Crash and Burn

The treadmill and I got up close and personal this week. The treadmill has been my main exercise machine for the last nine years. We've logged a lot of time together. I am not saying this in a bragging tone but so that you know that after this much time, it would be safe to say that I'm well versed in the safety measures one should take when using this effective machine. Apparently not.



Monday was interval training day where I run at 10mph for 30 seconds and the a light jog for a minute and then repeat this cycle 10 times. I was on the last seconds of my first 10mph when I heard something rubbing against the track. I hit the stop button and jumped to the side of the track. Now, when I say I hit the stop button, I need to be clear that the track doesn't just come to a dead stop but gradually slows itself to a halt in somewhere around 10 seconds. So, again, I hit the stop button, jump to the side of the track and also start to turn to look behind me to see what was making the noise. And this, my friends, is where all the common sense I had left my brain and went on vacation and mistake number one is made: my foot catches the track and my body is immediately thrown to the side and catapulted off the treadmill. Here is where mistake number two comes in and has actually been there since we moved into this house almost two years ago: the end of the treadmill is backed up right against a wall. What this means is that I was chucked off the treadmill only to be pinned up a against the wall so that the track (which, let me remind you, is slowing down from the speed of 10 mph) is now performing some major exfoliation on my leg and arm. The thoughts that are running through my mind during this harrowing escapade went something like this: "This is not good. I can't afford to get hurt. The team cannot afford to lose another player! This is NOT good!"

Finally the treadmill has slowed enough to the point where I can peel myself off of it only to then to be blind sided by the pain coming from my leg and arm. Bracing myself, I look down at my leg...ohhhhhh...that's not good. However, I will not be one of those wooses who let a minor injury like this stop me from finishing my workout. I'll just go upstairs, clean it off and then finish my run. Seriously, the brain cells have stopped functioning. I grab a dish towel and wet it and then start to blot and then...

...AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's at this point that I decide to go on sabbatical from my workouts for a week or two. And how about for good measure, any bending, stretching or flexing of my leg as well.

Now, five days later I can happily say that I'm able to bend the leg but it is essential to where loose fitting clothes. I'm tempted to take a picture of my wound to show to you but I fear it will horrify you to the extent that you would never want to come back to this blog again. I'll just tell you that when my brother was in 6th grade he suffered from severe 2nd and 3rd degree burns and this is nothing compared to that. He did, however, have skin grafts taken from other parts of his body to cover the burn and my wound looks like the places where they performed his skin grafts. Only my skin was not put to good use and is now lying in embedded streaks on the treadmill.

There are two things that I'm grateful for out of all this. One is that Sage was downstairs playing just out of view when it happened and never saw anything which is such a relief because I really think it could have seriously traumatized her. The second thing I'm grateful for is Neosporin. God bless you people who came up with it and also the people who came up with the generic and cheaper version as well since I've been going through this stuff like a banshee.

I'd like to think that my brain is now functioning normally (whatever that is, I'm not sure) but I guess we'll find out! Oh, and in case you were wondering, I looked to see what had been making that sound and it was a card from one of Sage's games. Hardly worth the pain but at least I wasn't hearing things. Right? Hey, I'll take whatever optimistic thoughts I can grab at this point.

Favorite Moments

The other day Sage asked if I would play dollhouse with her. This is a huge deal because playing dollhouse is like self therapy for Sage where she works out all the dilemmas that life throws at her. Issues like staying in bed until it's time to get up or sharing with Clare are all played out everyday with the dolls appropriately named Mommy, Daddy, Sage and Clare. There is also a Grandpa Buck (because the doll is bald), a Grandma Jane and a little boy who is sometimes cousin Kade and sometimes her friend, Gideon. So I really felt like being asked to join her was like an invitation into a very sacred world...or the part of a therapy session where the mother is brought in to be blamed for all the issues the child has. Hoping to come out this unscathed, I let her lead the way in playing out what the characters are up to that day. She decides that I will play with the Daddy doll and she will have Mommy, Sage and Clare. This is already interesting.

Quietly I hold the Daddy, waiting to see what inner struggle will come out. She walks the Mommy up to Daddy and says in the sweetest voice "Hi! I love you!" Then the Mommy plants a big, loud kiss on Daddy.

This is the part of therapy where the mother is trying to control her tears as to prevent further trauma to her child.

Of course, being the willing playmate to Sage, I offer in my best Daddy voice, "I love you too and I missed you! You are so beautiful. The fairest of all! Now that I'm home I will see to it that your delicate hands will never wipe a poopy butt again!"

Later, while sharing this story with Brent, I told him how touched and actually relieved I was that in spite of his absence, this is how Sage sees her parents relationship. Ever the romantic, Brent's reply was "Yeah, better than having the parents beat each other up."

Note to self: when Brent gets home he is NOT allowed to play dollhouse with Sage.

Welcome Spring!

Don't tulips just make you smile? The rabbits have been quite merciful on the these lovely flowers this year and I couldn't resist snapping some pictures of them this last week. They are so cheery and have been begging me to share them with you. The last one was taken this morning when a cardinal was roaming amongst the tulips, looking for a tasty breakfast during this mornings' rain. I'd like to think he was enjoying the ambiance as well.

Someday...

I haven't been very diligent at blogging lately and it's not because I'm breaking down or too stressed or anything like that. Quite simply, I haven't had the time and the little time I do have I just want to sit, not think or plan or contemplate...just sit and bask in the silence. I have say too, that the girls and I have had many fun filled days lately as we took a two week trip to Minneapolis over Easter (thanks Grace and Kevin!) and have been soaking up perfect weather to play outside in. Unfortunately it's left little time for me to sit down and blog which leads me to the reason for the title of this post. Someday I hope to be more consistent on posting the little things we do or the random thoughts that stick around long enough in my brain to actually pour themselves out on the screen in front of me. For that matter, someday I hope to have more time to practice piano, landscape the backyard, learn to sew on my fabulous sewing machine, take up golfing, organize all the baby stuff to sell in a garage sale, have a garage sale and reupholster my sofa. For now, I'm just trying to stick the important stuff like making sure the girls are loved, fed, clean, educated and trained to sleep threw the night. That last one still needs a lot of work. The rest of the time is spent being a wife to a husband on the other side of the world, keeping this house running (I've become quite proficient at fixing toilets) and getting in my daily workout. In light of focusing on what my priorities are right now, I feel really good about where we're at right now in the craziness of this year and even though there are many things that plague my mind from the department of "I really should..." I'm okay with letting those things ride in the backseat awhile longer. Until then I'm going to try to focus this blog on fun things and celebrate the discoveries these precious girls make everyday.