The Cowtown Marathon

So... I've signed up for another 5K run on October 7, 2007. This is the beginning of my training to run a marathon next year. I've run many 5K's in my time, but not in a couple of years so I figure this will be a good jumping off point.

Next I'll be training for a 10K, then a half-marathon and finally... the big one... a marathon. It's been a goal of mine for years, but now I'm really working towards it and set on doing well.

I've been running 3 miles a day for over a week now to just bring up my endurance. (A 5K is 3.2 miles.) I'm not even worried about how I do placing wise, I just want to finish the race without stopping and begin training for the next big event.

I'll probably run the 10K in the Almond Blossom Run in February, then a 1/2 marathon near the end of next summer and the International Marathon next December.

Yay me! If I start to whine about this, please remind me that I'm lucky enough to be able to run everyday and enjoy it! :)

Answered Prayers

All I can say is... THANK GOD FOR ANSWERED PRAYERS!

I went to see Cathy tonight and can't even explain how elated I am to have her doing SOOOO well! :)

Kira and I went down to the hospital at 5:30 tonight. When we got there Cathy's mom told her she had visitors and upon walking in the room Cathy gave us the BIGGEST smile! It was such an amazing feeling! She mouthed the word HI to us (she still can't speak) and was SOOO happy. We stayed at the hospital for over an hour talking to her and Brian, and discussing all the things that had been going on and the things we had yet to do together.

Cathy looks exactly the same, just with a short haircut. She is wearing a stocking cap while her stitches are still healing, but Kira brought some cute baseball caps for her to wear while she's in the hospital so her head doesn't get cold.

While we were there Cathy also had dinner. She ate almost EVERYTHING on her plate! She's been on real food for almost a week and doing really well eating everything. She just looked so happy to have people visiting her and talking to her.

I can't even tell you all how amazed I am at the power of prayer. I feel that I am blessed to have so many people around me who are praying for Cathy in this trying time. I can't believe the improvement I've seen in Cathy every time I've been to the hospital. I really can't even explain the excitement I feel right now knowing that Cathy is going to get better and better and better!!!

Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive. You are all amazing people and I appreciate each and every one of you. I will post another update on Sunday when I visit her again... this time we are bringing Big Spoon Frozen Yogurt! Yay!!

I love you all!!!!

Life lessons

It's amazing... the things you can learn from the people in your life. I'm glad to have people in my life who teach me something new everyday. I'm glad to be feeling good about myself and the things I've done in my life. I'm glad that I've realized my faults and taken an active part in making them positive attributes.

I love my friends and family... just being blessed with your presence makes me happy. I know I have a lot to give in this life and am very blessed to be as loved as I am.

If anyone needs some love... I have plenty to share... just hit me up.

My visit to Cathy Liu

This update is a bit late, but I figure that late is better than never, right?

Last week Sunday (8/5) I went to the hospital to visit Cathy in her new room. As you all know, she had been moved from the ICU to a regular room on the 8th floor. When Kira and I arrived we were greeted by her parents, boyfriend Brian and his parents. We all chatted for a little bit while the nurses were in with Cathy. We learned that she had been doing really well, was looking at the cards everyone had been sending her and was performing small tasks such as holding up two fingers when asked.

This visit was the first time, in the month Cathy had been in the hospital, that Kira and I were actually able to see her in person. The previous times we had only been able to visit with her family in the waiting room. It was really exciting to see her. She still looks like the same Cathy, just with a short haircut. :) She was moving her left leg a lot and her arms as well and seemed quite alert, looking back and forth from me to Kira and back again. We talked about the things we couldn't wait to do with her and reminisced about the things we had already done. Though she could not answer us, I believe she understood what we were saying.

Yesterday (8/12), Kira and I went back to the hospital to hopefully see Cathy again. Unfortunately she was being taken for general tests and follow up, so we were unable to see her at that time. We did get to see Pam though. She told us that Cathy would begin therapy today (3 hours daily) and that we would be able to see her later in the week. She said Cathy's operation to reattach her skull cap had gone very well and that she was improving everyday.

We are very excited to see Cathy on Saturday of this week. I know I can't wait to talk to her more and tell her about everyone sending their prayers and good thoughts.

I can't tell you how much I personally appreciate everyone's thoughts during this time. It's been a tough month for all of us and I'm so proud to have all of you around me as my friends. I hope you are all doing well. I'll write another update on Sunday after I've checked in on Cathy again. :) Oh, and I also attached a photo of Cathy and I that was taken at a BBQ back on June 17. Enjoy! :)

My LOVE to all of you,
Laura

Time away

So... last night I spent some much needed time with family and realized that there are many people around me who support me and only want the best for me. Though I'm here in Sacramento on my own, I have family that is not far away who are there for me.

It's been a tough couple of days and I know it will only get tougher, but knowing these people are here for me makes me feel better.

I'm blessed to not only have a close knit family, but also a great group of friends. Just this morning one of my good friend sensed something was wrong and took me aside to talk about it. These are the things I need right now. I'm not one of those people who talks about myself all the time... I'm more of a listener... but right now, I need people to listen to me. I need them to hear what I'm going through and allow me to get it off my chest. For the first time in a LONG time, I don't want to hear about other people's problems, I want them to hear about mine... It's very weird to feel this way, but it just feels like what my heart needs at this point.

I don't really know what else to say in today's blog... I'm pushing along... but feel so lost at the same time. I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel... it's just taking a while to get there.

It was an okay day

Today was an okay day.

Good things

Today was the first time in the month that Cathy has been in the hospital that I actually got to see her in person. She looks good and is alert and awake. She was moving her left leg and arm quite a bit and was looking around the room checking each of us out. She has a buzzed haircut which actually looks really good on her. :)

It was such a great day seeing her family, Brian and his family. Everyone is so loving and caring for her. They watch her all day, talk to her and help her out the best they can. It's been a really long process and each day seems to be a bit better. On Tuesday she will go back in for surgery to have the portion of her skull replaced that they removed to allow for brain swelling. This is a step back, but a step forward at the same time.

I'm so excited that my friend is doing better. I'm glad that I can finally visit the hospital and look at her. I can't wait to spend time hanging out in the hospital with her where we can watch TV, read books and chat about the old times. :) I can't wait until I can just help her out with everything she is going through.

Isn't love enough?

Today has been an okay day because I had a fun night last night... but I'm still so tore up over the things going on in my life. Though there is good in Cathy's recovery process, there have been some really hard days lately. I can't seem to understand how things got turned so upside down in my life. I can't understand what I did to deserve the turn of events that has happened.

I miss the days when everything made sense. I miss the times when I would sit in the park and watch the stars. I miss the times when I could laugh about nothing at all, just because. I miss the mornings when I would wake up and be smiling. I miss the feeling that my world was amazing and couldn't get any better.

I want to go back to those days. I want to laugh for no reason. I want to watch the stars and enjoy them. I want to smile when I wake up. I want to be happy because I deserve to be.
I know that healing takes a long time, but I feel that I deserve to be happy. I deserve someone who will fight for me.

A script excerpt from the movie "Last Kiss"...

"I realize now that I love her more than I will ever love anybody else." - Zach Braff

"Stop talking about love. Every asshole in the world says he loves somebody. It means nothing. What you feel only matters to you. It's what you do to the people you say you love. That's what matters. It's the only thing that counts." -- Tom Wilkinson

"What do I have to do?" -- Zach Braff

"Just do whatever it takes. You can't fail if you don't give up." -- Tom Wilkinson

Not a sob story

I know that my blogs lately seem to be all about me and how sad I've been, but I'm not trying to be the girl with the sob story, for any of you who think I am. It's simply that I have been going through some tough times and I feel alone. My Blog is the only way I can really get my thoughts and feelings out so I feel better on the inside. Each blog I write makes me feel better about my situation and allows me to realize that things are getting better each day, despite the fact that I don't feel like they are.

I refuse to let my life be thought of as a sob story. I want my life to be happy again... and voicing my feelings is getting me there. :)

Sometimes...

Sometimes in life you hit those moments when you feel as if you can't breathe and things will just get worse and worse in your life. Those are the moments when you can either be pulled out of a hole or stay in the darkness for too long.

I have chosen to come out of the hole. To put on a smile whether I want to or not, don my shades and walk out into the sun to welcome a new day full of love and happiness. I can now feel the breeze on my face and the warmth of the sun and though some sorrow is hidden behind my shades, I can move forward, one foot in front of the other and do better for myself and my future, because it's the one thing I have control over.

With each ending comes a new beginning. Each ending means a new path in your life and a new chance to grow and learn from your mistakes and successes. This ending is a new beginning in my strength as a woman in this world. I'm a stronger woman because of every relationship I have faced. I am able to look back on the good and bad points and see that I've grown through the happy times and heartache. I've gained knowledge to share with others and to make my life that much more fulfilling in the end.

I pray that I continue to follow this enlightened path and soon enough am able to remove my shades, and look bare faced into the sun where I can say,

"Lord, thank you for blessing me and healing my heartache. Thank you for bringing these experiences into my life and making me a stronger person in the process. Thank you for staying by my side in good times and bad and thank you for not judging me based on my decisions. I pray that you have more trials and success planned for me and that you will continue to protect me on the path."

Thank you to everyone who has supported me. My life would be empty without each and every one of you. Alexis, Molly, Leigh, Meggie, Megan, Tracey, Twila, Lindsay, Mom, Dad, Matt M., Mike, Steve, John, Steven, Jamie, Jackie, Melissa, Carla, Jill, Laura R., Nan, Loren, Karen, and the rest of my loved ones, thanks. Life is not as blessed without you and your friendship and love. You amaze me day after day and make me thank God for giving me so much. I love you all!