Day 15 - Blog Marathon break :)

Things are really difficult right now. I have never been so busy in life.....never, ever. And I never imagined it would be THIS tough to just get through routine.

So, I need to call it quits on this blog marathon. I hate to take this step, but other things need to take priority.

I'll keep blogging - I just don't want to force myself to post everyday when I'm dead tired and I rather sleep early each night. Also, my work PC was having issues the last few days where I was only able to access the Intranet, and when working from home (which I am doing all this week because the kiddo is still recovering), I would not be able to access Internet at all. That made it difficult for me to write blog posts during the day. And by the end of the day, I was totally spent.

We also travel tomorrow to Southern California for a short break. We had planned this trip a while ago and I'm really looking forward to the warmer weather and the beach :).

I'll post as often as I can, just not daily.

Leaving you with a few pictures of my bum-chums.....

Aren't they precious :)?

Day 11 - Mind vs Body

I woke up feeling very lethargic today. With the ER visit and a sick kiddo at home, the week was tiring.

On top of that, it is the time of the month when Aunt Flo is visiting me, making her presence felt strongly with cramps and more lethargy.

It was also predicted to rain this morning.

SO many reasons to NOT go for my half-marathon training today.

But I went.

I was not sure how it will go.

The trainer changed plans on us - instead of a 4-mile run as per our training plan, he asked us to run 5 miles.

5 miles - never ran that distance before in my life. I've walked 20+ miles but never ran.

The warmup itself was brutal. But no rain, yet. Fingers crossed.

I did not want to run alone. I knew I would not be able to push myself if I did. So I joined a team of 4 women who trained at my pace. We all motivated each other.

The trail, as usual, was beautiful. And it was busy too. Lots of runners and cyclists on the trail. And it did not rain at all - we were so lucky.

I DID IT - 1 hour, 9 mins - 5 miles. The farthest I've ran in my life. (To be honest, it was a run+walk, but that is my goal for this first race anyway).  WOOHOO!

I felt SO good after the run. The core workout post-run was a piece of cake. Yep, even the 60-second planks and the squats and the pushups felt sooper easy.

I was not the fastest, or the strongest, but I gave my hardest. And for that, I'm very proud of myself.

What was I thinking while running? I just kept telling myself: "I CAN do it." Baby steps. Kept counting from 1-10 and repeating it. Chatted with friends along the way, getting to know them better. One has GIRD so she is running to build her lung capacity, one is retiring next month and wants to live an active life filled with travel and adventures post-retirement, one lost 20lbs last year and wants to get fitter and lose more weight before her wedding. So many inspiring folks out there....it was lovely!

You have to have this desire within you to achieve something. For me, right now, it is to GET FIT. Not so much to lose weight (it will naturally come off), but I need to get my fitness level back. And I'm doing it - one workout, one run, one day at a time!

Day 10 - {this moment} Family walks

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember" - SouleMama

This picture is from our trip to Mendocino in November.

Both the kids LOVE to go for walks. The daughter will walk/hike as much as she can when we travel and take trails. And she enjoys it too. We find little adventures to do on the way for her. 

My husband also is a nature lover. He enjoys such outings, and rarely says no. He prefers that over movies, socializing with friends, dining out, etc. 

I can't wait for summer when we can be outdoors much more often!

Have a good weekend! We will be staying home and taking care of the baby who is still feeling poorly!

Day 9 - ER musings

Spent a few hours in the Emergency Room (ER) today. The son has caught a nasty virus and he was in respiratory distress. Took him to his pediatrician and she sent us to the ER.

Have I mentioned before that it is a crime to fall sick in this country? And the medical system is the #1 thing I hate about this country? Well, if I haven't, I now have.

I've had the pleasure of visiting the ER a few times, either for myself or for others. And rarely it has been a pleasant experience. Today was frustrating, initially, but we came across a really nice physician who thought on the same lines as I did, and agreed on a treatment plan that I proposed, and somewhere, by doing that, he kept a hope alive in me that there are always a few good individuals in every bad system.

Frustration #1 - From the moment we checked in, it took them 90 minutes to get my son his first breathing treatment. I could have done this myself with the nebulizer at home in 10 minutes. The reason for the delay? No one told the respiratory technician which medicine to give. So he was hanging out with us waiting for an order to be placed. I mean, really? People are that lame and slow when a 15 month old is waiting to receive treatment at the other end?

Frustration #2 - His charts said that he had already been checked for flu virus. They do a nose swab these days to check if he tests positive for influenza. But I clearly remembered that a nose swab was not done. My friend A concurred. So we brought it up to the physician and he sent a technician to do it. Another lesson for US folks - ALWAYS find someone to be your advocate when admitted to a hospital - ER or otherwise. I have nightmarish personal stories to share.

Observation - Except for one female nurse at checkin, all staff we encountered was male. And I always thought female nurses far outnumbered their male counterparts.

Observation - They don't keep kid friendly snacks around. Thank God our home is close by and we were able to stock ourselves with food, water, milk and supplies. But if not, all they offered to my child was "apple juice from concentrate" which he has never tasted in his life so he would spit it out for sure. I mean, how much does it cost to keep a few goldfish crackers, cheerios, nuts, or fruits like bananas and apples?

Observation - You REALLY feel alone when illness strikes you in this country. Unless you explicitly make a phone call and tell someone (or post a FB update which I prefer not to), they would not know what is going on. Whereas back home, you go missing for an hour unplanned and people look out for you. I remember when my daughter was hospitalized for a day during my last visit. My 74 year old bapuji dropped all his work and came to spend time with her. She enjoyed his company SO much - they read books, talked, slept, ate, and had a great time.

I feel very blessed to have my friend A. He not only came with us to ER and helped us manage both kids, but he also cooked dinner for us (organic veggie stir fry with baked tofu) after we returned home. It cannot get any better than that. So, contradicting my above statement where I said you really feel alone - sometimes, all it takes is one individual to pull you through a tough situation. I'm glad I had that someone today.

I'm watching my baby breathe heavily as I write this post. He is fine, but still sick. We will be home with him for the next few days to help him get better. Thankfully, he is still very perky, and playful. Just a while ago, we woke him up for his breathing treatment and he was roughhousing with me. I hope he gets better really really soon. Please please pray for him!

Day 8 - Work Anniversary #13

The husband was sooper nice to me this morning....he woke up early and did many chores that normally I would do. Before leaving for work, he came by to wish me "Happy Anniversary". For a minute, I felt terrible for forgetting our "wedding anniversary".

But then I paused - and thought again, and told him, "but our anniversary is not until the end of the month".

And he said - no, it's your "Intel Anniversary" today - another pause - and his wish brought a huge smile on my face :).

13 years - jeez, it's a long long time. I never knew I would stick around with one company for SO long. Thank God I don't feel stuck though. I've changed groups and positions and work profiles, and my current job has been the most challenging assignment that I have taken up in my career. My manager, who is technically exceptional, always pushes me to do more and better (it's another story that he only does that and appreciates very little of what I deliver, but that's okay) so there is never a day when my work day is boring.

There is still SO much to learn for me.....and honestly, as much as I like being a mom and cooking new recipes and doing things at home, I think I would be miserable not having a career.

Also, I LOVE being in California. Southern California would be slightly better than this, but where we live currently is blissful. Small town - everything is within 10 minutes of driving, excellent schools, great weather, great social circle, an affordable lovely home to live in, and lots of nature around to enjoy for us. The entire country is gripped by the Polar Vortex but we have warm sunny weather out here....could not be more blessed in that department!!

I treated myself with a sooperb massage during lunch time. The therapist Cassandra was really good, and my sore running muscles are thanking me tons right now!!!

One more year and I have my second sabbatical from work - looking forward to a paid quarter off :)!

Day 7 - Night Running

I went for my first night run tonight. It was with my training group (thankfully), and I had prepared myself with all the gear I needed a couple of days ago.

I thought I was ready.

SO wrong!!!!

I was scared, and intimidated. I've never ran in my life, period. And this night run was scary. It was on the American River Trail which is really pretty during the day, but is equally scary at night. No lights, and chances of mountain lion, rattle snakes, deer, etc. FREAKED me out!

I started out with the core group, but very quickly, found my sluggish self at the end of the pack with two other females who were running at my pace.

And then suddenly I had an idea - let's listen to some music. I slowed down - considerably - trying to figure out a Pandora station to play and tuck in my headphones beneath my ear muffs and headlamp. It took me close to 10 minutes and I found myself all alone, in this dark jungle, listening to some stupid song which I immediately stopped. With the headphones, I had zoned out of all the sounds on the trail - there could be bikers calling out, a snake hissing, or an animal following. Feeling very afraid, I ran at a much faster pace to catch up with the group who was heading back after the 20-minute turnout.

Even though those 10 minutes were scary, the rest of the run was amazing. 3.5 miles again today, in 40 minutes, followed by a workout in the dark for 30 minutes (squats and push-ups and plank and what not).

I can't say I've fallen in love with running yet (I was dreading the run all day today) but I can see myself getting fitter and stronger with every session.

GO ME!!!!

Day 6 - The odd couple

Hubby and I have a lot of friends and acquaintances, but not many who I consider close. And by close, I mean with whom we can comfortably share a meal or a cup of coffee, and converse freely while doing so. Those who will work around our kids schedules and adjust to us, vs. always expecting us to fit to their schedule. Those who take time out of their busy schedules and come spend time with our children. Those who understand why we repeatedly say no to dinner outings or movies or date nights.

After having kids, it seems we are becoming more and more distant from many people. And I was reflecting why we don't gel with most folks around us....and this is what I came up with:

:: Hubby and I don't drink (alcoholic beverages). We get many invites for socializing over alcohol, and we have to politely decline. The husband suffers more than me, as he does not get to hang out with most of the guy gang. But he really hates drinking (even socially), and refuses to put up with socialization centered around drinking.

:: We don't leave our kids with anyone and go out on a date or attend an adult-only party. Not yet, anyway. We both feel the children are too little, heavily dependent on us for their daily routine of eating, bathing, playing and sleeping. We are already away from them during the day for work so taking more time and being away from them does not feel right. Even when we had parents to help us out, we never dumped the children on them outside of our work hours just to have fun. We feel we can do this until they are older and can be self sufficient in many of the routine tasks. It will be not long before they ask for night-outs at their friends houses, and will want to be with friends more than us. Then we will have plenty of opportunities for date nights and movie outings.

{Both our kids sleep fairly early, so every single day, we both get to be with each other for quite some time. It seems to be plenty for now.}

:: We don't like to dine out often. The more I find out about the ingredients in food served at restaurants or processed stuff available in supermarkets, the more paranoid I am. I have become extremely conscious of what we eat. I have also found a creative outlet in cooking, and really enjoy my time making meals for my family. Because of that, we end up eating mostly at home.

:: We watch NO TV. Yep, Zilch. So it's difficult to connect with folks over TV serials. Hubby reads/watch a bit of current affairs online and I do follow some sports (occasionally watch a few games) but I find it difficult to be around folks who always have their television ON in the background, all day. So, another topic for conversation off the list :).

:: We look forward to quality play time with our kids. What I have observed is - when you socialize a lot and are always around people, kids (especially as young as ours) will keep busy for some time, then get bored. Especially if there are mostly adults and no other children of the same age. We avoid such outings. Hubby is actually more sensitive than me on this front. He really does not like if he has to skip bedtime reading to the children, or miss park outings with them during weekends. We do our best to engage with them and keep doing new things. Bubbles, playdoh, puzzles, dancing, blocks, trains, books, juggling, tunneling, drawing, crafts, parks - we really look forward to all these simple pleasures of life.

:: Avoiding large daycare centers and preschools - both kids go to home based centers. They are very small, and private. The care providers are excellent, loving, and genuine. But due to this choice, our kids are not going to the schools that most of our friends kids attend. Interaction at school events with our social circle is practically zero. We feel a little out of place at gatherings where we have to defend our choices, but we are confident of them, and can hold our ground comfortably.

:: We typically travel by ourselves. Its very difficult to travel with our little ones....so we avoid going in groups where we have to deal with the schedules and preferences of other kids and their families. Hubby and I have gotten quite used to loading up our car and setting off for road trips. We drive during the night when the kids sleep and rarely take breaks. I always pack lots of homemade food and snacks. I like being independent and not having to change plans or be waiting if we would have company to travel with.

I could continue, but you get the idea. We have become 'the odd couple' now. A friend from work who is single has hinted to me that I have an attitude problem LOL. Not that I agree, but the perspective tells me something :). What do you have to say :P?