Amid the chaos of the holidays, house hunting, and the early stages of adopting more children, Stacey and I managed to get away for our first trip alone together in several years. We chose Barcelona for its rich history, beautiful landscape, and somewhat short travel times.

As if the tension of packing on short notice were not enough, 2 days before leaving we found a rare house opportunity and managed to view the home. 1 hour before leaving we were signing an offer sheet.

We departed from Newark Airport in the evening and, as is usually the case, neither Stacey or I slept much on the plane. We picked up the rental car and made our best attempt to decipher the unfamiliar road signs and markings – heading quickly down the highway in the wrong direction. After a few adjustments, we made our way into the city center and managed to get completely confused amid the impossibly narrow city streets, compact traffic, and thousands of mini-cars. By sheer luck we stumbled upon a parking garage we (correctly) assumed was only a few blocks from our hotel (Hotel Medium

Monegal) overlooking The Ramblas, a long street with a walkway down the center, lined with shops, markets, and street performers. We napped for a couple of hours and then began walking the city at about 3 in the afternoon. We made our way down La Rambles and through a wonderful market filled a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, candy, seafood, olives, espresso, and more.

Barcelona Tip: Practice driving your car through your house and parking in your living room. That is comparable to navigating the streets and parking garages of Barcelona.

We next walked along the waterfront and called friends from work with whom we had plans for dinner. Enric greeted us to his city and gave us a walking tour through town to show us some of the spectacular architecture in Barcelona, including the cathedral, Gaudis Castle, and other Gaudi buildings and old sections of the city. After sunset Enric’s wife Sylvia joined us and we strolled the ancient winding cobblestone streets of the Gothic district to a tapas bar for pre-appetizer appetizers. Fran, also from LabWare, met us there and we went to dinner at a steak house next to the tapas bar.

After more appetizers and samplings of foods from the area, we were served the most spectacular thick steak cooked over red-hot wood coals. The chef covered each slab of steak with a thick layer of sea salt. He meticulously watched and prodded and flipped each slap to perfection. It was an incredible meal. As we ate, we also drank, and talked about customs and differences between the US and Spain. Stacey got a lot of grief about being a cheerleader in high school. I guess they don’t do such ridiculous things in Europe? Despite his urging, Stacey did not give Enric cheer lessons.

After dinner we made a brief stop at a popular Barcelona bar, and at around 2 AM we moved to another bar in basement of a large building facing a vast square. The club was complete with lots of 80’s and 90’s music and a dance floor. We stayed and drank and danced for a couple of hours. As time passed, the place became more packed and loud, and by the time we left after 4 AM we had to squeeze our way out. Despite the late hour, the streets we alive with people. We slowly made our way back to our hotel, a few of us staggering just a little. Stacey and I said goodbye to our friends and proceeded to our room to pass out – not from the drink but rather sheer exhaustion just. It was 6 AM in the morning.

We were up by 11 and out of the hotel at noon. We grabbed am “American” coffee (or as Enric called it “dirty sock water”) and some pastries and wandered back to our car, stopping to see a passing parade along the way. With a map, we had more success, although not complete, making our way to Park Guell, a centerpiece of the city designed by Gaudi. We wandered the park for a couple of hours and then made our way north of the city to Montserrat, and spectacular low but protruberous mountain with a sanctuary and cathedral at the top. We rode the Gondola to the top of the mountain and explored the sanctuary before going for a short hike on the hillside overlooking the cathedral. With a long drive ahead in an unfamiliar country, we took the gondola back down the mountain and began to make our way to Andorra, about 3 hours north of Barcelona.

As we crossed the border from Spain to Andorra, we could not help but notice the stark contrast between Spain and Andorra with regards to displays of commercialism. There were large shopping complexes, advertisements, and billboards as soon as we crossed into Andorra and everywhere we went. Perhaps what was more pertinent about this observation was the LACK of such displays and visual commercial obscenities in Spain. No billboards, no neon signs, no overwhelming competition for attention. This not only added to the impression of Spain being unique and foreign, but also made it much easier to visit and appreciate the historic and natural wonders of the country. For instance, Montserrat was not tarnished by hundreds of billboards advertising the restaurants and market at the top of the mountain. The beautiful road to Cadaques (described later), was not ruined by glaring attempts to distinguish this ceramic shop or that hotel from any other. From what I recall, advertisements were limited to the signs at the front of a business, printed pamphlets and newspaper inserts, or TV commercials. Whatever cultural or political mechanism allows for Spain to prevent this invasion ought to be commended as a spectacular cultural success – regardless of what the ‘freedom of speech’ advocates might say.

We arrived at our hotel (Hotel Roc Blanc) at around 8 PM and were mildly surprised by the wonderful accommodations overlooking Caldea, a featured spa and building of Andorra. We wandered the streets near the hotel and found a restaurant with few patrons and a quiet atmosphere. By this time Stacey and I were both pretty wiped out from miles of walking, hiking, and lack of sleep, so we were happy to have a quiet meal and get some sleep. The language of Andorra is a mix of Spanish and French, so Stacey had a bit of trouble ordering her meal. Although she though she was getting fish, she received a plate of small, whole squid in a rather unappetizing sauce. She managed to force only one down before wisely abandoning the effort. The Ribs I ordered, on the other hand, were excellent. We made our way back to the hotel, prepared for the next days adventures, and were asleep just after 1 AM.

Up by 7:30 in the morning, and in the car by 8:30, it took longer than anticipate to get on the ski slopes of Pas de la cause. The drive into the mountains lead us up winding roads into snow covered peaks, over a pass, and down into the dense, bustling ski village. We grabbed a quick coffee, bought snow gear for Stacey, rented skis, and we on our first lift just before noon. We did not pay much attention to the skill markings at the entrance to the lift, and it was a LONG way to the top of the brilliant jagged mountain. We stopped for a moment to take in the view of the beautiful mountain panorama, and then started down the hill. I realized very quickly it was not a good hill to start the day. Despite my efforts to cautiously ski down the slope, I took 3 or 4 spills, one or two of which must have looked worse than they were based on Stacey’s reaction and concern. After making it down the steeper section of the hill, I snowplowed most of the way down the rest of the mountain and exchanged my skis for a slightly shorter pair. Whether due to the different skis, the easier slope, or just reacquainting myself with the sport, we then had a good number of uneventful, very fun, beautiful runs down the mountain. We had a brief bit to eat on the ski hill in the 50 degree sunny weather, and were back on the slopes for a few more runs before making our way back to the first hill we skied, which I made it down comfortably and without incident.

At about 5 we pulled ourselves away from the ski hill and began our drive down the mountain back to Caldea, the spa and pools of Escaldes-Engordany, Andorra. The entrance fees to the pools was somewhat expensive (About $100 US dollars). After changing and showering, we entered the pools to find it was more of a fancy public pool than a naturally fed hot spring. Although it was nice, it was loud, the water was not hot as anticipated, and Stacey and I both felt it was very overpriced for the experience and crowds. If the pools were truly hot, I think we would have felt differently despite the number of people.

At about 9 PM we were back on the road and making our escape from the blatant billboards and commercial centers, back into the calm, dark roads of Northern Spain. We drove through the Pyrenees for about an hour – having a bit of trouble navigating the Google directions before stopping at a gas station and getting a map of the region. We abandoned our directions and made our way by map through the incredibly winding roads over mountains and passes of the eastern Pyrenees. Once past the mountains, we made good time to Figuarees, a village close to the coast and famous for being the home of a Salvador Dali museum. We rolled into town after midnight and stopped at the first hotel we found. We were in bed around 2. After our 3^rd day with little sleep, and a full day of skiing and driving, we had no trouble getting to sleep!

We pried our eyes open about 7:30 in the morning, and were on the streets of Figurees shortly after. We wandered the streets for a bit, grabbed some more dirty sock water and a bite to eat, and wandered more until the anticipated 10:30 museum opening (information from the hotel reception). While shopping at a trinket shop just outside the museum, we discovered it was not opened on Mondays. A little let down, we simply hopped in the car and drove to Roses, a tourist town on the coast. What we found there was a reason to be happy we were not staying. Despite being on the coast, there was nothing particularly impressive about Roses, the beach was not well kept, and there was no activity or people.

We made an abrupt u-turn out of town and started over the hill on the road to Cadaques. Shortly after leaving Roses we were on spectacular winding roads making our way past the olive groves scattered across the hills surrounding Cadaques. We slowly made our way over the hills and fog before starting our decent into the village. As

if on cue, the clouds opened up to blue sky and a sun bathed coastline. In the distance were the brilliant white buildings of Cadaques, surrounded by rocky cliffs and shoreline.

As we entered the village, we had more useless google directions to the hotel. Stacey spotted a small paper sign pointing us in the right direction, which happened to be along precariously narrow, uneven, winding, cobblestone covered streets meant for scooters and carriages of the past. These streets lead to our hotel (Rocamar), a spectacular villa overlooking the ocean. Being the low season for the area, we did not have to fight traffic or other guests, and were warmly welcomed. We checked in, dropped our bags, and by noon were strolling hand in hand into the village. We stopped at a restaurant on the beach in the town center, and soaked up the warm sun. We spent the afternoon roaming the streets, found all the shops closed due to the Spanish siesta, and hiked back towards the hotel to explore a small island reachable via an old stone footbridge.

As evening approached we walked back to town to shop for ceramics and gifts, as well as local foods. And once again we walked the street back to our hotel where we had a nice dinner overlooking the village and its delicately lit cathedral and cobblestone streets. After dinner we soaked in the sauna and pool before heading back to our room for a desert of ice cream and cervesa (a wonderful combination). We were in bed at 2 AM…

…and up again at 4:30 AM. Yes – 2 ½ hours of sleep! By 5:15 we were on the road to the airport for our 10:30 flight. It was about a 2 ½ hour drive. Our eyes burning, and the radio playing, we managed to make it in one piece. Navigating the airport was a breeze. We lucked out on the plane and had 2 rows of seats to ourselves, very handy for a few hours of much needed sleep.

Our trip to Barcelona was perfect. Amazing. For our relationship, it was wonderful to have the adventure and time together just plain old having fun, without the chaos (although fulfilling and wonderful) of family, children, work, and everyday life. I think we both feel fortunate and lucky to have such an opportunity, and to have each other to share it with.

For our trip we rented a diesel VW Passat. We traveled over 800 kilometers in 5 days and did not have to stop for gas until we were just about to drop the car off at the airport. That comes out to about 500 miles on 10 gallons of diesel. The car was also a pleasure to drive through the winding mountain roads, and had no trouble navigating the seep mountain grades. Good vehicle. I would get one if they sold them on this side of the ocean.

Great Eastern Endurance Weekend

September 29^th, 2007

Our old bud Matt Heller was in town for the Great Eastern Endurance Run in Waynesboro Virginia.

Matt arrived Thursday afternoon after some discouraging travel delays. From the airport we shot straight into Phili for a quick tour, hitting Geno’s Cheese steaks, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and finally the art museum, where we performed the obligatory ritual of running up the stairs amidst all of the other fools and fanatics doings exactly the same thing.

We then made our way to Wilmington to meet Stacey for a few pints of Guinness and a round of darts at my office, and then trekked home to catch the kids before they were off to bed for the night. We rounded out the evening catching up (referring to both talk and beer consumption) on the deck by the fire.

Friday we went for a 3 mile run on the trails at Possum Hill in White Clay Creek state park. We took Cedar along for her first ever trail run. She did great. Matt, however, managed to take a spill while touring the technical mountain bike course, and banged up his hip and leg a bit.

After a quick pasta lunch at Oberod with Stacey and Stephanny, Matt and I began our drive to Waynesboro. The going was slow due to the country roads and many small towns we had to go through just to reach a main interstate south. We stopped briefly in Gettysburg to see the town square and a bit of the battlefield. In total, it took us about 7 hours to get to our hotel, 2 hours longer than anticipated. The hotel did not have the promised 2 double beds, and you could easily read the suspicious glair from the lady at the front desk when I suggested we could share the king bed. Alas, they kindly provided a rollaway. To cap off the evening, Matt endowed the room with the aroma that the combined effects of lack of sleep, lots of beer, cheesesteak, and gas station junk food does on ones digestive system. It was not pretty. We were finally asleep at around midnight.

Which is why it was not easy to wake up at 4 am. A quick pack and a cup of coffee later, we were on our way to the start. By 4:30 we had arranged our drop bags for the run, and were taking care of the necessary duties before race time. As the start neared, it dawned on us that it was not going to be anywhere close to light for the start of the race. The information packet stated sunrise was at 6:05, but after minimal reasoning we realized this was no to be. Without headlamps, we worked our way towards the middle of the crowd, and shortly thereafter we were on our way.

For a 50 and 100K race, the entire pack was off to an unreasonably fast pace. About ½ mile into it, we realized people were jockeying for position before entering the trails and the steepest ascent of the entire race – a one mile climb at 18 to 20% grade. Upon this realization, Matt and I turned on the burners and moved from mid-pack to 6^th place. And the payoff was soon realized, as we turned off the blacktop – with only moonlight to light our way – onto a single-track trail heading straight uphill, covered with loose rocks of varying size. Little good the moonlight did under the canopy of trees, but there was a bit of relief from the headlamps of our fellow competitors.

At the top of Torry ridge, we ran - as twilight came and eventually gave way to day - with one of the local endurance runners. He was behind us, and as he conversed with us in his southern accent I could not shake the image of a rotund farmer in overalls with a full white beard running in our wake. I guess I have not ran with any folks from the southern states before now. Of course, as he blazed past, he was what you would expect any serious untramarathoner to be – lean, with calves of steel.

We continued along the ridge and down Slacks trail to the Slacks Overlook aid station, and onto the White Rock Falls trail. This was a relatively quick section, although still rather hilly. A few miles of this took us to the Kenny’s Cove aid station and a paved section of road, uphill to the turnoff of highway 814 – a dirt road that descends for 5 continuous miles to the Priest Mountain aid station. I was more aggressive than Matt on the downhill sections, as he wanted to be cautious with his knee, which previously suffered an IT band injury. Despite cruising downhill in high gear, it took A LONG TIME to get to the bottom, and every step of the way increased my anxiety about getting back up the hill. I knew I was close to the turnaround when I saw the frontrunners pass me as they began their ascent. At this point, I was in 5^th place overall. Soon after, I was on my way back up the hill, running a conservative pace. Matt passed me on his way down soon after I began my climb, and he caught up about ½ mile after the turnaround, just after the third aid station – where I forced down a cookie and as much water as I could. We ground out about a mile together up the 7% grade, and then I began taking short walking breaks. Matt’s goal was to run the entire course. After my breaks I regained my ground for about a mile, before Matt finally ran out of reach and put some distance on me. To my surprise, the hill was over much faster – and with much less ‘damage’ - than I had anticipated. We retraced our route on the pavement for a couple of miles to the next aid station. During this stretch I rejoined Matt for the final time, where we acknowledged that 20 miles together was a success. After reentering the trial and beginning another 2 miles uphill on Slacks trail, I watched Matt push up the hill and out of reach for the final time.

As we entered Slacks trail (appx. 20 miles into the race) I felt relatively good, having conquered the hill at hwy 814. Soon after beginning to ascent Slacks trail I started to fall apart, becoming dizzy to the point where I could not even walk a straight line. From here to the end I walked nearly every incline, even the slightest. Just before reaching Slacks aid station, my legs began to cramp relentlessly, both my calvs and quads. With 10 miles yet to go, I began to doubting if I would complete the adventure. At the aid station I put down as much food and fluids as I felt possible, and was staggering back on the trail with hopes that I would recover.

And recover I did. Within a mile, the daze had lifted like a light fog, and I could run a comfortable clip on the flats and downhill sections. This carried me up the rugged and rocky trail to Bald Mountain, where Matt passed me as he began his decent back to Slacks overlook. I continued up to the peak, and along the road to the overlook turnaround, and then began the start of what would be 7 miles descending almost 2000 feet.

As I made my way back to Slacks aid station I again was hit by a wave of dizziness and leg cramps, though not as severe as the first occurrence. This lasted for about half a mile before reaching the aid station, and after putting down a banana and a lot of fluids, I continued on my way and was soon feeling semi-normal again (can you feel normal at this point?).

Slacks trail eventually turned onto White Rock Trail, possibly the most pleasant stretch of the race, with few rocks, and a perfectly placed gradual downhill slope. This continued for approximately 3 miles to the finish, and I managed to keep a steady pace. A couple of people passed me with blazing speed along this stretch, but I knew there was no chance to match them, so I watched in sorrow wondering if others would soon overtake me so close to the finish. None did.

The trail ended in an open field near Sherando Lake, and followed a berm, to a steep stairway, which lead down to the final stretch of road to the finish. Despite feeling well on the trail, and with full intentions to finish strong, I again started to loose my running wits and staggered along the road, becoming more dizzy as I passed the campsites lining the way. I must have been quite a site to the kiddies watching my zombie trot as they sat on the side of the road on their bicycles, having stopped to let me pass.

My procession to the finish was spotted with moments of walking for short distances, but I managed to plod my way to the finish chute, and over the line, wondering just how ridiculous those pictures are going to look from the guy capturing images of runners ‘celebrating’ their success. I looked up to see the clock under 6 hours, to my astonishment. I felt like the last 10 miles had taken 6 hours alone. Despite the distress my body felt during the final miles of the race, I had managed to keep moving, even if slowly. During the first half of the race, we must have put significant ground on the runners behind us. I was expecting a stead stream of runners to catch and pass me while I was staggering down the trail during my ‘spells’, but in the end, only 7 people passed me from the bottom of the hwy 814 hill (mile 14) to the end of the race. In all, 114 people started the 50K, and 89 finished. Matt placed 7^th with a time of 5:34:28, and I came in 12^th in 5:45:20. In the end, I was very satisfied with my race, even more so considering how depleted and cramped I was at times.

Place	Name	Age	S	City	State	Time (h)	Pace (m/mile)
1	Jason Bryant	35	M	Elkin	NC	4:37:08	8:57
2	David Christen	24	M	Lynchburg	VA	4:48:23	9:19
3	John Lauffer	24	M	Lynchburg	VA	5:13:11	10:07
4	John Cassilly	40	M	Glen Allen	VA	5:20:28	10:21
5	Michael Zealand	32	M	Lynchburg	VA	5:22:51	10:25
6	Jeffry Brower	48	M	Columbia	MD	5:27:53	10:35
7	Matt Heller	34	M	Grand Junction	CO	5:34:28	10:48
8	Floren Ansley	31	F			5:36:44	10:52
9	Sarah Johnston	23	F	Lynchburg	VA	5:38:56	10:56
10	Rob DiMarco	30	M	Conshohocken	PA	5:41:15	11:01
11	Gail Binkley III	24	M	Boone	NC	5:42:42	11:04
12	Nathan Regouski	33	M	Kennett Square	PA	5:45:20	11:09
13	Rebecca Phalen	34	F	Ivy	VA	5:47:22	11:13
14	Ragan Petrie	41	F	Atlanta	GA	5:50:44	11:19
15	Adam Schmidt	23	M	Cincinnati	OH	5:55:36	11:29

After finishing, it took about 10 minutes before I could coherently communicate and interact with people. Almost immediately, I ate and drank everything I could get my hands on, including a can of coke and a plate of lasagna. I can only assume my moments of distress were related to food and fluid intake. The lesson for my next long run is to figure out how to get eat and drink more without slowing down.

Matt and I stuck around for about an hour after our finish, taking pictures, eating, and sitting in the sun. Even before we left, I felt ready for more. My legs were not seriously depleted, and my energy had been restored. Matt, however, struggled with knee pain for much of the last 7 miles. The downhill had caused him a lot of discomfort, and much of the end of his race consisted of shuffle running. His knee caps were swollen and red.

What better way to spend the next five hours than to site in a car. We made good time getting back, but due to our late start, Stacey had to bring the boys to Wilmington for us to pick up on our way to the Flyers hockey game. After a quick exchange, we were on our way, and made it to the game only a few minutes late. The game was fun, even with the numerous 1^st period fights.

We returned home just after 10 PM, and despite the full day it was not over yet. Stacey had a feast laid out when we returned – Steak, blue grab, king crab, a variety of cheeses, stuffed mushrooms, and on and on. So we ended our day with a wonderful – yet slow – gorging, and after that, another campfire and cigars to celebrate another adventure and continued friendship.

We are already planning next years torture/fun.

This summer has sped by so quickly, hopefully with wonderful memories imprinted on our lives. It seems as though the sun of the past few months has grown the bodies and minds of my children faster than the Jewelweed that spreads in our forest. I find myself in a constant state of contradiction of wanting the kids to grow more slowly, and being extremely excited about their new developments.

School has begun here and we are making the adjustments of having schedules in our days once again. River is very happy to be back, and is now in second grade, and Forest has finally entered the long-awaited kindergarten class, having watched his brother go off to school for years now, and is feeling quite special and grown up! Stephanny, on the other hand, has been able to enjoy some alone time with her mother. It’s been a very fun experience having ‘girl time’ with Stephanny. She certainly is into the stereotypical girl-play of pretending she is a mother to her dolls, dancing around like a ballerina and dressing up. At the same time, she can also be quite feisty with her brothers, demanding that they join in her everyday play. Needless to say, they often find themselves caring for her baby dolls, dressed up in a tutu, and at a tea party.

Finally, the reason for my letter, is to share with everyone what the children, Nate and I have been working very hard on this summer! You can get the general idea from the flyer I have enclosed, and our part has been putting together everything, except for the booking of the bands, and the hiring of a couple of the food vendors! It has been quite a time consuming, hands on, and cooperative effort we have had to make this happen, and has been the most rewarding event that we have been involved with. We have done everything from making large-scale dragon and sun puppets, making a ‘skeeball for peace’ game, a peace puzzle, a peace (bean) bag toss, making homemade wands with streamers and sticks, large signs, the flyers (with art work made by River), distribution of hundreds of flyers, coordinating a performance with African drummers, learning to stilt walk, making one hundred ‘peace’ shirts to sell at the event, soliciting donations, organizing a peace parade, making 50 dove costumes, organizing a children’s drumming circle, getting doves donated from a local farm to be released, tanks of turtles, Australian walking sticks, and hissing cockroaches to be set up in the children’s area, getting chocolates to be sold to help endangered species, and if this isn’t enough, there are many more things, along with making a bunch of great friends along the way. It has felt good to work hard on something that we felt strongly about, and it has been way more amazing to see the children’s efforts and excitement in making this event be what they would have liked to see it become, which is nothing less than our original vision .

We hope that everyone is doing well, and is looking forward to the oncoming season of walks with colorful crunchy leaves under your feet, fresh pressed cider, warm baked pies, and comfy favorite sweaters….

The rest of the day was a complete blur. It is now 6 days later and estimates are that 4700 people died in the attacks. Within two days the networks had begun to exploit the tragedy and present it like a television production. Also, although the president’s immediate response was sincere and commendable, his manner only 4 days later was of concern for how he is perceived, rather than acting as a leader should and leading the country through the crisis, with a method to follow and understanding and restraint. I am hoping now for restraint on the part of the USA before considering any form of retaliation. I believe there is time to consider the options before acting. Let’s make sure we get it right. Stacey has been contemplating and emotional since the attack as well, and although River has noticed that something big has happened, he does not understand that it was an incredible loss. I think of all the people that won’t come home to their kids. No more trips to the parks, or family camping adventures, or roaming vacations. All the thinks we do and enjoy and sometimes take for granted, could simply and quickly be wiped away. - Nate

The next morning, we were up slow and took our time getting out the door. When we were on the road we drove straight through to Dodgeville, and they boys were getting sick of the car again by the time we got there. When we pulled into town, we went straight to the state park just out of town and set up our tent. We met Shaili at the park entranced and we all worked on getting the tents up (River was a big helper) before rushing back to town to grab a bite to eat before the wedding. Stacey is am enormous fan of A & W stands, so when we ran across one through town we stopped for greasy food and to change into our dress clothes for the wedding. It’s a small wonder we did not get major stains on our clothes between the undersized booths and the boys going wild with the toys that come with the meals. And to top that off, we did not have time to enjoy the root beer floats!

The wedding was at Folklore Village just outside of Dodgeville. It was a wonderful place in the heart of Wisconsin, with a wonderfully restored folk heritage center building. To the back of the yard there was a playground and in the basement of the center there was a play room that became more used as the night went on. River was very excited to see Keith and Dave, although he was a little confused about why they were all in the same place. We played on the stairs while we waited for the service, and before long it was time for the marriage. The ceremony was wonderfully unique and very much represented Cailin and David. It was a slight struggle to get the boys through the ceremony without them getting frustrated about sitting still, but they did well. As soon as the ceremony was done, River was out the door to check out the playground equipment, as were several other children there for the wedding. As expected, Stacey and I did what we could to keep the boys happy considering the unfamiliar environment at an adult event. When we found the play room in the basement, it was a very good for the boys, considering that it was raining on and off throughout the day. We also met a few other couples that had small children, and they agreed that weddings and small children make it hard to participate in the celebrations. Stacey did have a chance to dance a few songs, but as the night wore on we considered the rain outside and decided that when we left we were going to go straight back home. Cold rain and kids and mosquitoes do not make for very happy camping trips. We left the tent for Dave P. to use and then at about 9 pm we headed home, having only a brief moment wish Cailin and David well. We pulled in at around 1:30 and got the boys in bed. - Nate

Having finished packing and exploring a bit, we headed back down the hill and began the laborous hike back to the car. We took our time and gave the boys time to explore, and stepped of the trail often to let the groups of horse riders pass. When we got to the stream Stacey and the boys played in the water while I brought my load of equipment back to the car. I hurried back and was going to take a quick dip in Hay Creek before I actually felt the water and it’s icy grasp. Although River was running through the water, he would not go any deeper than his ankles, and Forest did not like even that. He whimpered when even his feet were dipped in the water. Alas, the boys found a mud pile along the shore and had embedded their feet deep in the grime before realizing the cold water was the only way to get it off. There was more than the sound of playful birds in the woods as Stacey took the boys in turn and dipped their bodies in the stream. With the dirt washed away, Stacey took a quick dip as well and then we dried off and headed the rest of the way down the trail. The account of the camping trip of course can not do it justice, but it was another memory that we were have made and been blessed with, and writing about it now and reading it later with stir the memories of being there and being together in such a wonderful time and place.

August, 2001 We have been working with River to help him get a jump on his alphabet. At this point he knows the following letters by sight, in order of his learning them: W, O, X, U, J, C, I, P, and S. I am approaching teaching the alphabet with this idea; if you teach them the alphabet by matching up the letters as you sing the song, then they only know the letters by singing the song, sort of like learning math by counting on your fingers. So I am teaching River the alphabet letter by letter, out of order. He knows the song by heart, which will help as far as sound recognition is concerned, but I am not showing him the alphabet and relating the letters to the song. The idea is that when he knows all the letter, translating that into reading skills will be much easier. When he sees the word "WALL", he will be able w – a – l – l and enunciate the sounds from there, without having to relate the letters to where they fit in the song. Also, recall of the letters will be much more rapid if they are not primarily related to the song. It may be a rubbish theory, but that’s the idea. - Nate

During the evening we has a magnificent thunderstorm. Both boys slept completely through it, but when it was done thundering, Forest woke up about 4 times during the evening. When we woke up it was still raining lightly so while the Kids were in the car I took down the tent, dumpted the blankets in the back seat, and loaded the wet tent into the trunk. We then drove to Duluth and had breakfast at Burger King in Canal Park. In the parking lot of BK there were sea gulls that River had a blast feading. I would hold up a piece of bread and the sea gulls would take it out of my hand. River that this was great, and Forest even laughed at it. When we were done feeding the gulls, we walked down the pier to the light house, and then spent a little time at the ship museum before the new Duluth Aquarium opened. We then went to the aquarium for a couple of hours, until Forest started to get tired. In an attempt to wake him up a bit, we went to the big playground by the aquarium, and both of the boys had quite a bit of fun crawling around the castel-like structures. But alas, Forest eventually was ready for a nap, and thus we piled back in the car and headed back to Minneapolis. Although we had a nice camping trip, it mostly made me excited to take the boys camping next year when Forest can walk and talk, and has a better sense of what he can and can not touch. - Nate

Although I was quite impressed by the memorials that I did see, it was the Vietnam Vets memorial that seemed to encompass the idea of the monument. The design, the morose mood of the visitors, and the collection of photographs, flowers, and notes all added to the formal and omnipresent feeling that came over me as I walked along the wall. To me it seemed to signify the fine line that divides the country by country politics and economy of yesterday from the complex and multinational world political and economical interrelationships that we are faced with today. I am however, fully aware that several factors contribute to my having a sense of such divide, including the time proximity of the event and my lack of understanding of the politics of the past. Still, I can help but to feel that we are all witnesses to the slow evolution from a multinational world to a community with much less clearly defined geographical, economic, and political boundaries. I am not sure if I think that is good or bad yet, but the change is frightening nonetheless. I suspect that within my lifetime the interrelationships between countries and continents will become exponentially complex, leading to a more strained but diplomatic and stable global community. For me, that is what the Vietnam Veterans Memorial signified, and the names on the wall were ushers to the new society. As I have already, time will tell if we are moving in the right direction.

After leaving the capital I got a bit lost on my way to the hotel. When I did finally find it I went directly to the hot tub for a quick dip and then went to grab some dinner. I ate in my room and after talking with Stacey briefly I went to bed. This morning I woke up early and now I am on the plane. It is amazing that I am flying through the air with 100 some odd people and typing on a computer listening to music digitaly encoded on a piece of tin foil encased in plastic. No mater how ingrained our society is with technology, it will always amaze me. - Nate

I am sitting in a Sushi Bar in Atlantic City two blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. Training today was helpful. Similar to my last training course here, there are not many ideas that I am learning, but there are some simple concepts and functions that I was unaware of. When I get back, I will be able to solve some sticky problems quickly. It’s amazing what a little knowledge can do. Today I began to realize how much I have learned since I started my new position as well. On the other hand, considering how much there is to learn to become entirely proficient at the job, there is still so much I need to learn to handle problems and form solutions with the utmost efficiency.

The ocean here is similar to that in Florida, but very gray. The beach is coated with a greater variety of shells than I have seen elsewhere, and the city itself has a unique character similar to what I noticed in Wilmington. The houses are crammed together and there is a lot of aged but well kept red brickwork. Some of the houses are enormous along the beach, and the styles vary widely. The Wilmington plant life is just starting to bud. It is dreary in the still, but it is fitting for the location and season. Although it rained all day, it was peaceful and quiet.

It was quite a rush packing and getting out of the house last night, but when I got to the airport and sat down, I realized I had an hour to spare, mostly because once I got in the cab there were no delays. The highway was clear. The airport was deserted and there were no lines whatsoever to wait in.

The end of the flight was very turbulent. As we were descending I got an incredible headache that I have only experienced one other time, on a flight descending into Seattle. I think it is related to depressurization of the cabin too quickly. When I arrived, the car rental service was terrible. They under-quoted me on the internet, and by the time I was in the rental office, it was way to late to refuse their service and seek another dealer. To top it off, what I thought was an hour and a half drive from DC to Wilmington was in reality a 140 mile 2 ½ hour drive in the driving rain. I checked into my hotel just before 2 am, and then went to grab a bite to eat at a 24 hour café with the most incredible hot cakes and corned beef hash. The wonderful food put a terrible trip beyond my short term memory. I was tired during class today but it went better than I expected. For lunch we went to a nice restaurant and I have a great chicken pot pie. After class I took a back road to Atlantic City that was dotted with small run down towns every 5 miles. It was a great way to get a sense of the area.

When I got to Atlantic City I parked near the beach and walked about 2 miles south before realizing I was not going to run into any piers with restaurants on them. So I headed about 2 blocks inland and walked north until I came to this place. The sushi is not the freshest I have ever had (and I have not had sushi too many times) but the price is by far the best, so it’s worth it. After I am done here I am going to start the trip back to Wilmington and give you a call to see if you are home yet.

Thursday, April 17, 2001 Today after training I went for a run through some upper end Wilminton neighborhoods and through a state park near the hotel. Afterwards I went to a movie (Joe Dirt). - Nate

River has really made some big leaps lately in his reasoning and thoughts. He makes connections that he did not make in the past. He seems to understand now that there is a reason why something is, and he is curious about why. Even more encouraging, he is getting very good at figuring out why without asking why. He makes me so proud that he is my little boy. He has also been making statements about our relationship and tells me how much fun something was as we are reading stories or as he is going to bed. He seems to be developing a conscious realization about appreciating events and time spent together.

Forest gets more frustrated every day by his lack of mobility. He rolls over either way when he wants to and raises himself up using his arms, but he does not push himself anywhere with his feet yet. He ought to be scooting across the floor soon and crawling can't be too far off after that. Excuse me if I sound anxious. He is very active with is hands and can grasp and manipulate items quite well now. He is slowly becoming more coordinated vocally as well, although its still just a bunch of grunts and whirls.

Stacey has decided to extend her six month leave from work, although I believe that it means she had to forfeit her position at HCMC. - Nate

The wedding was on Saturday. Everyone had a nice time, and the food was wonderful. We spent the rest of the afternoon in Northfield walking through the arb and relaxing in Sayles Hill. We ended the day with Lunch at Hogan Brothers with Nina, Dave P, and Seng.

Today (Sunday) Keith and Shaili came over for the day. We relaxed around our house most of the day talking and making dinner. It was hot but a beautiful day none-the-less. After a walk to the lake, Keith and Shaili left at about 9pm. - Nate

At noon I headed out on my bike for valley fare. I had a little trouble getting over the Minnesota River because the main passages are restricted highways. I get furious at the idea that there is a road just for cars and that being on my bike limits me. Of course its for my own safety, but that's bullshit! I can judge what is safe for me, and if it's no safe, then they should make it that way. I paid for that road too. I have cars.

When I arrived to the company picnic I was happy to eat the cheep hot-dogs and artificial lemonade, but after that and ten minutes of sitting in the sun, and preceded by a long bike ride, I felt ill. And for the first two hours in the fairground I felt sick to my stomach. Luckily the lines to all the rides were so long that we did not actually ride any until about two hours after we got through the gate. After a few small rides for River an Thunder Canyon, we went to the water park, and dipping in the water made me feel a lot better. After swimming we took River on a bunch of small rides and he enjoyed the very much. The big rides all had very long lines so we avoided them, vowing to never come again on a sunny week end. Stacey and I went on a couple of rides together. Forest stayed with Stacey's mom. Forest is smiling a great deal and Stacey tells me has his moments when he laughs very well. He seems to me to be getting impatient that he can not move around with coordination and to move his body the way he wants. He is getting strong and I suspect he will be scooting on his belly by the time the wedding is here. - Nate

That was a long explanation for something that concerns nobody that would read this. After we picked up groceries we continued north along the old highway 61 until we got to Duluth Tent and Trailer, about ten miles north of Duluth. We quickly set up our tent and unloaded the car. With that finished we headed down to Lake Superior, about two blocks from our campsite. After descending the steep slope down to the lake we set out our dinner of deli sandwiches and juice, with a side of "missing" string cheese. Between each bite we looked for rocks among the fading sunlight. The goods rocks were tossed into the lake. The bad ones were tossed into the lake too, along with every grade in-between! All week end, it seemed as though River had the most fun simply throwing rocks in the lake. He even managed to skip a couple, although I think that was more statistical coincidence than skill. If I threw ten thousand rocks behind my back with my eyes closed, I suspect a couple of those would skip too. I was impressed, however, that his throwing coordination improved over the weekend. Practice makes perfect. I did discourage him from throwing underhand, thought, because when he tried to throw far using an underhand, it usually went straight up in the air. I did not want him to hit himself on the head with a rock We stayed by the lake until it was dark out. Luckily the mosquitoes never got too bad. After dark, we went back to the campsite and started a campfire. River put twigs into the fire - or much rather tossed then in the proximity of the fire from 2 feet away. He likes the campfire a lot, but he seems to understand not to get close.

The mosquitoes were not bad even with the sun down so we sat by the fire for about an hour or more, and then we headed into the tent and played with matchbox cars and read stories while we ate a snack. After that we went to sleep. River was so tired he did not wake up all night, and he even slept through the small thunderstorm that passed over. I, on the other hand, woke up often because River is the most squirmy sleeper I have ever seen! By morning I was turned completely around because I spent the night getting kicked or bumped into.

In the morning River always wakes up in a good mood. For breakfast we had crackers and bananas and juice, and then we walked around the camp ground a little before heading up towards Gooseberry Falls. When we arrived it was a beautiful day, with scattered clouds, a slight breeze, and temps in the 80's. River had so much fun wandering around the lower falls, walking through all the shallow water as it caressed the rocks. Although there are some big drop off I made sure he did not get near them. Gooseberry Falls might be a great place, but it sure can make any parent of young children nervous. We played on the lower falls for about an hour before wandering to the bridge. There is a walking bridge both below and along side the main bridge and we wandered across that a few times before going to the upper falls. At the upper falls we wandered upstream until we reached a bend in the river away from the highway where River could play in the shallow water without having to worry about falling in the water falls. We played there together without other people around for another hour, throwing rocks in the river, finding frogs, and watching the dragon flies. It made for one of the most perfect afternoons I have had in all my life.

We continued north after leafing the falls to a restaurant that served a terrible country buffet of mushy chicken and overcooked corn on the cob. We ate what we could and then went on to Tetegouch State Park. Once there we went to the rock beach at the outlet of the Baptism River. If you like to skip or just plain throw rocks, this beach would be your perfect vacation destination. Maybe not the best place to pitch a tent, however. We went swimming a little, but mostly River just examined the different shapes of rocks and threw them all into the alcove of the river. As I think about it, I feel overwhelmed at what a beautiful day it turned out to be and what a nice time River and I had together.

We left the park at about 4 and I drove to Duluth while River took a short nap. When we arrived we walked across the highway to Canal Park where a carnival was being held near the wooden playground. Before going to the carnival we went to a toy store where I let River play with the cars. We then went to the carnival and River had a blast riding all the kiddie rides - the helicopters, cars, trucks, slides, trains, and mini roller coasters! He like the helicopters best though! We went on everything his size and split a funnel cake and fresh lemonade. When he was a bit overwhelmed with the food, we left the carnival and went to the playground nearby. Soon after we started playing on the enormous wooden playground I was chasing him and while jumping up onto one of the platforms he bumped his lip on a board set at head level. I did not see it happen but as I came around the corner I saw him laying on his side with his back to me. I approached him and was not sure what he was doing. When I looked at him he looked back and I asked him what was wrong. When he did not answer I became worried and noticed he had his hand over his mouth. I asked what was the matter again, a bit more nervously, and he again did not answer. I was worried he was not breathing because he was just looking at me and I was tears welling up in his eyes, but just when I was about to pick him up he said, "I bumped my lip." I was there was a little blood on his lip. I asked if he was OK and he said "Yep." Then he got up and ran away.

We continued to play for a long time, chasing each other through the maze of wooden structures, and we had a wonderful time. River went running on the lower structures while I chased him around sharp corners, and as he rounded another corner I heard a loud "THOK" and saw River fall backwards through the spaces between the boards. This time there was only a short delay before the echo of his cries announced he was hurt again. He did not panic, but I think he was frustrated that it happened again! I picked him up and asked what happened. He pointed to his forehead. I suggested that he not run down to the lower part of the playground and he said OK. We played for a while yet as the sun was getting low on the horizon, and then we headed back to the campground.

We found we had new neighbors at the campground, and they had a fire build perilously close to our tent. To top that, the wind was blowing smoke into our tent window. They were friendly, but their conversation was disturbing. For the most part it consisted of one man trying to convince two other men that they should work for his employer. He was confident that he had a lot of influence where he worked, but reading between the lines it was clear that he had no pull at all. That was not the disturbing part. What bothered me was that one of the men looking for work had two daughters there, who he completely ignored except to tell them to "get in the dam tent, and no talking! Get your ass to sleep." Before telling them this the wandered around the campground without escort. At my estimate they were about 3 and 6 years old. Although it is never my place to tell someone how to parent, in this case I would have been safe because this man was not even close to parenting. He showed absolutely no love for his kids that evening or the next morning.

River and I started to build a fire, but we abandoned that to escape the noise of our neighbors and went down to the lake to throw rocks into the lake. It was almost completely dark when we reached the lake, so we did not stay long, but River spent a lot of time climbing on jagged rock near the shore. It made me a little nervous, even more so because if his mishaps at the playground. He did well, however, and did not slip or fall. A storm was brewing over the lake, making for a beautiful display of sunlit thunderclouds, splashed with an occasional flash of lightning.

It was completely dark when we reached our campsite, and we wasted not time going to bed. We were both tired from the long day. River gave a weak protest before laying down for a story and falling asleep.

During the evening I awoke often to a lot of thunder, some of it close. Every time I awoke, River was jabbing a foot or elbow or the top of his head into my ribs or face. I can't figure out how he moves around so much without waking up. He slept through the entire drawn out storm. When the sun came up it continued to rain, although the storming had ceased. I brought chips and salsa and trail mix into the tent from the car for breakfast. After eating we played cars while waiting for the rain to stop. And we read stories, and played cars, and threw socks at each other, and played cars, and eventually we gave up and I packed up and loaded the car with our gear and soaking wet tent. We were ready to head for drier weather. The lake often has weather of it's own, so I figured getting away from it would be our best bet for good hiking and camping. Before heading out, though, we went stopped at a bakery for muffins and milk, and then went to "The Chicken Run" movie in Duluth to give the weather a little more of a chance. River fell asleep towards the end of the movie and he the highlight was getting snacks for him. The humor of the movie turned out to be a little beyond him, but he was still a bit amused at the antics. When we left the theater it was still dreary, but no longer did it rain. We drove about 20 miles south of Duluth towards Jay Cook State Park. Along the way we stopped at a bridge traversing a very rapid river. We worked our way down the rocky slope to a gully filled with boulders and stones - no trees or vegetation at all. It appeared to be a gully that flooded completely and often during the spring or after heavy rains. We threw more rocks into more water, before continuing down the river and up a slope where we found a large patch of blueberry bushes. After River understood that the green berries were bad, the blue-green berries were bad, and that the deep blue berries were good, we had a nice snack. He we thrilled about the idea that you could pick the berries from the woods and eat them, but since then he has been trying to put other berries in his mouth. I think he is understanding now that the seeds from the basswood tree in front of our house don't taste good at all, and I have been trying to stress to him that he can get very sick from eating berries without asking me first if they are OK.

After our snack we continued down river until we came to a bike trail and old iron bridge now used to bet bicycles across the river. Before crossing the bridge we went by the river again and threw some more rocks in the water, but that ended quickly because the area we were in was filled with large boulders on a steep slope, and it did not appear safe. We then went across the old bridge and river watched the water go by and watched a man in a kayak paddle around in the swift water below. On the other side of the river we worked our way back up stream, but this time along a well traveled trail with many rocks and tree roots for River to navigate. He seemed to really enjoy the minor challenge of plotting his route over the obstacles.

We then continued to Jay Cook State Park and grabbed one of the last campsites remaining. Before setting up camp River colored a 'Smoky the Bear' picture for a coloring contest later in the evening. We then went to our site, a great walking-in site (#81) away from the regular clusters of campsites. We quickly set up our tent and to let it dry out and laid the rain fly in the sun for the same purpose. With that done we went to the nearby playground and River made friends with a girl slightly older than him and talked to her in toddler verse while they played in the sandbox. After a few runs down the slide we drove back to Carlton to find a place to eat, and ended up at a restaurant where we were the only customers on that slow Sunday evening. Full of BLT and grilled cheese, we went back to the state park and walked on the trails along the river. River was scared of the hanging bridge at first, but later during our stay he seemed comfortable running back and forth across it. It moved a little, and before long he thought that was great! Again, he also had a blast working his way over the rocky trails and snarls of roots that followed the river. We had went to the presentation for the coloring contest before heading for the trails, but that was completely uninteresting to River and he led me out of the room by the hand after only five minutes. I never found out how is picture fared in the contest.

River rode the swings and went on the slide at the playground for a while before we went back to our campsite, where we started a campfire as the sun was getting low. Before long we had a wonderful fire going and I set up the camera to take a few pictures before the sun went down. River watched me set it up and start the timer, and from then on it was his game to start the time and run back to his chair before the picture was taken. He did that about fifteen times before getting sick of it, and then he brought me his blanket and asked me to hold him. It was getting chilly out so I wrapped him up and he sat in my lap as we talked about walking along the river and climbing over the rocks and roots. That seems to have made a big impression on him. A short silence was all it took before River fell asleep in my arms. I carried him to the tent and we went to sleep.

In the morning we walked to the hanging bridge and went for a short walk around the trails before we packed up the tent and the rest of our equipment. After we were ready to go, we stopped at the playground to recharge before getting ready for the long ride in the car. On our way home we made one stop for gas and breakfast, but then we booked it home in good time and were there by noon. River fell asleep just as we pulled into town. That turned out to be ok, giving me time to shower and clean up. When he woke up he took a long bath. For the rest of the day we played and waited for Stacey to get back from Red Wing. We found that our garden had a few peas ready to eat, which River really enjoyed - unlike the radishes.

The next day, with Stacey and Forest back, we were fairly inactive, except for cleaning up our camping stuff. Dave P. came over later in the afternoon and we all went down the Lake Harriet to watch several fireworks shows in the distance beyond the perimeter of the lake. River was excited to see then, but visual stimulation seems to get old fast, and before long he was ready to get away from the mosquitoes. - Nate

River and I tried to camp in my parents back yard on Friday night but somehow our tent became filled with mosquitoes after setting it up. We played with marble ramps and slept inside instead. We watched the Wizard of Oz together too, and it was a nice evening. For some reason, the mosquito population bloomed this week, and it seems to have hit Red Wing particularly hard.

This afternoon River and I went to Joel's new house and helped him put in a new laundry tub. River was very good there, and he left with one main thought echoing in his mind: "We get good cookies at Joel's?" - Nate

In a move that may signal my complete moral breakdown (for those who truly know me, you understand what I mean by this) I purchased a new car last week. It is a fancy red Ford Focus sedan with all the safety features I was hoping to find. My fear of the consequences that may prevail for not having a completely safe car for our family was the main driving force in my decision, but I do feel somewhat that I let myself down. That, however, is better than letting Stacey, Forest, and River down.

Wedding planning is winding down. We have to work on details from here on in. Decorations, clothing, and personnel are the main things we need to wrap up.

River an I went for a walk around the block this evening and he recalled to me a movie that he had seen in the afternoon, "The Neverending Story". His memory recall is incredible, and his expressions and imaginative improvising both entertains and surprises me. He brings me so much happiness. - Nate

Last night after work River and I went to the Bird Sanctuary just North of Lake Harriet. We took a long walk down the trail, and into the dense underbrush near the swamp. River worked his way through the tall grass and plants without hesitation, but when he ran into a patch of burning nettle I was a bit nervous and picked him up. He was stung a bit on his nose and cheek but he did not complain about it, but rather seemed confused about the odd sensation. I think he like the gate to the sanctuary the most. It is a turnstile type gate meant to keep out bikes and motor vehicles. He turned the gate and climbed up it four about a half an hour before we went down to the bandshell and watched weekend sailors wash there tiny sailboats.

Forest has began responding in three significant ways: First, he has become very good as following objects or movements in front of his face. He does best when you wiggle your fingers in front of him and then move your hand slowly from side to side. Secondly, he has started half-way smiling. Stacey swears that they are real smiles, but I think they are intermediate smiles, somewhere between uncontrolled reflexes and a full fledged smile. Thirdly, he is holding up his head really well and his neck muscles seem to be getting strong. It is heartwarming when he pulls his head off mine or Stacey's chest and looks up into our eyes. He sleeps well as long as he is being held, but if we put him down he grunts at intervals until either he gets upset or someone picks him up. Stacey swore she would not induce Forest to require being picked up at the first sign of a cry, but that did not work quite the way she imagined.

River is standing here making all sorts of funny noises, so we are going to check on our garden. He has his own little spot where flowers are growing, but I can only guess how many different types of plants are growing out of that 12 inch by 12 inch square. As for our main garden, our peas, corn, radishes, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, and jalapenios are doing very well. My chives I planted from seed did not grow at all and the basil I planted from seed died one night that got a bit too cold. I am most pleased with my Hops, however, as last time I attempted to grow them nothing happened. I planted 6 rhizomes this year near the back fence and four of them are growing well.

Stacey and I talked to Marty about the wedding ceremony this evening. I think things will go very well if we practice the ceremony with the three of us a few times and work out the kinks. - Nate

Today we cleaned the house, I made bread for lunch and spring rolls for dinner for mothers day, and this evening we went to the park to play for most of the evening. River was so tired by the end of the day that he fell asleep on the kitchen floor while putting twist ties on his fingers. Forest has a rash on most of his face and his upper body. It will get better after a few weeks but it looks uncomfortable. He is getting a stronger neck and is more alert by the day. His eyes are tracking movements and sounds better as well, and Stacey said that he smiled at her dad yesterday while they were at dinner. - Nate

River really enjoyed the parade. There were so many neat things to see and hear. The music in a couple of displays was impressive and inspiring. Marty brought Maceo, and River and Maceo sat through the whole parade, completely captivated by the costumes and noises. One of my favorite features of the festival at the park was the food. There were so many great booths, sort of like the state fare, but with a wonderful mix of natural foods, foreign foods, all mixed in with your stock of mini-doughnuts and corn dogs.

River and I returned at about 4 pm and Stacey had not started labor yet. At about 5pm, however, she started to feel mild contractions, and at 7 they were very uncomfortable so Stacey called Marla, her doula. By 8pm Stacey was loosing focus. At that point it was me, her, Marla, the midwife, and the occasional nurse. At about 9pm Stacey asked for pain medication after trying relaxation in the bathtub. At this time, Krisite and Jessica (Stacey's sisters) arrived. To alleviate her tension, Nubane was administered and they began fluids via IV in anticipation of the epidural. Just before she was about to be moved (10pm), they checked her cervix and found it to be 7cm. When Stacey was told this, she found the strength and focus to go on without the pain medication, much to the credit of Marla's help and coaching. Breathing techniques was getting Stacey through the pain of contractions, the relaxant helped her anxiety, and knowing that things were moving fast all contributed to regaining her focus. At about 10:30 the contraction pain had climaxed and Stacey started pushing. After about 8 or 9 contractions with pushing, at 10:56pm, Forest Shade was born.

The account above is bland, abbreviated, and may seem lacking in emotion, but I just wanted to give a short factual account. I am not sure I would feel comfortable or capable of describing my feelings and the personal interactions for the event. I did not want any pictures or video of the birth because I think some thing are best left to the memory of the emotion rather than detailed records. It certainly was a traumatic and distressing event, both physically and emotionally, and only the outcome negates the fears and pain. Not until the baby is born is there overwhelming happiness. In my view, lumping everything together for the emotional memory is far more important than remembering the details. When I saw Stacey reach down and take the shoulders of Forest and finish the delivery I cried the truest tears I ever have. I cried for Stacey, because she dug down and found the power to take control. I cried for my family, and its completeness. But mostly, I cried because River has given me so much joy in being a father, that now, upon the birth of my second child, I knew what an incredible gift I had received.

Forest was "Grunty" right after the birth, meaning that he was not getting strong breaths. It seemed that he had trouble inhaling. The nurse and pediatrician worked on him for about 15 minutes aspiration his lungs and clearing out the mucus. This helped only a little, but his color was good, so they gave him back to Stacey. After the birth, Stacey's friend Marty arrived, and at about 11:45 River and Stacey's mom arrived also. River was immediately impressed, but only for about 5 minutes. After that he wanted to play hide and seek in the closet. At about 12:30 we announced the full name, and by 1:30 everyone left and we spent some time alone before the nurse took Forest for his bath and checkup. Stacey and I slept for a bit and then for the rest of the night it was intermittent sleep, mostly for Stacey, while various people came in the room to do various tasks. Stacey tried to feed Forest a couple times during the night, but he did not latch on too well at first. - Nate

We changed the date of our wedding from August 5^th to August 6^th. The Anderson Center kept raising the prices and removing available features, so we are going to have the reception at Welch Village. Although we originally thought it would be much cheaper to plan and organize the reception ourselves, it now is clear that having the reception at an established hall with catering provided not only saves the trouble of thinking about things like linens, table ware, and tents for outside, it also is much cheaper since most established halls have the little things arranged or available. - Nate

Stacey is getting very uncomfortable in her pregnancy and she worked her last day on Friday. We are into our last month, her official due date being the 30^th of April. An ultrasound last week confirmed, WITHOUT A DOUBT, that it is a boy. Some of the names we have thought of include Forest and Nova, but I am flip flopping on what I really like. - Nate

I came upon this lonely snowman on the ice in a bay of Cedar Lake on my way to work this morning. He needed a friend. He had no one to stand sentry for, no front yard to protect. It was snowing when I left and snowed throughout the day, picking up intensity when I left for home. As I rode the trail home I could not help but to feel calmed by the snow drifting slowly toward the earth and the branches draped in white powder. At each intersection, however, I could see the frustration and disgust of the people stuck in traffic. Again, I though how a beautiful evening had been ruined for so many people because they were confined to their cars. And everyone thinks it strange I ride my bike in the winter. All the lake trails were cleared and it was only slightly more strenuous to get home. At about 10pm Dave P. came over and we went snow shoeing to the middle of Lake Harriet trailing a sled full of firewood. After a rough time of trying to light the paper to start the fire, and a precarious fire start even with fuel, we did have a nice bonfire on the ice in the middle of the lake. While we were talking two skiers stopped by to chat. A lady from Texas and a guy from New York. After a few shots of rum we headed back home, and when we were just about there a young fellow stopped us to tell us a tale of how he saw our fire and fought his demons 3 times about the fear of going onto the ice. The second time he said he was about half way out to us when he turned back, and the third time he noticed us leaving, and that is when he caught up to us to tell us of all this. What a beautiful night it was out, and a unique series of events to make it stick in our memories. When we got back we had a bite to eat, some cocoa, and talked a bit before Dave left, and now I am heading to bed. Stacey and River are still in Red Wing today. - Nate

1/7/00 I stayed home this morning. It is so nice to see River's smile when he realizes I am here. Stacey went into work at about 11 and me and River went for a walk to the post office to send a package. They gave him a sucker there and he talked about it all the way home. It is so rejuvenating to see him take nothing for granted and to watch him find happiness in the simplest things in life. - Nate

	Distance	Time	Pace
1st Run	3.76	26:44:00	7:07
Obstical Course 1	0.11	1:34:00
1st Kayak	2.27	30:03:00	13:14
2nd Run	1.09	8:35:00	7:50
Swim	0.31	0:03:06
3rd Run	0.41	0:03:41	8:59
2nd Kayak	1.99	0:26:22	13:15
Obstical Course 2	0.18	0:02:59
Mountain Bike 1	1.83	0:08:59	4:55
Hill Tire Challenge	0.19	0:03:10
Mountain Bike 2	6.82	0:53:00	7:46
Obstical Course 3	0.08	0:01:30
4th Run	1.67	0:12:05	7:14



Total Run	6.93	51:05:00	7:22
Total Kayak	4.26	56:25:00	13:15
Total Bike	8.65	61:59:00	7:10