The Great Eruption of 2016

This week for us was… well an experience, that’s for sure! 

Monday in the middle of the night Tennessee started throwing up. It was the saddest thing because he had no clue what was happening and I couldn’t explain it to him. Every time, he would want to nurse and then would get sick again 15-30 minutes later.  This went on for pretty much all of Tuesday. He would fall asleep for a couple hours here and there, but was even getting sick in his sleep. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I’ve never had one of my kids get this sick this young, (but neither of the girls liked to lick the sidewalk either, so…). 

By Wednesday when things were not getting better I packed up a bucket, a tarp and took Tennessee to the doctor. They drew blood (super traumatic for him because he was so dehydrated) and said that the blood test showed that he was… dehydrated (mmmm… pretty sure the fact that it took the girl 15 minutes, 3 pokes, and 2 helpers to get some blood could have clued them in on that without actually running the test, but whatever). Then they sent us up to Primary Children’s to get fluids and anti-nausea meds.  That worked fine, and within a few hours they said we could go home.  He seemed back to his normal self (wanting to wheel the doctor’s chair around the room laughing and asking when we could go back to “momma’s car”).

Thursday was a slight decline for Tenn and a huge one for me. I got the bug late Wednesday night and all I could think about was how sad I felt that Tennessee had been feeling that awful. (It was really, REALLY awful).  He was a little feeling better, but was a good boy and spent much of the day napping with me and he was holding in enough fluids that I knew he wasn’t getting too dehydrated again. He just wasn’t super comfortable. The girls were really helpful when they got home from school and Jared took over when he got home from work. Thank goodness.

By Friday afternoon I was feeling okay and Tennessee had gone 24 hours without any puking. Since we were running low on supplies, I decided to venture out to the grocery store. Let’s just say that that story ends with a messy baby, no groceries and me thinking that I’m not going back to that grocery store any time soon.  Yuck!

Friday night Naiya and Jared got sick.  I’m not sure how else to put it other than that it has been a battle zone here.  Tenn still isn’t keeping things down and I feel like I’ve been running back and forth getting/helping/cleaning something for someone constantly. At the moment all is quiet (except for the sound of the washing machine… that has been a constant during this ordeal). Fingers crossed that everyone is feeling better in the morning and that Eva remains super-humanly immune to whatever this is! 

Other than “The Great Eruption of 2016,” the girls had their choir concert on Wednesday (I missed it), Eva had her voice recital on Friday (Jared missed that). Everything  was lovely and the girls did great. Thank goodness for video cameras to help capture those special moments. 

Eva’s soccer game got rained out this morning and Naiya had to miss her game today. She was super sad because it was the last game of the season, but what can you do?

This week I have reflected on how grateful I am to live in the time and place that we live. I kept thinking about how when we were babies, my mom had to wash everything by hand and line dry it. I am spoiled with a washer and dryer plus a dishwasher and loads of bleach. (I am all about the natural cleaners, but when there is puke involved, I’m not taking any chances.) I am so happy to have a flexible schedule that I could cancel my tutoring and postpone my school meetings and course work.  I am grateful for good doctors that take care of our babies, for thoughtful brother that send edible fruit bouquets to brighten your day, and for amazing friends that drop of groceries on your porch just when you need them the most. Mostly I am grateful that at this very moment it has been 6 hours since I have had to clean any of these messes because that means we are moving in a good direction.  

Next week is full of field trips, Naiya’s 5^th grade party, Eva’s University of Learning graduation, and a 4 day weekend (WAHOO!). Please pray that everyone is recovered and able to participate in all the fun activities. 

Wishing you a happy (and healthy) week!

 xoxo

Lucie et al

Family Update: May15

I have to start this out with a shout out to my mom and dad. My mom set a goal to run 3 marathons in the span of the year surrounding her 60th birthday (this November). The first was this past Sunday in Prague. My mom and dad ran together and they nailed it. I wish I could have been there to cheer them on. What a great place to run and what an awesome example my parents are to me & my kids. In November, my mom will run the New York marathon and next spring she will run the Paris.  Maybe I need to start saving up to do something for my 40th... I feel inspired.

This week for me has been more Junior Achievement, webinars for school, car services plus lots & lots of schlepping all over the valley. Seriously moms of more than 3 kids HOW DO YOU DO IT?! I am thankful for wonderful friends and family for helping me this last week. I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and its name is summer.  I cannot wait.

Tennessee’s best day ever was Thursday.  This was the day my car needed an oil change and a recalled part replaced. It was a 3 hour job so we had quite a while to wander around. First we sat in every car in the showroom and practiced our pretend driving skills. Watching him run from car to car asking “Now dis car?” was worth the dirty looks from the salesman. 😉  When “test driving” got tiresome, we moved on to horses.  (Yes, actual horses.)  We walked from the dealership over to the other sides of I-15 where the Cavalia show is going on. They had a holding area out back where the beautiful horses were just hanging out. It was fun to see them and now I really want to see the show.  I’ll have to look into it.  Horses did not hold Tennessee’s attention too long, but fortunately there is some construction going on in the South Towne parking area.  We spent a huge chunk of time watching the work trucks do their thing.  Tennessee was in heaven. (It could only have been better if they had let him sit in the trucks.) I can’t think of anything that Tennessee would have rather done that day. He sure was fun to watch.

Naiya had 2 games this week.  The first was against the number one team. They ended with a 5-3 loss, but they worked their tails off and did an amazing job.  Her second game was on Saturday. This was a blow out 6-0 win.  Their first shut-out. Naiya tried out playing forward and scored a goal.  So fun!!

Eva had a game on Saturday as well.  This was a real nail biter. Naiya even expressed how she felt like she was going to fall out of her seat because she was so on edge.  The score kept going back and forth and ended with a 3-2 loss when the other team scored seconds before the whistle. It might be funny to say with a loss, but this was one of my favorite games that I’ve watched.  Definitely not slow-paced.

Saturday was also the youth talent show that Eva has been planning at the senior center. Let’s just say things did not run as smoothly as we’d hoped. Between technical difficulties and flakey people, it was a rough one.  Poor Eva tried to sing a solo, but we couldn’t get the CD to play. I had the lap top as a back up, but the speakers weren’t working, so I tried holding the actual lap top up to the microphone as she sang. She got a little flustered after the first verse and wanted to stop. She was pretty upset. I had to take the reigns and had the other acts go. In the end, Naiya was going to sing the duet they had planned as a solo, but as I was introducing her, Eva gathered all of her courage and decided to give it a try. They did marvelous. The show was much shorter than we had planned (because of no-shows and because Eva had originally planned to sing 3 different songs), but we just spent extra time sharing refreshments and chatting with the seniors. I honestly could not be more proud of Eva for dusting herself off and trying again. I am also proud of Naiya for being flexible and willing to sing along (although she really, really didn't want to sing a solo). I am glad that in the end she didn't need to sing alone, and I am just so happy it ended on a good note.

Jared has continued to work his tail off, and it has been getting nice and toasty. I am not sure why I am surprised by this every spring, but the heat sneaks up on me. It seems to take a little while to adjust when the temperatures start climbing. Lucky for us our awesome Jared mustered up just enough energy after work to start up the swamp cooler this weekend, so we should be okay from here on out. Thank goodness!

The other big family news for the week is that we doubled our fish population from 2 to 4 and upgraded their little bowl to a 5 gallon tank. The kids are all enamored by it and sit and stare at the fish for hours (okay maybe not hours) at a time. The fish seem much happier too… if fish can seem happy.

Okay… I think that is all.  I am happy to be moving into a new week and looking forward to some musical concerts this week. Fingers crossed that things are more smooth for all involved this go around.
XOXO
Lucie et al

Family Update: May 8

Hello again! We have had a good and rainy week.  I honestly like this weather especially when it is warm-ish and spaced out enough to get outside and enjoy the “just rained” smell. Love it!

Tennessee has been sick this week, but that hasn’t seemed to slow us down us too much… except for Tuesday. That was a grouchy-baby-stay-in-jammies-and-read/snuggle (and of course spend a significant amount of time sitting in the car pretending to drive) kind of day. 

Monday and Wednesday I got to teach Junior Achievement in Eva’s class. The class is very well behaved and the lessons have been going well.  I got to come again on Thursday because Eva’s class had their Rendezvous. This is where the students come up with a product that they can make and “sell.”  They come up with a name, apply (and “pay” for) a business license. Then make their product and find a way to advertise.  Thursday was the sale where parents and the 3^rd graders are invited to come and buy from the kids.  Then the kids pay taxes on their “income.” Eva and a couple friends made piggy banks out of water bottles. They turned out so cute, and they only needed a tiny bit a help using the glue gun.  The sold out pretty quickly. It is a really cool activity and just one of the many reasons I love their school.

Naiya had a game on Wednesday. They played awesome and had their second win in a row. She had a fun time, and, of course, it was fun to watch.  She really loves soccer and would like to keep playing comp next year. 

Friday I got to meet up with the mom's on the Chamberlain side for lunch.  I arrived in my usual fashion (late) and had to skip out a little early to get the girls, but lunch was delicious and the company could not be beat. I love having so much of the family close enough to get to have get-togethers like this.  After lunch my secret wish that soccer practices would be cancelled came true. Thunder and lightning kept the girls inside.  I would feel guilty, but I think we all needed a little break from shuttling around town. Plus, the girls had a friend over so we played games and did crafts instead. 

Yesterday, Naiya went to the State Reflections award ceremony.  She got an Award of Excellence in state and received a lovely plaque. This means her story went on to National.  Although she did not win at that level, we could not possibly be more proud.  What an accomplishment!
Eva had a wonderful almost half-a-game of soccer yesterday. She scored her first goal of the season (she usually plays defense) and was really excited.  The team was up 5-1 just before the half when the lightning came in and they had to call the game. 

Today is Mother’s Day, and I am enjoying a slow, rainy day with Jared and the kids. Eva made me a personalized book mark with her photo on it, and Naiya made a book of all the reasons that she loves and appreciates me. They are both such tender keepsakes and I love them! Tennessee gave me a gift last night when he stayed asleep while I worked on the final of my Instructional Design class (I got an A!!). Later this evening, we will catch a showing of the Jungle Book with my brother and his wife. We rarely go to the theater, so this is a treat! I am so lucky to have all 4 of them to make me a momma. It truly is the best job in the world.

I hope you all have had a fabulous week and are enjoying this Mother’s Day.
xoxo
Lucie et al

Family Update: May 1

I've started sending e-mail updates to out of town family and decided to do double duty by cutting and pasting onto the blog.  You're welcome. ;)

The kids and I have been going to the senior center near our house on game night to Wii Bowl with the seniors on Wednesday nights. It started as part of a service project for Eva’s class (to earn her 4^th grade “doctorate” degree), but we have enjoyed it and kept on going. Most of the residents just come to watch, but a few will play. It is funny to see the feisty little ladies trying to get a strike. I hope I am that fun and energetic when I am retired.  The girls like to play and Tennessee loves to clap for everyone. Both the women and the men love to see Tennessee. Eva is organizing a youth talent show later this month for the seniors with some friends and classmates (and any cousins that are interested!!). It should be a good time although she is now realizing that she has to speak and sing in front of a bunch of people, and that makes her nervous. I am sure she will do great!

She just finished earning her “doctorate degree” by doing service projects. Her project was called “Spreading Smiles to Seniors,” as well as going to the senior center, she worked in a senior neighbor’s yard and she also baked lemon bars and delivered them to seniors in the neighborhood. I love that the 4^th grade at their school encourages them to go above and beyond.  They let the kids earn Technical, Associates, Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees based on projects that they do outside of class. It is not required, but Eva was really motivated and got through all 5 degrees. They will have a mini-graduation ceremony on at the end of the month, and she gets (has?) to speak. I am proud of all of her hard work and am looking forward to the ceremony.  

Eva also has a voice recital this month.  She has really loved the lessons. I know she will want to continue next year as well.  I like the teacher, and, although it has been quite the schlep back and forth each week, I think we will stick with her.  She is reasonably priced, knowledgeable and kind.  It has been a perfect fit for Eva.

Naiya is getting ready to start middle school next year.  I really don’t like that this district has middle school starting in 6^th grade, but I know if anyone can handle it, Naiya can.  She was invited to test for honors math. The results will be back in a couple weeks.  If she is accepted, I will have to shuttle her back and forth  because they do not offer it at her school.  I’m not sure how that will work with my student teaching next year, but I know we will figure it out if we need to.  She also got into honors English, but they do offer that at her school (thank goodness!) so that is all set.

She has a Reflections ceremony this weekend where she will be honored as one of the Utah state winners for a piece she entered into the literature category.  We are amazed and proud that she made it all the way to state.  She has really blossomed with her creative writing the last year or two. She loves to write poems and reading them to the family. Half the time, I can’t believe that she wrote them herself. I’m happy that she finds joy in it.

Naiya is looking forward to the last month of school because they do different tournaments for things like kickball with the whole grade.  She loves being out, running around and getting dirty.  I laugh at the fact that her clothes rarely last long enough to get passed down to Eva and keep telling myself I need to become more practiced and skilled at sewing so that we can make them last longer. Maybe I’ll sign up for a community class or something.

Both girls will have a choir concert at the school this month as well. I am glad that Naiya decided (with some persuading) to join choir for the spring.  She was hesitant because she didn’t want to get up early (even though she is usually up), but she told me the other day that she really loves it and is happy that she is doing it after all.  They are constantly singing the songs that they learn and I get at least one backseat concert each day as we shuttle to and from practices and lessons. I love to hear them sing, and Tennessee has started trying to sing along.  It’s the best!

This week both girls had soccer games.  Naiya’s team had an intense game that ended in a 5-3 win for them. It was fun to watch.  Eva’s team had a loss, but Eva, herself, played one of the best games I’ve seen her play. We are in the midst of deciding where we will go from here with soccer.  There are some changes to the teams for next fall.  We’ll see how things shake out.

Tennessee had his 18 month check up this week.  18 months?! He is still just as active as ever and is talking more and more each day.  He is obsessed with cars and things with wheels.  In fact he recognized people by their car and can pick my car out in the parking lot at the grocery store.  It’s funny to see him say “daddy kuck (truck),” Neema car,” Papa car,” “Mommy car, “ and so on.  We make at least 3 visits each day just to sit in my parked car so that he can pretend to drive and push all of the buttons.  He always has to say bye to the car when we get out and often wants to say goodnight to it before bed.  My favorite things that he says right now is how urgently he says “peeese” when he wants something and when he says “bye, see ya later” to people (and cars) when we are leaving. He loves to make us laugh and always pauses to see our reaction when he does something silly before repeating it again and again for a laugh. I love this stage! (I love all the stages!!)

Jared is working like a horse trying to get his season up and running.  He is still hoping for a positive career change in the next couple of years. Landscaping is wearing.  Hopefully when I am finished with school and back at work, he will have an opportunity to move toward something that he will enjoy long-term. I totally think he should look into being a flight attendant. He is so personable and great at customer service that would excel at it, and we could get deals to travel as a family as well.

Win-win! We’ll see where the future goes with that. For now we are lucky that he is willing to work as hard as he does each day.  He has to miss out on a lot of the fun things, but tries hard to be there for games and special events whenever possible.  I’m hoping for a smooth season for him so that he doesn’t have to stress.

I’m plugging away at my school work.  Motivation is lacking as the weather gets better and better. The mountains are calling, and Tennessee (and his mommy) would much rather be outside.  Hopefully I can keep just enough motivation through the summer to finish what I need to finish before September. Other than that, this week I get to start teaching Junior Achievement in the girls classrooms. I love helping at the school in this way.  I miss interacting with classes of kids.  It is also a different way to get to know more of the kids.

Really I am most looking forward to summer!  We will have a little break from school and soccer and have more time to guide our own mini-adventures. I like having my family to myself a little more. It is the most wonderful time of the year!!

Inside the Rock and Back Out Again

After a late night of packing, we left early Friday morning to make the 7 hour drive to Chinle, AZ. Tennessee was feeling unsettled and uncharacteristically cried on and off for the first 30-45 minutes.  Luckily he settled in and was fine the rest of the drive. With one longer stop in Moab and a couple other quick stops along the way, we pulled into Chinle around 2:00.  Just enough time for a dip in the pool before it was time to pick up my number.


As I met the race director, Shaun Martin, I introduced him to Eva. His face instantly lit up as he told her how amazed he was at her generosity and kindness. As a token of his appreciation, he retrieved one of the hand-beaded turquoise necklaces and gently placed it around her neck. She looked on with wide eyes as he told her of the Navajo tradition of breathing something in when you receive a gift that you love. He told her to hold it up to her mouth and nose and breathe it in 4 times so that it would become a part of her. We both thought that was pretty cool. Eva was very cute in her proud shyness. Shaun told Eva that he wanted her to present the money to the kids and their coach at the post-race ceremony the next day.
I have not been to many pre-race meetings, but I'm pretty sure this one was unique.  The meeting consisted of about 10 minutes of race instructions and approximately 2 hours of stories, songs and cultural/historical information.  Everything was amazing and it was very clear that the whole event was not only a family, but a community affair. I could have stayed near the fire all night listening to their stories... but we had a race to prepare for!

Back at the hotel room, we got the kids ready and in bed. I went though my pack and drop-bag to make sure I had everything I needed set out for the morning.  It was a bit of a rough night. Tennessee seemed to wake up every 15-30 minutes. Naiya woke up in the middle of the night needing help as well. On top of that I kept checking my watch thinking I was going to miss the alarms I'd set.  Certainly not the most restful pre-race sleep, but I was extra grateful we weren't camping!

By 5:00 I was up for good.  I quietly got ready to let the kids sleep as long as possible. At 6:20 I kissed them all and tiptoed out of the room.  You could feel the energy as soon as you stepped out of the hotel.  Runners and their families were whispering excitedly as they made their way to the starting line in the lot next door to the hotel room. The fire was already going and there was blue corn mush being served. I checked in, and found my friends around the fire. Soon it was time for the prayer and the blessing. For the prayer we all turned to face the rising sun as Shaun's father-in-law chanted in Navajo for about 15 minutes. It was a really neat feeling to be greeting the day and to know that we would be running toward the sun pretty soon. After the prayer, Shaun's dad got out these beautiful eagle feathers and he blessed the runners. Originally he'd wanted to offer us individual blessings if we wanted them, but the clock was ticking so he had one man and one women step up and blessed them as representatives of all the runners and then he walked around and blessed the crowd as well. He reminded us to thank the Mother Earth as we ran and to talk to the earth, the plants and the animals. He also spoke about being in balance (good/bad, highs/lows). It was the perfect pre-run pep talk. Now it was time to run.

We'd been told, as is the traditional Navajo way, that we should yell whenever we feel moved to do so while we are running. As we started on our way, the crowd of runners and spectators let off a series of excited yells toward the canyon.

I started the race with a couple friends from Salt Lake, Kim and Amy. The first 3 (and last 3) miles of the run are in soft, deep sand. Not the easiest thing to run in, and I certainly hadn't trained for it, but the conversation and the amazing surroundings kept me distracted enough that it was pretty smooth sailing. The three of us kept trekking along well into the morning.

By Mile 12, I was on my own. The perfect time to have a moment to meditate to my steps before the scramble to the turn around point.  Miles 15 to 17 were a steep climb out of the canyon to the turn-around aid station. As I was climbing I ran into Kim's aunt, Sandy. Sandy and I finished the climb together.  It was a quick stop at the aid station. I knew I was getting a blister from the water crossings, but I didn't think it would do much good to change my socks just to get them wet again. I left the aid station with Sandy as Kim and Amy were running in.
The descend was kind of tricky as runners were continuing to come up and the heavy rains earlier in the week had washed out the trail quite a bit. Still, I was amazed at how strong I felt considering that I had already surpassed my longest training run. As I was lowering myself down the steep trail, I kept thinking about how few humans (in the whole scheme of things) had touched the rocks that we were now touching and stepped on the land that we were standing on. It was amazing to think about. I really felt that sense of awe for most of the run.
Sandy and I got down and continued on the trail together for about a mile until she told me that she was going to walk for a bit and that I should go ahead. We were near mile 20 at this point and I still felt good, but I didn't know how long that would last, so I continued on by myself again. 
The 3 miles to the next aid station went pretty quickly and I was in and out of there and on my way. A mile or two out of the aid station I ran into a woman who was walking (not a racer). She was pointing to the holes in the canyon wall. I stopped to talk to her for a little bit and realized that she was a little disoriented. She had come down the trail from the overlook where visitors were allowed and had somehow wandered further into the canyon where you should only go with a guide. She mentioned that her sister was behind her (but I hadn't seen her) and she told me that she felt kind of dizzy. I filled up her water bottle with the water from my pack and pulled out some of my food so that she could have something to eat. Then I told her to continue on the trail she was on and that I would tell the next aid station to send someone for her.
Another mile or two up the road was another woman. Figuring that this must be the sister, I stopped and talked to her. She was indeed the sister and as we considered what to do, a jeep pulled up apparently looking for the two women. (Perhaps another runner already notified the workers that they needed help.) Comforted that they would be okay, I continued on my way.
By this point, my knees were a little achy and I was walking the up-hills (even the small ones). I was tired, but still felt amazingly good. Every time I needed a little pick-me-up I saw a little lizard run across the path, a butterfly seeming to urge me along or a beautiful wild horse watching me run from a distance. As much as I like to have company when I run, I was so glad to have this portion of the course to myself.
At the next, and final, aid station, I ran into Kim's husband Jon. He was feeling it and decided to power walk. I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to conserve a little for the last 3 miles in the deep sand... and at mile 29, I was starting to feel it as well, so I walked and chatted with Jon for about 10 minutes.
After that, I was ready to finish as strong as possible and I continued on my way. Soon there was soft sand sinking beneath my feet again. I met up with a man from Los Almos and a woman from North Carolina. We had another perfectly distracting conversation about random things (like geophysics and hip surgery)  as we walked & ran (mostly walked) through the sand up to the last 1/2 mile.
As you round the corner at this point in the run, you could see the finish line, and I knew I had it in me to run through the sand to the end. So The guy from Los Almos and I gave it all we had.

I finished strong and was so happy to see my dad and the kids waiting at the finish as I crossed at 8 hours and 17 minutes. I breathed in the turquoise finisher's necklace four times with a smile on my face. 

I have to say I still felt amazingly good. I was sore and tired, but I realized that even though I was a toasty day, I had never felt really hot. (I was sweaty, mind you, I just didn't feel like I was over heating at any point in the run.) I truly felt like I could have pushed a little harder or gone a little further. It was crazy to feel that way after completing 34 miles. 
After the race, we ate. We talked.  I nursed the baby.  Eva delivered her donation to a speechless youth athletics coach.  It was perfect. 

I really don't think I could have asked for a more amazing first ultra experience. I had been advised that at some point in the race, I may not be enjoying it at all but to keep pushing through because it would get better.  I have to say that I never felt that way. I enjoyed every one of the 34 miles. I enjoyed the scenery, the animals the other runners and even the few aches and pains. The whole thing couldn't have been better.

I am so grateful for my girls for being flexible and helpful to my dad as he watched them and Tennessee for me while I ran. I am also grateful that Tennessee was in good spirits all day and that he waited to poop until I finished running. :)  I am mostly grateful for my dad for being the kind, generous and supportive man that he always is. Not only did he drive us down there and back, treat us to all our meals, the hotel room, and gas, but he also kept the kids happy all day, took amazing care of me before and after the race, and even picked up souvenirs for everyone.  I am so, so glad that he was there to share this experience with me. I hope that I get to share many more memories like this with him in years to come. I don't know whether or not those memories will involve ultra marathons. I've been warned that they all won't be this great, but that they are addicting never-the-less. Guess only time will tell... (I may or may not have already started scoping out some future runs.)

Heading Inside the Rock

As I mentioned in a previous post, 8 months ago I signed up to run the Canyon De Chelly ultramarathon. Tennessee was 3 1/2 months old at the time, and (in my sleep-deprived haze) I felt confident that, over the course of 8 months, I would be able to find the time and energy to train for a 55K (34 mile) trail run through this sacred Navajo canyon:

Flash forward 8 months. I can honestly say that I did not over-train for the run. Almost every single mile of training included Tennessee. My running was all on the road (pushing the stroller) and my trail training consisted of hiking with Tennessee in the front-pack. If I'm totally honest, my longest non-stop run was about 14.5 miles. Now I had the baby in the stroller, mind you, but that isn't going to make up for the 10-15 more miles that my longest run should have been (or the 22, 20, 18, 16+ mile runs that I should have done either). My longest hike was around 10 miles... also quite short of the training goals. There were weeks that I ran 5 days. There were weeks when I ran 0. My training plan was pretty much "go out and run whenever you feel like it for as long as you can." Apparently my new motto in life is to "just wing it" especially when there are things that I most certainly should not consider winging.
As this weekend has drawn closer, you can probably guess that I have had moments of doubt. I've wondered what I was doing, if I could finish, if the trip to Arizona would be a huge waste of time... if it all was going to be a gigantic embarrassment. I considered dropping out, but I knew it was going to be an awesome experience. This is the 3rd annual Canyon De Chelly Ultramarathon. They were only allowing about 175 runners this year (There were 100 the first year and about 150 the second.), and this is the one opportunity each year where people are allowed into the canyon without a Navajo guide and a permit. The canyon is considered sacred. They start the day with a prayer to welcome the sun given, followed by a blessing on the runners. After the run there is a traditional feast of stew and fry bread for everyone to share. Finishers of this race do not receive a medal. They get a turquoise necklace that is hand-beaded by the race directors mother-in-law. The aid stations are run by the junior high and high school cross country teams. The over-all and age-group prizes are all unique hand made items like blankets, bracelets, figurines and baskets. I knew this was a once in a lifetime kind of experience and I really didn't want to miss it.
To top it all off, my sweet Eva had decided to do a fundraiser for the Navajo youth instead of a birthday party and she was looking forward to delivering the $450+ that she had raised to the kids when we went down. So, despite my lack of proper training, despite my fear of embarrassing myself, despite the time and money involved for travel and the hotel, I decided I was going to give it my best shot. 
The last few weeks, the details have been kind of back-and-forth (and far outside my comfort zone).  Originally I had planned on camping with Jared and the girls. As the run drew nearer, Jared realized that he really could not manage to take the time off of work. Luckily my sweet dad was planning on going down. He took matters into his own hands and couple weeks before the race, he cleared his schedule to drive down with me and booked us a hotel.
So now, here we are. Everything is packed and ready to go first thing in the morning. I've found comfort in the idea that I can drop out at one of the aid stations if necessary and still have an amazing experience. My dad is confident that he will be fine with Tennessee and the girls for the 8-10 hours it will take me to run the course... even if he's never changed a dirty diaper in his life. If he's up to that kind of challenge, I guess I'm up to mine.

What Does an Elephant Say?