favorite thing friday

One day last week, my sister from Massachusetts called to ask me how cold is too cold to go skiing. She was calling on behalf of her son, who was scheduled to be at ski school later that afternoon.

Since I'm a huge skiing enthusiast, I didn't have a good answer because I've braved the cold to go skiing when it's been -15 degrees. (Minus 15 degrees. Below zero. Fahrenheit.) But when my sister told me that it was 10 degrees and my eight-year-old nephew didn't have a turtle fur for his neck and face, I suggested that she keep him home and make O'Henry bars instead.

Clearly she was on the same wave length, because at that very moment, the timer went off for a batch of chocolate chip cookies she was pulling out of the oven.

The turtle fur is essentially a tube of soft fleece that you pull over your head and wear like a turtleneck. What I love about them is that they can be pulled up high to cover your lower face and ears - or - you can push them down so that they just cover your neck.


Whenever we venture in to a climate where the thermostat drops below 30 degrees, I make sure that I have my turtle fur. And whenever I go downhill skiing, regardless of the temperature, I make sure that I have my turtle fur. Nothing beats a turtle fur when you are whipping down a slope in the late afternoon and the sun is on the other side of the mountain. And you pass a snow blower that shoots icicles all over your face.

We've owned our turtle furs for at least 15 years. I have since seen similar garments made by other companies and they all appear comparable. They come in both adult and children's sizes. Infact, the picture above is one that I just recently picked up for my eight-year-old nephew that I plan to drop in the mail tomorrow ... so that he never has to miss a skiing lesson again.

But while we are on the subject of cold necks and faces...

Here are pictures of the fuzzy-scarves that I've neglected almost everything else in my life so that I could knit over the past two days. The girls love them. And considering NO ONE HAS MADE A $1.00 DONATION for these scarves, it looks like they might be staying in the family.

Thankfully, I'm not easily discouraged.

My cousin, Margaret, on the other hand.

Sweet Clementine.

She called me yesterday in a panic.

I answered the phone to hear her gasping, "I cannot believe it. I cannot believe it. What am I doing? Am I out of my mind? How in the world am I supposed to raise $4,100.00 for this marathon? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IT?!"

"Hello? Hello? Margaret? Is that you??"

"YES IT'S ME. How am I supposed to do this?! I am sitting here eating raw cookie dough and Hershey Kisses and peanut butter. I AM IN TRAINING FOR A MARATHON AND YET I'VE GAINED EIGHT POUNDS IN TWO WEEKS. How is that POSSIBLE?! My heart is beating out of my chest and all I can do is EAT!!"

I calmly asked if she had sent out her fundraising letters yet and she exasperatedly said, "No. No, not yet. But, I did just send out an e-mail to NINETY EIGHT people and no one has responded to me. NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON! But oh thank GOD for your reader, Amy, that donated to me last week. GOD BLESS AMY!!"

I asked her when she sent out her e-mail and she said, "Ten minutes ago. I sent my e-mail TEN MINUTES ago and no one has replied!! Have you looked at my fundraising page? HAVE YOU LOOKED AT IT?? On yours and Charlie's, the fundraising ticker has already started to move. On mine it's still stuck at ZERO!!"

My attempt at stifling a laugh was unsuccessful. So I said, "Margaret. Listen. Take a deep breath. You need to give this some time. Most people don't sit in front of their computer all day hitting REFRESH on their e-mail account. I'm sure at least one person will respond to you."

As we were talking, someone did respond to her.

A woman from Margaret's Catholic church wrote her an e-mail to say that she would not be able to support this particular cause because The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society supports the use of embryonic stem cells in finding a cure for cancer. Soon after that e-mail rolled in, Margaret heard from other people within her homeschool co-op where they also stated that they would not be able to contribute to her cause for the same reason.

Margaret met with some of these people today, and apparently it was brought up that in her efforts to raise money for a cure to cancer, she may as well be promoting abortion and pregnancies that result in the birth of octuplets.

And here I thought that the reason people weren't contributing was because of the economy!

Suffice to say, Margaret went in to an absolute tailspin.

Ultimately, I told her that she needs to relax and not take everything so personally. Yes, it is difficult to put yourself out there when you are trying to do something for a good cause and yes, you do open yourself up to judgment and criticism.

After three years of public blogging, I guess I'm use to it.

But then I told her, "Imagine how I feel? Here I am making something with my own two hands that no one wants or is willing to bid on for a single dollar!! NOT EVEN MY MOTHER!! I think that perhaps I've overestimated my knitting abilities!!"

We laughed for a minute before I added, "It probably wasn't a good idea for me to post knitting instructions on my blog a few weeks before I tried to raffle off scarves. Anyone can make them now!! Maybe I should hold off on posting how you FINISH knitting until a much later date? OR, unless people donate to the cause?! My poor readers will have scarves that are 20 feet long and they'll be thinking, 'How the heck do I end this thing? Is she ever going to tell us?!'!!"

I actually think that considering we haven't sent out our fundraising letters yet, across the three of us, we've done remarkably well. As of today, we have raised over $1,500.00 in the past week. (There are a few checks that came in that will be added to the accounts). So for those of you who have donated, thank you a million times over. (Especially you, Amy. If not for you, Margaret would be curled up in a ball with empty tubes of cookie dough clutched in each hand.)

The question does still remain why Margaret needs to raise more money than Charlie and I, combined. And until the official answer is provided to us next week from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, we have a two-part theory.

First: the fundraising goals are set by each chapter. Since there is a higher participation in the San Diego chapter than in the Greenville (South Carolina) chapter, Margaret is required to raise more.

Second: the race is in San Diego. So for people living in this area, they do not need to cover air travel or have accommodations, provided. I'm fairly certain that is at least part of the reason Margaret's fundraising costs are higher than ours, but although a certain percentage does go toward travel, 75-80% of the money raised goes directly to research and patient care.

Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day ... and Margaret's 45th birthday is on the 16th ... if you are feeling any love for this cause, please drop your donation in to her fundraising account.

Please keep in mind that I make this suggestion only to help my cousin out and in no way to guilt people in to bidding for one of my meticulously hand knit scarves.

**Sob!**

where's waldo?

I have spent the past hour looking at this photo.

You can zoom in with amazing detail. I'd really love to get a lens like that for my camera.

Of particular note:

• The curvature of the earth comes in to play before you can see an end to the sea of people. And I think it is absolutely hilarious that someone actually wore a Waldo hat to this event. Can you see them?
  

• The secret service agents camped out on roof tops. I count at least 16. Although I can't tell if they are all secret service agents or crazies that are trying to get a good glimpse of the President.

• The little boy on his father's shoulders wearing a bright orange hat. You can actually see him before you even begin to zoom in. Since that hat would be visible from outer space, good choice Dad on outfit selection!! If I took my children to an event with that many people, I'd dress them entirely in that same exact color. And then, I'd strap a flashing beacon to their heads.

• Even within the nice seats where people were provided blue lap blankets, I definitely see more than one person who would have greatly benefited from one of my hand knit fuzzy scarves. And since I have continued to neglect this...

I have already completed one and am 1/2 way finished with the second.

wednesday weigh in

Charlie and I loaded the kids in to double strollers and we went running last Saturday. We left our house at 9:30 AM, just as the rain clouds started to roll in. We ran to REI where we browsed the winter clearance racks before running to Macy's.


And then we ran to a fabric store where I picked up some fuzzy yarn.


Then we popped in to Walmart to buy some diapers.

We were leaving Walmart when the kids started to complain that they were hungry. So we ran to Chic-fil-A and we let them out of the strollers to stretch while we scarfed down french fries and milk shakes salads.

Just as we started to make our way home, the heavens opened and it poured.

We were still several miles from our house and Charlie suggested that we run home, through the rain. The children would remain dry because we had rain covers for the strollers and they were bundled up warmly. But he and I would get drenched. My husband's eyes sparkled when he told me that it would be such fun to run home through the mud and rain.

But I was full. And tired. And my foot hurt. So I suggested that we cruise the aisles of Home Depot and look at bathroom fixtures until the storm passed.

Which we did.

All told, it took us four hours to run five miles. But there were a lot of hills. And mud puddles. And strong headwinds. And awesome sales. And we were pushing four children in strollers that were loaded down with bags from REI, the fabric store, Walmart and Home Depot.

Five days later, I'm still tired.

I haven't been running since Saturday because of the wrath of sickness that has struck our house in the past few days. But since I just got the clear from my doctor that my foot is only sprained, I plan to ice it, wrap it tightly, and reduce my running to walking until it heals.

Or, maybe I'll just lay on the couch and watch the first two weeks of American Idol that we've recorded and I haven't yet had a chance to watch?

I don't want to strain my foot any further, but I do plan to be back out there, this weekend. If it hurts to run, I'll walk. But I'm going to keep going. Even if I have to hide my roller skates somewhere along the course, I am going to finish that marathon.

I am also going to do whatever I can to help raise money for cancer research, which may or may not stop once we complete our marathon in May.

If there is one thing that my blogging experience has taught me, it's that there is heartache every where. Within the past month, I read two separate blogs written by women whose small children are battling cancer.

In late January, one family learned that one of their toddler triplets was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The very next week, another family lost one of their two-year-old twin girls to the exact same disease.

These are the stories that make me lose sleep.

But they are also the stories that inspire me.

Last night, Charlie and I were up putting the finishing touches on our fundraising letter that I plan to send out to everyone we know within the next few days. And since I've nearly finished Kim's baby blanket, I'm turning my attention to knitting a few fuzzy scarves for our fund raising campaign.

See, Look!

I took a break from writing this post to start knitting one of my fuzzy scarves. When finished, it will be a fashion masterpiece and not look like a cheap toupee.


As you can see, there are other things I could be doing. Like laundry.


Or, playing with the baby on my lap.


But over the next week, I'll be making scarves to help our fund raising campaign. For what it's worth, I saw a similar (albeit INFERIOR) scarf when we were out shopping running this past weekend and it was $90.00.

But for a $1.00 donation to any of our Team In Training websites (Margaret ... Charlie ... Me) you can enter a drawing to own one of the two hand knit fuzzy scarves I plan to make. They are warm. And fuzzy. And a beautiful compliment to any outfit.

Winners will be announced next Wednesday.

Now we know, first hand, that times are tough with this economy. But we must not let that hinder us from finding a cure to a disease that can and must be stopped.

Just ask Tuesday's mom.

****

Up until earlier today, I was in disbelief that I am attempting to take on a marathon. But when one of my running friends sent me a quote this morning by John Bingham, I realized that I'm already 95% of the way there.

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."

So how are you doing with your goals?

ties that bind (knitting part 5)

All four of our children have the stomach flu.

Charlie has the stomach flu. And in the past 48 hours, I've determined that the only thing worse than croup is croup with the stomach flu.

Currently, I am the only one standing and I am barely standing at that. Because several days ago, I twisted my ankle pretty badly when I ran outside to stop the kids who were trying to knock tomorrow out of each other with a broom. At the moment, I can hardly put any weight on my right foot.

This afternoon, I finally decided to go in for an x-ray. Since it was the end of the day and I needed to rush back home to my ailing family, I didn't stick around for the results. But I should know something tomorrow. And so help me if I broke my foot and am put in a cast because I was literally chasing after kids, I... I ...

I don't know what I'll do.

Laugh? Cry? Consume large quantities of chocolate?

Probably all of the above.

But earlier today, before the x-ray and during a reprieve from the vomit fest, when I was sitting on the couch buried under four children that all insisted I hold them, I was feeling particularly insightful and decided that in the off chance I had an opportunity to update my blog tonight, I wanted to jot down some thoughts from a church service we had attended two weeks ago.

Before I launch in to the message that I heard (and that I want to record for posterity because I know it's just a matter of time before the Target receipt that I had written these thoughts down on will be tossed in the trash and the very next day, when I'm ready to hobble away on crutches and never look back, I'll need to reflect on this wisdom), I feel it is important to add that Charlie and I are on a spiritual journey.

We don't know yet what it is that we believe.

But we attend a Christian church that we enjoy. And perhaps with time, we will discover that following will lead to believing. And believing will lead to obeying. Yet what we both appreciate about this particular church is that they don't try to pound us with the OBEY hammer.

Instead, they accept us in to their circle and encourage us to continue following, reaching, searching and exploring how to improve our own personal relationship with God. Never once have they called us "weak", or judged us for not being where they are in their walk with Christ.

It's a great church and the band is awesome. And if either of those two things weren't enough, they also have a gourmet coffee bar.

Anyway, the service two weeks ago was about improving relationships. Although this was geared towards the relationship that you have with your spouse, I took it to be the relationship(s) that I have with my spouse and my children. And instead of just forgetting about the service (as I often do), I have tried to completely absorb the message.

Love is a matter of choice.

Love is a matter of conduct.

Love is alive when it remembers, dying when it forgets and dead when it ignores.

Love is alive when it has time, dying when it is hurried and dead when it cannot wait.

Love is alive when it is giving, dying when it is exchanging and dead when it is taking.

Love is alive when it is secure, dying when it starts doubting and dead when it stops trusting.

Love is alive when it acts it's way in to feeling and dead when it feels it's way in to action.

One of the most profound things that our minister told us, and that I had never considered before, is that love is not about my happiness. So many people believe that if they are not happy in a relationship it is time to get out and move on. But when you base a relationship on your happiness, you base the relationship on yourself.

Relationships take work and too often they go from exciting to exhausted to expired.

The goal of any successful relationship should never be based solely on happiness. The goal of a successful relationship should be based on growth. If you can grow together and find common ground, you will have happiness. But you'll also have a whole lot of other things that ultimately, will contribute to making the relationship stronger and more beautiful.

The blanket that I am knitting for Kim is not one color or stitch-style alone. Instead, I am incorporating other colors and stitches, that will hopefully, give the finished product a warm and comfortable feel. And hopefully, it will be durable and last for many, many years.

Before I began this blanket, I had in mind what colors I wanted to use. But I didn't know what kind of pattern or design I wanted, until after I started knitting. And although I could have planned this out in advance, I'm not very good at following directions. Which is probably why the first and only sweater I ever attempted had two neck holes.

After knitting approximately 50 rows of white, I cut the white yarn at the end of the row, leaving approximately six-inches of white yarn...


... and I tied on some purple yarn.


Then, after knitting approximately eight rows of purple, I cut off the purple and tied on some white. After eight rows of white, I cut off the white and tied on some pink.


I am about half way through Kim's blanket. But once I finish it, I plan to weave the six-inch ends that I cut in to the knitted rows so that it appears that my alternating rows of color are seamless. And then, I plan to use my crochet hook to create a border around the entire blanket using the various colors that were knit. (But I'll get to that last part in a later post.)

It probably goes without saying that these past few days have been difficult. Almost everyone has been retching throughout the day and night and it hurts for me to walk, nonetheless sprint from one room to the next with buckets and pails. I am carrying children in my arms and on my back and just today, I changed my shirt no less than three times. But despite the chaos, I have found a lot of joy knowing that I am taking care of the most important thing in my life.

My family.

None of this sickness was planned. But it seems that those things that are unplanned often turn out a whole lot more beautiful than expected. As for the well orchestrated plans, often they don't quite come together and only after a large amount of time has been invested, do I realize that I've made a mistake and need to pull out 20 rows. Or more.

This week I have missed work. I have canceled calls. I have turned off our home telephone because the ringing would wake up people who were trying to sleep. And despite my husband's weak plea, I contacted his boss and told him that he shouldn't expect to see or hear from my husband for at least the next 48-hours.

The relationships that I have with both my husband and children are far from perfect. If someone were to look closely enough, they might see knots or frayed ends, or notice that every so often, I drop a stitch or two. But hopefully, my husband and children feel the warmth of my love that is very much alive, for each one of them.

Tonight I told all of this to my husband. I actually made the comparison of my love for our family to a blanket that I am knitting. I told him that I was so happy to see how far we have grown in our relationship. It is stronger and more beautiful, every day. And like the blanket that I am knitting, despite it's small imperfections, our family unit is strong and bright, warm and durable.

In response to my deep thoughts and knitting analogy, my husband told me that he loves me completely and he would love me even if I was just a head on a bed.

That's what he said.

A head. On a bed.

I suppose it's a good thing that Charlie would still love me if my body from the neck down were to suddenly vanish. But I really hope it never comes to that because that would undoubtedly put an end to my knitting.

*****

Now, here are some close up shots for the folks that are having a tough time seeing where exactly the needle is supposed to go to make a stitch...


You will stick your needle in to the bottom of that loop, as shown below.

The needle is pushed through to form a cross, with the right needle on the bottom...


Using your right hand, you will wrap your yarn up and over the right (bottom) needle...

You will then pull your right needle beneath the left needle, while the yarn that you just wrapped across stays on the right needle. Then, you will "push" that stitch on to your right needle. Repeat that process until all of your stitches from your left needle are transferred to the right. Then flip the needles so that your right needle becomes your left (full of yarn) and begin the stitching and transfer process to the right (empty) needle.

Is anyone following this? Or, should I take a break from the knitting tutorials and post directions for making O'Henry bars?

hell week

Thursday, croup in three of our four kids.


Friday, stomach flu in the fourth.

Saturday, coughing and crankiness all around.

Sunday morning, violent vomiting in one of our children that landed us in the doctor's office.

Sunday afternoon, violent vomiting begins with the second of our four.

Sunday late afternoon, crying and ear tugging and extreme clinginess begins with the baby.

Sunday evening, violent vomiting begins with the third of our four.

Sunday later evening, violent vomiting begins with the patriarch.

Sunday later, later evening, matriarch wonders why it is again that we live 8-hours from the nearest family member?

While I was holding a bowl a few minutes ago for my poor, sweet Elizabeth, I told her how proud I was of her. Not only did she run and make it to the toilet in time when the flu first struck, but she hasn't cried once during this whole ordeal.

In fact, she summoned the energy to congratulate her sister on also making it to the toilet on time and then, she stood up and gave her a high-five while saying, "Way to go, Gwacie! Good job!! You made it!!"

Unfortunately, my girls were unable to get off the couch in time for the next 10 vomiting episodes, but it amazes me that they are all handling this so well.

So while Elizabeth was laying in bed, with her beautiful dark hair across the white pillow, and an angelic face looking up at me with rosy cheeks and bright blue eyes, I told her that when I was a little girl, I would cry every time I threw up. When I told this to her, she softly placed one hand on my cheek and said, "Mom, I was with you. I was always with you. And tonight, if you are sick, I pwomise I'll be there and bunny will be there, and we'll hold a bowl for you."

I never would have imagined such sweetness could exist.

But God willing ... her act of kindness won't be necessary.

favorite thing friday

Instead of coming down with croup, it seems that our fourth child has the stomach flu. When he woke me up at 2:30 last night complaining that he wasn't feeling well, and them promptly vomited all over the floor, I immediately feared the whole house would succumb.

This morning he seemed chipper enough.

Until he ate breakfast.

Within minutes, he was sick again.

When it happened, Henry was sitting at the small children's table in the kitchen, playing with toys, and upon hearing the splash, toddled over to investigate. Elizabeth and Carolyn immediately mobilized to the scene when their brother broadcasted, "Sisters! Sisters! I FREW UP, EVWYWHARE!!"

Scrambling to grab towels and cover the mess before children began traipsing through it, I tried moving the wide-eyed onlookers in to the other room. Where it seems, the only thing that was slightly more interesting than a puddle of vomit, was the television.

I planted the kids in front of PBS and set about cleaning up the floor. And then, I noticed that one of the kids had soaked the entire area in front of the toilet and there were gobs of wet toilet paper everywhere. So, I cleaned the bathroom floor.

Then, I started to throw in a load of mess-cleaning-up towels in to the laundry and noticed that there was a completed load of laundry in the washing machine - and a wet load of laundry in the dryer - that had yet to be dried. And sitting on top of the washing machine were two baskets full of clothes ... which a call to my husband would reveal ... were clean.

He thinks...

For the next three hours, I folded and put away laundry, including two baskets of clothes that the "sniff" test revealed probably were clean. (Or definitely not dirty enough to require a possible second washing.) All told, I completed seven loads. While the laundry was going, and the kids were contentedly watching PBS, I dusted and vacuumed and cleaned up from breakfast and watered the plants. And I cleaned the bathroom floor TWO MORE TIMES because even though the children are sitting on the pot, one might think that they are standing and intentionally aiming for the seat, outer bowl, floor and wall.

Feeling terribly guilty that I had parked the kids in front of the television for the first half of the day, I turned it off - despite the cries - and fed everyone lunch. It was rainy and cold and with my entire squadron sick, I opted to stay inside and read everyone stories. Then, we worked on some home school activities and I had just set up the easel and paints when William was sick again.

SPLASH! all over the kitchen floor.

Instead of showing my young son compassion, I snapped, "Can you please at least ask for a bowl?! Are you not aware that I just finished mopping this floor?!" I bring him in to the bathroom to wash his face and on the floor is an outfit that one of the girls drenched, because they waited too long and then couldn't get it off in time to use the potty.

I'm in the midst of yelling things about living with ANIMALS and the zoo is probably cleaner, when I hear the baby crying. I run out to investigate and I see him laying on the floor in a heap.

Someone had pushed him down when he was getting too close to their painting. But not before he was able to wipe his hands through the wet red paint - which transferred to two little red hand prints upon our area rug, just outside the protective area of the drop cloth.

I took several deep breaths and set about cleaning up the wet paint and vomit before starting the eighth load of laundry. And then, I planted all four children in front of the television for the second half of the day so that I could update my blog.

Because I need this, right now. OK?

Spray bottles. I've written before that a spray bottle is a must-have in my diaper bag. But today when I was whipping out my spray bottle filled with water and bleach for the umpteenth time, I figured it might be necessary to highlight the reasons I love spray bottles so much.

The variety of spray bottle that I own are $0.99 at Target. I have several in my arsenal that I use for a host of different tasks. But because I do use them for a variety of purposes, I opted to buy several colors so I can keep them segregated.

The pink bottle is used to contain body oil, that I will spray on after a shower or bath (Neutrogena Sesame Seed Oil. It's my favorite). Spraying allows me to get to all those hard-to-reach places and I've discovered I use a fraction of the oil that I would if I poured it on.

The white bottle is filled with water and bleach, that I will use for clean up jobs around the house. Vomit on kitchen floors. Urine on walls. That type of thing.

I have a few blue bottles that I keep filled with tap water. At home, my blue bottle is primarily for spritzing plants. But when we are out and about, my blue spray bottle is like having a small sink in my possession.

I use it to remove gross contamination (i.e. dirt) from little hands.

I use it to clean out portable potty chairs.


I use it to clean off pacifiers, apples or peeled bananas that have fallen to the ground.

I use it to clean off small scrapes.

I use it to stem a temper tantrum in a child. Not because I spray the child with it (usually), but because giving a child a spray bottle to squirt, is a great distraction. Particularly if the tantrum is the result of a small scratch on their knee that in their mind, requires transport in an ambulance and immediate hospitalization.


When set to stream, I use it on the child in the far backseat of the van to keep them awake so that they will take a nap at home, instead of in their carseat, when we are five minutes from the house.

"I'm not sleeping, Mom! I was just ... just ... thinking."


Some days, today included, I am amazed at my stellar maternal skills.

croup

At 3 AM the terrible coughing began. I'd never heard anything like it and I was afraid my baby was going to choke and stop breathing. Later in the day, our pediatrician diagnosed croup in three of our four children. He suspects the fourth will come down with it before the weekend.

This is the first time we've ever had it.

And with any luck, it will be the last.

wednesday weigh in

It is a good thing that I love a challenge because yowzer.

We have a lot on our plates.

Between home life and work life and now, training for a marathon life, I'm in a state of mental paralysis at the moment, not quite sure where to begin. If you have written to me with fund raising ideas or just sent notes of support and I haven't responded, please don't take it personally. Rest assured, I'm reading each and every word while drool dribbles off my chin.

Kathleen, I wish that I was able to run without using music and instead use my time on the road as an opportunity to connect with my Higher Power. But this morning when I was out running, within five minutes the battery on my iPod died and I had a difficult time running down a hill without my ABBA. Hopefully, one day soon I'll be able to use my running time as an opportunity to reconnect with my soul. But right now, it's all I can do to not lay down on the road and look up at the sky. You truly give me hope that I'll get to that place, one day.

Anne Marie, t-shirts are an awesome idea. So are bracelets. And so are the various items that generous souls have offered up as "prizes" in a drawing. And so is advertising on my blog to bring in some additional money for our fundraiser, or offset iPod giveaways ... or stock my chocolate stash. I'll be responding to all of you once I have a game plan and/or the shock of what Charlie and I am embarking upon wears off.

The reality of what we are doing really hit me today when I drove home from my consultant's office and checking the odometer before I left their parking lot and again when I pulled in to our driveway, noticed that it was exactly 20 miles.

Twenty miles is a long way.

And twenty six point two miles?

IT'S EVEN LONGER.

Getting my body from point A to point B, a distance separated by 26.2 miles is one challenge.

Fund raising for me and Charlie and Margaret is a whole 'nuther challenge.

Last night I spent several hours contacting various companies that I had hoped would donate products for a raffle. This morning, I woke up and upon checking my e-mail, learned that it's against most companies corporate policies to accept unsolicited grant proposals or donation requests. Which, now that I think about it, I fully understand.

This may be a little more difficult than I expected.

But! I will not be deterred!!

I will find a way to raffle off a new BOB stroller.

And gift certificates to Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn Kids and REI.

And quite possibly ... a new laptop, or a weekend stay at a Marriott Resort.

Because when I dream, I dream BIG.

Of course, within the next few days I am going to send off letters to all of the people that I know and ask for a tax-deductible donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. And I'll send e-mails. And if there was a way to put bright flashing lights on the top left corner of my blog to showcase the "Go Deana GO!" with hyperlinks to all of our fund raising pages, I would.

But, I can't so I'll just direct you to the top left corner of my blog. You can't miss it. And I'll tell you that every single penny, peso, loonie, rouble, euro, yuan, yen and rand helps.

And, if I could send a dozen roses to Melissa Koch for being the first person to donate to our cause, before I even posted that our links were active, I would do that, too. But since I can't do that either, just know this: I love you Melissa Koch. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I will finish that marathon. I will, I will!

Charlie and I have alternated running every day this week.

Of course, my husband is also training for the swimming leg of a 1/2 Ironman triathlon in March, so in addition to running, he is in the pool three mornings a week by 6 AM. And while he is swimming, I am sleeping. Usually, I don't wake up until he comes home and stands over me saying, "What? You're STILL in bed?!"

Yes. Well, nursing is exhausting. And, Henry needs me. And this whole "excuse" for sleeping in is probably the number one reason I haven't weaned him, yet. Although it might be a toss up with my ability to eat a 1/4 gallon of ice cream at night and not go up a pant size.

Anyway. Point is, we're in training. And my blessed neighbor, Karen, has told me that Charlie and I can borrow her double jogger and that will make those times when we have to meet with our team and train together, a whole lot easier. Well, not really "easier" since Charlie will be pushing two kids in one of the double strollers and I'll be pushing the other two. But at least we won't have to worry about bringing in sitters first thing Saturday morning.

As it turns out, Karen's mom - like Deana - is also battling lymphoma.

So, beginning today, I'm starting the first of several raffles I hope to hold over the next few months. This is the first segment of "The Amazing Trips Raise As Much Money As They Can To Beat Cancer."

Although it has been my modus operandi to give away an iPod Product Red shuffle at the conclusion of one of these contests, I'm in fund raising mode, now. So in order to enter the drawing for a shuffle, you will need to make a $5.00 donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. For every $5.00 that is donated, your name will be entered in to the drawing.

Of course, if you make a tax-deductible donation of $20.00, I'll enter your name four times.

Or, if you donate $100.00, I'll enter you 20 times. (Of course you could buy two for that amount, but then you wouldn't be contributing to a good cause.)

But, if you want to win the Shuffle, you'll need to come back and leave me a comment on this post, that you are entering the drawing. (I'll move this post up to the top of my blog, under Go Deana GO!) In exactly three weeks, on February 25, I will plug all of the names in to an Excel spreadsheet and using a random integer generator, determine the winner.

You can click on any of the three hyperlinks below, or that are provided in the top left corner of the blog, to donate. And if you don't know who is who, here's a profile on the "athletes".

• There's my cousin, Margaret, who needs to raise $4,100.00. Margaret home schools her two boys and will be flying in from South Carolina to run this marathon.

• There's my husband, Charlie, who needs to raise $1,750.00. Charlie gets out of bed to go swimming while his wife sleeps in, he cooks gourmet meals, he can fix almost anything, and he looks hot in a wetsuit.

• And there's me, Jen, who also needs to raise $1,750.00. I love my children, my husband, good wine, chocolate, ice cream and sincerely hope that I don't get taken off the marathon course in an ambulance.

It's also not my modus operandi to ask that you spread the word about my contests far and wide, but if you can, I sure would appreciate it. Because I think I might have already given away an iPod shuffle to almost everyone who reads this blog and actually wanted one.

Not only would I be forever grateful, so would our little mascots.


So please, spread the word.


To Infinity and Beyond!!

***

My goal is to run a marathon in 16 weeks. Currently, I can run two miles without falling down. How are you doing with your goals?

taking the next step (knitting part 4)

Tonight, Charlie and I attended our very first Team-in-Training event, where we both took a big step and signed up to run the San Diego Rock-N-Roll Marathon on May 31.

The meeting was at 6 PM and because this was a rather last minute event for us and we don't have many sitters available that we can call on in a pinch, we opted to bring all of the children with us. For 45 minutes, we talked to a lot of people.

We signed a lot of forms.

We paid the $50.00 registration fee.

And we committed to raising $3,500.00 over the next 16 weeks.

(That doesn't include the $4,100.00 that I told my cousin, Margaret, we'd help her raise for participating in the same event.)

And moments before we left, we realized that Charlie, who had been distracted by children when he was completing his paperwork, inadvertently signed up to run a back-to-back marathon in Washington and Alaska. (Oops.) (That would have been another $5,500.00.) (Good catch by the dude with the long ponytail.)

Honestly, I'm in a bit of disbelief that I'm doing this, because just last weekend, a mere nine days ago, I told someone that I would never, ever be interested in running a marathon.

Never, ever. Infact, no where on my list of 100 things I want to accomplish before I leave this life, do I have "Run A Marathon!"

I mean, why?

Why would I carve precious hours out of my busy day to train for something like a marathon?

Why would I intentionally put myself through such a grueling event?

Why would I spend the better part of a day outside running when I could be doing something like ... oh, I don't know ... not running for the better part of a day?

I guess what it comes down to for us, is that we really want to do something to lift the spirits of our friend, Deana. We want her to know that with each step we take, we're thinking of her. And, we're going to do our best to raise awareness and funds for the research that will eventually lead to the cure of a disease that effects so many people.

With each step I take, I'll also be thinking of my 14-year old cousin, Raymond, who lost his battle with Leukemia more than 30 years ago. And my cousin, Andrea, who lost her battle with ovarian cancer more than 10 years ago. And my mother-in-law who lost her battle to an inoperable brain tumor. And my Aunt Carolyn and dear friend, Julie, both of whom lost their battles to breast cancer. And my sister and my Uncle - who like Deana - are currently battling various forms of cancer and determined to win.

So, me and Charlie, we're in.

Of course there are the logistical issues of what we'll do with the kids when we both have to meet with our team for the Saturday morning training sessions. And currently, we're planning to bring them with us - loaded up with cups of Cheerios - and securely strapped in to our BOB jogging strollers. I figure it will be good resistance training to push 70 pounds worth of children while we stagger along. Or, if we get really tired, we'll just sit in the strollers and have them push us. Because I know that they'd love to do that.

Let's see ... what else to discuss... oh yes.

Have you mastered the art of casting?

Great! Because here's the next step in knitting.

The number of stitches that you cast on to a needle will dictate the width of the item you are making. The needle gauge and bulk of the yarn I typically use for baby blankets, will yield looser and yet "fuller" creations, so I don't need to cast on as many stitches as I would if I were using smaller needles and a less bulky yarn.

For the baby blanket that I am knitting for Kim, I have cast on 100 stitches. This blanket, when finished, will be approximately 40-inches wide. When I have knit scarfs, I generally cast on 15 stitches, because anything more than that, will result in something that resembles a shawl.

(Which is totally cool if you want a shawl. But not so cool if you are trying to make a scarf. For a man. Who is your boss. That rides a Harley. In my defense, I was just learning. That scarf was one of my first creations and I wasn't sure what I was doing, so I made it almost two-feet wide and seven-feet long. He had to wrap it around his neck three times so it wouldn't drag on the ground.)

Shown on the needle below is a scarf that I started a few years ago and have yet to finish. Note, there are 15 stitches, or loops, on the needle. This scarf is approximately 7-inches wide.


For demonstration purposes only, I cast 15 stitches on to a needle with the same bulk yarn I am using for Kim's baby blanket. Count 'em. Fifteen stitches.


If you are just starting out, I highly recommend that you start small. Fifteen stitches are a great number to begin practicing with until you master the knitting technique and line tension. Fifteen stitches are how many I have shown, below. (I think I already said that.)

Now once the stitches are cast on to the needle, you will take your right needle and stick it in to the bottom of the first stitch, on the left needle.

(In case you were wondering: I don't bite my nails. But whenever I get caught in deep thought, I pick at them.)


Here's a different angle of the same needle position.

(From the look of my poor nails, I clearly have a lot of deep thoughts.)


In your right hand, you will take yarn from your ball o' yarn, up and over the right needle.

(I've been picking at my nails for as long as I can remember. At least since I stopped sucking my left thumb at 14 years of age.)


Using the index finger of your left hand, you will push the tip of your right needle beneath your left needle, while making sure that the yarn that is on top of your right needle, stays on the needle, while it comes up and over the left needle.

(I was put in braces when I was 11 years old. And when I was 13, I fell asleep in the Orthodontist's chair while waiting for my braces to be inspected. When I was gently awoken by my Orthodontist, my thumb had found it's way to my mouth and he said, "Oh - so now I understand why it is taking so long for your teeth to straighten!")


Then, using your left thumb, you will gently push the stitch off the left needle and on to the right needle. Now, you have one stitch on your right needle, and fourteen (14) remaining on your left.

(It's really no mystery why I was in braces for five years.)


Now, you will place your right needle in to the base of the second stitch on the left needle.

(These days my teeth are great. But my brittle and soft nails need work. With the exception of an occasional manicure or buff, I've all but given up on them.)


And pushing the right needle beneath the left needle, you will wrap your yarn up and over the right needle, again.

(For a very short while in my life, I had acrylic tips. Or silk tips. Or who knows what. But they drove me nuts. They made typing extremely difficult and they were terribly uncomfortable.)


Then, using your index finger on your left hand, you will push the tip of your right needle beneath your left needle, while making sure that the yarn that is on top of your right needle, stays on the needle, while it comes up and over the left needle.

(Although my fingernails are soft and peel easily, my toenails are quite strong and generally contribute to an overall pretty foot that I am proud to stand upon.)


Then, using your left thumb, you will gently push the stitch off the left needle and on to the right needle. Now, you have two stitches on your right needle, and thirteen (13) remaining on your left.

(Although, a few years ago when I was wearing sandals, I was stunned when a friend of mine pointed out that my toes were very hairy.)

You will continue to repeat this process of transferring stitches from one needle to the next, until all 15 stitches from your left needle are moved to your right needle. And then, you will flip your needle over so that your right needle is your left needle (full of stitches) and your right needle is devoid of any stitches. Keeping the tail from your yarn to the right, you will begin the process, again > moving all of your stitches to the right needle.

("HAIRY TOES?! Doesn't everyone have hairy toes?!" I exclaimed.)

Needle goes in.

(My friend slipped off her shoes and revealed perfectly hairless toes. When I asked her how it was that she had hairless feet when I had beastly feet, she told me that she shaved them.)


Yarn comes up and around.

(I'd never heard of someone shaving their feet before.)


Right needle gets pulled under left needle.

(But this was just one more of those well guarded secrets from the vault of beauty hood I'd never been privy to.)


Third stitch is gently pushed with thumb from left needle on to right. Now there are three stitches on the right and twelve on the left.

(I suppose shaving your feet is better than waxing your feet.)


Here is a video depiction.

Now I really need to know if this is clear to anyone.

(And how do you combat hairy feet when it's sandal season?)

next on the agenda

Friday afternoon, I look out the back door and can see that Carolyn has picked up a broom and is trying to strike her siblings with the handle, much like one would try to crack open a piñata, each time they swung past her on the swings. They would laugh and dodge her blows, but each swipe of the broom had such velocity, it would spin her in a circle and knock her down.

This is a fun new game that the kids have initiated.

But seeing as I am a responsible parent that doesn't want her husband to spend another afternoon in the emergency room with a flesh-wounded child, I dropped the pot that I was in the midst of filling with water and I ran out the back door yelling, "PUT DOWN THE BROOM!! PUT DOWN THE BROAAAARGHARHARGH!!!!"

Just before I could get the second "broom" out, my foot rolled under me and I couldn't recover what with the rapid acceleration and forward momentum. So, I plunged to my knees while it felt like a firecracker exploded in my ankle. Oddly enough, even though I was now in tremendous pain, my mind wasn't distracted from the children's mischief in the least bit.

Instead, it felt like the tinge of frustration I had seconds earlier, morphed in to a raging anger that overtook my entire body.

While the children stared at me with mouths gaping wide, I turned four shades of purple and roared. I actually roared. "RARRARRR!!!!" Then I stood up and hobbled after them as fast as I could while yelling, "GET BACK HERE!! YOU!! GET!! BACK!! HERE!!"

The kids scattered and ran faster than I've ever seen them run. And then they tried to hide. Thankfully, the sight of six little legs, sticking out from beneath William's bed had an immediate calming effect on me and I took pity on their four-year-old plight. Otherwise, I would undoubtedly be typing this from the confines of a cell.

A few minutes later my foot was tingly, but I could walk.

A few hours later, it was excruciatingly painful and I couldn't place any weight on it at all.

Despite the pain, yesterday, Charlie and I loaded up the kids and we drove to Long Beach to stay with my friend and running buddy, Lorie.

Lorie and I met in school in Northern California in 1991. The same school where I met Charlie, and Lorie met her husband, Mark. We all graduated from the same Geology program and when Lorie drove back to Massachusetts in 1994 for our wedding, and then invited me to be in her wedding in 2000, I knew that at a minimum, we'd exchange Christmas and Hanukkah cards for life.

In March of 2004, a few weeks after we rode our bikes together in the Los Angeles marathon, Lorie called to tell me that she was pregnant. Because she knew that Charlie and I had been trying for years to have a baby, she was very nervous about giving me her news. But before she could even get out the words that she was expecting, I blurted out that I was expecting. And suddenly, I had a good friend who was about to become a mother for the very first time, at the exact same time as me.

Our triplets were born the second week of October.

Lorie's daughter was born the first week of November.

This weekend, Mark and Lorie graciously made room for our brood in their house. And this morning, after less than two hours of sleep (because of a little "angel" we'll call Henry), Lorie and I ran the 5K race while our husbands stayed at home and cooked breakfast for the kids.

At around 2.75 miles, I had to stop and take my shoes off because my feet had fallen completely asleep and I was afraid I was going to do a face-plant on the asphalt. But I finished the race. Fortunately, my sprained ankle never did hurt. Probably because I couldn't feel anything from my knees down.

I'll definitely need to find out why my feet continue to fall asleep whenever I run. Because after some soul searching the past few days, I've decided that if Charlie can complete a marathon, so can I.

The only thing that is stopping me, is my mind.

(And a possible circulatory disorder. And diminished lung capacity. And weak legs.)

Together, the two of us are planning to join the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training to prepare for the Rock-n-Roll Marathon on May 31. We'll be raising money for research in honor of our friend, Deana.

Any one that I've spoken to within the past 48 hours, I've asked to join us in this event.

Thus far, adding to our little team, is my cousin Margaret, who will be flying in from South Carolina and expects Deana to get well so she can be out there handing us water.

Also adding to our team is my friend Lorie, who is still on the fence about her ability to complete such an event, but I know she can do it. All of us agree that running a marathon is a walk in the park compared to what Deana, and millions of others that battle cancer, are facing.

In all honesty, for me, this marathon really might be a walk in the park. Albeit a long walk. There are no guarantees that I'll run the whole way. But I'll do my best and hopefully, I'll be off the course before they close it. From what I understand, we'll have seven hours.

(And just under four months to get ready.)

The men in white coats should be coming to take me away any moment now.