Five Years - Still Just as Happy! (Maybe More!)

Yesterday was the 5 year annivesary of the first time that Michael and I met. We are happy and in love and getting our lives moving in the right direction together. We werent off track before - just doing the twenty-something thing of enjoying life and we werent balancing everything equally like we are now. We have overcome great obstacles in our lives to find happiness together and our strength, love and loyalty to each other is only growing stronger.

Michael and I have found so much happiness and comfort in each other and we genuinely support one another in our interests and our trials. I take great joy in being the Crew Chief while he is running and I am very happy to take care of his needs as he records mile after mile. I also get a rush from trying to make sure I am always on top of his needs, that I am fully prepared so that his "pit stops" at the aid stations are seamless. I am a "planner" by nature and so is Michael, we could drive each other crazy with the list making and double checking, but since its an affliction we both share, its okay.

Yesterday, I made pasta and we played soccer. I am feeling it in my left leg today, but its okay, a little Advil and I will be just fine. We are 38 days from White River 50 Miler (WR50) and so we are abstaining from fast food and eating out, partially because I have a quarter of tuition to pay (yes, I have one more pre-requisite before going to UWB, sucks!) and we have to get a hotel room and board puppy-steins over night and the other may reason is because we must keep on the health eating track to make sure that Michael is as fueled and ready to go as possible on July 26th!

Results are in: Nothing's Better!

I saw the doc, my iron counts are lower and the B12 is too. I changed iron supplements now and I am going to get more injections of B12. This wasnt a surprise for me and I am not upset about it. I do have to go for a sleep study to figure out if the anemia is only part of my deep desire to sleep all the time. Doc also suggested I may have some other stuff going on too, that we will explore if the sleep study comes back fine. I go for a consultation for the sleep study at the end of the month, then I will schedule my slumber party at the sleep clinic!

I hear they put things on your head that muck up your hair. I'd like to pass for that reason alone, but I would also like to not have Restless Leg Syndrome (doc mentioned this specifically) - what a silly disorder and I have mocked the commercials since the medications came out... If I have sleep apnea, it wouldnt shock me, I am sure my dad has it, his snoring is intense! I will also probably follow up with the Ear, Nose & Throat doctor because my nose doesnt seem to be working like it should (I did have 50% of my septum removed in 2005 or 2006 because it was severely deviated and I had a good deal of my turbinates reduced.)

I am still trying to get better, its just not as easy as it seemed it would be. Also - I am trying to force myself out of the rut of sleeping and more sleeping. Mike and I went hiking with Chris and holy moly did it blow. The hiking was great, but my body really didnt not like the 8 miles or the up and down. It hurt going up and it hurt going down and I hurt for days after. I would do it again. It felt good to be out and about. More about that later...

Blood Test Done, Sammich Nirvana Found

YAY. I finished the blood testing on Friday of last week. I took a half day, so that I wouldnt have to go back to work after the stupid test and so I could take my time doing whatever (rather than rushing back to work) and I really wanted Chipotle. I got everything done at the doctor's by 10:30am and I made a quick stop at the Eye Center for a new contact order. Done. Too bad my allergies have been so bad this week that I am wearing my glasses. Thank you for Systane eye drops.

I stopped at Whole Foods in Bellevue too because you can never have too many bags of frozen Alvarado St. Wheat Bagels (at least in Michael's mind) and I was unsuccessful in achieve the covenanted bagels. Oh well, I tried. I also successfully avoided the Mighty-O temptations in the bakery (I did not however avoid the little cream cheese cherry thinger. Baby steps.)

I was heading out back to Kenmore, when I was invited to join Michael for lunch (I was really wanting Chipotle - I still am!) I was tempted decline, but he was offering what was suppose to be an amazing Cuban Pulled Pork Sandwich. I accepted, went home to change - it had gotten a bit hot - and head over. Sammich Nirvana was never more amazing. I walked .8 of a mile to Paseo with Michael and his coworker, Jim, in the hot sun, after having done a fasting blood draw (not eating for 12 hours, just to have blood taken out of you!) I was beat. I wanted to quit. Then I smelled it. Heaven! It was 9 inches of crusty hoagie roll, topped with melt in your mouth pulled pork, with garlic mayo, Cilantro, lettuce, etc. I would have walked a lot farther (just on a different day) to get that sammich. Heck. I want one now!

Doctor's appointment is next week. Lucky me. Its not going to be good news!

Being the Crew Chief

So, I am the crew chief for Michael's running. I am the only crew member as of now, and I am pretty much unnecessary because he could do all this without me! But its a fun time, I recommend that everyone join the fun and chase after Michael when he runs. On the 26th of April, I chased Michael around the Capitol Forest at the Capitol Peaks 55K. I was pretty pleased that all of my tremendous efforts were realized. Driving to Olympia at 3am. Braiding my hair in cute little pig tails. Driving like a bat outta hell on logging roads. Getting the Toaster dirty, very, very dirty Toaster. Taking the sticky Gu trash out of Michael's pockets and replacing it with more Gu. Spilling Ultragen on Michael's chair. Spilling my yogurt on the ground while mixing Ultragen. Yep. I worked my butt off that day (and I spilled a lot!).

Oh, and Michael finished running 34+ miles in 4 hrs and 50 mins to take 2nd Place. Tiny details, I tell you. I was very proud of him and I am very sure that he could have done just as well without my crew-chiefing. I wouldnt miss it though. Michael is chasing his dreams and I am chasing him!

This Saturday is The North Face 50K in Bellingham. We will see Sponge and Steph while we are there (and they are kind enough to host us for the night!)

Next Friday, I go back to the doctor for more blood tests, I can tell though that nothing is really changed, but I am going to see a different doctor when the results come in and who knows? Maybe s/he will have some better ideas about how to get me better! Wish me luck!

Week of April 20th

So, this week is going to be a good one.

Michael's race season starts on Saturday with the Capitol Peaks 55K in the Olympia/Tumwater area. He is super ready for this race, he hasn't raced since Cle Elum Ridge 50K in September. He is ready to go. I have never seen him this ready for anything in his life and we have started to prepare for everything related to the race. I picked up ditty bags in a funky green color for his drop bags. He has actually started to fill them and label them for the race. We have his water and a cooler ready for his food/water for before and after the race. We are planning to leave home at 3am and driving to Olympia, so that we dont have to board pups over night.

Other great news: Steve's band is playing Studio Seven on April 24th as the headliners, the tickets actually say "Hextrip" and guests. Call me crazy, but I am thinking that I will be going (Michael needs his sleep and he has class that night). Then I will get up and go to work and come home and sleep!

Also in the AWESOME category is the fact that Zach just joined a unit that was deployed to Korea for several months and he is tentatively scheduled to go back to Korea with this unit in 18 months. This means we wont have to change our wedding day! Yay for 5/16/09. It also means that Zach and my mom with both come to Seattle for Christmas. I havent seen them for Christmas since 2001. I am a freak about Christmas and I am so excited because this is the first time anyone from my side of the family will visit Seattle. My mom will also be in time to help decide on some wedding details (or at least see some of the plans first hand.)

What I am getting started!

So, you have found my blog! This is my first blog, so I thought I would introduce myself.
My fiance, Michael, and I live in Kenmore, north of Seattle. We have been together for 4.5 years, engaged since December. 2007 was a really hard year for me, I have had a stint of bad health issues, bad medical news, work stress and the stress of purchasing our condo. I am ready to get past all of that in 2008, because 2007 ended well, after our engagement, hosting our first holiday in our first home and Michael starting back to school.
Michael and I have decided that we would like to have a Spring wedding because so much excitement already happens for our families in the Winter (when I wanted to get married originally). We got engaged on December 8, Michael and his grandma share a birthday, his nephew was born the day after, Christmas, my aunt's birthday is on Christmas, Michael's parents' anniversary and New Years all happens in December and Michael's brother and I have January birthdays. Thats pretty much the maximum we can fit into our social calendar for the Winter ;)
I am also looking for a better job, something hopefully that will have opportunities for advancement. I am going back to school, possibly this summer, but definitely by the fall. I have about 90 more credits to earn before I finish my business admin degree. I have started the application process for the University of Washington - Bothell.
Michael has lots of exciting races coming in 2008, including his first 50mile race.