What a Novel Idea

Reading is fun again! Who knew?

So the first time I'd read a real book in a long time was on our honeymoon when I read, The Kite Runner. I blew threw the book, engrossed by the characters and anxious to get to the ending (in between snorkeling, kayaking, repelling, etc. of course! this was our honeymoon after all) and now it seems that one book was all it took to get the ball rolling! Since the honeymoon Michael has made a New Year's resolution to read at least one book a month and I sort of jumped on the band wagon. Kite Runner, The Secret Life of Bees, Water for Elephants and now the Lovely Bones have all been my entertainment since we began our reading kick. (On a side note, The Kite Runner movie is much more enjoyable if you've read the book and though a good movie, the book is much much better.)

When I was little one of the things I loved most was that we never had a budget for our reading materials. Mom and Dad always said that we could always buy books or magazines because they liked that we were readers. I suppose that shows I always liked to read and just went through a little burnout period during highschool and college when more of my reading was required. Then of course I got out of college and began working. That was when I met Melissa which sparked a little "I wish I was more of a reader" phase. Melissa'd always share about what she'd been reading or what her husband was reading. I envied the time she made to sit down with a good book... and they had a toddler! (Love you Melissa!)

Anyway, I don't know as though there is a particular purpose to this blog, except to say this is some of what we've been up to these days and perhaps to see if anyone has any recommendations or a book trade they'd like to make! But, don't even talk to me about Twilight - I, like my good friend Paula, currently refuse to read this book because of all the hype :) - be strong Paula!

Hope all of you are well!
Natasha

For the record....

For the record, Michael is applying body glide in that picture where his shirt is up. I've had a lot of concerned blog readers wondering what in the world he is doing. You just can't see the body glide in his hand because its a miniature sample-size of body glide.

Ha! Happy Monday.

Finishers!

Whelp, we survived! Thanks to Michael's very awesome grad school buddy, we were less than 3 blocks from the start line and got lots of sleep the night before. We woke up at 6am (the race started at 7) ate some bagels, drank some gatorade, applied some body glide (haha well Michael did - that is what he is doing in the pic to the right there - I wore none), attached our numbers and headed out the door.

The weather was absolutely perfect for running and only a little bit cold as we waited to cross the 'river bridge' in downtown Austin. Contrary to his original plan Michael decided to wait and run a race 'for time' in March and so he ran with me the first 5 miles. The hills were hard on me since my training had been lacking this round, though my knee didn't really hurt until Mile 5. Once it was my knee, I knew I wouldn't be able to run much and in the first 5 miles we decided Michael would leave me once we reached downtown so the timing was right. When we reached the second bridge to cross the river he began to run and I began the speed walk that would carry me through the majority of the remainder of the race. I wasn't upset like I thought I'd be even though if I'd had my choice I would have loved to run the race - I ran in tiny strides for a minute or so at a time and then would speed walk the rest.

I finished the race with the race clock at around 2:45 (not sure yet what my chip time will be) which works out to about a 12:20 minute mile. I couldn't be happier that I finished in less than three hours with a mile time under 16 minutes! ha Michael was already there waiting for me on to the right of the finish line (our agreed meeting spot) and not to my surprise, he'd made incredible time even spending the first 5 pokey miles with me.

I have to say again, that I am continually amazed at what our bodies are capable of doing and so grateful for our health and endurance that allows us to participate in activities like this. But also, that I really love seeing all the different people that races like this brings. A man old enough to be my grandfather stopped where I was (admittedly, I was stopped trying to catch my breath) on one of the huge hills and started clapping and saying "Come on! Now isn't the time to stop! You can do this!" Mom's ran by posters of dads and their daughters holding posters "You can do it Mommy!" And another little boy held a sign "That's my grandmother!" Nothing gets someone with a soft heart like people accomplishing what they thought was the impossible. How inspiring!!!

Anyway, sorry this story ended up being so long. I hope you'll be able to hear Michael's side of the race soon, but for now we are celebrating Valentine's day and that means massages!!! No food tastes as good and no massage feels so great than after a half-marathon. Hooray!

Love,
Natasha

BEFORE and AFTER Photos

We're Going the Distance, We're [Not] Going for Speed

The more I hear people talk about the first married Valentine's Day, the more it seems there is a lot of pressure for it to be some fantastic magical experience, however this year (as has been the case for a couple of years actually) we are running a half marathon right around this love-fest of a holiday and our plans are not that of a normal couple around Valentine's.

Different than previous Valentine's Days we are married, and different (in a bad way) from previous races, my knee has been hurting quite a bit this round of training. The furthest I've run is 6 miles. Race day will be the first day that I try my planned strategy of run 10 mins and walk 1 unless you count last night's short run. I've decided this is going to be a hard race for me and my goal just needs to be to travel 13.1 miles on foot... Michael has decided I'll probably cross the finish line in tears. ha This is likely true!

Michael on the other hand has already recently run a half-marathon as a warm up and has planned to run this one for speed... but today he is down for the count. As I write he is sleeping in our bedroom drugged up trying to get better from the fever and whatever else was plaguing him last night. Hopefully we'll both be in better shape come Saturday when we will be driving to Austin to eat pasta, sleep and wake-up and race.

I suppose since this is a sort of 'tradition' it does have some Valentine's significance. Michael and I ran our very first marathon there in Austin back in 2004 (I guess it's our ONLY actually) and we were broken up or on 'a break' at the time. That race was before Valentine's and we fought the night before and then had this unification through pain and suffering over the course of 26.2 miles that we didn't even run together. On Valentine's THAT year some of our friends got engaged (now they're having their first baby) and Michael and I ended up meeting at Cheddars for dinner after I met up with the newly engaged couple to take some pictures - Michael asked me out to Cheddars over IM *sigh* now THAT was back in the day!

Many Valentine's have passed since then all with their little quirks and funny stories to tell, so I don't see why this year would be any different. I say, Valentine's Day, here we come! To carbo load, endure the lunacy that is running 13.1 miles, and ready to enjoy all the fabulous metaphors that come with an experience like this... well, except in this case Michael has already warned "I'll have to leave you this race, because I'm running for speed." haha

May our love go the distance, may our feet never tire and may there be a feast at the finish line.

Much Love!
Natasha

It's been a while...

So, I haven't really held up my end of the posting spectrum.

I'll attempt to get caught up on a couple items all at once if I may...

1. Let me brag on my lovely wife for a minute. This past Sunday we invited a couple friends over to the house for lunch after church . Since day 1, one of the things Natasha has looked forward to the most about being married was hosting get-togethers, having friends over, etc. This was her first true opportunity and all the while she is sick to her stomach with anxiety. It was all for not because the meal turned out perfectly! We had brisket, potato casserole, salad, fruit salad, and Sister Schuberts!...all topped off with brownies and i.c.e.c.r.e.a.m. Even better for me was the brisket sandwiches I had for the next two days for lunch...and I would have had more if Ben hadn't gone back for seconds...or thirds...or however much he ate! Anyway...all that to say, Natasha did an awesome job putting all that together. One of God's many blessings, a wife that can cook as well as Natasha does. And there hasn't been a learning curve...everything she cooks is delicious! Yes!

2. My most recent "kick" has been handguns. Admittedly, not having grown up around them I'm not too familiar with the intricacies. I heard of a class at a range here in Dallas that is essentially an intro to handguns that is 1.5 hrs of instruction and 1.5 hrs on the range trying different types of guns. I go to the class last night, walk into the classroom aaaaaand...full of middle-aged women. What did I expect...

I ended up assisting/teaching alongside the instructors once we got out to the range.

Here's my target at about 20ft (edit from 30ft), 5 shots with a .38 special. Not too shabby! (don't ask me to do it again)



3. I'm ready to go to College Station for the wknd.

-Merph

Maternity Leave. Leave it to me..... er, us!

So before anyone gasps in excitment (or terror) at the title of this blog, we are NOT pregnant... but we DO have so many friends and co-workers and family that just had babies, are having babies, or are going to have babies (six in May!). I am surrounded by discussion of these little ones and even though I don't have a desire to have my own right now I really couldn't be happier for all the ones we love that will soon have these little blessings.

One of the people that I am so excited for is a co-worker of mine due in May. A second person that we are so excited for is one of Michael's co-workers also due in May.

A couple of weeks ago before my boss left on maternity leave (also so happy for her) we had a discussion about me covering for my co-worker while she was out which is a tremendous responsibility and opportunity all rolled into one! And Michael, nearly simultaneously, found out that he would be covering for his co-worker while she is out (again, responsibility and opportunity)!

Happy as we are for them and their babies and for this opportunity, we will surely be feeling the crunch of this extra work load very soon and at the same time! We should also both be done before the summer is nearly up... anyone have some awesome quick-vacation ideas? :)