I keep intending to post...

and yet... at some point... I just don't have the time/energy/motivation, and so it is pushed back another day.

So, back in school... Human Physiology, Biochemistry and Microbiology. Yes, 3 sciences in one term... what's great, tho, is that they're all related... what I learn about molecules in biochem relates to bacterial membrane structure in micro and hormone synthesis in physiology... its like I'm learning the same things 3 times.

I got 100% on my first micro exam and 90% on my first chem exam of the term. Physiology is a week from monday, and I feel good about that one to.

Working out is going well, I've been making it in 3-4 times a week. I need to push it more with the weight training tho, I don't feel like I'm making much progress there. I did a program on the treadmill this week tho that had me jogging for about 18 of the 30 minutes and it felt awesome to be running again... I know I'm not supposed to run, and my podiatrist would kill me if he found out... but its a treadmill! And I am taking it easy, I swear! ;)

I'm going to start doing static hangs and negative pull-ups next week. I want to be able to do 5 by the end of the year... following Krista's "mistressing the pullup" instructions worked for me last time, so I'll be doing the same thing again.

The kids are doing well, Val has a cold, and Nate has an attitude, so I suppose nothing is new there.

On a more depressing note: Our beloved doggie ran away (or was stolen) last weekend. We've been doing everything we can think of to find him (posters, calls to animal control and humane society, canvasing the neighborhood, etc...) but there is no sign of him yet. I am hoping he just followed someone home and that they're trying to figure out how to find his family. He had his collar on, but Mike hadn't gotten him a new ID tag with our address and phone on it yet... so there's no real way for finders to get a hold of us.

If you've got some spare energy, or positive thoughts, we'd really appreciate them. Ripley is really a sweet, family oriented pup... and we miss him a lot.

the speed at which we live...

It blows my mind how quickly a week can get away from me... last week I got sick (again) and didn't work out until Thursday... I hardly ate either, and the emergenC I downed like it was going out of style had me feeling healthy again by Wednesday evening. I also finished my second week of spring term. When I'm in school the weeks seem condensed. I only have classes on M-W-F, but those three days are LONG (8a-4:30p, with 1 1hr break) and Tuesday and Thursday seem just long enough for me to catch my breath before diving in again.

Microbiology is my best class this term, I am absolutely FASCINATED by what we're learning about the microbial world.

Chemistry is a close second... the professor is awesome (such a contrast to last term) and the expectations are straight forward and I believe I'll do well.

Physiology is also a good class, my only complaints are that the Lab is more of a supplemental lecture than an actual "Lab" and that the professor is SO FREAKING SMART that she has a hard time simplifying the concepts and differentiating between the details we need to know, and those that we don't... because as she lectures EVERYTHING seems important.

I can't believe that we're mid-February of 2007 already... I keep lamenting the fact that I hardly remember 2006 at all... There are specific EVENTS I remember... but the year itself just went too fast.

I wish I knew how to slow down and experience each day more fully... instead of feeling like the hours have suddenly gotten away from me when I look at the clock every evening and its time to go to bed.

Input is welcome.

Hurts to breathe...

I've done so many abdominal exercises this week that it hurts to breathe!

Monday/Wednesday/Thursday workouts so far... and I'm teetering on the cusp of 160/159 and just waiting to get a consistent NON-160lb weight. Being in the 150s is really where I want to be... 145 will put me at the lightest I've been since Senior year of High School (and probably back into a size 8... which would make me squee so loud you'd probably hear it on either coast).

But beyond the obvious reshaping things, the reason I've been so hyper on the abdominal exercises is that I'm realizing that my core is still so weak from the pregnancy that its causing back pain almost every day. I know that the best way to alleviate that pain is to strengthen my core, and thus its been lots of ball-crunches and plank poses. I even managed a couple of side planks yesterday.

Today is 9 months from the birth of the twins and I am officially 9lbs under my pre-pregnancy weight. I was 170 and in a size 14 when we finally got pregnant in August of 2005. 161 and size 12 ain't too shabby.

I'm going to call my high post-pregnancy weight 205 because that's where I was a month after the birth. I'd lost 32 lbs of baby, placenta and fluid weight in that time, so the rest was pretty much me. Gaining 67 lbs was pretty insane, really... but it made for big, full term babies, so it was worth it... all together that's 76lbs less than I was 9 months ago today. Not bad, I think.