Spring is here (I think).

The spring running season is here and with that comes a slew of road races and summer planning!

Having had endured another LONG New England winter makes me appreciative of the spring and summer seasons. And, for this runner, the summer of 2011 will be no different than the past fifteen in that I plan to be in Falmouth for the 39th running of The Falmouth Road Race.

This year’s race will be held on Sunday, August 14.

For those unfamiliar with the race, per the Falmouth Road Race site:
The *New Balance Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year the race draws an international field of Olympians, elite runners and recreational runners out to enjoy the scenic 7-mile seaside course. The non-profit Falmouth Road Race organization is dedicated to promoting health and fitness for all in its community. Proceeds from the race each year support youth athletic programs in the town of Falmouth and other nonprofit community groups.

The last couple of years we have had relatively nice weather – let’s hope for the same this year. Have a good race – just don’t pass me on the course!

*New Balance has taken over the sponsorship of the race. New Balance is replacing SBLI. Previous race sponsors have included CIGNA and Harvard Pilgrim.


End Stillbirth

Plain Old Fun.

No elaborate introduction is needed for this clip - just Allie and Anna having some pure and simple fun playing dress-up! Enjoy.



Are they the cutest or what?

You don't have to travel to Florida.

We recently took Allie, Anna and Emily to a Meet and Great Breakfast sponsored by a local charity. We knew nothing about it other than what was advertised on a flyer. But, since it was for a good cause and there were to be up to twelve characters for the kids to meet, we gave it a go. I guess I should admit that knowing Mickey and Minnie Mouse would be there was the clincher for us!

A short drive and we were there.

They all enjoyed themselves and once again, were very well behaved (you could consider it "shyness", but I'm calling it well behaved), especially compared to some other children their age.

Here is a highlight clip. I LOVE their smiles after getting their faces painted!



Check out Sarah's post for some great pictures.


End Stillbirth

Unpredictable motions.

I believe that the grieving process is analogous to a wave (as I’ve heard it said). Grief has motions. Grief can overpower, regardless how prepared you are. It doesn’t matter if you see it coming. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed since the loss, nor does it matter how many tears have been shed.

I had been meaning to look for some of my running memorabilia that had been tucked away for a few years. So, tonight, after Sarah & I devoured our tasty shredded chicken with cheese and tomato sandwiches for dinner, I decided to see if I could find the running bibs among the pile of paperwork, pictures and scrapbooks in the basement.

As I sift through the paperwork, I come upon some pictures of the girls as babies.

And then a few of the “first” drawings the girls made that Sarah is saving.

A picture of me sprawled out on a hotel bed after completing the Disney Marathon in 2006.

Remembering that a few years ago Sarah was going to put together a running memory book for me, I open a scrapbook.

Abigail.

A picture of Sarah pregnant.

Another picture – this one is dated April 2006. This picture is a side view of Sarah talking to her cousin. Sarah is about seven months pregnant with Abigail and she is glowing.

My heart sinks.

Sure, I’m tired. It had been a long day. I didn’t sleep well last night. I tend to be more emotional when tired.

I continue to flip through the book. Another picture, this one is of Sarah with Abigail inside her womb and it is dated June 1, 2006.

The tears well up. I cry.

Sarah is upstairs and I want to go up and hug her – tell her I am so sorry she has to live with the grief.

The wave is crashing over me and there is nothing I can do so I just cry and let the wave crash.

Abigail Ruth was born still on June 4, 2006. The waves continue.


First Candle

Beauty and the Beast Meet and Greet

If there is a toy Allie, Anna and Emily have played with a lot, I would have to say their Fisher Price Little People is at the top of the list. We have gotten so much mileage out of those little figurines! (I now have the LP theme song by Aaron Neville in my head, thank you.) In addition to the standard LP house, barn, and airport, the girls have been gifted a Thanksgiving set and LP nativity set as well. I'm pretty sure they have one of each of the LP characters, including three Sonya Lee figurines.

When I saw the girls line up their Little People figures to meet the Beauty and The Beast characters it was purely awesome. I grabbed my FLIP video:

Elmo and Minnie play hopscotch with the girls.

We FINALLY got a break from a LONG winter last weekend when temperatures crept up to into the low 60s for a day. It might as well have been 80.

Sarah & I did not waste a minute getting the girls dressed and OUT of the house for some playtime. Let’s hope we get some more of these days soon because, like I said, it has been a L O N G winter and we can tell by the girls’ behavior that they are kind of tired of being in the house all day, most days. We spent about an hour and a half outside and the girls had a blast!

Here is a clip of Allie, Anna, Emily, and their "friends" playing hop-scotch, and using their Cozy Coops and doll strollers:

You can call me _____.

During a recent conversation with a co-worker, I was called Mike. Twice. Granted he has been out of the office for a couple of weeks dealing with a stressful event, but c’mon! Mike? Twice during one conversation? AND to top it off, he sits three offices down from me - we have seen each other almost daily for over two and a half years now. Mike!?

Yes, I am fairly average looking guy – a bit below average height, about average weight, fair complexion. Apparently my average looks, combined with the fact that I don’t have a strong and/or extremely outgoing personality, make me forgettable.

I’m used to people messing up my name, though. Either the person on the phone taking my take-out order calls me “Mitch” instead of Rich, or someone refuses to believe my last name is spelled the way it is pronounced. (I always wondered why my father would spell our last name when he was giving it to someone on the phone – now I know!)

Anyway...back to being called different names.

My wife calls me Rich.

My siblings call me Rick.

My mother calls me Richard.

Back in high school, my girlfriend at the time (and her friends) called me Richie. So, at one point during high school, depending on who you were talking to, I was referred to as Rich Richie Rick or Richard.

Other nicknames have included:

Rico Suave

Gitchie Ray (a play on my name)

The Dicker

Rex Ma-helm-a-hay (don’t ask)

Ricardo

Dick (not a fan of it)

Richie Rich

The best names given to me so far, however, have been Daddy by my three daughters and Hon by my wife.

Happy Birthday.

Today is my wife Sarah's birthday.

Happy birthday, hon!

As your second(?) favorite band would say, you got The Right Stuff*:

*First time was a great time
Second time was a blast
Third time I fell in love...

....Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
The Right Stuff

Lyrics from The New Kids on The Block - "The Right Stuff"