Julia, Here's the Deal...

So here is the deal, my sisters and I are very close.  That's us with our dad two thanksgivings ago, 2009, before my deployment.

Top Row L-R:Julia, Robby (step dad), Alice (mom)
Bottom Row L-R: Ashleigh, Wendy (me), Ariel, Meredyth

We are close in age, and have grown even closer as the time passes and the miles between us increase.
Here we are at my mom Alice Perry's wedding 26 (27, 28?) December of 2009, days before my deployment to Afghanistan.

Meredyth, Wendy, Julia

On Christmas Day 2009, covered in the bows from our presents, in Due West, SC.

Wendy, Ashleigh, Julia, Meredyth (front and center)

Here we are again for Meredyth's bridal shower in Virginia, June 2011.

So if four pictures don't do it for you just take my word for it, we are close. Byrd sisters mean a lot, they have veto rights on the men in each other's lives, they will listen intently to each other's whining and gloating, crying and blabbing, boredom and frustrations.  One day they may need to listen to your sobs the next lay out the news you don't want to hear.  My sisters mean the world to me.
Julia and I trained for last year's Army 10-miler together, I ran it with my best friend Ethan just a month after she left for Botswana.  This year I will run it again, a lone Byrd girl in a sea of meaningless people (meaningless because you are not a Byrd sister when that's all I want).

Lately I have been a bit jealous... you see Meredyth and Julia have this ongoing affair... and I want a Byrd sister love affair of my own.  Julia has been gone less than a year and I don't like it.  Yes I was gone longer and it was difficult, yes, she is having a life changing time and its good for her, shut up.

Meredyth is enjoying married life in Austin, TX.  Julia is semi-miserable in Botswana, Africa and I am still a student in Northern Virginia.  Don't get me wrong I am always enjoying life, beachside enjoying life at the moment, but everyone is away.
Back to this affair...
Meredyth and Julia have this on going blogpal and I want my piece of the Byrd pie.
So here's the deal.
Julia, will you take me, Wendy, to be your second oldest sister and second blogpal?
We need to do our 10-miler training again, and each week blog back to tell the other about our weekly runs.  Its not hard, half the time I will be telling you how I missed two days of the schedule and you'll tell me an antelope joined you on your run.

So will you.  Here is the training program in PDF form, I will also email it to you.

Training begins on Monday.

Smitten, the intro...

 

MG Linnington, Alice Bell (my mom), ME, MAJ Tim Garland (MG Linnington's Aide) at the reception prior to Spirit of America in Charleston, SC in September 2011

after my promotion, thanking the crowd, my mom and MG Linnington

He says we met the day before my promotion before the cigar lounge, I don't remember, so I will start from the cigar lounge. 

 I don't remember connecting with anyone as easily and having as much of an indepth conversation with anyone so soon upon meeting.  We sat and talked about life, what we've been through and pretty much shared our life stories on a leather couch in Charleston, SC over cigars.  Initially, I was intrigued and interested in him as well as surprised by his openness, not a typical characteristic of any Infantryman. 

Week One Training: Running in Circles

I suppose running in circles is the general idea in a running program.  I think my running goes through stages, each run that is.

I talk to myself, well I think to myself.  I try very hard not to talk out loud to myself while I run... its a conscious decision and effort.  

In the beginning of my run I tell myself how strong I am, that I can accomplish anything and how today is a new day.  Today I am stronger than I was yesterday, I am a new person today, I can choose to do anything I want today.  I am more organized, more intelligent, more punctual and a better person than I was yesterday. 

Secondly, I organize my day.  Sociology; homework, study for the exam, print out the previous quizzes for review look over the discussion board posts.  Bio-Medical Ethics; exam is coming up, type up study sheets, look over terminology.  English; don't get ahead of myself, look over my research, take notes, make citations, narrow down on thesis.  Anatomy & Physiology; write research paper, ugh, decide on topic for research paper.  Pack clothes to go to FiremanDave's, leave the house by noon to take the Sociology exam.    I think by organizing my day I get out the jumbled and tangled thoughts that bind and and stress me out.  Planning it out lets me see how it can all be managed.

Next, scenery.  Finally I look up and look around me.  Its amazing what you miss when you only see the trail or path in front of you.  The trees are changing, the hills roll in front of me and the morning is clear and crisp.  Brr and my ears are cold.  Then its a blur for miles.  I don't feel my legs, I don't think about my day i just breathe and continue on.  

...and I am now officially registered for my first marathon.  

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Am I a Runner After All?

Tunnel To Tower 5K, Kabul, Afghanistan 2010

So... I have run a few 5Ks here and there, even one in full combat gear, the Army ten-miler this year, planning on a half-marathon in February and as it appears I have now been suckered into a Marathon in March.

I run fairly regularly, I am part of a local Hash (still need to be named) and there probably isn't a week that goes by that I don't log 5-15 miles... but a "runner".. oh my, I couldn't call myself a "runner" yet.  I'm not among those elite, the "I can run at any pace, anywhere, for any distance" people that I idealize and put on a pedestal, am I?

Julia trained with me for the Army Ten-Miler and we ran just about anywhere:

• Dirt "track" at a high school, for 20 laps; surprisingly one of my favorite runs
• Over the rolling hills of South Carolina, which I do not recommend 
• Blazing hot WO&D trail in Virginia "maybe we could just run later, when its not high noon" "YEP!", also not recommended
• The suburbia paths of Sterling, VA

She is a great partner, we encourage and motivate one another, we push each other to run harder and longer and its less competitive as it is sisterly love.   Unfortunately she went off to save the world one African country at a time and won't be back for two years.

I've also run on my own, since I was left for Africa I had to...  so I run through the woods, through shrubs, along highways, on the beach, through every residential area I know... and oh the bike paths.

Thats us, the super excited ones

Ethan ran the Ten-Miler with me since the Fireman is still recovering from foot surgery.  We joked and made rude comments and vulgar remarks and had offensive conversations and sang hymnals and cadences pretty much the entire ten miles.  It was great.  I haven't had so much fun for 90 minutes straight in a long time!  

I stopped by his place this evening to go for a run after the run we talked about the Marine Corps Marathon we have agreed to take on next year.  The agreement went something like this:

*ring ring*

W: Hey, Ethan, whats up?

E: (solemnly) Wendy, I think we might have to run the Marine Corps Marathon next year.  

W: (matter of factly) yeah I know, we are.  

E: What?! No! That was not the response I was hoping for!

This is my "Finish Line" pose

Army Ten-Miler Finish Line

So I found a training program and informed him we were "Intermediates" not "NOVICES" and he quickly disagreed.  

No, we are in the military and we ran the Ten-Miler, we aren't Novices.  So as we reviewed the training plan Ethan's cold feet turned attitude turned to an anxious excitement.  I don't want to wait til next year, let's do one soon.  

SOooooo... now we are training for the DC Rock n' Roll Marathon in March.  17 weeks away... the training program is 18 weeks long.  Good call Ethan, Good call.  

Hopefully by the Austin Half-marathon in February I will be able to come to terms with the all important title and finally consider myself a "runner".  Yeah, probably not.

 I'll get there one day.  

Tunnel to Tower 5K Shadow Run, Kabul, AFG

Marathon Training, Day 1

April Showers bring Baby Showers

My great friend Janelle is having a baby!! Check out her blog called 'The Bump is Only the Beginning'.




Now... I went online to check out her gift registry... and I decided on my gift theme.




Baby Bathing.

I always feel as though the mother should benefit from the gifts at a baby shower... yes yes she doesn't have to buy them herself and yes that is nice. Regardless, really I want to give her something that will make her days easier, make mothering easier and make her enjoy the time with her baby more often and well Baby Bath Time is just so fun.




So i went to Babies R Us and I had a budget set. I could not find the registered baby bath so I went with the best I could find... a 4 stage newborn to toddler bather... and it transforms!

now to figure out how to make it presentable without wrapping it (i didn't buy wrapping paper)

so i swaddled the sponge frog (the sponge is the newborn bathing stage) in the Posy flower towel, which matches the nursery, with the Johnson's and Johnson's bathing products, because there is nothing better than a baby washed in J&J

and seeing how Janelle and Jason (the parents) = J&J, its just that much better.

Next I swaddled the smaller items in the washcloth and put it next to the frog.  I set up the Baby Bath with the bath cradle inside it to create a resting place for the Baby Frog. 

With the Frog laying at an angle and the smaller items next to it I merely filled in the empty spaces with the additional items.

Johnson & Johnson's Baby Travel Kit 

and since I couldn't resist... a few pairs of so cute socks from newborn stage to 12 months (can't have too many pairs of socks)

So here is the end result... a baby bath full of baby bathing gifts.  My solution to my own decision "NO WRAPPING"

it still hurts, but happiness is the end result

I've talked to friends about bad break ups and the ups and downs... my words to them are echoed back and I am forced to hear them, and I choose to learn from them

break ups hurt, no doubt. You may find out what someone doesn't like about you,
that your dreams don't align with theirs,
your choices are not what they want,
your lives are on a continual parallel pattern,
or even deciding for yourself that they are not what you want
the tearing apart is hard no matter what
realizing you have put your time emotions and heart into something that you now know is not what is best

but not knowing why...
not knowing the reason...
having no knowledge of what, why, why not, the unknown is the most difficult

I move on pretty quickly... I moved a bit as a kid and I learned that focusing on something new makes me forget what I have left behind.
I don't always realize that others may not move on as quickly, may not forget, may not find distractions as easily as I may

I didn't realize this until I experienced it for myself AND was told of how hurtful and drawn out the pain this can cause is

Looking back and seeing smiling faces, pictures of happiness, carefree and sure of what I had...
and knowing that it all disappeared without a trace of explanation, no word of why, no harsh words
no tears during conversations, no pleading, no understanding, just the looming and drawn out emptiness and confusion of the unknown.

What clues did I miss?  What wrong steps did I take? Which words should have been omitted? What should I have said? Where did I go wrong on a path that seemed so safe?

It does not matter, I will never know, I must learn to tread carefully and look ahead as I take new steps
but also I cannot build a wall, I cannot hide behind my fears nor can I shine a light down the path to see the turns and doors ahead
I cannot allow set backs, tears, heart break, and wrong steps to scare me into a stand still
I will keep walking, I will keep my head held high and I will take every step with the confidence and knowledge that I am who I am, I am no better as a result of my past unless I learn from it and become stronger, I am worse from my past if I stop walking, do not recognize my mistakes, or refuse to learn from my mistakes
My past makes me who I am and I am better because I have chosen to learn, chosen to be strong and chosen to continue on.  I walk with my head held high and do not allow my faults to hold me back,  instead I take my mistakes as steps, difficult as they may be, steps toward a wiser, stronger, and more understanding woman.

I am happy



*FYI, I very typically will write about something in the past that has effected me but now is just a good reminder of where I've been.  This is no different, past break-up(s) not current ... check out Transformation from Sept of 2010, written when I could finally look at the changes I had made without being hurt by the situation and circumstances which called for the change.  Its all a growing process*

Dinner is Served... regardless of the recipes reviews

this is our Conceptual Plan
Tuscan Salmon with Rosemary Orzo and the reviews on Epicurious.com weren't so great...
but after reading through the reviews I decided those people were wrong and I could make it better, or as the recipe had intended it to be.
The recipe is as follows

• 6 ounces orzo
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 salmon fillets (5 ounces each), skin on
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cook orzo as directed on package until al dente. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 1/2 cup onion and rosemary until onion softens, 9 minutes. Combine with orzo in a bowl. Season salmon with 1 tablespoon basil, salt and pepper. Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook salmon until golden, 5 minutes per side, flesh side down first; set aside. add garlic and remaining 1 cup onion to skillet; cook until soft, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and olives; cook until tomatoes break up, 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir in parsley and remaining 1/4 cup basil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve fish over orzo; top with tomato mixture.

this is the planned end result.

Here is how it went in our kitchen...

I opted not to do the parsley as I don't find that it adds anything substantial (and the grocery store didn't seem to have any small quantities for sale, I have no need for a bundle of parsley) 

take note that it did not specify what type of onion, so I went for a typical onion.  nothing fancy or out of the ordinary.

Loki came in the Kitchen when preparations were under way,

thats the full filet of salmon he has his sticky curious paws on... 

guess what happened next

no... he didn't get it.

 my ingredients, chopped, halved, diced and sliced.
The orzo was quick and easy, the rosemary and half of the onions went in and mixed with the orzo and required a good amount of salt to bring out the hidden flavors... Ashleigh and I felt that scallions or a sweeter onion would have gone much better as the typical onion used had a hint of flavor that had a bit of a sweet taste to it (from the sauteing most likely) but if that had been played upon more then the orzo mixture would have been really a hit.  Also the rosemary needed to be FINELY chopped as it was just "chopped" and since it does not soften very much in the saute pan the texture was a bit distracting in contrast to the orzo.

My completed dish. 

The Salmon cooked quickly and I feel there could have been a better way to incorporate the basil rather than spreading it over the salmon during the stove top cooking... but that is just me and I don't have a better idea.

So in conclusion this dish was really quite nice! the Orzo combined with the strong flavor in the olives and the delicate tomatoes went very nicely with the salmon.  It was balanced, nothing out shined anything else, the Orzo would have been really great with scallions though.

It was very quick and easy to make though, I definitely recommend it, the orzo goes a long way and when purchased at a good price.