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Monday, October 27, 2008

Question for My Married Readers


I was recently asked what do I think is the biggest challenge facing married couples today. I was stumped. And while that was a few days ago, and I now have some ideas, I would like to know what you think. What do YOU think is the biggest challenge facing married couples today?

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

He's Home!

So really, a military homecoming is one of the best experiences ever. On Monday, October 6th, Jack and I got as dressed up as much as an infant and harried mother can and hightailed it to the flightline. As we got closer, I saw the airplane land and I knew my man was inside. It's a fantastic feeling knowing the deployment is thisclose to ending!

The TV cameras were rolling as women dressed like skanks (hey, wives who have been separated for half a year or longer from their husbands loosen their standards of modesty for homecomings!), babies dressed in puked-on finest, and toddlers waving American flags ran away yelling "Daddy!" until we wanted them to shut up all mingled together. The excitement was probably near the levels of Elvis visiting Mac Court in the 70s.
And then, off the first bus, there he was. Everyone else was standing behind this arbitrary line, but I've never been much for those. I hurled myself past it and into his arms. Jack survived.

So my best friend is home, and Jack and I couldn't be happier. Well, maybe if I got a book deal. But we're pretty dang happy!

Saturday, October 4, 2008

A Crazy(er) Woman

One accomplishment in life I'm quite proud of is the 2007 Eugene Marathon. I got pregnant in March (the middle of training), but kept going despite puking on the side of the road during my 20-milers and generally feeling nauseous no matter what in the weeks leading up to the race. I ran the marathon 10 weeks pregnant. When I tell people this, they usually say something like, "Are you nuts?" or "You did WHAT?" It makes me laugh.

But what I did was no match for what Sue Olsen of Burnsville, Minn. did. I read about her in the latest issue of Runner's World. She ran the 1995 Grandma's Marathon eight MONTHS pregnant. Not 8 weeks, but 8 months! She and her 13-year-old son John ran the same race together this year for fun.

And you thought I was crazy???