I took a trip up to Lansing today.  There are a lot of jobs opening up with the Michigan State Police, so i took the exam.  Might as well see what happens.  I should know in six to eight weeks how I did.  If I pass, then I think the next step is a PT test.  Better start working on my pushups. :) 

    The race in Brown County went well.  It was a lot harder than I thought it would be... in some ways, a lot harder than the Marathon.  By the end of the day, by legs had pricker scratches all over them, I was covered in a sloppy mixture of mud and horse manure... and I could barely stand up straight.  The hills out there wreak havoc on your quads and back.  Check that one off the list of things to do.  Bob had a really good time, and i think he wants to to an endurance race now.  You know, one of those one's that take like 10 days to complete. 

     What a difference a month makes.  Yeah it's been that long since I last posted anything on this silly webpage.  I thought I was stressed about losing hair then.  It seems just that much worse now.  I really was hopeful for a while... but it's just getting worse and I have a hard time keeping my mind off of it.  My doctor doubled my med dosage because it wasn't "getting the job done" supposedly.  He said it wasn't normal.  So in another two weeks I'll find out if I'm starting to be normal again, and if not, then I guess he's going to.... who knows what?  Pass me off to someone else to decide what to do, because he's moving to Virginia in a month.  I keep thinking... maybe a wig wouldn't be so bad.  I mean you have to think about those things.  My family thinks I'm being ultra dramatic, but they don't see how much hair comes out of my head on a daily, hourly, every waking moment of the day basis.  FRUSTRATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Are there no smart doctors out there anymore?!

     On a more encouraging note... I was looking at how much money we've paid in medical bills since January.  And then I was looking at how much we would be paying if we didn't have health insurance.  Thank God for health insurance, because some people don't have it.  And thank God for bonus checks and tax refunds! :)  He has provided all the finances for everything... from propane bills, to doctor bills, to sky high gas prices.  He has never left us without and always blessed far and above what we needed to just get by.  We serve a really wonderful Savior!

   Got a couple races coming up.  The first is in a couple weeks in Brown County IN.  It's a trail run.... or a no trail run.  Because I guess in many parts there is no trail.  Maybe a cliff or ravine.... or river.... or thick brush.... :)  Should be interesting.  It's a 60 mile race and I'm running it with four other folks from the area here.  We'll each run roughly 12 miles... but it will be a few at a time.  So run for a leg, and then stop for 1-2 hrs. and then run some more.  Very hilly country we're talking.  I suppose I'll die... but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?  I believe that in many ways this will be more challenging than the 26.2.  Probably more so physically than mentally... but who knows?  Lets just say this one isn't being run for enjoyment! :)  And then there is a little 5k here in Marshall.  So that will be fun and it would be nice to set a new PR for that.  And then the sunburst 1/2 marathon which is more or less tradition.  My dad talks me into running it every year whether I've trained or not.  This year I'll be semi-trained... maybe a little less than last year, a lot less than the year before... but way more prepared than the year Sarah and I ran it.  Remember Sarah?  Next to chicago, that was the worst race of my entire life! :) Ahhh... the good old days...

   Okay so this post is forever long.  Guess if i wrote a little everyday like you people who do things in moderation it would be a little more natural.  But no.... I'm extreme... all or nothing...  Life is perfect or DEPTHS OF DESPAIR!  Strict health diet or DOUGHNUT PARTY!!!    Immaculate house keeping or A BOMB MUST HAVE GONE OFF IN THIS HOUSE!!!  Okay... I'm done.   Have a good day ya'll!

  Phew!  What a busy past week!  Praise God for a wonderful time with Bob's family.  The funeral was wonderful... probably one of the best I'd been to.  It was encouraging to see how his Grandpa's life had been a testimony to so many people.  I got to spend time with a lot of his extended family who I don't see much, except for every now and then on the Holidays.  It's amazing to see how a lot of them have grown and changed since I first met them.  There are so many of them, and it's a little overwhelming at times, but it's okay. :)  It's funny how families can be so different.  Our families definitely don't have much in common at all. :)  Anyway.... it was a good weekend but a long one.  We were both tired by the end of the day on Friday, we got back to Michigan around 2:30 am.  We were so fortunate to be welcomed back home by a foot of snow.  I don't even know where it all came from.  But now it's sunny and warm outside and I'm wearing flip-flops!

  Just to update on my last post.  I did get the results back  from the MRI.  It was only after Bob called and got... well, not rude... we'll call it "direct".  The doctor was looking for a possible tumor on my pituitary gland,(which sits in on the front of your head in front of your brain.  I didn't know where it was).  I was really expecting them to find nothing... which is bad, because I'm tired of knowing something is wrong and no one being able to figure it out.  But there was something there.  I small tumor.  PRAISE GOD!!!!!  Of course then I'm skeptical... maybe that's not what is making my hair fall out.  And I don't know why my scalp would hurt... but I guess take one day at a time.   It really is the weirdest thing ever, but I'm trying not to to freak out about it.  Some days are okay, and other days it drives me to tears just to wash my hair.  Oh well... God's in control.  I'm really the only who notices it right now, so one day at a time.  Oh yeah... I guess I should mention that the doctor said they are almost always benign and he gave me a little pill that should hopefully get rid of it.

  Okay that's about it for now.  I have to look up some info online before my time is up!  Have an amazing day everyone!!!

So I'm only working one day a week now.  It's a little bit of an adjustment to get used to the cut in monthly income, but it's been a good thing.  I'm able to put more time into my running, I'm actually starting to enjoy it again.  Stress levels are down... yay!  Although I'm still losing a lot of hair and some of my blood tests came back a little off.  My doctor sent me in for an MRI... of my head... last Thursday,(please keep your jokes to yourself :).  I was supposed to hear something in 2-3 days.... it's been five.  I'm about ready to strangle my doctor.  I swear, it's like pulling teeth just trying to find a decent doctor around here.  Either they don't know a blessed thing, or they are super intelligent and hard to get ahold of.  Anyhoot... I figure worst case scenario, I'll just shave my head and by a wig.  Bob thinks I'm crazy, but whatever.  Women understand how important it is to have hair. 

     What else?  Bob's Grandfather passed away early yesterday morning... he had been fighting cancer for a few years now.  It finally just got the better of him and things went downhill pretty fast.  We will be at the funeral an view this weekend.  Pray for the family... they really need it right now.  And pray for me that I will have a loving and gracious spirit.

    Sam ran away for the first time last Friday.  He was gone for two hours!  We drove all over the neighborhood looking for him.  We were so worried, but he came back.  He just gets so excited when he sees birds or squirrels.  We can't take him out off a leash anymore... at least not for now :)  He's such a cutie pie!  Maybe one of these days I'll have to post a picture.  His tail is always wagging and he is always in my face.  He usually wakes me up in the morning by sticking his wet nose right in my face.  Drives me crazy, but it's so incredibly adorable!

    Guess it's time to go be productive.  Have a great day everyone!