Wine Country Century

This past weekend Dan and I rode in the Wine Country Century. I had to decided to attempt my first 100K ride. Usually I choose the 30 mile option for these rides, but I wanted to try something a little more challenging. I didn't have a lot of time for training, but I did get a couple of 40 mile rides in before the big day and did a little bit of hill training. Dan reassured me that I was prepared, but I wasn't so sure. Especially since I had heard about a big scary hill near the end of the ride.

Last year when we did this ride, it was pouring rain. So when we woke up Saturday morning and it was sunny and beautiful, it was already an improvement over last year. We grabbed some breakfast at Starbucks, loaded up our bikes, camelbaks, water bottles, gu, etc. and headed over to meet for our group photo. Dan was doing the 100 mile ride so he got started right away. I waited until about 8:00 then I got started as well.

The first half of the ride we were riding into the wind. And I forgot my allergy meds. Needless to say, every stop was spent endlessly sneezing. The first stop was after only ten miles. I grabbed a piece of banana and a quarter of a PB&J and we headed back out. The next stop was at mile 32 and it was our lunch break. They really know how to take care of the cyclists. They had made to order deli sandwiches, bananas, oranges and strawberries, chips, nuts, a variety of cookies and fig bars, even m&ms. Plus they have a drop bag system, mechanics and first aid available at each stop, they even provide sunscreen! I had a sandwich and hung out for a good 30 minutes before getting back on my bike. Oh, also I was following the recommended plan of taking a gu (gu chomps in my case) every ten miles.

After lunch we had a tailwind, which was very nice. We were going faster without having to work as hard. I enjoyed riding through the beautiful scenery, passing many wineries and vineyards. The third and final rest stop was at mile 46, just before Chalk Hill. They had "chalk hill sliders," a banana slice with a dollop of peanut butter and some m&ms. Mmm. Just what I needed before the scary hill. After we turned on Chalk Hill Rd. I kept thinking "maybe that was the hill." Which was funny, because once I was really on the hill, it was clear. I was kind of nervous about making it up and even asked if anyone ever got off their bike and walked it up the hill (some people do). But, I was able to make it all the way to the top without getting off my bike! At one point a nice guy passed me and said "you still have one more gear left." To which I replied, "I'm saving it!" The climb is a mostly 7-8% grade with a small section of 12% at the very top. The entire climb is less than a mile, but it was still the longest climb I had ever done. At the very top I let out a "Whoo!" and had a goofy grin as I sped down the other side. There were only about 9 miles left to the finish and I knew I was going to make it.

Once I made it to the finish line around 2:00 I just walked around feeling really happy. I know it sounds silly, but I was just happy. I changed clothes, then walked to get some frozen yogurt with my friend, then got a 20 minute massage while I waited for Dan to finish his 100 miles. When he was finished we had a celebratory beer, ate a yummy dinner (also provided by the organizers of the ride), and then headed home. It was a very fun way to spend a Saturday!


Just after the first rest stop on Wohler Bridge

Some grapevines along the way

Stopping for lunch

After-race beer

CIM

On Sunday December 6th, the California International Marathon came to town. This course starts in Folsom and winds it way down to the state capitol. It’s a nice run with a huge turnout of runners and spectators and, my favorite part, it is mostly downhill. The December race date means that the weather is cool, but not cold, perfect for running.

Except this year, it was freezing! Seriously, it snowed in Sacramento the next day.

I ran the third leg of the marathon relay, a 7-mile segment from Fair Oaks and Manzanita down to Fair Oaks and Fulton. Being the third leg, I started almost two hours after the first leg started. And when I started running it was 33 degrees! The worst part was waiting in my running gear for my team member to pass off the timing chip to me. I was wearing long CWX running pants (thanks Dad!), a long sleeve running top, a running jacket that I almost never wear for more than a mile, and a hat and gloves. I kept it all on the whole time. After I started running it wasn’t so bad. About a mile in I didn’t feel cold anymore except when the wind was blowing.

I really enjoyed the run (granted, my leg was pretty easy) and I am even contemplating training for the full marathon next year. Anyone want to train with me?

Here is my self portrait after the race. Dan tried his best to meet me at the finish line, but he missed me again. It’s kind of a running joke now between us. He never makes it to the finish line in time because I keep getting faster! (I don’t know if that last part is true, but he sure is sweet to try and make it.)

See? It really snowed at our house the day after the race!

8 years

Today is our wedding anniversary. Dan and I have been married for 8 years. We got a chance to go out and celebrate on Saturday, since his mom was visiting and was available to watch the kids. We went to the Melting Pot and had a wonderful evening. We were going to try and go to a movie too, but somewhere in the last 8 years we got old! I can't stay awake long enough to see a movie that starts at 10 anymore.



Anyway, I would like to take this opportunity to publicly declare that I have the best husband ever. I don't know how I got so lucky and I should probably make more public declarations of my love for him. When I think back on what we've been through together in the past 8 years it brings tears to my eyes. We were so young and yet through our life experiences we've matured together. We have created the most amazing family and we are so happy. We've learned that we really can get through even the most difficult situations as long as we are together. Thank you God, for my amazing husband!

A Fun Weekend

This post is about me. Not the kids. So if you're looking for something about them, with cute photos, you'll have to come back later. Sorry Mom!

Anyway, I had a fabulous weekend!

It started with a mini-reunion with some of my sorority sisters and former roommates. Three of us got together for dinner on Saturday night, and I don't think I've seen them since I graduated 9 years ago. In that time, we've all had to grow up more quickly than our peers due to medical complications. Lindsey's husband had a brain tumor and was treated at Stanford. He recently had a scan and is tumor free! Kristina is still fighting her battle with breast cancer. She was diagnosed last May with stage 3 cancer and has been taking aggressive steps in her fight against the disease. Kristina is still undergoing radiation and will likely start oral chemo once that's finished. But it was truly inspiring to be around her and hear that she's not going to let this get her down. She has a very positive attitude and is spending her time doing things that she loves, being with people she cares about. She's going to win this fight! And she even let us try on her wig!

While we did spend some time talking about serious things, we also got to reminisce about our time in the house and all the funny antics we got into. Kristina and I were roommates in the dorms freshman year and she used to make us eggs on her hotplate in the mornings. Lindsey was my roommate in the house junior year, there were three of us in one room! But she scored because Melissa and I had boyfriends that we spent most of our time with, so she practically had the room to herself! Anyway, it was great reconnecting with them, and I hope we can do it again soon!

Andrea, Lindsey, Kristina

Lindsey with Kristina's hair

Andrea with Kristina's hair

The next morning was my Shamrock'n half marathon. When my dad and I got up at 6:00 it was a little rainy and cold outside. I was not sure I wanted to run 13 miles in the rain and was wondering where our beautiful weather went overnight. We got dressed in layers and headed out anyway. We got to Raley Field a little past 7 and were set to run at 8:10. I spent a good twenty minutes in line for the bathroom, while my dad just walked into the men's room. I will never understand why they don't build twice as many women's facilities as men's!

Once we got down to the start it wasn't raining, but looked kind of like it could at any time. It ended up being perfect weather for running, except it was a tiny bit windy. The race was really well organized and fun! My goal was 2 hours ten minutes, which would be a ten minute mile pace. I figured I might not be able to keep that up the whole 13 miles, but I wanted to be faster than 2:20. I ended up at 2:14 exactly so I was happy with my time. But I did have to walk a few times near the end, which was a bit disappointing. The finish was on Raley field and they showed the finish line on the jumbotron. Pretty cool! Got my shamrock finisher's medal, and my snack bag and headed home to warm up! Then we went out to a celebratory breakfast/lunch, sat in the spa for a while, then got a pedicure to fix up my sad feet. The calf massage felt wonderful!

Me and my Dad, trying to stay warm before the race

Mile 10 mile marker

Just finished-we made it!

My sweet family came to see us finish

Me and my dad- we're tough!

My feet post-race, pre-pedicure
I have a bruise on the top of my left foot, and a black toenail, on the right side I'm about to lose my second toenail. Gross, I know.

Hearts

I'm feeling a little mushy today.

I've been over on the Hearts of Hope blog. There is a contest to win a lovely bracelet and to enter you just have to share what living with a child with CHD is like. Each entry is more beautiful than the next. People sharing their stories of hope and perseverance. How they learned to live life to the fullest, to appreciate the little things, to have an attitude of gratitude. It's just inspiring.

Then I read the next entry down. Dr. Mainwaring is bringing a little boy from the Republic of Kyrgyz to Sacramento so he can perform lifesaving heart surgery free of charge. Our group is going to help support the family through their stay here. As I read the comments from our heart families I got tears in my eyes and started to cry. I am so impressed by everyone's willingness to help a family they have never met. All we know about them is that we share a common bond because our children have broken hearts and we desperately want them to be well. I just feel absolutely honored to be among such special people, who in the midst of their own struggles feel compelled to reach out and help someone else.

In the news

I think I forgot to mention that we were interviewed by News 10's Jennifer Smith at the Hearts of Hope BBQ. You can see me and Drew if you check out the following link:

Hearts of Hope: Children with Heart

We're Back!

We're back from our cruise and it was wonderful!

We had a great time eating, drinking, going to shows, going to dinner and sleeping through the night with no interruptions! We snorkeled, played bingo, laid in the sun, went down the big water slide, ate, made new friends, spent some time at the spa, did a little gambling, a lot of drinking, and even worked out together. Oh, and Dan won the genius contest, which should be no surprise to anyone who knows him. You'll have to ask him to show you his trophy.

I thought four days was the perfect amount of time on the boat. I don't know if I would have wanted to stay much longer than that. I even started to miss the kids. Although I wouldn't have wanted them on the cruise with us. Every time I saw a family with kids, I just thought to myself, "I'm glad I'm not doing that!" Although the kids were very excited to see us when we got home (and we were excited to see them too!), Ava quickly reminded us why we loved our vacation so much. She had a screaming tantrum at bedtime at Grandma's house and cried for about an hour of the seven-hour car ride home today. Vacation's over!

Practicing in case the ship went down!

Our cabin, complete with towel monkey

At the Captain's dinner

On the catamaran, the Elation is in the background

On the way back from Cabo, a little tipsy

New friends at our table for dinner

Reunion

This weekend I got together with some of my college friends for a little reunion. We all gathered in Calistoga to do a little wine tasting, get some massages & facials and reminisce about our college days. It's been 8 years since we graduated and some of us have seen each other many times since then and others I haven't seen at all. We've scattered around the country and had people flying in from Washington DC & Ohio, and driving from Arizona, San Diego, San Francisco & Sacramento. We're all in different life stages and it was amazing to me how natural it was to just be together again. It was so much fun! The only problem was how quickly Sunday morning came.

Dan very graciously stayed with the kids while I was gone, even though they both had colds and he had a fever that got as high as 102.6! My poor sick husband! He is the best! Luckily he feels much better today. I got home this morning around 10:30 and it was right back to reading stories and folding laundry. It was a wonderful weekend, but I am glad to be back at home with my family. See you girls in a couple of years!

Our party of 9 (plus Baby Ben) outside Sequoia Grove

Andrea, Jessey, Rahna, Meredith, Julie, Monica, Chelsea, Jen, & Crystal

Tasting the bubbles at Mumm

Getting a little tipsy at Silverado

Monica, Jen & me, definitely tipsy in the backseat

Snowboarding!

Dan and I got to go up to the mountains to snowboard today! I haven't been at all yet this season so I was very excited to try my new board and boots. We had a fabulous day! The weather was beautiful this morning, but got a little cold and cloudy in the afternoon. Our friends Jeff and Pete met us up there and we had a lot of fun! The kids had a great time at Aunt Marie's house visiting with her and Grandma Honey.

When we got home we had messages from three hospitals! UC Davis called to remind us of our appointment on Friday, UCSF called to set up our developmental evaluation, and Stanford called to schedule surgery. Of course they called when we weren't home! So I will call them back tomorrow and hopefully we will have a date. It was so nice to have some alone time with Dan today, especially since things may be getting a little complicated here soon.

Self Portrait on the lift

Jeff & Pete

Enjoying a beer after our fun day in the snow

Andrea's Birthday Pictures

The Big 3-0

Yesterday my mom called to remind me that it was the last day I would ever be 29. Actually it was the last day I'd ever be 20-anything. I guess that makes it official. I am a grown-up. I don't really have a problem with being 30, it just doesn't seem right. How can I be 30 when I feel the same as I did when I was 18? Granted, my life is different, I have responsibilities, degrees, relationships, children. But inside my head I'm still 18.

This week I got myself a sassy new haircut, a sassy new red coat, and perhaps a bit of a sassy new attitude. I want to say, yes I'm 30, but by no means am I old! In fact, yesterday Dan took me to a wonderful birthday dinner at Slocum House and the waiter asked me "would you like more water ma'am?" to which I replied, "yes I would, but please call me miss!" Poor guy was scared of me the rest of the night! The food was so yummy though! We chose the tasting menu with wine pairings and tasted almost everything on the menu. It was so good!

This morning Dan and Ava brought me breakfast in bed (Drew was still sleeping). And tonight I'm going out to dinner (and maybe a little dancing) with just the ladies. Since Dan is also turning 30 this year we decided to forgo gifts and take a trip instead. We are hoping to go to Hawaii alone this summer.

For those of you out there in the blogosphere who have reached this milestone before me, please tell me why you love being in your 30s. Everyone says their 30s are better than their 20s so I'm curious to know why. I've been pretty happy up until now, so I guess it's good to think that it will only get better!

Best Husband Ever!

Sassy red coat

Breakfast in bed with Ava

Sweet Baby

Me and Baby Ashley

On Friday Drew and I made the six hour drive down to Southern California to visit my best friend since jr. high and her brand new baby. She is so tiny and adorable and I just love her. I think this must be what being an aunt feels like. I am so glad that I was able to make this trip and to support my friend. I even got to help with her first bath at home!

Published

In September 2002 I began a masters program in Forensic Science at UC Davis, expecting to graduate in spring 2004. Well, Drew was born in February of that year and I had more important things on my mind than finishing the program. I had completed all of my coursework by the spring, but still had the business of finishing my research and writing my thesis to attend to. It is only through the encouragement and gentle reminders of my advisor that I ever finished it. In December 2006 I finally graduated from the program. And last month an article based on my thesis was published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, with my name as the lead author. If you feel so inclined you can read it here.

Journal of Forensic Sciences
Volume 53, Issue 1, January 2008

Forensic Utility of the Mitochondrial Hypervariable Region 1 of Domestic Dogs, in Conjunction with Breed and Geographic Information*
Andrea L. Himmelberger, M.S.; Theresa F. Spear, M.A.; Jessica A. Satkoski, Ph.D.; Debra A. George, M.A.; Wendy T. Garnica, B.S.; Venkat S. Malladi, B.S.; David G. Smith, Ph.D.; Kristen M. Webb, B.S.; Marc W. Allard, Ph.D.; and Sreetharan Kanthaswamy Ph.D.
pages 81–89

There was also an article in the Sacramento Bee today about our parent support group Hearts of Hope. If you read all the way to the end there are a few lines from my interview. You can read that here.

Happy Friday!

February 10th

Today is the anniversary of the worst day of my life. The day that we found out that no, we didn't have a perfect healthy baby boy the day before as we had thought. We had a very sick baby. And I relive each year on this day the moment I found out. I remember running behind the basinette as they rushed my day old baby to the NICU. I remember waiting outside the NICU while they stabilized him. And mostly, I remember that I only had a few hours of the bliss of having my brand new baby before it was destroyed by the reality that we might not ever bring him home with us. Those first few days are a blur, but not because we were sleep deprived by having our newborn wake us up every few hours. It was the shock, complete upheaval and disbelief. It was meeting with doctors, lots of them, to hear a diagnosis, a surgical plan, discussing our options that exhausted us.

I fight these feelings every time they come. I don't want to think about this stuff. I know that I am blessed abundantly by my family, friends, and church. It's not as if I am sad about today. I think I am greiving that one, horrible day. And every year from now until April 18th, I compare what we are doing now with what we were doing then. Feb 16, the day Drew had his first open-heart surgery. Feb 29, diaphragm placation & extubation, Mar 9 transferred back to UCD, April 13, g-tube surgery, and finally April 18 the day we brought him home, ten weeks after he was born. And mixed in there are Valentine's Day, my birthday, and Easter. All of which we "celebrated" in the hospital.

Every year I think, this will be the year that stuff doesn't bother me anymore. Yes, that was the worst day of my life, but that was then and it's over. But I wonder if that day will ever come. Maybe it's the kind of thing that I will never forget, never stop grieving. And so what if I have a couple of blue days around this time every year? The reason I fight these feelings is because it's unpleasant. It doesn't feel good. I want to focus on the positive. But maybe these feelings demand to be recognized. Maybe if I honor them and really feel them on this one day they can be safely tucked away the rest of the year.

February 9th

February 10th

February 9th

February 10th

Sad/Glad

Today was kind of a hard day for me. Dan is not feeling well, so I had all the birthday preparations to take care of on my own. I know a lot of moms do most of the work involved in taking care of the kids and the house, but Dan really does a lot. So to have him out of commission was a big deal. I was very stressed out. And then I was sad.

I usually get sad around Drew's birthday. I guess it's just a reminder of the shock we felt when we first learned of his condition and all that it would take to keep him with us. But I don't want to be sad! I want to be happy. I have a beautiful son, with a beautiful heart, and I would not change the way he is. I love him. It's not that I start thinking about that time in the hospital and the surgeries and the despair AND THEN feel sad. I just feel sad. Without thinking about anything. A friend of mine explained it to me like this. Your body just remembers. It's like seasons. A certain time will come around and my body remembers what it felt like. Anyway, since this typically happens around Drew's birthday I have been dreading it. I have been anxious in anticipation of it happening. So I'm hoping that was it and it's over.

Luckily I have a wonderful friend who graciously came over this afternoon and helped me out. She made more cupcakes, decorated them, helped me fill the favor boxes, get some dinosaur games ready, and prepare food. She also entertained and loved my children. She did all that while being 9 months pregnant and ready to have her baby any minute. Am I lucky to have a friend like that, or what?!

If You Want Me To

I wanted to share this song because it is so meaningful to me. I love what it says, but I can't sing it without crying. We sang it in church this Sunday and I broke down into tears again. I hope that someday, when I've fully accepted our situation, I'll be able to sing it.

If You Want Me To
by Ginny Owens

The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I dont know the reason why you brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I will go through the valley If You want me to

CHORUS:
Now I'm not who I was When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise
You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to You
I will go through the fire If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my own
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'll never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will go through the valley If You want me to

Cowtown Half-Marathon

Today I did something I never thought I'd do. I ran a half-marthon!

This is no small feat. I don't even like running. Then why, you might ask, would I do this? I don't know. I guess I enjoyed the challenge. It felt great every time I completed a long run and pushed my body to go farther than it had before. It was not easy, but at the end of each run I felt proud of myself. Like I had set a goal and achieved it.

I would say that today is the first time I enjoyed running. The race started at 7:30 and wound through the streets around Land Park. It was fun to see the cute little kids bundled up in their front yards ringing cowbells and holding signs. One said "Go People! Run! Run! Run!" The staff was so encouraging at each intersection and the bands were great. It was neat to be a part of something so big (there were 3000 people running the half).

It was also really emotional for me. The Sacramento Cowtown Marathon (and half, marthon relay and 5k) benefits the leukemia and lymphoma society. And around mile 9 I saw parents running with a button and a picture of a baby in the NICU. The button said "We run for Kiernan." As I passed them I started crying. And I thought, I will run for that baby too. I know of another little boy who is 5 years old and battling leukemia right now. And I thought of him as I ran. I thought of the fasting and spinal taps he has to endure, the months of chemo and radiation. And I thought no matter how much it hurts I can keep going, because he doesn't have a choice, he has to keep fighting.

And it did hurt! I have been having trouble with my right foot and it started really hurting around mile 6. Then with two miles to go my ankles and feet really started aching. I stopped to stretch and walk and it hurt more so I started running again. The last two miles were very difficult, but I had two awesome women with me and we really encouraged each other. We made it to the finish line and my official time was 2:35:49 which means I averaged an 11:54 minute mile. That's not too fast, but I was very pleased with my time, especially for my first major race.

Afterwards I joined some friends for brunch, then slowly made my way home for a soak in the jaccuzi, a hot shower, and rest. I iced both feet and am now icing my knees. Next up, I've got some blisters and a couple of toenails that are falling off to take care of (I know-it's disgusting).

Me and Mel crossing the finish line

Melanie, Me and Jenni with our cowbell finisher "medals" after the run