Nothing new...

Tyler is officially 13. I feel OLD. She is having a friend spend the night tonight after swim team. Her grandmother will be taking her out to lunch. Her new computer and printer have not yet arrived, so we will celebrate today, tomorrow and through the weekend. At this time (it is 12:14 am) thirteen years ago, my water was breaking and I was sleeping in the mess. Amazingly, when I really think about it, I still remember the day (morning) and the experience. I even remember calling the hospital to see if I should come in and them telling me to get there ASAP only to have Kirk get into the shower while I loaded the car seat and packed the bags (unprepared for the first born?)... It was all good that we took so long, made the hospital stay shorter... Tyler was born just two hours after arriving at the hospital. I hope I never forget... maybe if I just tell Tyler the story every year on her birthday I will always remember how great that day was - she likes hearing the story; maybe because she likes knowing her dad and I remember all the special details of her special day?

At least a train wasn't coming and traffic was light :)

I fell off of my new expensive beautiful bike. I was on my usual morning ride... and hit the train tracks wrong. Kirk warns me every day about this particular intersection as the tracks are on a sharp diagonal and with thin tires you really have to hit a track at a perpendicular angle to avoid peril. I do not know what I did, but I did something wrong and my front tire went into the track and in slow motion I flew off the bike and skid across the street leaving some elbow skin on the road. My head bounced - great helmet, didn't feel a thing... My booty (on the left) is a big knot and my knees are bruised. My bicycle is just fine. Kirk was with me so he played Dr. Kirk and made sure me and my bicycle were okay before patting my head and sending me home. It was so embarrassing... My bicycle is not all dinged up, just the brake and geer shift levers on the left are scratched so that is good, the carbon fiber frame is still beautiful and intact. I have sustained far worse falls mountain biking so I am good. I think I will be very timid around railroad tracks for some time now, but over time I will get over it... Kirk's new bike comes in today so I will make up for the short ride with a long ride this afternoon...

Job interviews are lessons in humility...

Okay, so I went on another job interview... I am starting to wonder if I am like the cute little puppy that wants to play and no matter how many times you push him aside he still licks and bounces up and wants to play... It sort of reminds me of Soderling's comments after he lost the French open to Federer last weekend. He said he had talked to his coach during practice when he realized who he would meet in the finals (if you don't follow tennis, Soderling does not make it to the finals round often in clay, grass, or outdoor hardcourt tennis)... he and his coach joked about how many times Federer has beat him in the past - to be specific Federer had beat him all eight times they had met in tournaments... so Soderling say surely no one can beat me nine times... that was a good laugh on the championship podium... so maybe I cannot be rejected seven times :) Seriously, the interview went well so now I just have to wait for them to finish all of their other interviews so they can decide who would be the best fit... I would love it, but am staying reserved, after all, this lesson in humility has taught me not to be too excited and not to make plans or dreams to prematurely... I will blog it up once I know the outcome.

She Loves me She Loves me not...today, she loves me...

Teen age daughters... need I say a whole lot more? If you have read even a few of my past posts, you realize I struggle with Tyler and her manner of treating humans. Lately... mostly today, she has been a bit human herself and nearly nice. Cleaning out my computer bag looking for my USB drive I found a small folded paper... upon opening it, I realized it was a note from Tyler... it reads, "Mom, I hope you find this soon. I love you even when you don't think I do. Also, I traded out pencils for your cool one. Love ya lots, Tyler"... Now, I realize the loving note might have been a massage to overshadow the fact that she took my favorite mechanical pencil, but I guess I am desperate and will take what I can get. The sappy part or the desperate part is that I taped the note to the front of my desk file so I can see it when I am seated at my desk working. Wow! I see this through a different lens telling my blog the story... but I stick by my note - she loves me today and we have not fought yet today and I am getting ready to go to bed, so one fight free day is a winning streak in our house. Tomorrow I have school until late so maybe I just won't answer my phone, text messages, or listen to voicemail and we can have a two day streak of luck :)... Oh the joy of motherhood... it is everything I wanted and a few extra lessons that I suppose I deserve to teach me some empathy for my own mother and sibling and well my whole darn family and circle of friends - you have to wonder when the same daughter than troubles me so is described as being so much like her mother - wow... I will have to think about that some more and rationalize that one a bit in another blog on a different day... maybe when I am not so full of love.

Proud Mom Moment

Tyler had her first swim meet yesterday (6/6). She asked Kirk and I not to go. She feels a lot of stress when we watch her compete. So we agreed not to go and what do ya know... my daughter sent me text messages after every event she competed in yesterday. She has no idea how much that meant to me... she did well. She swam every event (back stroke, breast stroke, freestyle, and butterfly). She received ribbons for third place through fifth place finishes. She placed in each event. She was excited to go to breakfast with her coach and team mates after the meet and wants to buy a book to keep her ribbons organized. Even more exciting for me was her attitude and understanding of what her competitions in swim team are all about. She shared her "time slips" for the events. I suggested she put them with her ribbons. She said her and her friends are going to use a notebook to mark all of their times because they know that what matters is not the placing in the race rather their improving on their personal times. I was so proud of her... she is exercising hard, having fun, making friends, and enjoying herself all at the same time. I am so proud of her.

I have done it now...dreams and goals realized...

Okay, I have been talking the "wanna do an ironman" talk for quite some time now. I found a screaming deal on a triathlon time trial/road bike and made the purchase. The bike arrived in just under a week. I purchased some awesome shoes and great pedals... and then I had to get on the thing :). Keep in mind, I have been riding a single speed rigid mountain bike for just over a year... the mountain bike is a stubborn mule compared to the svelt cheetah of a bike I have now. I felt like a novice on ice skates the first time I mounted this new cycle.

So, Kirk has the patience of a little old lady with nowhere to go... he rode around the neighborhood with me and didn't laugh as I rode at the slowest speed possible and took corners like a ninny. It took about 20 minutes and then he tricked me into getting onto a main road and I let loose! This bike is FAST!

We watched the mens final of the French Open and then headed out on a ride. We rode for two hours with plenty of hills and minimal stops and starts. I now feel comfortable and confident on the bike. I just love it. I go in on Tuesday for a "proper" fitting... they will but the bike on a trainer platform and watch me ride. This will allow them to adjust my seat properly and make sure everything is in line for me to execute proper form (the rest is up to me). Today was an intense workout... I love passing people on the road :) and the other cyclist wave at me like I am part of their club... LOL - we did get a kick out of that. I could actually keep up with Kirk for once - bad news is his road bike is on the way... so once he gets gears he will give me a screaming run for my money - at least I know I will always have a great workout.

Stay tuned for pictures of the new bike... Kirk took one of me riding I just have not downloaded into the computer. So, now I am on track with my goal...pretty exciting and intimidating all at the same time.

Reminders to do things differently...

The following youtube clip got me thinking about the need to think about different ways of approaching things - life in general... do everything the way you are "supposed" to OR figure out ways to energize your actions... who is to say which way is the right way...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o