Feet Move Forward

I never realized how much I used my hands until I was relegated to using only my non-dominant hand for basically everything. Even now, approaching three weeks post-op, I have limited mobility in my right hand, due in large part to not being able to bend my ring finger, and a deep, still-healing wound in my palm. Brushing my hair and teeth, typing, and cutting food have all required serious adaptations. But I'm single-handedly managing okay. 
Saturday night marked the end of my thrice daily IV treatments, and I finally had my PICC line removed last night, meaning that I can shower without saran-wrapping my arm. Hygiene FTW! Instead of a huge bandage with a long tube hanging out of my body, I just have this little guy. 

I haven't been given the all-clear to exercise, so I'm mostly limited to this:


Do to the intense concentration these take (I'm actually not kidding; my brain says move and my finger does nothing), and the usual pain associated with them, I manage to brea…

First, if you've Googled your way here via cat bite research, go to the hospital right meow. For real.

Second, if you're a regular reader and have been wondering where I've been for the past two weeks, settle in for another long, so-weird-I-can't-believe-it-happened-to-me injury story.

As I mentioned in my last post, we brought home our new dog that Wednesday (the 4th). If you follow me on IG, you saw that her meeting with Carl was not very smooth, but Carl settled onto our countertop out of her reach and seemed content enough. We figured they'd both get over it.

Fast forward to 6 P.M.: Carl had just finished eating in our pantry, and I opened the door, thinking that he'd saunter out and up and on to our counter before the dog noticed. Wrong. Before I knew what was happening, there was a tangle of fur and fangs at my feet. Without thinking, I pulled them apart and threw Carl into the pantry and the puppy into the bathroom. My hand and legs were bleeding, and Ca…

I feel the need to clarify in any post that I am not announcing a pregnancy. Among life FAQ's, "How's married life?" barely tops "Are you pregnant?" Good and no, respectively. Thanks for asking.
But back to our big news: We've been trying to adopt a dog for a few months now, but have always been beaten to the punch by other families for the last three dogs we've applied for (all rescues). Because we live in a two-bedroom duplex, a larger dog would make things... busy. We also wanted a dog that didn't shed a ton. With these things in mind, our options were surprisingly limited.
On Saturday I was driving home from running errands, and I passed the Minneapolis Animal Control building, which is near our house. Outside, a volunteer was walking the cutest dachshund mix, and it was love at first sight. I knew nothing about MAC, or if they even adopted animals out of their location, so I drove home and told John that I had just seen "our dog"…

I just got back last night from a long weekend with my sister. She's currently in tech school at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS, and she had a few extra days off of class. I flew down last Thursday to spend some time with her.

Fun things included a 5k, lots of outdoor dining, a killer gym workout that included a million deadlifts,  the beach,  two trips to IHOP, and shopping! It was a perfect long weekend with my little bebe!


The beaches in Biloxi are a little gross, so we drove a few hours to Pensacola Beach where the water was much clearer. Despite my best sunscreen efforts, I ended up getting a little red.



After a few hours in the sun, we ate at this place called You've Got Crabs or something equally kitschy, but the seafood was great. For dessert I ordered Key Lime Pie, and they brought out the biggest piece I had ever seen! I took a few bites and deemed it too sugary, then boxed it up for Juli to bring back to her dorm.


The theme for the week was Matchy Matchy, as we always…

Well, this wasn't my worst race ever, but it was my second worst race ever.  Splits don't lie. 

After parking two miles from the start (for two reasons: 1. So I could run a warm up and 2. so I'd have to run a cool down), I ran the "hard part" of the course to remind myself of the hills, then settled around the start line so I wouldn't get stuck behind walkers. 
Which turned out to be pointless, because I basically should have been walking. I felt decent for the first mile, like I was starting to hurt on the second, and basically like I was crawling for the third. 
In defense of starting too fast, I would like to say that there was a headwind on the third mile, and then an 8 year old passed me, which didn't do much for my mental game. 
The temptation to look at my watch became overwhelming around 2.5 miles, but before I looked, I asked myself if I could be running faster. The answer was no. So I looked at my predicted mile pace, which used to be my "…

I said I'd at least try to write a "goals" post about tomorrow's 5k, so here it is, short and sweet. 
The first timed 5k I ever ran, at the beginning of my running life back in 2008, was 23:57, which has happily  been the slowest 5k I've ever run. My 5k PR is 20:25. 
My goal: Run somewhere in between those two times. 
Secondary goal: Don't have the first mile be my fastest.
I've decided to wear my Garmin, but I am going to do my darnedest to not look at it. With the way we're running around Harriet, I think there are some tiny rollers in the first mile, and a more significant climb in the second. So my overall race plan goes something like this: ease into the first two, hammer the last. Also: Don't be a baby.

Just for the record, I hate 5ks.

I haven't actually meant to go for a week+ without blogging, but it seems to be less and less of a priority these days, not for any real reason in particular, as I have a handful of drafts that I've never gotten around to finishing. But life doesn't care if I write about it, and I'm sure you're all moving along just fine with yours without any updates from mine. But we're here, so let's dive in.
It took me less than two days last week after posting that three very generous friends donated all the money (and then some) I was asked to raise for the 5k this weekend. (Thank you guys. Seriously.) My "training" though, has been more of a struggle.
With the cold morning weather, I've been finding it more and more challenging to pry myself out of bed, and evenings always seem full of plans like dinner with friends or cat cuddling. My internal clock is well aware of when it should be waking up, and I am consistently awake a few minutes before my ala…

I put this race on my calendar over a month ago, but just grew the lady balls to actually register for it.

Because it's a 5K. We all know how I feel about those.

To recap, I have less than three months of running under my belt feet, and this is how consistent it's been:



So, yeah....

But here's the deal: It's a race for something that means a lot to me. Even if this turns out to be the worst 5k of my life, my registration fee still benefits a great cause, and I'll have a baseline for my current fitness.

P.S- When you register, they set the a fundraising minimum of $100 and with 11 days until the race, even that seems like a long shot. However, if you're feeling generous, click your way over here.

It's been a while since I've posted anything about my grandma. For anyone that's new, my grandma has Alzheimer's disease and lives at home with my grandpa. She still remembers who we are, who she is, and where she is (for the most part), but her mind tends to disregard daily cares like eating, dressing, bathing, etc. A nurse goes over on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and my dad and I make sure we're over there on her off days. I call every night to talk to my grandpa, just to check in and say hi.
They are, without a doubt, among my favorite people ever.
Anyway, the other day I found a box of old newspaper clippings, and in honor of Throwback Thursday, I thought I'd share this one:


That's my grandma on the far right, jumping into Lake Calhoun, sixty-seven years ago yesterday. It's a little hard to read, but the caption on the photo lists the girls' names and their addresses! Ironically, the address listed is the one my grandma can still recite …

John has been out of town all week, leaving me all by my lonesome. And by lonesome, I mean with an attack cat and plans with people every night. So really, not lonesome at all (except the part where I come home to a human-less house every night).
But adapting to life as a single when I'm used to life as a couple was a little bit challenging. Like forgetting to shut the coffee pot off, and having to drive back home on Wednesday morning. 


And being worried about getting murdered in my sleep. Luckily Carl helped me search the house for intruders when I got home each night. (Seriously, I've stopped watching all crime shows because I have too active of an imagination!)



But John was sweet, and left me little notes. 


And I got to have plenty of time with friends, like going to Rusty Taco for the first time with Colleen and Julie on Wednesday night. Colleen wanted to document our trip and made me wait to eat, so I was pretty mad in this picture. 

Also awesome, the new CorePower open…

I don't mean to disappear for weeks at a time, I really don't, especially since I know so many of you are living vicariously through me (that's sarcasm, btw).  But you know, life. 
On Wednesday last week John and I left for a trade show down in Nashville. I haven't been down there since I was a teenager, and was looking forward to spending a little QT with the hubs, even though we were working. (Side note for those people reading who are not related to me: John and I work for the same company.)  After one of the easiest set-ups in Trade Show History, we enjoyed a 3 mile round-trip walk to the AT&T store to fix my ailing phone, and on the way back to our hotel, stopped at a little place called Coffee, Lunch where I had the best salad of my life. 

Per their menu, it's arugula, figs, blue cheese, and spiced pecans, with balsamic vinaigrette and house-made crostini. So, so, so good.
John had done some restaurant research prior to us leaving for Nashville, so he ha…

Fact: After a certain point in life, you'll find yourself on every mailing list known to man, and receive every catalog that's ever been printed. The other week, both the Victoria's Secret and the Athleta catalogs landed in my mailbox. 
Growing up, I used to go through VS catalogs page by page, wondering if I'd ever get boobs, and if I'd ever be as pretty as the women in the magazine. Then puberty hit, and I did get boobs (spoiler alert: they're not all they're cracked up to be) but my body most definitely did not look like the ones pictured. I wasn't flawlessly tan. I had (have!) cellulite. My hair wasn't effortlessly wavy. And so, I did what a lot of teenage girls did: I cut out pictures and plastered them to the wall in my bedroom, to serve as motivation to "get in shape." (This is what we did before Pinterest.) 
Flipping through the Athleta catalog, it was impossible not to notice the stark contrast between the models and marketing i…

Today is our three-month anniversary. I mentioned earlier this week that John and I have been working out since March, and I knew when we started that I was in dire need of new shoes. My current pair should have been retired a while ago. My knees will ache after running in them, which is a telltale sign.
Anyway, last night after picking up groceries, when it had just begun to snow huge, wet flakes, we spontaneously decided to hit up my favorite running store, Mill City Running, and buy each other a little anniversary present.
Because my mileage isn't high- and won't be for a while- I told them I wanted something a little "softer" than my beloved Mizunos. So, after several trips on the treadmill, I settled with these beauties. 

 Nikes. I know. But they're really comfortable, and for the brief minute I wore them on the treadmill, it was like running on little pillows. I'm looking forward to taking them on their first real run tomorrow morning. (John got a pa…

Okay, seriously. Marriage makes you fat. Or maybe Minnesota winters make you fat. Or maybe getting married during a Minnesota winter makes you fat.
For clarification, I know I'm not fat. It's more flabby-out-of-shape-my-jeans-don't-fit. I was okay with it for the first couple months, enjoying married life, and didn't really think twice about the days that ticked by without a workout. And then both John and I found ourselves with a closet full of clothes that were a bit too tight, and we realized that our nights of snuggling on the couch while eating baguette and cheese were coming to a close.
In March we decided to go the old "21 Days to Make a Habit" route and get our butts to the gym *nearly* every morning. (Things sort of fell apart the week we went down to San Antonio but we hopped back on the horse when we got home.) Now, roughly a month later, I've already seen gains in fitness and can zip (but not comfortably wear) my jeans. Progress!
Now I'm…

I briefly mentioned here that the reason John and I had such a short engagement was that my sister Juli was leaving for Air Force Basic Training on January 7. Our choices were to get married before she left, or wait until she was in tech school (but even then, time off wouldn't be guaranteed). Since she was the only person I wanted next to me (you know, expect for John), we opted for a January 4th wedding.


So, after 10 weeks of not being able to see or talk to my sister (she did get to call a few times, and I wrote her almost every day), this past weekend we went down to watch her go from Trainee to Airman.

John and I flew down to San Antonio on Wednesday evening, along with my mom and step-dad, my Opa and his wife, and my dad and three of his kids.

Graduation is a few days of ceremonies and rituals, starting with the Airman's Run on Thursday morning. This was the first time we got to see Juli, and it was literally her running by us.

After waiting nearly three hours, the Coin…

I’m here! I’m still blogging. Or rather, I’m thinking about blogging a lot, scribbling notes of things I’d like to write about, but never finding the time to actually do it.
Life seems busier than usual, and I suppose it should be. We are two-in-one now, meaning John’s worries, needs, habits, and rituals are mine, too, generally speaking. I am working to discover a balance between I and he and we. There is room for growth, to be sure.
One thing I've long known: We tend to show the worst version of ourselves to people we are the closest to.  There comes a point in time when it’s impossible to hide our ugly side, and when you live, carpool, and work with someone, that point seems to come much more quickly. (On any given day we’re never more than 30 feet apart. For serious.)
Last week, after an impressively stressful day at work, we began our commute home, John driving, me in the passenger seat. We didn’t speak, leaving me to stew over the day in my pounding head. When we got home …

Due in part to natural curiosity about the world, and the fact that I like to be well-informed so I can effectively argue, I Google basically everything I have a question about.

I am so out of the loop when it comes to running that I feel like I'm just beginning again. Having approximately 3.1 miles under my belt for the entire month of February thus far, I'm searching for things like beginner's running plan and how to determine tempo pace. I don't feel like a runner anymore, rather a runner wannabe.

It's odd to think that I used to actually create training plans for people. I used to work in a running shoe store! I was a wealth of knowledge when it came to running! But all that has left my brain, and been replaced with how to thank people for giving you cash, peaceful cohabitation, and how to train cats.  

I suppose all is not lost, though. I'm experienced enough to know that doing too much, too fast is a recipe for injury. I know that the first few weeks are…

It's hard to believe it's been six years since this little cutie left this earth. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him, and miss his little voice, and kissing his little cheeks. What I wouldn't give to have just one more day with him here...

Joel, love you so much.

Things I am doing a horrible job with: 
Working out. It was over a week ago that I mentioned needing to get back into a routine with things. Number of times I've worked out since then: zero. Literally no excuse. Drinking water. It's usually around 2:30-3pm that I realize I haven't peed all day. I can partially blame it on being busy at work, but usually it's just because I leave my water bottle in the car. 
Things I am doing a great job with:
Being married. We're celebrating our one-month anniversary today (we made it!) and I've loved every second of it. Being best friends with Carl. Mostly because I give him people food all. the. time. 

Drinking apple cider vinegar. The health benefits of this have been popping up on my radar pretty consistently so I thought I'd give it a try. I've been a champ with choking it down every morning: 2 Tbs mixed with equal parts water, and then I just chug it and make a weird face when the tartness hits me.  It's gross, …

We asked our photographer to send us a few pictures she took to use on our 'thank you' cards. After looking through the ones she sent, one thing is for certain: We are both horrendously un-photogenic. But then, this:

Yesterday was my first time running in... a long time. Like I don't even remember when I last did long time. The last time I was even at the gym was January 2 for a yoga class.
I'm totally playing the marriage card here. There's the joke that people let themselves go after getting married, and I can totally see how it can happen. It hasn't been intentional, but with so many changes in the past few weeks, my old schedule doesn't really work anymore.
John and I have been carpooling to work, so I can't go directly to work after the gym. Working out after work is a nightmare (so crowded!), but there's a solution for every challenge. I'm determined to find it, especially since the only pair of jeans that fit me are my stretchy ones. For real.
Anyway, after running 3 miles without stopping (hooray, small victories!), I stepped down off the treadmill and got the worst Charlie Horse in my quad. Today I'm so sore- legs, abs, even arms! It's great, and…

Today marks the first day of my last year in my 20's. Yes, it's my birthday, and I'm 29. I'm celebrating by eating a bag of candy hearts on my couch. Carl is biting me. John is "organizing" our cupboards. It's pretty much perfect. 
I was thinking about my last several birthdays, trying to remember what I had done to celebrate each of them, and my 27th stands out. Not only did my good friend Robert take me to Travail for an amazing meal, but later that week I went to dinner at Chino. My sister brought her friend John... 
We wouldn't really become friends for another six months, and wouldn't start dating for another six months after that. Little did I know...
I have a feeling this year might be my most exciting yet. 

We haven't gotten our pictures from our photographer but we've been having a great time looking through the candid shots that friends and family took. This is by far my favorite capture.

Two weeks seems to be the appropriate amount of time to be late with the whole resolutions thing, right? Otherwise I can come back later...  My sister Juli left for basic training with the Air Force earlier this month, but we were able to spend a lot of time together before the wedding. We were talking about resolutions and she said that a friend of hers makes six resolutions for the big F's: Faith, family, friends, finances, fitness, and fun. That pretty much covers all aspects of life, so I decided to follow suit.
These are my first resolutions as a "we" instead of "me" so while some pretty much have to pertain to "us" as a family, there are still a few that are mine alone. Without further ado:
FAITH Become more involved at church. Bible studies, small groups, volunteering, whatever. We're kicking this one off by going on a winter retreat at the end of the month.
FAMILY Start one! 
FRIENDS We both have pretty solid friend groups, but haven't…

We are six days married, and it's bliss. 
After spending a few days on the North Shore, we're back at home, making the two bedroom apartment we have not "mine" or "his" but "ours." I am currently taking a break from staining, and I can hear John in the laundry room building shelves. It's wonderful to be married to a true handy man. 
Thanks for hanging with me during these last few months of near silence on the blog. Back soon with pictures from the wedding, and updates on everything else.