birthday girl AND first day of kindergarten

How did we go from here...

to here...

so fast?

It feels like this...

which is all I could get when I tried to take her picture on the first day of school. She was totally anti-picture. It's probably the only picture you'll ever see where she's moving and Sam is standing still. :-)  Leave it to her to be the nonconformist kid who won't let me be sentimental and document the memories. I feel sorry for the photographer at her wedding already.

Her first day at school went great, from what I heard. Of course, it helps that she gained instant popularity by bringing donuts for the class for her birthday. The drop-off was chaos, but in a good way. I am impressed already with the teacher's craftiness. She met us at the door with a list of instructions for how to organize and put away all the school supplies. It kept everyone busy and taught all the kids where everything goes, and no one had time to even think about crying. :-) Zip zip, we said goodbye and went out the door to a ferocious thunderstorm that soaked us running to the car. The whole sky opened up and I read in the news that a man was hit by lightning but was doing OK. A drama day for my drama girl.

She had her swim party with friends last week, so tonight we just had a family "party." Her choice for birthday dinner was Kraft macaroni and cheese, and ice cream for dessert. I tried her pink bubblegum flavor and it tasted exactly like those fluoride treatments at the dentist.

I have lots more blurry pictures, as she never wants her picture taken, but I finally was able to sneak one good one. Happy birthday to my sweet SIX year old - I love you soooooooo much.

Interesting running venue

I'm in Las Vegas for a work-related trip this week. The hotel has a gym, but unlike in most hotels, gym access is not included in the room fee. They want $25 per day or $50 for 3 days. No thanks.

So, my challenge last night was to find somewhere to run. It's about 100 degrees here in August and we're located in the middle of the Strip. Running through the air-conditioned mall adjacent to our hotel was tempting, but I felt too self-conscious. So I took an impromptu, self-guided walking tour of the area. It was hot, and the sidewalks were packed with tourists taking photos, so I rescheduled the run for the morning and wandered around. I can't remember when I was here last - maybe 7 years - and it hasn't changed much - if anything it looks a little more worn down. I wonder if the economy has been tough on it. Anyway, Seinfeld, Cher, and Cirque du Soleil are all here, and I saw one ad for Donny and Marie. Good times.

This morning I did run for about 45 minutes. It was still hot - probably 75 degrees - but at least the crowds were gone and the scenery was interesting. Too bad I'm such a flake - should have brought my camera - maybe tomorrow morning. I passed Caesar's Palace, the Mirage, Treasure Island with the pirate ship, the volcano that erupts every hour, the Eiffel Tower, the Venetian, Fashion Show plaza, Circus Circus and some less glitzy areas under construction. There was a "Sin on Sunday" billboard too. I got to run up and down some escalators and threw in a few extra flights of stairs just for kicks. There were a few other joggers, a few homeless people and a police officer just hanging out on the corner. The casinos were all open - definitely a 24 hour town.

Never thought I would be jogging on the strip in Vegas at 6 a.m. I wouldn't call it a "rave run", but at least it's a nice flat road with unique scenery. One thing I won't miss about Vegas is the air - between the smoke inside and the exhaust outside, I bet my cilia are working overtime.

ignorance is not bliss

So today we were at the playground and a Caucasian girl walks up to Alex and says, "Why are your eyes so small?"

Alex looked at her and said, "What?"

"Why are your eyes so small?"

Alex: "They're NOT."

Girl: "Well, why are they...like...(pointing to the corners of her own eyes, searching for words)...that?"

Alex walked away and came over to me and said, "Mom, that girl doesn't know ANYTHING."

Boy, did she hit the nail on the head there. I mostly love living in Utah, but sometimes it is frustrating that kids of this age seem never to have encountered a person of another race before? Come on!

We had a more in depth talk about this afterward, and Alex seemed OK, but I did see in her face at the time the confusion and hurt of feeling singled out and made to feel, well, different. I feel so inadequate as a parent to guide her through these moments. Pray for us as school starts in a few weeks...Alex has been showing more signs of anxiety lately. And I don't think this little experience today was very helpful. Sigh.

Running for fun and a good cause

Hello friends and family! 

As many of you know, I have started run-walk-running for fun and fitness. Generally I run for 5 minutes, walk for one, and repeat. Because I don't run with earbuds or tunes, running affords me a nice, rare time of solitude and reflection. 

One recurrent running thought, besides "When will I be done?" and "I can't wait to eat breakfast!" is: Wouldn't it be nice if all this activity could benefit someone besides me? Lots of people these days are doing marathons for cancer research and other fundraisers. Well, I'm not quite ready for a marathon yet. But I'm training for a half marathon (13.1 miles) this fall, in the Little Grand Canyon near Huntington, Utah. In honor of our five-year anniversary with Alex this year, I'd like to use this event to raise awareness and funds for disabled and homeless children at the Holt Ilsan Center in Korea. 

Holt International Children's Services is an international adoption and child welfare agency working in 13 countries, including the United States. Our personal connection is obvious - Alex was adopted through Holt (Sam was adopted through a different agency). Sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed with Alex and Sam, I can draw inspiration from Harry and Bertha Holt, who were into their fifties with six children already when they decided to adopt eight more from Korea. More about Holt and its history is here. And, just for fun, click here to see a picture of Grandma Holt setting a world record for her age group in the 400 meters at the Hayward Masters Track and Field Championships in 1996. :-)

Back to Holt Ilsan Center. The Holts established it after the Korean War to care for disabled and homeless children. Currently, Ilsan serves the needs of approximately 300 residents, ranging in age from toddlers to adults. Most of the residents have some sort of disability, and receive therapy and training to overcome obstacles they may face. They have a performing choir, a competitive wheelchair basketball team, and a dedicated staff of professionals and volunteers. See attached pictures (used with permission from Holt) - but beware - some of these kids are dangerously cute! 

Currently the Ilsan Center needs some funding for maintenance (some of the original buildings built by Harry Holt are still in use), as well as other needs related to caring for disabled people. I would love to collect any donations you may care to give. If you're not in a position to give, that's all right. I know it's a tight economy - no donation is too small, and any amount will help. Please make checks out to Holt International and mail them to me at 8916 Sutton Way, Sandy, Utah, 84093. All donations are tax deductible. Additional information about Holt's financial accountability is at the end of this letter.

Many thanks for your friendship and support.

Sarah

Holt International Children's Services qualifies as a tax-exempt, non-profit organization under IRS code 501(c)(3).

Contributions to Holt are tax deductible if you itemize.

Holt is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Children's Charities of America and the Independent Charities of America, Participating in the Combined Federal Campaign.

Holt is registered as a private voluntary organization with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Osaka bento en el Shinkansen

Osaka, originally uploaded by kalibushido.

Mmmm, oishiiii

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10K Race

Today, I am thrilled to report I have achieved my goals for my first 10K race!
 - to finish:
 - in the upright position,
 - with a smile on my face,
 - wanting to do it again.
I even attained a new Personal Best - 1:09:53. (earlier record was 1:14:05) Woo-hoo! I haven't set or achieved many physical goals in my life, so this was fun. What made it special, though, was the opportunity to share the experience with old and new friends.

It was thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. I never thought I would say that about running 6.2 miles, but it was true. Sarah, Jessica and I ran at a "conversational" pace and enjoyed each other's funny stories while doing the Galloway thing (running 5 minutes, walking 1) until mile 5, and then we ran the last mile (plus point two) to the finish. Tammy (who had outraced us easily) was waiting for us at the finish; it was wonderful to have people cheering for me as I crossed the line. :-)

The morning was beautiful, with blue skies and gorgeous views of Mt. Timpanogos. Afterwards we were treated to free sports drinks and french toast. Overall, it was a very satisfying day! I am looking forward to my next race. :)

5 years

5 years ago on May 25...

We welcomed the girl of our dreams into our arms and hearts.

Happy Arrival Day, Alex! We love you.

Hon Kong, vista desde Vistoria's Peak

 

Hand Shaped Soup Recipe

Alex has been talking about making "hand shaped soup" for a few days. It is an Alex original. Here is the recipe, exactly as dictated:

1 egg
2 cups baking powder
1 cup vanilla extract
4 cups milk
1 cup flour
3 cups sugar

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl and bake for 5 minutes.

Doesn't it sound delicious? I am almost ready to let her make it, just to see her face when she tastes it.

Reminds me of the time my sister's 1st grade teacher had each child write the instructions for "How to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich" and then the teacher read them to the class and made the sandwiches exactly as the recipes directed. I'll have to remember that one for the next rainy afternoon.

HDR desde mi casa

 

running update

I am slowly but successfully working my way through a nice gentle training program (courtesy of Jeff Galloway) to complete my first 10K race, which is happening on Saturday, May 29.

Overall, I am actually enjoying the act of running (or run-walk-running, in my case). This enjoyment is a true surprise to me. In an earlier blog post I wrote about how running beyond a moderate exertion threshold actually used to cause me to break out in freakish red welts - exercise-induced urticaria, according to my doctor. This was very convenient for me as it got me a bona fide excuse from running in high school PE class. There was only happiness, no sadness, in this for me. Running in general did not make me feel good - quite the opposite. In retrospect, I think I was just trying to go too far or too fast.

In college, I picked up jogging again after reading my dad's book about aerobic exercise by Kenneth Cooper. (Dad ran a few marathons, but he was also crazy in other ways and I didn't really feel inspired to imitate him at that point. He did advise me to take walk breaks, but like a true know-it-all teenager, I blew him off. Now of course I realize he was right!) Although I jogged on and off for several years in my 20s, my main motivation was to be reasonably healthy and burn off calories so I could eat desserts. Running was just a convenient and cheap means to that end. I didn't ever think much about the actual physical experience, except when it became painful. Which didn't take long, because I had no idea what I was doing. I knew zero about training or form. I just thought some people were made to run, and some weren't, and I was not. It was OK with me. As long as I put in the then-recommended 30 minutes three times a week, I was fulfilling my duty to my puny body with its puny little cardiovascular system, and that was good enough. It was like brushing my teeth to prevent cavities - necessary, but not particularly enjoyable or fulfilling. Just a chore.

Somewhere in my mid-30s my knee starting hurting slightly when I ran. Around that same time, I got the impression (in med school/residency) that runners wear down their cartilage and hasten the onset of osteoarthritis, requiring joint replacements as they got older. I decided running was best left to those under 35 and quit. (I have recently seen research that suggests the above is false - that is, runners are no more likely than non-runners to develop osteoarthritis.) I found other ways to stay fit. Then, this year around my birthday, some weird inexplicable urge to run seized hold of me and I have been in its grip ever since. For some reason I wondered how far I could run and how fast, and now I have to find out.

So I gradually eased into it, and a couple weeks ago I ran my farthest distance ever - 7 miles - without pain and actually felt good at the end. Good enough to eat a whole berry sundae from Costco, in fact. But even without the sundae, it would have been worth it. Last weekend, I left my GPS and heart monitor at home and just ran for 50 minutes (still pausing for walk breaks every 4-5 min) and it was one of the most joyful runs I have ever had. I felt awesome. I didn't need to know how far or how fast I was going. I was just loving it.

Then I changed my routine from afternoon to morning. I went running this morning - at 6 a.m. - and oof! my body did not run the same at 6 am as it does at 4 pm. I felt sluggish the whole time, and hungry, and kept wondering when I could stop and go eat breakfast. I am wondering if I will get used to early morning running. Hope I won't feel like I did today on the morning of the race, because I was struggling to do 3 miles, let alone 6.

Oh well. The nice thing about running your first race of any new distance is that, whatever your time, you get an automatic PR (personal record). I am actually not too concerned about time - I like what a friend told me about meditation. She said, "If you feel good while you're doing it, you're doing it right." My goal for this race is to feel good and - as Galloway says - to finish 1) in the upright position, 2) with a smile on my face, 3) wanting to do it again.

Four

Sam turns four this Thursday, but we had his party Sunday. It started at the pool and then moved to our house. The camera batteries died at the pool...more pictures will be coming, hopefully, thanks to Tammy.

I can't believe my baby is turning FOUR.

Tonight he let me hold him and snuggle him. I cherish these times. He is truly "blessed from above" as his Korean name indicates. His latest fortune cookie fortune read: "People admire you for being such a charmer." I would say that is Apt. Grateful today - again - for his Korean mother and wishing her every happiness.

5 miler

Today I ran 5 miles!

Well, really I alternated running (3 min) and walking (1 min) but I did the entire 5 miles in a little under an hour and felt good at the end of it. Yay! I have not run that far in at least 10 years.

Treated myself to a gelato with a friend afterwards. Feeling happy.

a new world record

I think Alex set a new world record today.

Does anyone else have a child that can make a 30-minute piano practice last for 85 minutes?

Didn't think so!

Hallelujah! I can see again!

The saga began one year ago. I was having some issues with my 5-year-old contacts (rigid gas permeable) and so I began the process of getting new ones. Little did I know what I was in for. I've been wearing the same type of contacts for 30 years (!) and NEVER had these issues.

Our health insurance offers a "vision benefit" that we signed up for so I called around to see who provides the services. After an hour or more of searching and calling, I found ONE provider who can both do the eye exam and provide the appropriate lenses. My prior eye doctor has since retired, and was not on this plan anyway.

So I went to get the new prescription. But the new eye Dr. said my lenses had flattened and the shape of my cornea had changed, and when I got the new lenses the world was blurry. I went back to the old lenses but they were starting to get uncomfortable and collect protein deposits and I knew it was only a matter of time...so I waited a year (so the insurance would cover the new lenses again) and tried again.

Wore my glasses for a month to allow my corneas to "round" back to their natural shape. Got the new Rx and the right eye was OK but the left was still blurry. Went back and they changed the power of the left lens, but now it was only in focus if I stared straight ahead. If my eye slightly moved in any direction - up, down, right, left - everything was blurry. Grr. I drove around not being able to see the road signs, etc. very well for another month...went back to the Dr...they gave me a new lens last week, and ...

HALLELUJAH - I CAN SEE AGAIN! :-)

I know - I am being a bit whiny compared to people who really can't see. But after months of a blurry world, it is SO GREAT to see a nice sharp crisp world again!! Yayyyyy!!!!

One thing about heaven that I look forward to (with my new perfect body) is having perfect eyesight. That, and a beautiful singing voice. :-)

spring training

This week Tammy found a 10K race on May 29 and we are going to register! Yahoo!

I can't believe I'm actually excited about this. Me, turning into a runner? I was literally allergic to running in high school. I got hives - excercise-induced urticaria - but these somehow subsided several years ago. I never would have expected to be bitten by the running bug (but partly can blame genetics since my dad and several siblings have been or are runners).

Today I did 4 miles in 60 minutes, alternating running 2 min. with walking 2. A nice comfortable pace. The best part was, a couple of new running buddies were willing to come along and run/walk with me on the Jordan River Parkway. It's amazing how good company makes the time fly by.

not the best day

Well, today I have managed to lose my Blackberry (government issue) and lock my keys in my car.

I had the BB with me yesterday on the Jordan River trail with the kids. Unfortunately I don't know how it got separated from my person, but I surmise it could have been when the kids got tired and I was carrying them - maybe they bumped it off? Or else it fell off while I was assisting them with peeing in the bushes since there were no available restroom facilities. Thought about going back to look for it but decided my chances of success weren't very high. So I am going through the government process for reporting it lost/stolen, which required about 5 phone calls so far to 4 different people, about 5 e-mails, and so far only filling out one form (and then answering more e-mails questioning whether I had filled out the form) . The real work will come if and when they issue me a replacement - re-programming all the stuff back onto it. Well - it's my fault.

Wasn't too happy about locking my keys in the car either, but at least I managed to do it on a Monday when Bryan could come to my rescue. My knight in shining armor came through - yay!

And now, my workday is through and I'm heading out for a run, hoping I won't get struck by lightning or step in a hole. I've had enough self-imposed misfortune for one day.