4 days 14 hours til my marathon!

I just went for a run. I went a little over 3 miles. When I finished, I felt really good. I thought I ran fairly fast compared to my usual. When I came in the house and looked at the time, I did the math in my head. "No way! There is no way I can be this tired from running at that pace," I thought to myself. As I walked to cool down and stretched, I started thinking to myself, "if I am this tired after running a little over three miles at that pace, I am screwed on Sunday!"

I came in the house and entered my run info and a wave of relief came over me as I realized that I had miscalculated. I ran faster than I have ever run before! That must be why I felt a little exhausted!

Well, only a couple more days. I am so excited!
Tomorrow I will be running the Catholic Memorial Walkathon with some of the faculty and we'll collectively be
living the dream!

Two week update!

I can't believe it has been two weeks since I posted! It has been an interesting two weeks.

Baby update!
We are still growing a baby in Elizabeth. She is a good baby grower! Baby is about 25 weeks and probably about a pound and a half and about 12 inches long! Yup, that's a big baby and Elizabeth is showing for sure. You might not know it if she is wearing a tshirt or a hoodie (as the weather finally permits!), but there is definitely a belly there and I love it!

Baby is healthy. Mom is healthy. I am getting over a cold, but I am not growing a baby so I am not allowed to complain!

Baby kicks and flips and keeps Elizabeth on her toes. Next week we will be starting the first of our baby classes. Child birth... I have a lot to learn. I was recently informed that there is no stork involved in child birth! Who knew?!?!?!

Running update!
I am tapering! My "long run" this weekend was 8 miles. This week I'll be running a couple miles each day and working to eat and sleep well because one week from today is the race day! I can't believe it is so soon! I think I am ready. I am excited that the leaves will be in full color next weekend. I am starting to watch the weather to see what next week is supposed to look like. As of right now, sunny and 68! Couldn't ask for anything better!


Last weekend's trip!
Last Thursday night we packed up all kinds of things so that after work on Friday we could head straight up to Devil's Lake to spend the weekend camping! What a beautiful weekend! Weather couldn't have been better. We had a nice site and a relaxing time. We cooked, sat, fired, sat, hiked, sat, rockclimbed, sat, and some more of teh same before coming home on Sunday. Beautiful. We looked around at one point and thought about the fact that it will likely be a very long time before the two of us will have a similar camping trip... so simple. One tent, pack up Thursday night, sitting around, no worries. Next time we go camping, we will be bringing up baby! All the more fun!

This weekend's trip!
Friday afternoon was the trip up to the Twin Cities. One of Elizabeth's college roommates was to get married on Saturday and so we went up. The big surprise for me was when I checked my voicemail shortly into the trip. I had planned to catch my buddy Adam on Saturday and we were going to watch the Gophers smash the Buckeyes! As I am listening to the message he left while I was at work, I was overcome with joy as he announced his new arrival. Baby boy was born Friday morning, a couple weeks early and he is now a daddy! How exciting is that!?!?!?!

We got a chance to stop by the hospital on Saturday and got to see the little angel and his parents! Beautiful baby boy.

We got to see the new parents, we got to see and stay with another couple of friends. Life is good!

Brewers!
Playoff bound! What more can you say?!?!?!

So basically, all around, we are
living the dream!

Two llittle feet!

How beautiful is that! Two little feet... two little active feet. They keep kicking Elizabeth and hard enough for me to enjoy! I inspected the big toes on each foot with great care and I am worried that they are not nearly large enough to be the big toes of my progeny, but I guess the toes must just develop late!

During the ultrasound baby did not seem to want to be photographed. Baby kept crossing arms in front of face. I guess that sounds like me!


So baby is healthy and so is mamma!

We went crib shopping this weekend and have found one that we like. My favorite part of baby shopping is trying out all of the gliders and rocking chairs. I have definitely found some favorites! We had a great time looking and thinking about what things we really need and what things are way beyond the necessary!

We were going to shop today as I was going to run yesterday. The rain put of my run until today. Sadly, it rained again today. I went anyway. It was suppose to be my longest run... 20 miles. I went 9ish. I need to do more running during the week.

Packers are looking good. I am pleased with Aaron Rodgers so I will let him play again next week! Keep up the good work boys!

So it looks like all is good. We keep on keeping on and continue to enjoy
living the dream!

I thought it was a muscle spasm...

So Elizabeth keeps saying that she feels the baby kicking and I am totally jealous. But then the other day she said that baby was kicking and I rushed over, like usual and put my hand on babymamma's belly. I felt what seemed to be a muscle spasm but she quickly asked, "did you feel that?" Of course I did, it was an enormous kick. She said it was the strongest kick she has felt yet! How amazing is that!?!? My baby is going to be a kickboxer or something. Really I have just come to the only logical conclusion that one would come to if the baby kicks the hardest when I am around. Baby loves me more! Ok, baby loves mamma more. I'll settle for getting my kicks
and living the dream!

14 miles today

Well I freaked out Elizabeth today! I said goodbye to her while she was still sleeping at 7:30. I went out to hide bottles of gatorade along the path so that I could be well hydrated on my run. I got back home to start the run around 8:30.

So I set out for this run and didn't get back until about 11:10. As I get to the door I find a note that I was sure would explain why Elizabeth's car was not in the parking spot. When I read "call me as soon as you get home" I knew. She was under the impression that I was dead on the side of the road somewhere. I was not.

Although I did have a tough run, I was fine. After about 11 miles my right knee was done. I walked the last few miles because my knee was not having any more of that running stuff.

But, now I am home and I have spent a fair amount of time asleep on the floor, on the couch, and when I have been awake, spacing out. Nothing better than a lazy afternoon
living the dream!

We saw the Baby!

Today was the ultrasound and we saw feet and a spine, a face (that kind of looks alien, but cute nonetheless), legs and arms, fingers and toes. Doc says: nothing to worry about. Everything looks perfect. And the sex of the baby: remains a mystery! We'll find out in January. It sounds like I get the enormous honor of announcing the sex of the baby! The doc will hand me my baby boy or girl and I will get to announce the sex! How exciting. The doc said that it is not at all uncommon for the dad, in this case, to be too overwhelmed to be able to tell. I thought it was pretty simple but she reminded me that testicles is male! Good to know! I will try to post a picture of baby feet as soon as I can.

Work is crazy! I just got done a few minutes ago. I don't ever remember being so totally overwhelmed by the amount of things to juggle before. I guess I am to blame though. I take on new things and I have a hard time saying no when a student has a wonderful idea and needs some help to get it off the ground. Tomorrow night I am taking a small group of students on retreat. It should be fun. Small group, low key, great kids, and Elizabeth will be coming. They are a student leadership team that I advise and they will be the first students that I tell about the baby to come! How exciting to continue
living the dream!