Barefoot running with the hubby to reconnect.

I wanted to get in 10 miles to celebrate the day but I just wasn't feeling it.  After my trip to Michigan on Thursday and Friday and then work for nuun on Saturday, I felt the prior days catching up to me.  

The hubby decided that he was going to up his miles to 7 from 6 (yay Jaymon!) and when we were finished it just felt right to walk with him for a few laps instead of continuing on for 3 more.  I have been so busy that I just wanted to unwind and talk with him and try and get back into our bubble. 

The boys had races with the gorgeous black girl that brings some younger kids to the park sometimes when we are there.  She organized them to do races in the grass and man do those kids have sweet form! They sure loved taking their shoes and shirts off to run. Just like mommy and daddy!

I feel at peace again.  I have decompressed and had a great day at Easter Seals Camp Sunnysides Fall Festival.  We all went together.  The boys played while  I painted faces for almost 2 hours.  I could have painted all day but it was time to get the boys home before the crankies set in and they lost their cool. A quick dinner and then off to the park to run.  Archimedes and Milo both ask to go to the park to run daily.

  One very clever reader of mine guessed what I was doing on my trip to Michigan!  He is a clever Ox for sure.  I have been sworn to secrecy until I can review and sign a contract but, BUT, my trip was a blast.  I was incredibly nervous and then met Emily and Roni and relaxed totally.  We were all staying at the Amway Grand in Grand Rapids Michigan. Talk about a groovy place to shack up!  

I have my hair down!  Crazy right.  This was in the Des Moines airport while waiting for my flight with Jaymon.

I have a confession to make though.......I am a very bad blogger.......My camera died after about 10 photos.......and .......I didn't bring the charger.  My swiss army knife was confiscated in the security check in Des Moines before leaving which I totally forgot to take out and I didn't bring a charger.  They didn't say a peep about the other item that I forgot was in the bottom of my bag but they did Xray my bag a few times.  SOOOOO Glad they didn't say anything.

On to my adventures. As I sat in a rather small plane as the engines were revving up for take off I had the biggest cheesiest grin on my face.  All fear of dying in a fiery ball of flames disappeared and I was in love with humanity. Humans are brilliant!  I had forgotten how much I love to fly. 

 The plane ride on the way home........I was cussing those thermals that were pushing us up and down. I was cussing the fact that I was sitting directly above the engines and thought the whole time that the pilot really should say something about the loss of altitude and then crazy power ups to gain back that altitude.  Damn noobie pilot! I do think it was the thermals but someone must be on the receiving end of my panic attack complaints.  I didn't make an ass out of myself but I did start chatting with the lady next to me.  I think she was feeling it too. Ok, on to the good stuff although that flight will remain in my memories I am sure!

 Thursday I arrived at the hotel in downtown Grand Rapids and right away changed into a running skirt and t-shirt and headed to the front desk to ask about running routes and was very pleased to accept the little cards with mapped out 1 and 3 mile routes from the hotel. Running was all I could think about.  The remaining nervous energy needed to be contended with.

As I was asking directions right outside the doors from a valet, Emily was just arriving so we were really happy to get to run together. 

We got a bit lost running downtown on a gorgeous fall evening. Seriously I was so lucky to be there during the art show and the weather was truly perfect. Art Prize is the show that was going on downtown and there are outdoor installments located throughout the downtown area so we just ran and people watched, talked, and took in the fantastic art.  I am pretty sure we did about 4 miles.  I ran barefoot and Emily took her shoes off for the last mile or so.  The streets were incredibly clean!

After returning to the Grand at sunset we changed and met Roni for drinks and dinner.  I asked myself numerous times where raspberry Mojitos had been my whole life.  The talk was very female in nature and many laughs and stories were told.  Its like we were already good friends just catching up.  All of the people I met over the weekend were chill and felt like old friends.

I couldn't sleep on Thursday night even after 3 Mojitos so I walked down the block at around midnight to get some snacks from a basement convenience store called Z's. I walked around the hotel again exploring and then watched Up in the Air on tv after watching the last half of Blink.  Its a very creepy episode of Dr. Who.  On one hand I was glad for the comfort of a well loved show of mine but really, did it have to be the creepiest one!  It was so surreal to be in that place in that time.  The enormity of the events and how much my life has changed was keeping me awake.  The nervous tension inside of me was deafening and I couldn't shut the thoughts off.


  I rolled around and cussed and tried to sleep but it just wasn't going to happen.  At 4:00 a.m. I finally fell asleep, mostly.  I still woke up a couple times.  At 6:00 I got up and took a hot shower and changed and then headed down to the Starbucks next to the lobby of the hotel.  I drank coffee, nuun, and ate a banana while waiting for Emily.  I was early since I didn't sleep.  Surprisingly enough, I felt great.  If I just kept thinking and moving and drinking coffee and of course forbid myself to think about the lack of sleep it was easy peasy to stay awake.

I mentioned previously how everyone I met seemed like old friends just catching up.  The nicest people that were chill and so easy to talk to.  After the first meeting we went for a run on the trails next to headquarters.  Renee had just finished her first 5k the week or so prior and Amy had not run in years.  They were troopers and even though it hurt and was hard they had fun and I think will be out there again soon!  We ran on hilly tree lined paths and even crossed a stream several times!  Amy took along the flip cam and we had a blast running and filming and even doing some cartwheels and round offs!  See what I mean, fun bunch of people.

We went for lunch at Reds on the river and had another meeting and then it was time for Emily and I to rush off to the airport.  I was so spoiled during this trip!  I am still shocked that I managed and was able to think straight let alone be charming and run in the woods with only those two broken hours of sleep!!   I headed home excited to be flying again....except that last dang flight from Minneapolis to Des Moines.  No amount of rescue remedy in the world was going to calm my heart on that one!

I will be able to spill the beans later this week but I am so excited for this opportunity and the trip was wonderful.  Full of nerves, food, friends, running, laughing, flying, and so much more!

 Don't go pestering Neil Z since he is the fart smeller....I mean smart feller that guessed my secret whereabouts! 

Despite all the excitement, I longed for my boys and Jaymon the moment they were out of my sight. Todays run together was just what I needed.

Happy running friends and don't forget to enter my Big Ol' Fat Giveaway!