember I wanted you to get me one?  Well, let me show you what I did while you were at bookclub last nite...

Yup, she made a backpack for her teddy bear.  That there's a plastic Easter egg and those yellow things....straws, attached with tape.

The egg, I mean backpack, opens and there is a folder and a pen inside.

Tell me no and I'll find a way.

Eoin still plays with his toys in droves......

finding ways to stuff them ALL in...

anywhere he can. 

And Bridgie.....

there are no words...

Only video...

only mud.  She's ready for employment at Melcin's diner pouring mud coffee.

Daddy to the clean up rescue!!!

Ahh...that's better.  Already helping with the laundry.



Be present.



Fun at the Fair

Oh, we went to the COUNTY Fair
The birds and the beasts were there
The big baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing his auburn hair

You should have seen the monk
He sat on the elephant's trunk
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees
And that was the end of the monk
The monk, the monk, the monk.

Said a flea to a fly in a flue
Said the flea "Oh what shall we do?"
Said the fly, "Let us flee!"; said the flea, "Let us fly!"
So they flew through a flaw in the flue

You can listen here:  http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/animalfair.htm

We went to the county fair, Erin and Eoin and Bridgie were there

Eoin sat on the slide at least a hundred times

And Erin followed him there

As Bridgie waved her flag in the air.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.  It was at least a $200 day.  But man did those kids have fun.  We finally got our money's worth out of the ride bracelets as Erin and Eoin rode rides from 12:30 until exactly 4 when the time was up.  Eoin loved the burlap bag slide and the fun house.  Erin loved the race cars that whip around the corner.  Except to go to the bathroom, refill our drinks, and get an ice cream cone, I literally stood in the same spot for over 2 hours.  In between the burlap slide, fun house, and race car whip. 

Eoin had the same look of excitement all one hundred times down the slide

Ready, steady, GOOOOO!

While Eoin was on the slide with Daddy, Erin rode the race car whip over and over.  I saw a side of her this week that I have not seen before.  An air of confidence and the ability to make new friends.  At school on Thursday, I observed her playing with three kids she did not know before.  They were playing puppet show and had those great, big, loud, uncontrollable belly laughs that you only usually hear from kids.  Then yesterday she rode the race car with at least 7 other kids she did not previously know.  When we spoke of this at bedtime she said "yeah and even one was a boy!" Evidence below:

And Bridgie, well she spent much of the day confined to the stroller as the ground was muddy.

 That little flag was an amazing source of entertainment for hours!



Daddy did rescue her for some much needed tickle time.

We did coax them in to a few other rides....

But the icing on the cake was the 30 minutes we spent at the end of the day on the big hill going out of the fair.  Eoin won a rubber duck playing a race car game and we used it to play monkey in the middle.  Erin, Eoin, and Daddy ran up and down the hill throwing the duck back and forth while Bridgie cheered them on!

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt

What parents really want to tell teachers....

What teachers really want to tell parents

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/living/teachers-want-to-tell-parents/index.html

This article has been be boppin it's way around facebook for some time.

And I am going to tell you how I feel about it.

One beloved principals reason for leaving her post is because of the parents who are "killing us".  What a cop out.  An excuse.  I get it but if you truly love your profession then I don't understand.  All jobs come with nuisances, pains in the asses, and red tape.  Find a way.  The firefighter who responds to your call for help is not going to walk away because there is not a fire hydrant directly in front of your home.  Excuses.  They are everywhere and Mr. Ron Clark, Disney's American Teacher of the Year and Oprah Winfrey's Phenomenal Man pick, I expect more from you.

This article is so annoying on so many levels.  Go ahead blame the parents because it must be somebodies 'fault'.

Before you persecute me, I support teachers and many of my 'friends' on facebook are WONDERFUL people and teachers.  Heck, I was one of them.  And looking back, not a very good one.  Excuses, they are rampant in the teaching profession.  We ask too much of them, we don't support them, they don't have enough resources, they don't get any breaks.  Wait a minute...that sounds like what I say about being a stay at home mom.

Mr. Clark wants you to know that teachers are "educators, not nannies".    Well, you know so am I but I still have to put my hands in the shit and wipe runny noses.  It's part of the job.  "If we give you advice, don't fight it.  Take it, and digest it in the same way you would consider advice from a doctor or lawyer".  Okay, I can do that.  But what if I don't agree with your advice?  Can we sit down and discuss it?  No, because then you will label me a "helicopter parent" and roll your eyes when you tell co-workers that I am too involved and need to cut the umbilical cord.

"Trust us" says Mr. Clark.  I want to trust you truly I do.  But when my kindergarten daughter finds herself alone in her classroom for 10- 15 minutes on the second day of school because no adult in the building could find the time to guide her where she needed to go, call me skeptical.  Trust us, then have my child's safety first and foremost in your heart and brain.  Write it in your agenda book, have an in service meeting about it.  I don't care what reading program you are using or what the math curriculum says, this is MY CHILD.  I am solely responsible for this child.  There are no second chances.  EVER.  You, my teacher friend, get approximately 25-30 chances per year to get it right.  I GET ONE and a precious ONE it is.

"Please quit with all the excuses", heed your own advice Mr. Clark.  And don't make me feel guilty about "summer reading assignments".  I, for one, will always allow my child 'fun time' in the summer.  If you cannot get in what you need during the school year, well then I guess it's just not that important.  Parents, 'instead of making excuses, focus on finding solutions', again heed your own advice.

I want to work with you to make our school the best it can be.  But I betcha when I send an email about improving the beginning of the year kindergarten bus transition and when  I volunteer to organize a committee for kindergarten parents, I will be called a helicopter parent, eyes will roll, and teachers will say doesn't she have anything better to do?  And the answer is no.  I don't have anything better to do.  In fact I can think of nothing better to do than improve my child's school.

You see teachers and administrators don't really want us on their turf, because we might ask them to change their ways.  I get it, I truly do.  Change sucks.  Going out of our comfort zone sucks.  But that is life.  "Life's about change and nothing ever stays the same".  We are not invited to the table to discuss what's best for our child, we are told what reading program they will use, even if the teacher hates it.  We are spectators at best.  Though we will be condemned for cheering too loud or not cheering loud enough.

There is one point that the highly qualified, Mr. Clark, makes that I agree with whole heartedly.  "This one may be hard to accept, but you shouldn't assume that because your child makes strait A's that he/she is getting a good education."  True, true, true, oh so true.  And  a quiet classroom is not necessarily a good classroom.  Controlled chaos.  That's what I like to see and hear about.  Let kids express themselves.  Don't break their spirit.

Lastly, Mr Clark reports about the teacher who left a red mark when she cleaned marker from a child's face.  Mr Clark states that she was fired for said deed.  You know I am glad she was fired from that particular school system, because who would really want to work in that kind of environment anyway.  Actually, she is probably better off somewhere else doing something else.

So, I can sit here at my computer and say how I feel and express my opinions because someone taught me to type in high school and it was probably the most useful course I had in those years.  I also can say all of this about education and educators because  I know that I can and will home school my child if the need arises.  Call me fortunate.  Call me blessed.  For I am all of those.  My husband works so I can stay home.  But don't let that fool you, there are sacrifices, though no where near those of others.  We have chosen a simple life, a Christ centered life, a life where our kids come first.  Not reading programs, not math curriculum's, not standardized tests, not superlatives, not scholarships, or honors.  We choose the child and we meet him wherever he is.  No excuses.

Smoothie

My Morning Smoothie

Mango

Pineapple

Strawberry

Blueberry

Kale

Flax seed

Unsweetened Almond Milk

Chocolate Whey Protein Powder

YUM



Thoughts on Kindergarten....

Erin:  "Mommy who do I look like?"

Me: Ummm, Dora?

Erin:  "No, an expert camper of course!"

Erin: rushes out of the bathroom

Me: burst into tears in the shower

This is my girl Erin. 

My first born. 

The person who made me a mommy.

The person who has changed my life the most.

My biggest helper.

The best big sister to Eoin and Bridgie

My best friend.

Kindergarten is Friday.

I am nervous, anxious, and self-doubting.

I am going to miss her.

I will be lonely.

I will feel like something is missing all day long.

I probably won't eat much or do much that day.

I will be waiting.

And waiting.

And waiting.

I will be at the bus stop 15 minutes early.

I will be nervous, anxious, and self-doubting.

She will be fine.

She will probably love it.

Her teacher will be so smart and funny.

She will make a friend.

She will be a kindergartner.

I would love to tell you that I am okay with all of the kindergarten stuff and that I think it is so exciting.  I wish I could lie and tell you that.  I wish that I believed that public or private education was good enough for my child.  I wish that I could tell you I thought "school" was good for her.  I wish that my faith in other people was stronger.  I believe in God and I know God and that is why I will put her on that bus with that bus driver that I do not know.  And I will pray that he does not decide to drive off into the sunset with my child, my best friend, my life. 

And I will pray.

And I will pray.

And I will pray.

And I will put on a brave face.  And I will listen to her.  And I will learn from her.  And I will advocate for her in any fashion necessary.  And we will both grow.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".

Jeremiah 29:11



Nicknames

Bridgie

Bridge-a-Boo

Boo Boo

Little Loo La

Loo Loo

Loo-Loo- Belle

Bridge-a-lidge-a

Bunny Foo Foo



Stinker Hein

Baby Girl

This little lady is never going to know what to tell people her name is.