Skip to main content

Crazy Talk!

If someone had told me that I would do the following things on the first day of the year 2010, I would call them crazy.

  1. Wake at 6am.
  2. Be outside in 30 degree temperatures.
  3. Wake sleeping children.
  4. Drive 90 minutes to run 5 miles up and down steep hills in the freezing temperatures with once sleeping children.
But I did, and I do think I am crazy.


Hair of the Dog was my first race of my 12 Race Challenge for 2010. The race was coordinated by a YMCA in another state, about an hour and a half south of us. I chose this race because it was the only one in January relatively close to our home - and it was warmer when I was planning this challenge.

The race itself had about 100 participants, many wearing t-shirts from previous Hair of the Dog Races. This was the 28th Annual. It seems to be a big tradition with the regulars in this town.

The course took us through beautiful neighborhoods with older bungalow style homes, a nature preserve and also crossed over creeks and old railroad tracks. It was the best course that I have run thus far. But it also could be that I knew Panera Bread breakfast was waiting for me when I finished.

To sum it all up: My husband's last words before we left to go home were, "Are we signed up for next year?"

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How I Make Being a Mom and Volunteer Work at this Group Home

  In September, Ben celebrated three years living in a group home in Charlotte, North Carolina, with five other men. Ben lives 20 minutes from our house, and we see him several times a week for doctor's appointments, to drop off supplies, for group home events and sometimes because I just miss him. Ben occassionally sleeps over, and he often spends a weekend day hanging out on his favorite couch, watching videos at our house. This Easterseals PORT Health home is Ben's second placement. The first placement through another agency didn't work out, and he left after six months . We were wary of trying a new place, but it's worked out well. My husband, Ryan, and I have developed a partnership with ESPH. Over time, we've built mutual respect and trust with the residents and staff.  Here's what's worked for us: 1. Get involved with the group home. Ben lives with five other men in a six-bedroom house in Charlotte. On move-in day, Steven, one of the residents, made ...

Gadgets & Gizmos - Part 6: Landeez Chair

We spent last week at the beach near Atlantic Beach in North Carolina. At Fort Macon Park , they have a special chair for people like Ben who may need extra help moving in the sand and water. The chair is made by Landeez . We were amazed by this chair. It did travel over the sand and in small amounts of water with ease. We bought an inexpensive strap to go around Ben's waist so he would not fall out.  I thought that Ben could go farther in the water sitting in the chair, but it does eventually float...away if in too deep of water. Ben got tired of sitting in it and wiggled his way under the strap. For the most part, it is a great invention and it made it easier for us to keep Ben safe on the beach. If he had been interested in a long walk on the beach, this would have worked great for him.

Parenting an Adult Child with Disabilities: From Group Home Placement to Discharge

  Last August, we moved Ben into an alternative family living (AFL) placement, about 90 minutes from our home in Charlotte. It was a three-bedroom house and Ben was given the largest bedroom with its own bathroom.  A typical AFL in North Carolina operates like this: a person with disabilities, the client, moves in with another family, couple or an individual. The client lives in the family’s home and the family receives payment in return for housing, feeding and caring for the client.  Ben’s AFL was unusual: A couple with extensive caregiving experience wanted to run a three-bed group home but needed to apply for the license through the state. They were willing to take Ben as the first resident in a house, separate from the one they lived in. The plan, according to the couple, was to get approval for the group home within a couple of months.  We ordered Ben a double bed, headboard, 54-inch television, new sheets, towels and blankets. Friends helped us move him in....