Like a Chicken With Its Head Cut Off!

For the last two weeks, I feel like I haven't had time to sit and breathe, let alone write a post.

Highlights include my precious Baby Charlie making the shift to the Terrific Two's, a fantastic day out with the girls to Newburyport, which included a stop at the Todd Farms Flea Market, walking through the great antique shops like Flukes, and ending with lunch at Grogs followed by dessert and coffee at a cute bakery.

H is winding down his time at school as we start to pack up our belongings in preparation of the big move at the end of the month.

Our house is completed including sod and (I think) all the paperwork for the loan is in, now we just have to play the waiting game until closing on the 30th. One of my girlfriends emailed me offering to take the kids for the morning, and another friend offered to come occupy H in the afternoon while Charlie napped, so J and I had the WHOLE day to pack. No matter how much I hate packing, I'm so glad that J suggested we start early because we've already gotten rid of a massive amount of stuff that would have just gotten shoved into boxes had we waited until the end to start.

It's the busy times in your life that you realize how great your friends are. Over the last three years, I've been blessed with an amazing support network both near and far.

This weekend was a bit of a whirlwind, beginning with us dropping the kids off with family in Connecticut, because they'd generously given their time to watch them overnight so we could attend J's graduation ceremony for the residency program and not have to worry about a sitter.

I couldn't quite hang with the big dogs for the entire after party so I took my tired booty home so that I could awake bright and early for my last training run before the big day! While J picked the kids up, I sort of stood in the loft and stared at the boxes I could be packing should I have the energy or motivation. Finding neither I headed back downstairs to watch another episode of what has become my current obsession; Friday Night Lights. Oh, how glad I was to find that the actor who plays Tim Riggins is only 2 years younger than I in real life because I was starting to feel downright pervy.

Dinner with the team over, I quickly escorted the kids home, gave them the most abbreviated wipe down possible and sent them to bed. I packed my bag, a bag for them that J could bring with when he and the kids came to cheer me on, and got my outfit laid out. By 9pm, I had reviewed the course map one last time before driving peacefully, and had one of the best nights of sleep I've had in a very long time.

5am came rather quickly, but I was wide awake, ready to face the biggest challenge of my life to date. I think I can say it was almost as challenging as childbirth because they don't give you an epidural during a half-marathon if the pain is too much, or you need to get some rest.

I dressed, rolled, ate two pieces of toast, drank a packet of emergen-c and it was off to the Y I went to stretch with my team-mates and chat away the nervous energy. I was so much less nervous than I anticipated being, and even less nervous than those first Saturday long runs. I realized as I was standing there that it was because I felt really and truly prepared.

The race was great, filled with so much encouragement by the spectators, water station volunteers and the police officers that were controlling the mayhem that is Kelly Square. As I crossed over mile 8 and was feeling good, I knew I'd be okay. However, whoever said that the last mile is the easiest, I'd like you to identify yourself so that I can smack you in the face. You are a horrible liar! I cannot even describe the joy I felt as I saw that huge FINISH banner looming ahead and I sprinted in.

Waiting at the end were H, Charlie and J. As I crossed the timing pads, H looked at me with his sweet smile and said 'Congratulations, Mom!' I swooped him up, and the emotion of the moment hit me. Swollen fingers, tired legs, I started to cry. Which is really difficult when you've not yet caught your breath so I pulled it together, and put on a smile.

And that's the last two weeks, in a nutshell.