Thursday Thirteen: Favorite Eats

It will come as no surprise to those who know me to see me admit that I’m a foodie. While I generally dislike that term, it is the best word I know to describe that I like food and tend to plan around eating, think about eating much of the time, and generally enjoy everything that has to do with food.

This is not a new development. I think back to the 9^th grade, when I was given the choice of a wide range of electives, and I chose “European Cooking.” It was a great course and I learned to make pasta from scratch. Life was never the same.

Going back even further, I remember the stories my mom loves to tell. She said that when you asked most young kids about their favorite food they would respond pizza. Apparently, my kindergarten teacher had never before had a child answer “artichokes.”

There is also a story about the day that my mom accidentally mixed up my sister and my tuna sandwiches and I refused to eat it my sister's sandwich because it didn’t have capers. True story. So yeah, it is clear that my love of food goes back pretty far.

Anyhow, I love to eat, so it is fortunate that I also love to run and I manage to force myself to work out most days. I also try to eat very healthfully at least 80% of the time, so when I want to enjoy a decadent meal, I can. Just not every day. 

Without further delay, here are my favorite foods that I’ve eaten out in local places the past year (in other words, this doesn’t count the many delicious foods I’ve enjoyed at home or on vacation)

1. Stuffed Pepper Chicken (Hong Kong Palace, Falls Church)
2. Seared Salmon Belly Nigiri (Kaz Sushi Bistro)
3. Fleur de Sel Caramels (Artisan Confections)
4. Prince Edward Island Mussels (Radius Pizza)
5. Dark Chocolate Frozen Yogurt (Red Mango)
6. Spicy Tuna Tartare in a Sesame-Miso Cone (The Source)
7. Crispy Calamari with Yuzu Dip (The W Hotel/J&G Steakhouse)
8. Cupcakes (Bakeshop)
9. Creamed Spinach  (Ray’s the Steaks)
10. Pan-fried Pork Dumplings (A&J)
11. Vegetarian Platter (Etete)
12. Dark Chocolate Mousse (Ray’s the Steaks)
13. Lobster Burger (Central)

YUM! Right?

Here’s more info.

Stuffed Pepper Chicken (Hong Kong Palace, Falls Church)

Hong Kong Palace, or HKP as we call it, is by far the best Chinese restaurant I have ever been to. When you sit down they bring you two menus: one is the standard Americanized Chinese food that you’re used to seeing. It’s fine. The second is the authentic Szechuan menu and it is full of amazing dishes.

My favorite dish, the Stuffed Pepper Chicken, is actually not on either menu. It is on the specials wall in Chinese, and we’re told that it doesn’t really have an English translation (some call it Mouth Mouth) but to ask for the Stuffed Pepper Chicken.

II absolutely love this dish. Crunchy, Spicy, Sweet bits of dried peppers stuffed with a sesame mixture, combined with tender, juicy bits of fried chicken. The other top items that we love here: Cumin Lamb (or Cumin Ribs), Chengdu Salt & Pepper Shrimp, Yang Zhou Fried Rice (made with house-made bacon).

Seared Salmon Belly Nigiri with Soy-Lemon Sauce (Kaz Sushi Bistro)

I love sushi and one day I’m going test my theory that I could eat sushi every day and not get tired of it. My absolute favorite sushi bite in the area is the seared salmon belly at Kaz.

Fleur de Sel Caramels (Artisan Confections)

As you look at my list, you’ll see that I love chocolate; especially dark chocolate. If I had to pick one chocolate to eat for the rest of my life, it would be these – and I didn’t like caramel until recently. The Fleur de Sel caramels are little squares of soft, buttery caramel, covered in dark chocolate and lightly sprinkled with flakes of salt. Mouth-watering!

When (not if) you go to Artisan Confections, be sure to say hello to the owner (and my friend) Jason, and try the other wonderful flavors, too. You won’t be disappointed. The chocolates are really pretty, too, so they make good gifts. Yes, to me, but also to others.

Also, if you like salted chocolate type things, check out the Chocolate Salty Oak cookie at Teaism.

Prince Edward Island Mussels (Radius Pizza)

Here’s another thing I didn’t think I liked: mussels. But once I tasted Chef Wiss’ mussels, served in a tomato broth, I was hooked. These come with big pieces of toasted bread  - ciabatta, I believe - and a smoked paprika aioli. Mmmmmm.

I like to spread the aioli on the bread and top it with a few mussels. Heaven!. Unlike other mussels I’ve tried, these are plump and juice, and are not fishy. These are even better in the summer months when they use fresh tomatoes instead of canned.

I highly recommend checking out Radius Pizza. The pizza is amazing (we like the Ducati, and any special the chef has on the menu), but the real stars here are the specials. They change frequently and are almost always out of this world. You won’t believe what this guy does with soup. And pasta! I had a special pasta dish here before I PR’ed at the Shamrock marathon and I swear it helped. I will never forget those wide paparadelle noodles with house-made bacon and figs. Outstanding!

Dark Chocolate Frozen Yogurt (Red Mango)

When my friends recently asked me what I miss about living in Clarendon, my first answer was that I missed them. In a close second place was the ability to walk over to Red Mango on a whim. The frozen yogurt here is like nothing else I’ve tasted. It is so intensely flavorful. Another plus is that it is made with all natural ingredients. Out of all the flavors I enjoy, dark chocolate is my top pick. The toppings here are great, too. Why not have some ghiradelli dark chocolate mini chips on your yogurt? Or some mochi or popping boba? You’ll have to go there to find out what those are. They also have a ton of delicious fresh fruit options and ordinary candy/cereal.

Spicy Tuna Tartare in a Sesame-Miso Cone (The Source)

Wolfgang Puck’s only DC restaurant , The Source, is a hit with me. In my opinion, the best item on the menu is the tuna cones. A wonderful combination of spicy, sweet, tender, salty and crunchy. I just wish they weren’t so pricey.

If you’re a tuna tartare fan, also check out the tuna sliders at PS7’s. They’re awesome as well.

Crispy Calamari with Yuzu Dip (The W Hotel/J&G Steakhouse)

If you like calamari, you need to try the calamari at the W. It is battered with an incredibly light coating (almost like tempura, but better). It served with a delightful dipping sauce that tastes like whipped mayonnaise doused with the essence of citrus. The chilies in there don't hurt, either. Just wonderful.

Cupcakes (Bakeshop)

Oh, cupcakes! I love cupcakes! I know that not everyone understands the trend, but what’s not to get? Most cupcakes are a perfect size for an individual serving and offer the ideal ratio of frosting to cake. Yes, I’ve done a cupcake tour where I have gone around to many different shops to compare the goods. I have a lot of favorites, but the best shop overall is definitely Bakeshop.

I admit that Bakeshop's frosting isn’t my favorite. I like sweeter, denser toppings on my cake. However, the whole package here is just right. The cake is the moistest, most flavorful cake around, and Justin’s frosting perfectly complements his cakes. This guy knows what he's doing. I can’t even pick a favorite flavor because they’re all so good. He also offers a range of other baked goodies, but you really can’t go there and not have a cupcake.

As a side note, also in Clarendon (next door to Red Mango, actually), is Crumbs. Their cupcakes are big and pretty and have cool names. Compared to Bakeshop, however, they are totally tasteless. Please, please, please - if you're in Clarendon, walk down Fillmore Street to Bakeshop (and Artisan, next door to Bakeshop) and don't waste your money or calories at Crumbs. Thank you.

Creamed Spinach (Ray’s the Steaks)

My mom once referred to the creamed spinach at Ray’s as “spinach to a higher power” and if you taste it you’ll know what she means. I like to challenge people who say they don’t like spinach to try this spinach, and so far all of the spinach haters have been converted. It is just that good! Not heavy or gloppy; just creamy, simple, and flavorful. The best part is that it is free (along with mashed potatoes) with all entrees. No, wait, the best part is that they frequently (though not always) include some extra creamed spinach with your leftovers.

Pan-fried Pork Dumplings (A&J - Annandale)

A&J in Annandale (they also have a Rockville location) is a total hole in the wall and off the beaten path. It features a range of dim sum items, which are available all the time, and not just at special hours like most places. It is a bargain, too. The item I order every time is the pan-fried dumplings. Unlike what you’d expect, they are long and thin, and frequently stick together. They aren’t served with a sauce, so you can mix up the condiments on the table to taste (I like the vinegar, soy sauce and chili peppers).

Vegetarian Platter (Etete)

If you think you don’t like Ethiopian food, I urge you to give it another try. Go try a vegetarian platter and then tell me that you are not in love with this cuisine. The basis of Ethiopian food is the bread, called injera. It is spongy, sourdough-like bread that resembles crepes. You tear off pieces and use it to scoop up the food.

What comes on the vegetarian platters varies between restaurants, and often at the same restaurants on different days. At a minimum you’ll usually find some kind of split peas, greens, potatoes and carrots, tomato salad. It is a rainbow of deliciousness.

My favorite local Ethiopian restaurant is Etete. Meaza is close to my new house and is good, but inconsistent.

Dark Chocolate Mousse (Ray’s the Steaks)

Yes, another item from Ray’s the Steaks. One day I’m going to go there and just order spinach and mousse. Okay, maybe I’ll get a side of mac and cheese, too. Seriously though, this is the most phenomenal chocolate mousse I’ve ever had. They also offer milk chocolate and white chocolate varieties, but for me, of course, dark is the way to go.

I know I should be raving about the steaks at Ray’s; it is of course their feature item. Don’t get me wrong, I love the steaks here more than I love steak anywhere else, but I think I naturally lean towards being a vegetarian or pescetarian. Is there such a thing as a chocolatarian?

Lobster Burger (Central)

a bunch of chopped lobster meat compressed into a patty. It is more like two lobster tails intertwined and slapped on a delicious bun with a buttery potato tuille. It is a bit pricey, but totally worth the occasional splurge.

In case you’re wondering, I am always available to accompany anyone who would like to try these, or any other, delicacies.

Ice

In case you were wondering, the ice DOES help. Last night's injection burned a lot more going in than it did the night before.

What helps the most is the post-injection massage with a warm washcloth. While the Monday night injection site is still sore (we didn't really take the time to do the massage), last night's injection site is totally fine. I think the rubbing made a big difference.

In less than 48 hours, the little snowbabies will be ready to nest. I'm so excited!

Biking and Pizza

Biking! What? You didn't know I bike. Yeah, well, what feels like a long time ago, I used to blog about my adventures in training for an Ironman. I used to do quite a bit of this cycling thing.

Since I still own my bike (you may remember that her name is Ms. Piggy), lately I've been testing myself to see if I still remember how it works. Yup, I do. I can even clip in and out, pedal, and everything. It is quite wonderful...

I was never fast, but having taken so much time off from the bike, I've gotten even slower. Oh well. As long as I am not trying to keep up with anyone or climb any ridiculous hills, I really enjoy being on the bike.

This weekend I persuaded the Knight to do his 20-mile recovery ride with me. As soon as I passed the entrance to the Bluemont Junction trail I had a brilliant idea. Pupatella!

Really, it was a brilliant plan. Once I caught up with the Knight, who has always been a speedy biker, I convinced him that we needed to refuel with pizza before heading home.

I cannot explain how much I love this place. The pizzas are so simple, but so incredibly delicious. How can so few ingredients taste so good? It is the essence of good food. I highly recommend that you try it. Start with the "REAL MARGHERITA DOC" and go from there.

I realized that I could really increase my bike fitness if I rewarded myself with Pupatella after (or during) every ride. I would ride all of the time.

It is half a block away from the end of the Bluemont Junction trail (right off the Custis trail) - just west of the intersection of Wilson Blvd and George Mason Drive. Let me know if you need more details.

Mangia!

Funny IVF Thoughts

Last night was Progesterone in Oil (PIO) day 2. It really isn’t horrible, but it is certainly not fun.

I got to thinking; this is supposed to be an intramuscular injection, right? Yeah, so whose idea was it to inject my butt? I don’t know about you, but I don’t really feel like there is a whole lot of muscle on my butt. There’s something, but it ain’t muscle.

For that matter, who thought of the idea to put hormones in sesame oil? I mean, really! Do we really need to inject MORE fat into my butt?

And how did they come up with this whole idea, anyhow? As it turns out, the whole IVF idea is pretty old, and the first test tube baby was born in the 70s. How did the process get to this point where tens of thousands of women are (mostly secretly) going through this procedure?

Don’t get me wrong. I am grateful that IVF is an option, and am even more grateful that I am in a position to avail myself of this technology. But if you really think about it, it is kind of crazy.

***

In case you’re wondering, PIO #2 went a little better than #1. I received a couple of very helpful emails from friends and I combed the internet. Here is the current drill:

1 – 5 minutes before, ice the injection site. [I am not convinced this is important, because I think that it is to numb the skin to desensitize it for the needle prick. The needle prick generally doesn’t bother me, so I think I’m going to try skipping this next time.]

2 – Fill the syringe with the PIO and heat it for a few minutes. The Knight puts it under his arm and it gets good and toasty. [Apparently, warming the oil makes it thinner and easier to inject.]

3 – Lay face down or find a position that takes the weight off your legs. The person giving the injection places his thumb and index finger together at the injection site, and then spreads the skin taut; then injects the PIO.

4 – Afterwards, lightly massage the area and then apply a warm washcloth.

5 – Most importantly, last night I resumed the post-injection cookie ritual. It was totally helpful and I highly recommend this. ;)

One more tip – if you happen to have a little bit of blood at the injection site (totally normal), it is best not to wipe the blood off and then touch the white duvet cover. I’m not saying who did this, but since one of us was lying face down on the bed eating a cookie, I’ll let you guess. :)

Thursday! Already?

Don’t you love it when weeks fly by? I certainly do. I had to check the calendar three times, but yup, it really is Thursday. Hooray!

When I thought about writing up a Thursday Thirteen, the first thing that came to mind was the trip I’m planning, so I might as well write about that since I am currently vacation-OBSESSED.

1.         As a cruise lover, I convinced the Knight to take a 3-night Disney cruise after the 2010 Disney Marathon and he was an instant convert.

2.         We both got spoiled by Disney. I finally understood the hype and why people would be willing to pay more for a Disney cruise. They definitely go the extra mile and it shows.

3.         When we started looking at fall vacations, taking a cruise was on the top of our list. I love researching travel and I came across a fabulous deal that I couldn't pass up.

4.         For around the same price as taking a 7-day Caribbean cruise on another cruise line, I found a 14-day transatlantic cruise on the Disney Magic that offered an incredible military discount (the Knight is a retired Naval Pilot). For a little more, we could have a balcony cabin.

5.         We decided to go for it.  Our final cost is roughly 81% off the brochure price, and roughly 55% lower than the best available price for the same cabin without the military discount. Disney doesn’t frequently offer the discounts, but when they do, they’re great.

6.         Airfare is almost as much as our cruise fare. Oh well.

7.         We’re getting a 14-day trip, which essentially includes all of our food and entertainment, for less than we paid for our 7-day vacation to St. Lucia last October. Score!

8.         I almost forgot. Our itinerary:

• Barcelona
• At Sea
• Gibraltar (UK)
• At Sea
• Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
• At Sea (x 5)
• St. Maarten
• Tortola, British Virgin Ilands
• At Sea
• Castaway Cay, Bahamas (Disney’s private island)
• At Sea
• Port Canaveral, FL

9.         Assuming that the upcoming embryo transfer sticks (it will!), I will just be entering my second trimester during the early part of our trip. It is excellent timing - I think.

10.       According to the online IVF due date calculator, a singleton baby will be due on 3/17/12 (my 37^th birthday), or twins would be due on 2/23/12. Cool!

11.       Would it surprise you to know that I’ve pretty much finished my packing list?

12.       This trip will (potentially) be our last real vacation before baby. Wow!

13.       I am burning up all of my leave for this trip, so I am probably going to have to cheer for Ironman Arizona and Ironman Cozumel from afar. Sniff, sniff.

Schedules are for sissies

This morning I was brushing my teeth, and guess what I remembered. Even though it was on the calendar, and we had discussed it earlier in the day, both the knight and I forgot last night's injection. Oops!

This was my third injection for this cycle. At this point, I'm getting injections every three days, which kind of makes it hard to remember. I guess I need to set a pop-up reminder on my calendar so we don't forget again. This was the second shot the Knight gave me and it went better than the first. Don't get me wrong, he does a great job. But after the first one I could tell how hard it was for him - even though it didn't really hurt. What gave it away is when he said, "It is really tough for me to do this to you." I actually think it is really sweet! This morning (for our 10-hour late injection) he seemed decidedly less stressed, so that's good.

Starting Sunday the real fun begins... injections every night. Party! The progesterone in oil is supposed to be somewhat unpleasant. I'm not looking forward to it, but it is nothing I can't handle. Right!?!

Vacation News
On a different note, I am really excited this week because today we will book possibly our last big child-free vacation. I found an insanely good deal for a cruise so we're going to do it. More about that later, but let me just say to my single lady friends, you can add this to my long list of reasons to marry a military man. The Disney military discount! Love it! :) [And it was implied that I am anti-military because of my battle with veterans preference rights...psshhhh.]

Yes, really!

Those of you who follow my on facebook got a hint of last night’s adventure when I posted this from my iPad shortly after 6 pm last night:

“Omg! I am locked inside the Ben Franklin post office. No one is picking up at dc police non-emergency number. Help!!!”

Yes, you all really enjoyed that. My sister is the only person who called me to see if she could help.

I feel obligated to include a picture in this post

(even though that isn't really the actual post office, but the Old Post Office Pavillion next door)

It was most definitely a freaky situation, and I still can’t really believe that it happened. Here’s the full story.

Some time between 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm last night, I entered the lobby of the Ben Franklin post office in order to mail Fathers Day cards to my stepfather and grand-stepfather. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this particular branch, located on

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

at

13^th Street

, it is a large post office that is connected to two office buildings. It has a grand, marble lobby/hallway that stretches between the two buildings, and behind that lobby, behind glass doors, is the actual post office. There are also mailboxes and a ton of post office boxes which are accessible from the lobby. In many post offices I have been to, the mailboxes and post office boxes remain accessible when the post office is closed, so I had no reason to think that they would locking me in anytime soon.

When I arrived, the branch was closed, as it is only open until 5 pm. However, the lobby was open and I sat down on the set of three steps in front of the mailbox to write out my cards, address, and mail them. I put my cards in the box and having some time left to kill before meeting my friend for happy hour, I sat back down on the stairs and read my iPad for a little while. Several other customers came and went while I was there. Around 6:10 I heard from my friend that she was on her way and I walked to the opposite side of the lobby to exit. Imagine my surprise when I found the doors dead-bolted, with me inside. I stayed calm, and walked to the opposite side of the lobby, thinking that they must use the other set of doors for exit at that hour. Nope. Those were locked, too.

At the same time, a lady and her daughter were approaching the glass doors. There was a small gap between the doors, and the lady asked me if this was a working post office. I explained that it is during working hours, but it is now closed and I was locked inside. I asked her to look around and see if she could find any police officers. While she went to look, I looked up the police non-emergency number and dialed. I got a recording and was on endless hold.

I checked back in with the lady and she was unable to find anyone. After a few minutes she sought my permission to leave and of course I told her to go. There wasn’t much she could do for me at that point. Meanwhile, I failed to find anyone around the entrances to either office building (on two different sides of the long lobby), and couldn’t use the elevators.

Finally, I was able to find a corridor behind the lobby of one of the buildings. I found an emergency exit, but since it said it was alarmed, I was hesitant to use it (though I would have if I needed to). I kept walking and located a janitor, who, without saying a single word to me, led me to another emergency exit and let me out.

The whole thing incident was a maximum of 10-15 minutes long, but of course it felt like much longer. What I can’t figure out is how the heck it happened? I mean, really!? How does someone get locked in a post office? And it isn’t like I was hiding in a corner somewhere. The whole thing is quite ridiculous. 

I would really like to exaggerate the story, but that is it. I made it to happy hour on time, and by that time I really needed a drink (and I don’t really drink). 

Until next time….

Who's in charge here?

Funny store to share with you this morning. The Knight is away this week, and unlike the last time around, this round of injections is intramuscular (versus subcutaneous) so it is harder to give them to yourself because it is preferred that you inject the area above your butt (versus your belly). After wracking my brain trying to figure out how I can get someone to help me with yesterday's injection, I realized that my agency has a health center and that there are nurses there. After jumping through a few hoops, I got them to agree to give me my injection.

So, yesterday afternoon I went and was cool as a cucumber, being a veteran at this IVF injection routine. Well, the nurse, who was clearly no spring chicken, was not as familiar with the process and so I took the lead.

When I took the needle out of the package and removed the cover she startled me when she practically shouted, "That's a BIG needle." Ummm, yeah, are you TRYING to freak me out? I just laughed and told her that I was okay with it if she was. Hahaha. Well, it turned out that the big needle was just used for getting the medicine out of the vial, and then you switch to a smaller needle for the injection. It was still funny. I am glad I am not squeamish or freaked out about these things or that nurse would have made it a LOT worse.

Then we had a little debate about where the injection should go. When I had the trigger injection for the last cycle, it was intramuscular and the nurse at Shady Grove drew a nice little circle on my backside in the appropriate spot so the Knight would know exactly where to inject me. So, while I couldn't really see it, I remember where it was. Well, Ms. Crankypants Nurse thought it should be on the side of my hip. We finally compromised and did it halfway between where she thought and I thought.

Oh, and the shot, I didn't even feel it. I had to ask her if she'd put the needle in yet. I will do this shot (Del Estrogen) every three days for the next two weeks, and then I will add in another med (Progesterone in Oil - PIO) every day for three weeks.

That stuff is supposed to be tough because it is thick and can hurt. I found lots of tips online about how to make it more pleasant, and I know the Knight will do what he can to make it better. For example, they say you can hold the vial in your hand or on a heating pad for a few minutes to warm the PIO. You can also massage the injection site afterwards. I'm not too worried about it, but just in case I think I will stop by Trader Joe's and pick up a little reward treat - for me AND the Knight. :)

Round 2, Day 1

It's that time again. Yes, it is time for us to begin the second cycle. Are you excited? I know I am. :)

Let's recap. Round 1 - our first full IVF cycle - resulted in the retrieval of 23 eggs. 21 of those were mature. 18 of those fertilized normally. We transferred 1 embryo and froze 3. I got pregnant, but miscarried very soon thereafter.

Now we get to try again. We decided to transfer 2 of the frozen embryos and will hopefully wind up with a "snowbaby" - get it?

For the past three weeks, I was on birth control pills in order to regulate my cycle. Counterintuitive, right? I know.

Here's the plan:

Tonight I will start the injections. These are totally different from what I did last time since the procedure we're preparing for is completely different. Basically, they're trying to thicken the lining of my uterus to prepare it for the embryos.

We'll do the shots for around 2 weeks, and then on July 1st, it's time to get me pregnant. I really wish it were more fun than it is...

I'm guessing that we'll wait two weeks, and then it's finger-crossing time.

Now shhhhhh. I am not telling my mom about the specifics. She doesn't read this blog (as far as I know). As it so happens, we will be visiting her just about two weeks after the transfer and hopefully we'll have some good news to share with her - IN PERSON. But I want it to be a total surprise, so I'm being very vague about the details this time.

So, that's the scoop. We're feeling very optimistic.

Blogs: They're Meant to be Read

Before that whole Ironman thing, I was a blog-less woman. I know, I know, it is so hard to remember those days. But alas, I had nowhere other than Facebook to post my always insightful musings (ahem) and details of the latest training session.

Back in those days, I knew several people who had blogs, but I wasn't a regular blog reader. I didn't even know about Google Reader (how did I survive?). Every now and then, when work was slow, I'd check out a few different blogs that I'd bookmarked. All the while, I secretly felt like a stalker, and would never tell the writers that I had read them, and of course I'd never leave a comment.

...And then I started my blog. And I practically wanted to beg people to read it. I shared my thoughts, my pictures, and my funny stories, and it thrilled me every time someone commented or mentioned that they had read what I blogged.

I am pretty sure that most bloggers feel the same way. We write because we want to share. If we don't want you, our undefined and unknown body of readers, to know something, we don't share it.

Two things continue to surprise me:

1) the number of people who have reached out to me to say that they've read about our IVF journey and have gone through the process (or something related); and

2) how many readers sheepishly admit that they've read the blog, as though they peeked in my diary or something. I get it...but I'm here to tell you, it is OKAY.

Let's be clear: I want you to read this blog. Please don't be shy about commenting (I absolutely love comments!!!).

With regard to the IVF journey, I thought long and hard about whether to discuss it here. It seems like such a taboo topic for most people.  I thought about who might read it... Would my step-children (ages 20 and 22) see this blog? Do I want people who I barely know to read about the details of this difficult and emotional process? How about the Knight's ex-wife - or my ex-husband? Will they somehow find this blog? And if they do, do I care? Why shouldn't I share all of this with the world - or at least my 10 faithful readers?

I decided that I didn't want to hide what I was going through. It is just awkward for me to be less than forthcoming and I just couldn't figure out a good way to bring it up in conversation.

At the time that we began considering IVF, I knew two ladies who had been through IVF (successfully) and I wasn't really sure if they would want to talk about it. I felt awkward about bringing it up. 

Then I wrote that blog post on April 1st and I started receiving such wonderful, supportive notes from everyone. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how supported that made me feel - and continue to feel. I began to realize that I actually know a lot of people who have been through this and pretty much everyone is willing to talk about it, share advice, and give pep talks.

Blogging about all of this was a good decision and I am so glad that I have opened up about this part of my life. I still want to share what I'm going through. Maybe someone will learn something that will help them in the future. Maybe I will learn something. At the very least, blogging saves me from some of the individual questions asking, "What's the status?" although I never mind talking about this. Well, there was that one day when I got the bad news, but...

Writing is therapeutic. I could put this all in a journal, but I have chosen to put it here, for all to see. I would love it if you would leave a comment here [really, it is easy - you can even do it anonymously] to let me know that you're reading.

Keep reading... I expect a very happy ending to this story and I can't wait to share it with you.

Happy National Running Day!

I’ll be honest with you. It is not a great day for running in the DC Area. Code Orange air quality. Hot. Humid. But I heeded Coach Ed’s advice and went out for an easy “acclimation” run during my lunch hour. Wooooeeeee. It definitely felt like a sauna, but it was a good run and as I frequently have to remind myself, I never regret going for a run.

I am happy to be able to celebrate running today. Running has been such a significant part of the past 5 years. It has been a truly positive force in my life and I can honestly say that I am better for it.

I’m healthier, happier, and fitter. I’ve developed friendships with so many wonderful people because of my love of running and triathlon.

One of my favorite sayings is one I created:

The Goal is The Race in 2050.

I sincerely hope that 40 years from now I still call myself a runner and I continue to benefit from all of that running brings to my life.