Let the countdown begin...

Not that I am rubbing it in or anything, but we only have 14 days left until we leave for our Hawaiian vacation! Both Dan and I are seriously overdue for some R&R, so we can’t help but count the days! We’ll have 3 days in Honolulu to tour Pearl Harbor, the Pineapple Plantation, Diamond Head, and other Oahu sites. Then we board the cruise ship for a 7 day inter-island cruise. Needless to say, we can’t wait!

We have had a busy end to our summer. We went to my cousin’s wedding on 8/18/07. Congratulations to Susie and Ray! Sue, you looked like a princess! Last weekend, our friends Liz & Brandon came to visit along with their 15 month old son, Luke. Luke loved our dog, Ben. And Ben was SO patient with Luke—it was adorable.

We also practiced last Saturday in the heat & humidity (104 degree heat index). I swear, I lost about 8 gallons of sweat. I have been doing well with the walk/run, though. Right now, I am on a 6/1 cycle, and it’s been going well. As my cardiovascular endurance improves, it will become easier still, and I can decrease the interval. My hope is to get to a 4-5/1 or 8/2 interval by race day. I felt less like I was going to die at this week’s practice, so that’s encouraging!

Truth be told, I haven’t been very good about training lately. I have just been so tired these past couple of weeks that it’s been hard to peel myself out of bed in the morning. Between all our running around, and stress at work, I don’t think I am sleeping properly when I get to bed. Tomorrow is my day off, so I am turning over a new leaf. I know I need to work hard to be successful. I even plan on training when we are away on vacation—I look forward to telling you all about pounding the pavement in paradise!

In fundraising news, I am proud to let you all know that I will officially be walking in honor of Noelle Naylor. Noelle may be familiar to you, since I have mentioned her in previous posts. Noelle has been battling Leukemia for most of her short life. Shortly after her third birthday in April, she received her 2nd stem cell transplant at DUKE. A few weeks ago, we learned that Noelle had relapsed again, and her parents were told that there were few treatment options left. They made the decision to return home to Wisconsin and enjoy whatever time they have left with their family. Last week, they went to Disney World, and had a wonderful time!

According to Dave’s (her dad) last post, Noelle’s doctor in Wisconsin has not given up hope, either. There is a possibility of starting some medications that are in clinical trials right now. We are all praying for Noelle’s miracle! Here is the link to Noelle's family's website: http://www.caringbridge.org/wi/noelle/index.htm

Through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training, I will be raising money in honor of Noelle Naylor. I want to help local families like hers in this time of need. I want to fund research in the hopes of finding miracles, and finding a cure. You can help! The link to the donation site will be set up very soon, so make your contribution to finding a cure!