Long Week

It has been a long, emotional week. Some of you may have seen the news that a City of Tacoma employee was killed by a stray bullet on her front porch. Mark worked with Lisa and knew her well. I didn't know her that well, but did have a few pretty cool conversations with her when her husband helped out our doge ball team last year. Our friend Nolan is work out partners with her husband Joe, so the connections were many.

Any time someone you know is taken from you so quickly, unexpectedly, and needlessly it is hard to process. There has just been a grey cloud over our whole week. Mark and were able to go to the memorial service Wednesday night and while emotional I think it will help start the healing process for all those that knew and loved Lisa.

I was struck by many things at the service: 1. The poise and composure of her Dad, Mom, Brother, Sister, and Son. They are all very good speakers and filled with nothing but love for their lost family member, and while angry at those responsible for her death they are filled with forgiveness for them as well. Each one of them spoke at the service and while they shared their hurt and anger it was done very tastefully and the overall message was to forgive those responsible and to remember what Lisa stood for and celebrate the amazing person she was. 2. I feel for her husband Joe. I can't imagine how hard watching your wife die right in front of you must be, but he was so gracious to all at the service. His emotions must be all over the place and it can't be easy to share your grief with the 1,000 some odd people that showed up. Lisa was very well known, loved, and respected in the city and he had to share what has to be a deeply emotional and painful process with a whole city. I don't know that I would be able to do the same with as much grace as he did. 3. Why do we have to wait until our loved ones are gone to celebrate their life and the amazing qualities that we love about them? I wish Lisa could have been there in person to see the impact she has had and feel the love in the room for her.

I'm wishing her family, friends, and co-workers peace in their hearts and the ability to heal.

Weekend Update

We headed out of town Friday to spend the weekend camping with Bob & Michelle & kids, Nolan & Michelle & kid, and Jordan our Nephew. We went up to the property at Lake Cushman and were lucky enough to have nice sunny weather which allowed us to spend all day on the lake playing in the water and the sun!

We ventured into town before heading home. Mind you town is like 4 stores maybe.

Mark and Grace floating around.

Nolan, Kolton and Michelle. He loved the water, Kolton that is.

Mark and Jordan went exploring and came back with a lot of photos like this one.

Me and the girls.

Jordan made a new friend...Grace had fun running Jordan ragged!

Camp fire action.

Kolton loves water...even if it is the dogs water. Bishop just stood there and watched as Kolton turned his water dish into his own little play dish.

Another Marathon Completed

My sister and brother-in-law ran the San Fran Marathon today! It sounds like this one was harder than others because my sister woke up with leg cramps before the race and was sore the whole race. But, they finished, together, and I couldn't be more proud of them.

One of the things I love about these photos is somehow my sister manages to take scenic shots, video, and self photos during every race...I would be losing my mind after the first few miles...photos would be the last thing I would be thinking of!

A few photos I got from her site...sorry they are small...

Brian and Beth at mile 19...I think they look great for having run 10 miles!

Between 19 miles and the finish...still looking good!

After the finish...look at those smiles!

Good job!!!

Proud Older Sister

I am not a runner, never have been, never will be, don't ever really want to be a runner. I will never willingly choose running as a form of exercise. Because of my strong feeling against running I truly admire those that run of their own free will and when they take it to the next level and run marathons.

My sister and her husband are two such people. They run for exercise, for fun, and to challenge themselves. They are running the San Francisco marathon in 4 days...this is their 3rd or 4th marathon I think. And, it does not stop with them, their three kids run in the kid races as well.

I love reading her blog documenting their challenges and triumphs from every training run, to every race.

I am so proud of both of them, but in particular of my sister...I know where she started and the hard work she has put in. I cry every time I see the photos from every race and read about the emotional journey she goes through each time because I am so proud of her and so in awe of them both.

My thoughts will be with them both this weekend I know they will both do an awesome job!

Words at the Right Time

Sometimes the words I need to hear come from the person I need to hear them from at just the right time.

Someone I love dearly and have tremendous respect for will email me every once in a while. It is usually about something important that will have an impact on my life and she always, always knows exactly what to say.

I treasure every single word of wisdom she shares with me.

You know who you are...I love you and Thank You!

Adoption Update

Mark and I have made a small change in our plans...we have decided to be open to a boy or a girl.

For those of you that have given us girl stuff as gifts, have made us blankets and/or clothing that are girl related, carved Sky's initials in concrete at their house, or have given us girl clothing...not to worry. We will have a girl at some point, we will save all the girl stuff for next time, and her name will be Shannon Kailey, so the initials in concrete will still work. :)

Mark and I have been talking about it for a while and after a good friend told me that to receive anything I have to be open to everything...the change was made.

So...Shannon Kailey or Carl Wesley...we will welcome one or the other into our family when they find their way to us.

Sarah's Key

I just finished reading Sarah's Key, by Tatiana De Rosnay and feel like it has changed me at my core. Any time a book impacts me like that I feel compelled to share it.

It is about a little known event that took place during the Holocaust. The Velodrome d'Hiver roundup took place the summer of 1942 in Paris. The French police rounded up thousands of French Jews for deportation to two different death camps. The majority of these Jews were children and very, very few of them survived.

I know reading about the Holocaust is not easy, but I strongly believe that it is important to not forget where we have been. To not forget the horrors, mistakes, changes, triumphs, and growth we have experienced as humans, individuals, couples, families, nations and the world. I don't believe in dwelling on the past, but rather not forgetting so that we don't keep making the same mistakes over and over, and so we can keep doing what works.

I would like to think that another Holocaust will never happen again, but sadly it does every day just with different names such as genocide and racism. I am not trying to take away anything from those that suffered during the Holocaust, but people are still suffering similar injustice because of their race or religious beliefs. Just because it may be on a smaller scale or a part of the world that is removed from our reality doesn't make it ok.

One of the things 9/11 taught me was that we as a country and individuals are only one attack or tragedy away from going down a very dangers path of hatred. Fear and the desire for retaliation or so called justice can lead people to think and do horrible things.

If you can't or won't read the book at least Google "Velodrome d'Hiver roundup" so we don't forget what atrocities humans are capable of committing against each other.

Football

About this time of year I really start missing football. So it was a nice pick me up to get a text last night telling me that my Dad and his wife scored the two extra free tickets to the 12/5 Hawks game. It helps to have connections...Thank you Dad and Val! :)

No I am not a Hawks fan, nor will I ever be one, but I love football and I won't turn down an opportunity to go to a live NFL game no matter who is playing.

Back to Normal...I Think

I will say yesterday was my first 100% back to normal day since getting kicked in the head. I did all my normal activities, including working out, and felt totally, 100% great! I have had good days here and there, but I also have not been doing all my normal activity either. Yesterday I decided to go for it!

Zero dizziness, zero head pain, zero trouble processing thoughts! I still have not gone back to Zumba...I plan on doing that Saturday morning. Wanted to give myself one more week before jumping around and shaking up my brain. :)

I'm just glad to be feeling better!

Hospital Pics

Finally here are photos from my head injury. There are not any of me laying on the field because Mark was taking care of me and not taking pictures. Although, I do remember seeing Bob with the camera, but I think I also yelled at him, so he must not have taken any. :)

Before the pain killers started working...also I was really hating the neck brace, and my arm was getting tired of holding the ice...the ice was given to me at the field and I had been holding it on there for a long time!

Getting stitches after 3 1/2 hours of waiting.

Close up of the stitches...you can see the dark line in my hair. Only three stitches...so much blood for such a little cut!

The paramedic that rode with me to the hospital. He was pretty nice, kept up the conversation to keep my mind off what was going on.

Probably the worst bad hair photo of me ever...can't believe these photos even made it on the blog!

Thankfully this weekend I had my first "I have felt normal all day" days. I feel pretty good today as well. The actual cut still really hurts if I touch it, and still bruised on my head, but other than that I'm doing great!

Train

We had a great weekend in E WA with my Aunt and Uncle! We have been wanting to see Train for years, and we finally had the opportunity this last weekend. They were playing the Maryhill Winery Amphitheater Saturday night. I love the winery for concerts. Max capacity is 4,000 (compared to the the 7,000 to 10,000 I'm used to for Aerosmith concerts), so the bathroom lines and concession lines were not that bad. Plus we had really great reserved seats...there is a photo below showing how close we were. It is not a great photo because we wrongly thought cameras were not allowed, so that is a shot from my cell phone.

Train is pretty mellow, therefor the crowd was pretty mellow as well which is a really nice change. Pat Monahan is one of the best front men ever! He is funny, totally gets into the music and dances like none of us are watching him, sounds just as good live as he does on CD, and he is cute! It was refreshing to go to a concert without the big screen and all the lights. They were just a band on a stage playing their hearts out and every song was amazing!

We will totally go see them again and I would go to concerts at the winery in a heart beat! The best outdoor venue I have ever been to!

Pat Monahan, lead singer, is int he red shirt under the train sign in the background, he is between the t and the r. Not sure this pic does a great job of showing how close we really were because we could see his facial expressions no problem.

Been a Long Week

This has been the longest week ever! On top of my head hurting and being dizzy on and off every day it has been really busy, and we are packing the office for our move to a new building next week.

I am so tired at the end of the day because it takes so much more effort than normal for me to focus on a task and it takes twice as long to get things done.

Not to worry though...it seems all my side effects are pretty normal for the injury I have, so I'm not too worried about it. Just frustrated that I don't feel totally back to normal yet.

Also frustrated that Mark found that alcohol is one of the biggest road blocks to concussion recovery. It slows the recover down and makes the side effects worse. Great...spending a weekend with my aunt and uncle who have great wine on hand at all times, and going to a concert at a winery...wine, wine everywhere but not a drop to drink for Jen. :(

New Shoes and other random thoughts...

Yes...another new pair of shoes! Can't wait to get them and figure out what outfit will be perfect to pair them with. Or, maybe I will have to go shopping for a new outfit! Even better! Good thing I am a total bargain shopper and never pay full price for anything!



Mark installed the window air conditioner in our bedroom and the living room last night...boy did we need it! The house was hot, hot, hot and I sleep so much better in a cool room!

I took Bishop for a nice long walk last night...at least I thought it was nice, I'm not sure he loved it so much. It was so hot and by the end he was dragging for sure. I was literally pulling him behind me and that never happens. I think I will have to move out walks to later in the evening...it is just too hot at 5pm for Bishop.

The good news is that was my first physical exertion since the concussion and I felt great. I know I still need to take it easy, as Mark found in some of his research yesterday, but it feels good to get in some activity! I hope to be back to a full exercise routine next week. I may not be back to Zumba, but at least hour walks every night!

Tonight Mark and I are seeing Eclipse with Bob and Michelle and we are going to the VIP Galaxy Theater in Gig Harbor. The best thing is the VIP theater is 21 and over, so no teenagers and we get beer!

Mark and I leave tomorrow night to spend the weekend with Candy and Paul and going to the Train concert...I can't wait to see Train! Mark and I have talked about seeing them for years and finally we get to go!

I am loving the sunny hot weather we are having. Finally it feels like summer is here!

4th of July

I do appreciate the 4th and what is stands for, but it may be me least favorite holiday of the year!

I am so sick of hearing fireworks go off around our house. It started 3 days before the 4th and was still going strong last night. I don't like the mess that fireworks leave, and some people don't feel the need to clean up after themselves, I don't like how upset Bishop is, I don't like it that my car window was busted last 4th of July, and I don't like laying in bed for hours waiting for the noise to stop so I can fall asleep.

The only good thing about the 4th, is the Beckham's 4th of July BBQ, and having an extra day off of work.

My Head

It has been an interesting few days.

I was feeling a lot better on Friday, and Mark and I decided to run a few errands. I realized that having sudden waves of dizziness wash over me while at the mall was really not good. I was totally overwhelmed by all the noise, colors and people. I couldn't move out of the way quick enough because I felt like I was going to fall over. I was so thankful to get back in the truck and head for home.

I'm tired of feeling good only to have a massive headache or wave of dizziness hit me and almost do me in. I know the Dr. said it could be a month of this, but it sure does start to get old. The hardest part is the fear...is this flash of pain going to be my "Brett Michaels" moment? Will I pass out because I'm so dizzy. I feel like I can go back to work on Tuesday, I am still moving slow, but for the most part feeling pretty good. But then I will get dizzy and it makes wonder if I should get back to normal.

I am a healthy person and have had very few surgeries or health issues to deal with. I'm not used to not being 100% and being confident in my body and my health. I don't like this one little bit!

New Spaghetti Recipe

Believe it or not I actually managed to cook dinner last night. Prior to getting kicked in the head I had done our grocery shopping for two weeks and really don't want the food to go to waist, plus there are some fun new recipes for me to try! So I had Mark get everything out of the lower cupboards for me so I don't have to bend down as that still makes me really dizzy. I had to go slow, and stop now and then to hold on to the counter so that the room would stop moving, but I got er done!

We eat a lot of pasta...it is one of the things that taste pretty good gluten free. So I'm always trying new pasta dishes. This one is really simple, but has great flavor.

Spaghetti with Zucchini, Walnuts, and Raisins

12 oz spaghetti
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 lbs small zucchini (4 to 5) cut into thin half-moons
3/4 cups raisins
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 oz)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute.

Add the zucchini and raisins to the skillet, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until the zucchini is just tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the zucchini mixture to the pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the Parmesan before serving.

Yummy! I was worried that there was no meat in it and thought Mark may not like it, but he did!