Last weekend Taylor came into town to celebrate my 30th birthday again! She is the best!! This time around I dare to say I was more fun than last time because I don't have to care for the ileostomy anymore (that thing stressed me out). It was much needed Taylor time! My life is finally getting to a healthy chapter and she is about to start a different chapter in hers. It's awesome to see her dreams becoming a reality! Our friendship finds a way to grow through these different chapters of life and I love that.
Dana and I had a belated birthday celebration with some of the MarathonFest ladies while Taylor was in town. We went to dinner downtown and saw a show at Sak Comedy. Special shout-out to Lynn for celebrating my birthday again!
Taylor started a vlog! Check it out and subscribe to follow along as she begins a new chapter.
This is the video she made during her visit for my birthday:
https://youtu.be/0v7IrOcP91Y
Showing posts with label best friend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best friend. Show all posts
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Birthday Weekend 2018
I don't know where to start. I felt special and loved this weekend even though it didn't go quite as planned. This past Friday, Taylor came to visit and she arrived at the house before I got home. Without getting into the gritty details, my mom said and did some things that were mean and not hospitable to Taylor. It upset Taylor to the point of tears. When Taylor told me she didn't want to stay at my place on Friday night, I didn't blame her. I was so mad in my car on my way home when I found out what happened that I wanted to cry! Taylor did not deserve to be treated that way. My chest still feels heavy from what happened on Friday. While it annoys me to be having these feelings, it is better than being numb at the moment.
I drafted a whole post on the bad part about it along with insight on my relationship with my mom, but I can't bring myself to share it in its entirety. I always try to keep my grievances to myself, so I'm going to share a little background on the drama that built these walls around me instead of sharing something that may cause a loss of dignity. Somewhere along the way enough proverbial stones were thrown at me for me to become numb to the pain. I don't care (at least that's what I tell myself) because it isn't worth the fight anymore. Don't get me wrong, I'm not innocent in this drama. At some point though, I realized the drama made me someone I didn't want to be and I closed myself off. I flipped an emotional switch. I stopped playing the game. I built these walls around me and I struggle to let anyone in because of it.
Taylor apologized for not being strong. I apologized for my mom. Taylor doesn't have the walls protecting her that I had. She isn't numb to the pain my mom's words can inflict and my mom's words cut her deeply. It devastated me to see the emotional pain my mom caused Taylor. Suddenly, I was no longer numb to my mom's bullshit. This time, my mom's words cut me. Taylor is stronger than she gives herself credit for. After we had time to talk about what had happened, she told me not to give up on my mom.
Big sister to the rescue! Lynn, didn't hesitate to welcome Taylor and I to stay the night at her place. I was a little terrified to be having my first sleep over since getting the ostomy. It helped that I could make myself at home and use the bathrooms whenever I needed to without feeling embarrassed. We snuggled on the couch and watched T.V. Taylor and I had tequila. It was my first time having alcohol since surgery and other than having a burning sensation around my stoma in the middle of the night, it was okay. A huge shout out to Lynn for taking us in!
Lynn had to leave early in the morning. She was awesome and let us sleep in. Taylor and I had a fun day on Saturday spending time together and catching up! We went to the Winter Park Farmer's Market where I bought Girl Scout cookies. We strolled around Park Avenue. Taylor had her wedding ring cleaned. We ate lunch at he Cheesecake Factory and our waitress recommended a nail salon close by for pedicures. Taylor treated me to a pedicure. They used a cheese grater to remove all of my dead skin. I don't think my feet have ever been this smooth before. After getting our nails done, we went to the Florida Mall to shop for some ostomy friendly shirts I could wear to work. By this time, my pouch was full and it was easy to tell if the shirts I tried on were loose enough to hide the shit in the bag under the shirt. I got two shirts courtesy of Taylor! Thank you for spending time and money on me, Taylor! I love my feet and I love my new shirts!
When we were done at the mall, we went back to my place. We kept to ourselves and didn't interact with anyone else at the house. The tension in the house was a little awkward. Soon enough Lynn arrived for movie and pizza night in my room. We ordered pizza and watched the first and second Miss Congeniality. I enjoyed our relaxing time together.
Sunday, Taylor and I relaxed as I prepped for my colonoscopy. I was on a clear liquid diet all day. Taylor walked with me while I went rollerblading. We took a three hour nap and we watched Wild Hogs on Netflix. We watched part of the Super Bowl with my family. My mom acted as if nothing had happened. It was stressful and weird. I did an enema before we went to bed around 8:30pm.
I woke up at 4:30am on my birthday to do another enema before Taylor took me to my colonoscopy appointment. I'll blog about that later. After my colonoscopy, we stopped at Wawa and Taylor took me back to my place. We made the most of our time together! I can't wait to celebrate my 30th birthday for real when I'm fully recovered from my next surgery.
Big sister to the rescue! Lynn, didn't hesitate to welcome Taylor and I to stay the night at her place. I was a little terrified to be having my first sleep over since getting the ostomy. It helped that I could make myself at home and use the bathrooms whenever I needed to without feeling embarrassed. We snuggled on the couch and watched T.V. Taylor and I had tequila. It was my first time having alcohol since surgery and other than having a burning sensation around my stoma in the middle of the night, it was okay. A huge shout out to Lynn for taking us in!
Lynn had to leave early in the morning. She was awesome and let us sleep in. Taylor and I had a fun day on Saturday spending time together and catching up! We went to the Winter Park Farmer's Market where I bought Girl Scout cookies. We strolled around Park Avenue. Taylor had her wedding ring cleaned. We ate lunch at he Cheesecake Factory and our waitress recommended a nail salon close by for pedicures. Taylor treated me to a pedicure. They used a cheese grater to remove all of my dead skin. I don't think my feet have ever been this smooth before. After getting our nails done, we went to the Florida Mall to shop for some ostomy friendly shirts I could wear to work. By this time, my pouch was full and it was easy to tell if the shirts I tried on were loose enough to hide the shit in the bag under the shirt. I got two shirts courtesy of Taylor! Thank you for spending time and money on me, Taylor! I love my feet and I love my new shirts!
When we were done at the mall, we went back to my place. We kept to ourselves and didn't interact with anyone else at the house. The tension in the house was a little awkward. Soon enough Lynn arrived for movie and pizza night in my room. We ordered pizza and watched the first and second Miss Congeniality. I enjoyed our relaxing time together.
Sunday, Taylor and I relaxed as I prepped for my colonoscopy. I was on a clear liquid diet all day. Taylor walked with me while I went rollerblading. We took a three hour nap and we watched Wild Hogs on Netflix. We watched part of the Super Bowl with my family. My mom acted as if nothing had happened. It was stressful and weird. I did an enema before we went to bed around 8:30pm.
I woke up at 4:30am on my birthday to do another enema before Taylor took me to my colonoscopy appointment. I'll blog about that later. After my colonoscopy, we stopped at Wawa and Taylor took me back to my place. We made the most of our time together! I can't wait to celebrate my 30th birthday for real when I'm fully recovered from my next surgery.
Sunday, October 29, 2017
One Month Away
Bowel resection surgery is one month away from today! It's getting harder and harder to stop thinking about it. I am amazed by the support of everyone around me! They have every angle covered! One of my Team Challenge friends is going to give me some supplies so that I can test run the pouch and wafer before surgery in order to prepare for a possible ostomy. My supervisor, co-workers, and HR department have almost eliminated the stress I had about potentially missing up to eight weeks of work. I couldn't ask for a better team at work! My supervisor is extremely understanding and tells me that my health comes before work. My cube neighbor even sat me down to inquire how I was handling it. She let me know that the people around me at work care and she volunteered to carry the weight of my shit if it gets too heavy or if I need a break from acting like everything is okay(Please don't ruin my performance. It's as much for me as it is for you.). My best friend has my back every step of the way and will be taking off work to be with me in the hospital. My Running Divas are with me through this, too. I've only known most of these ladies for about a year and others less, yet they show their incredible support through genuine acts of friendship. They're encouraging and offer valuable insight. One pledged to take the money we are going to be reimbursing her for for making our running costumes and donate it to Crohn's disease research. They offer comedic relief! They have a caring scale that is off the charts. One has taken it upon herself to be my big sister. My Team Challenge friends from south Florida have already asked if they can visit me in the hospital, and I approved. My mom will be with me the whole time and my dad will be with me most of the time, too. Two of my sisters will be with me when I return home after surgery and one of my sisters will fly into town three weeks after my surgery. Other friends and family have voiced their support and let me know they are here for me as well!
How did I get lucky enough to have all of these people in my life? I am overwhelmed by everyone's support! I didn't expect it. Yes, I tend to underestimate relationships. I'm not sure I deserve these awesome people in my life because I'm not sure I'd be that great of a friend if I was in their shoes. I don't like being held accountable for others' expectations, so I try not to put expectations on others. To give my lack of expectation more perspective, I'll tell you what happened today when I expected something. I ran a two miler and five miler today. My mom, dad, and Kelly walked the two miler, but I ran with a Running Diva because I had to finish in time to start the five miler. The five miler started before they finished the two miler. My family rarely goes to my races let alone enters to race. As I was approaching the five mile finish line I searched the crowd for my family. They weren't there. They weren't there because they went back to sit in the car to wait for me when they were done rather than cheer me on. Perhaps it's my fault I was disappointed because I didn't ask them to cheer me on at the finish line. Little things like that are why I try not to have expectations and it's also why the amount of support I'm receiving feels a little strange to me...like I'm not entirely certain what to do with it. I am more grateful for it than I can put into words though!!! One day I'll get better at showing my appreciation. Saying "thank you" doesn't seem like enough!!
How did I get lucky enough to have all of these people in my life? I am overwhelmed by everyone's support! I didn't expect it. Yes, I tend to underestimate relationships. I'm not sure I deserve these awesome people in my life because I'm not sure I'd be that great of a friend if I was in their shoes. I don't like being held accountable for others' expectations, so I try not to put expectations on others. To give my lack of expectation more perspective, I'll tell you what happened today when I expected something. I ran a two miler and five miler today. My mom, dad, and Kelly walked the two miler, but I ran with a Running Diva because I had to finish in time to start the five miler. The five miler started before they finished the two miler. My family rarely goes to my races let alone enters to race. As I was approaching the five mile finish line I searched the crowd for my family. They weren't there. They weren't there because they went back to sit in the car to wait for me when they were done rather than cheer me on. Perhaps it's my fault I was disappointed because I didn't ask them to cheer me on at the finish line. Little things like that are why I try not to have expectations and it's also why the amount of support I'm receiving feels a little strange to me...like I'm not entirely certain what to do with it. I am more grateful for it than I can put into words though!!! One day I'll get better at showing my appreciation. Saying "thank you" doesn't seem like enough!!
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Highlights of February 2017
I'm not sure what I've been preoccupied with that has prevented me from sitting down and blogging this month. In an effort to save time, I'll give you the highlights of February 2017.
I had the best birthday to date! I spent my birthday weekend with Taylor and she made me feel incredibly special. From the thoughtful gifts to the planned surprise celebration, it makes me wonder what I did to deserve such an amazing friend. She got a bunch of my friends together to surprise me at an escape room, which, by the way, we escaped with like fifteen minutes to spare! No thanks to me, of course.
I've had a couple of really fun races (the Warrior Dash and the Quack Attack 5K) with my running friends. Seriously, they are such an inspiring group of people that they build everyone up. I'm not sure if running is fun by itself, or if running is only fun because of them. Anyways, I'm still as addicted as ever. I woke up at 4AM this morning to meet my group for a morning run. I thought the motivation I had to train while training for the NYC Marathon had long since dwindled, yet I'm still setting my alarm for that ungodly hour.
Work is busier than ever! Don't get me wrong, I love it! It just seems like I have more responsibilities than I have time in a day, in a week, in a month...well, you get the picture. It's challenging and I wouldn't trade it for anything at the moment. The overtime is awesome!
Even though I'm Taylor's Maid of Honor, she has really held my hand and walked me through my responsibilities. Heck, she's helped me with almost everything. However, with just the few things that I've had to do this month to help prepare for her bridal shower, it reinforces my lack of desire to ever have a wedding or shenanigans for myself. I know I'm lazy and that's probably why it feels like way too much work. I tried really hard to do my best, but I'm actually nervous the cake and cake stand I ordered won't be perfect. What if nobody likes it? The fact that I think I'm going to like it is not enough.
I had the best birthday to date! I spent my birthday weekend with Taylor and she made me feel incredibly special. From the thoughtful gifts to the planned surprise celebration, it makes me wonder what I did to deserve such an amazing friend. She got a bunch of my friends together to surprise me at an escape room, which, by the way, we escaped with like fifteen minutes to spare! No thanks to me, of course.
I've had a couple of really fun races (the Warrior Dash and the Quack Attack 5K) with my running friends. Seriously, they are such an inspiring group of people that they build everyone up. I'm not sure if running is fun by itself, or if running is only fun because of them. Anyways, I'm still as addicted as ever. I woke up at 4AM this morning to meet my group for a morning run. I thought the motivation I had to train while training for the NYC Marathon had long since dwindled, yet I'm still setting my alarm for that ungodly hour.
Work is busier than ever! Don't get me wrong, I love it! It just seems like I have more responsibilities than I have time in a day, in a week, in a month...well, you get the picture. It's challenging and I wouldn't trade it for anything at the moment. The overtime is awesome!
Even though I'm Taylor's Maid of Honor, she has really held my hand and walked me through my responsibilities. Heck, she's helped me with almost everything. However, with just the few things that I've had to do this month to help prepare for her bridal shower, it reinforces my lack of desire to ever have a wedding or shenanigans for myself. I know I'm lazy and that's probably why it feels like way too much work. I tried really hard to do my best, but I'm actually nervous the cake and cake stand I ordered won't be perfect. What if nobody likes it? The fact that I think I'm going to like it is not enough.
Friday, January 27, 2017
Life with Taylor!
A few weeks ago it was a very real possibility that my best friend could have been moving to North Carolina. Selfishly, I would have been devastated if that were the case. I was pretty vocal about my concerns for our friendship if more distance separated us. After all these years, commitment still scares the shit out of me. I'd rather run away than be responsible for keeping commitments. (This might just be my biggest character flaw.) Taylor will be getting married and starting a family soon...and the idea of lengthening the distance between us while she starts this next chapter of her life crushed me to the core. In my twisted brain though, I thought if she moved to N.C., it made sense to push her away. I couldn't promise to visit her in N.C. more than once a year. She'll soon have a husband and children, and I just assumed that she wouldn't have time for me anyway. Although she never said that.
I know my inability to properly commit to a longer distance friendship hurt Taylor. Taylor's mom nailed it when she said, "[Lauren] never wanted to work for it." Meaning, I haven't changed. I never wanted to work for our friendship. I never planned to commit to this. To my defense, I believe actions speak louder than words. I might not make verbal promises. If I do, I'll likely hesitate and try to withdraw from the situation (Again, it's a character flaw.). However, I don't think we can deny the fact that my actions throughout the years of our friendship say something else entirely. Through good times and bad, through happy days, and sad ones, through struggle and success, the fact that I've been there for Taylor should tell us all we need to know. Whether I intended to or not, and whether I admit it out loud or not, I've been committed to being Taylor's best friend for years. I never wanted to work for our friendship, but that doesn't mean I haven't worked my ass off to be the best friend I can be. I never planned to commit to this, but that doesn't mean I didn't dive in head first before I took swim lessons. The moment I jumped, I was all in!
I want us to be best friends until the end of time! How's that for communicating my commitment? Even though Taylor is moving to Central Florida tomorrow, it's not guaranteed she'll be here for long. It might be difficult for me to make promises, but I know no matter what I say, or don't say, our best friendship status isn't going to change. Whether she likes it or not, she's stuck with me and I can't wait to see what this next chapter has in store for her! My name is Lauren and Taylor is my best friend.
I know my inability to properly commit to a longer distance friendship hurt Taylor. Taylor's mom nailed it when she said, "[Lauren] never wanted to work for it." Meaning, I haven't changed. I never wanted to work for our friendship. I never planned to commit to this. To my defense, I believe actions speak louder than words. I might not make verbal promises. If I do, I'll likely hesitate and try to withdraw from the situation (Again, it's a character flaw.). However, I don't think we can deny the fact that my actions throughout the years of our friendship say something else entirely. Through good times and bad, through happy days, and sad ones, through struggle and success, the fact that I've been there for Taylor should tell us all we need to know. Whether I intended to or not, and whether I admit it out loud or not, I've been committed to being Taylor's best friend for years. I never wanted to work for our friendship, but that doesn't mean I haven't worked my ass off to be the best friend I can be. I never planned to commit to this, but that doesn't mean I didn't dive in head first before I took swim lessons. The moment I jumped, I was all in!
I want us to be best friends until the end of time! How's that for communicating my commitment? Even though Taylor is moving to Central Florida tomorrow, it's not guaranteed she'll be here for long. It might be difficult for me to make promises, but I know no matter what I say, or don't say, our best friendship status isn't going to change. Whether she likes it or not, she's stuck with me and I can't wait to see what this next chapter has in store for her! My name is Lauren and Taylor is my best friend.
Monday, January 9, 2017
The Walt Disney Marathon Weekend
Wednesday, January 4th, 2017:
After work, I drove to meet my ugly stepsister (Michelle W.) at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports to pick up our race packets and to try to get moved to a better corral. Thankfully, we were able to get moved to three corrals better! Before we left, I mentioned that I wished my bestie was going to be at the race, but I was still thankful my sister Kim was going to be there. We took a selfie before saying goodbye. Once I got to my car I texted the selfie to Taylor letting her know I picked up my race packet!!
Thursday, January 5th, 2017:
My supervisor and I are so busy that executive management has approved me to work any overtime I want in the hopes that we will be able to catch up without hiring an assistant. After work, I got a cute haircut and my best friend came into town. We hadn't seen each other since our trip to NYC, so it was awesome to get time with Taylor! Before we went to dinner, we opened our Christmas gifts! Then, she surprised me by dressing up as Cinderella and announcing that she was going to go to the marathon and cheer me on! She was going to be my ugly stepsister's and my Cinderella!!!!
Last month, when we made plans for her to come visit for her job interview/hair appointment, I was really disappointed when she said she was going to sleep in and drive home on Sunday (race day) because she couldn't wake up at 2AM, cheer for me at the race, and then drive 3+ hours home. I hated the fact that she would rather sleep in and be rested for her long drive home (even though I know she hates driving) than to wake up at an ungodly hour and be bored while waiting for me to run another marathon. She just saw me at the NYC Marathon. Am I really that selfish? Umm, maybe, but in my defense having someone at the finish line is awesome motivation! I felt pretty bad about letting her let me down, but that didn't stop me from asking again multiple times if she was sure she didn't want to go to the race. Each time, to my complete disappointment, she declined. Heck, the last minute selfie with my ugly stepsister after picking up our packets didn't even change her mind. Meanwhile the whole time she was planning to go to the race dressed as Cinderella!!! I was speechless!
Friday, January 6th, 2017:
I went to work and left at 2PM to go home and prep for my colon and rectal specialist appointment. Taylor had an interview in the morning. She went with me to my Dr. appointment and afterwards we went to a place called Better Than Sex Dessert Restaurant. It was absolutely delicious! I got The All Nighter, which is coffee with coffee liquer, and I got the Better Than Sex dessert, which is bread pudding in like a chocolate cake/brownie. It was amazing! Taylor had wine and some kind of cookie with ice cream. After Better Than Sex, we went to BJ's Restaurant for a drink and some pizza!
My colon and rectal appointment went surprisingly well. It always surprises me when it goes well. My stricture barely needed any flexing. It didn't even hurt when the doc put her finger up my rectum to flex it. I don't have to go back until SIX MONTHS!!! My butt didn't bleed after and I wasn't sore or in pain either. I could totally get used to that!
Saturday, January 7th, 2017
RunDisney cancelled the half marathon and kid races and delayed race related activities like the expo until 11AM due severe weather. It was rainy, Taylor hates to drive, and I can't get enough time with Taylor, so I drove Taylor on an errand before driving her to her hair appointment! I jammed out in the car mentally preparing for the race while I waited for her to get her hair done. I would imagine waiting for a two hour hair appointment is easier than waiting on a 6+ hour marathon. I was tempted to cheer for her when she returned to the car, but instead I just gave her some fruit I got at Wawa while she was getting her hair done because I knew she must be hungry. Once we got back home, we ate lunch, went over some wedding details, and made some DIY bridal shower things. Thank goodness she's helping because she made it so easy! I'm sure I would have complicated the shit out of modge podging glitter on vases. We watched the movie Bad Moms... okay, Taylor watched the movie while I got all my race stuff ready. My family ordered Olive Garden to go and Taylor and I watched the movie Dear John...okay, Taylor watched the movie while I was WhatsApp messaging my running friends to see where everyone was going to be on the course. Most of my group was volunteering at the race, while a few others were going to cheer on the few of us actually running the marathon. We also messaged complaints about the freaking cold weather. More on that in a minute. We stopped the movie short and went to bed around 8PM.
Sunday, January 8th, 2017:
Wake up call at 2AM! I jumped right out of bed to get ready for race day! Kim, Taylor, and I left the house around 2:40AM and we were parked at Epcot by 3:15AM. They start closing roads at 3:30AM, so it's best to get there early and not deal with road closures. My ugly step sister stayed on Disney property, so I met her in the starting area. Security was actually kind of a joke. Sure they had a bag check line where security inspected bags, but I easily went through the no bag line with my flip belt hidden underneath my sweats. As soon as I saw Michelle I knew something was wrong, but I didn't say anything. Maybe she just did an excellent job on her makeup for the ugly stepsister. The first thing she told me was that she vomited last night after dinner and again race morning on her bus ride to the start area. She was a mess. Right away, I took her bag that she was going to check and carried it for her and we went to find a porta-potty with a short line. It was fucking FREEZING!!! Literally the feel like temperature was 24 degrees! After we went to the bathroom, she pulled out heat sheets for us from her bag! She was so out of it that I had to help her wrap her heat sheet around her because the wind kept blowing it up so that it wouldn't lay flat on her back. Those things were life savers because it blocked the wind from chilling us to our bones. I continued to carry her stuff while we walked to the self aid station to see if they had water. While she was talking to a medic her Drisella bow fell off her head and I grabbed it to hold so that she wouldn't lose it. At this point, I'm mentally preparing to give up a chance at a PR if I have to in order to stay with her to make sure she finishes her first marathon.
Once we checked her bag (I didn't bring a bag to check because I gave Kim and Taylor the shit I might need and the car wasn't parked too far away from the finish), we hit the porta-potties one more time before starting our 20 minute walk in the freezing cold to our start corral. At this point I'm still carrying her bow and feeling bad that she's sick on this one day that she has worked her ass off training for the past five months! I gave her bow when we got inside our corral and she slowly started pulling herself together.
We crossed the start line and she talked a little, but not as much as usual. *red flag* When Michelle is quiet that means she's not doing well. We actually passed another lady in our group right before mile two. It's always cool to see people you know on the course. Once we passed mile three, I learned Kim and Taylor were confused about where they were supposed to be seeing us on the course. Oh well, as much as I wanted to direct them to where they were supposed to be I had other things on my mind (don't lose Michelle in the crowd). Michelle used bib magnets to hook her race bib to her shirt, but she lost some and her bib wasn't staying on. So, I took off one of the safety pins on my bib and gave it to her to use. In the process, she dropped one of her gloves. Thankfully, it wasn't too far back on the ground and she was able to find it. We took off our sweatshirts at mile four and then stopped at porta-potties in the MK parking lot for Michelle. I held her sweatshirt and waited for her because I didn't have to go. Gatorade made her nauseous so she was only taking water and salt tablets. One of our running friends was on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, which was awesome!! I went live on Facebook as we ran through Cinderella's Castle!
Instead of seeing us at MK, Kim and Taylor just went to the Polynesian where I'm sure they waited forever in the cold judging by Kim's text she sent when we were passing mile seven: "Where the fuck are you". Michelle and I were averaging like 3 minutes slower per mile than our typical training pace. We finally saw Kim and Taylor at mile 7.7 where they cheered us on and I gave them my jacket to hold. After we passed them, Michelle told me that I could leave her because she was slowing me down. Prior to this she had already mentioned her fear of the balloon ladies passing us. The balloon ladies set the pace for the slowest pace you can maintain and still be allowed to finish. If the balloon ladies pass you, you get picked up by a bus. Since I had been passed by the balloon ladies and picked up by the bus in 2013, I knew I couldn't leave Michelle if she was already having these thoughts by mile 8. I know the disappointment of a DNF (did not finish) and I was not going to let that happen to her. I could live without a PR, but I would be extremely disappointed if I left her and she didn't finish. I had to talk more than usual, so I told her about how Taylor and I met and how we became best friends. She couldn't believe I didn't get a birthday card for Taylor when I went to Blue Man Group for Taylor's birthday. Sorry, Taylor!
I stopped at a bathroom inside Animal Kingdom while Michelle kept walking. I didn't want her to stop moving if she didn't have to, so I told her to walk ahead and I would catch up. It seemed like the line for the bathroom took forever. As soon as I was done I took off and passed the halfway point (13.1) running really fast to try to find Michelle on the course. Thankfully, she messaged me saying she was in front of the Dino ride and sure enough I looked up ahead and saw her. We chugged along and came across our group leaders right before mile 16 where they were standing on an overpass cheering the racers on. They gave us big hugs and even brought snacks. They are amazing group leaders!!! They are invested in everyone's success and we couldn't ask for a better running group.
While we approached ESPN Wide World of Sports I told Michelle this is the worst stretch of the race. I told her about my AAU National Basketball Tournament that I played at ESPN when I was 13 and all about being a great basketball player back in the day and she even found the strength to tell me a few stories as well. As we were coming out of ESPN approaching mile 21 we saw the balloon ladies pass us as they were going into ESPN on the course, which meant that the balloon ladies were 4 miles behind us. There were times I glanced at Michelle and I could tell she was about to cry or had been crying. I could tell she doubted she was going to finish. This was right around the point in race I got picked up in 2013, so it was an emotional period for me too. I felt so bad for Michelle and I wasn't entirely sure what she needed or what else I could do to encourage her. Was she tired of me saying that "We are going to make it", "You are going to become a marathoner today"! Knowing we were averaging 15 minute miles (course pace requires at most 16 minutes per mile), by mile 23 I knew that even if we walked the rest of the way that we would make it. Around that time, I put my arm around her and said something like "You are going to finish this fucking marathon! We can walk the rest of the way and you will still be a marathoner!" We walked hills, but otherwise I kept running hoping she would too...and she did, she followed me. I looked back every few steps to make sure she was still with me. I felt like somehow I was pulling her with me!
I know when we entered Epcot, she finally believed she was going to finish. We ran around the world and took a walk break before running to the mile 26 marker. We saw Kim and Taylor right before the grand stand seating cheering us towards the finish line, yay!!! We even saw Michelle's wife and son in the grand stands waving at us! As we approached the finish line Michelle asked if we could hold hands and cross. So we put our hands over our heads victoriously and crossed the finish line hand in hand!!!
If we weren't friends before the race, we are certainly friends now. Seriously, helping a friend cross the finish line beats a PR any day! I played this scenario out in my head before race day and every time I thought I would choose a PR over slowing down to stay with someone, but in the moment I made a different decision entirely and I don't regret it one bit. That unexpected, awkwardly HUGE hug says it all! She said that without me she would not have finished. I know running a marathon is never easy, especially when you don't feel well.
Two ladies in our group (Michelle S. and Cindy) were volunteering at the finish line handing out heat sheets. They were screaming for us and it was awesome!!! After we got our medals and heat sheets, we picked up Michelle W's bag from bag check and met her family briefly before a medic came with a wheel chair and wheeled her to the medical tent. On our way to the medical tent, I found Taylor and Kim. They were good sports, helped carry our bags, and followed us to the medical tent. Michelle was very nauseous and likely a little dehydrated. She was totally not herself. Michelle's family found us again in the medical tent. We stayed for a few minutes, and then I gave all of Michelle's stuff to her wife. I hated to leave while she was so down, but I had a Cinderella photo op with my best friend awaiting me.
The moment you've all been waiting for... one ugly stepsister was too sick for this memorable picture, but this still made my day!!! Taylor is the best! Mind you, it was still freaking cold when we took this picture! I want to send a BIG thank you to Kim and Taylor for being at the race to cheer me on! It means the world that you would waste your Sunday freezing your ass off just so you could cheer me on!! This was my fifth marathon (not counting the one I DNF)! My first run of 2017 and not likely my last run any time soon!
After work, I drove to meet my ugly stepsister (Michelle W.) at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports to pick up our race packets and to try to get moved to a better corral. Thankfully, we were able to get moved to three corrals better! Before we left, I mentioned that I wished my bestie was going to be at the race, but I was still thankful my sister Kim was going to be there. We took a selfie before saying goodbye. Once I got to my car I texted the selfie to Taylor letting her know I picked up my race packet!!
Thursday, January 5th, 2017:
My supervisor and I are so busy that executive management has approved me to work any overtime I want in the hopes that we will be able to catch up without hiring an assistant. After work, I got a cute haircut and my best friend came into town. We hadn't seen each other since our trip to NYC, so it was awesome to get time with Taylor! Before we went to dinner, we opened our Christmas gifts! Then, she surprised me by dressing up as Cinderella and announcing that she was going to go to the marathon and cheer me on! She was going to be my ugly stepsister's and my Cinderella!!!!
Last month, when we made plans for her to come visit for her job interview/hair appointment, I was really disappointed when she said she was going to sleep in and drive home on Sunday (race day) because she couldn't wake up at 2AM, cheer for me at the race, and then drive 3+ hours home. I hated the fact that she would rather sleep in and be rested for her long drive home (even though I know she hates driving) than to wake up at an ungodly hour and be bored while waiting for me to run another marathon. She just saw me at the NYC Marathon. Am I really that selfish? Umm, maybe, but in my defense having someone at the finish line is awesome motivation! I felt pretty bad about letting her let me down, but that didn't stop me from asking again multiple times if she was sure she didn't want to go to the race. Each time, to my complete disappointment, she declined. Heck, the last minute selfie with my ugly stepsister after picking up our packets didn't even change her mind. Meanwhile the whole time she was planning to go to the race dressed as Cinderella!!! I was speechless!
Friday, January 6th, 2017:
I went to work and left at 2PM to go home and prep for my colon and rectal specialist appointment. Taylor had an interview in the morning. She went with me to my Dr. appointment and afterwards we went to a place called Better Than Sex Dessert Restaurant. It was absolutely delicious! I got The All Nighter, which is coffee with coffee liquer, and I got the Better Than Sex dessert, which is bread pudding in like a chocolate cake/brownie. It was amazing! Taylor had wine and some kind of cookie with ice cream. After Better Than Sex, we went to BJ's Restaurant for a drink and some pizza!
My colon and rectal appointment went surprisingly well. It always surprises me when it goes well. My stricture barely needed any flexing. It didn't even hurt when the doc put her finger up my rectum to flex it. I don't have to go back until SIX MONTHS!!! My butt didn't bleed after and I wasn't sore or in pain either. I could totally get used to that!
Saturday, January 7th, 2017
Sunday, January 8th, 2017:
Wake up call at 2AM! I jumped right out of bed to get ready for race day! Kim, Taylor, and I left the house around 2:40AM and we were parked at Epcot by 3:15AM. They start closing roads at 3:30AM, so it's best to get there early and not deal with road closures. My ugly step sister stayed on Disney property, so I met her in the starting area. Security was actually kind of a joke. Sure they had a bag check line where security inspected bags, but I easily went through the no bag line with my flip belt hidden underneath my sweats. As soon as I saw Michelle I knew something was wrong, but I didn't say anything. Maybe she just did an excellent job on her makeup for the ugly stepsister. The first thing she told me was that she vomited last night after dinner and again race morning on her bus ride to the start area. She was a mess. Right away, I took her bag that she was going to check and carried it for her and we went to find a porta-potty with a short line. It was fucking FREEZING!!! Literally the feel like temperature was 24 degrees! After we went to the bathroom, she pulled out heat sheets for us from her bag! She was so out of it that I had to help her wrap her heat sheet around her because the wind kept blowing it up so that it wouldn't lay flat on her back. Those things were life savers because it blocked the wind from chilling us to our bones. I continued to carry her stuff while we walked to the self aid station to see if they had water. While she was talking to a medic her Drisella bow fell off her head and I grabbed it to hold so that she wouldn't lose it. At this point, I'm mentally preparing to give up a chance at a PR if I have to in order to stay with her to make sure she finishes her first marathon.
Once we checked her bag (I didn't bring a bag to check because I gave Kim and Taylor the shit I might need and the car wasn't parked too far away from the finish), we hit the porta-potties one more time before starting our 20 minute walk in the freezing cold to our start corral. At this point I'm still carrying her bow and feeling bad that she's sick on this one day that she has worked her ass off training for the past five months! I gave her bow when we got inside our corral and she slowly started pulling herself together.
We crossed the start line and she talked a little, but not as much as usual. *red flag* When Michelle is quiet that means she's not doing well. We actually passed another lady in our group right before mile two. It's always cool to see people you know on the course. Once we passed mile three, I learned Kim and Taylor were confused about where they were supposed to be seeing us on the course. Oh well, as much as I wanted to direct them to where they were supposed to be I had other things on my mind (don't lose Michelle in the crowd). Michelle used bib magnets to hook her race bib to her shirt, but she lost some and her bib wasn't staying on. So, I took off one of the safety pins on my bib and gave it to her to use. In the process, she dropped one of her gloves. Thankfully, it wasn't too far back on the ground and she was able to find it. We took off our sweatshirts at mile four and then stopped at porta-potties in the MK parking lot for Michelle. I held her sweatshirt and waited for her because I didn't have to go. Gatorade made her nauseous so she was only taking water and salt tablets. One of our running friends was on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, which was awesome!! I went live on Facebook as we ran through Cinderella's Castle!
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| The Ugly Stepsisters stormed the castle!! |
Instead of seeing us at MK, Kim and Taylor just went to the Polynesian where I'm sure they waited forever in the cold judging by Kim's text she sent when we were passing mile seven: "Where the fuck are you". Michelle and I were averaging like 3 minutes slower per mile than our typical training pace. We finally saw Kim and Taylor at mile 7.7 where they cheered us on and I gave them my jacket to hold. After we passed them, Michelle told me that I could leave her because she was slowing me down. Prior to this she had already mentioned her fear of the balloon ladies passing us. The balloon ladies set the pace for the slowest pace you can maintain and still be allowed to finish. If the balloon ladies pass you, you get picked up by a bus. Since I had been passed by the balloon ladies and picked up by the bus in 2013, I knew I couldn't leave Michelle if she was already having these thoughts by mile 8. I know the disappointment of a DNF (did not finish) and I was not going to let that happen to her. I could live without a PR, but I would be extremely disappointed if I left her and she didn't finish. I had to talk more than usual, so I told her about how Taylor and I met and how we became best friends. She couldn't believe I didn't get a birthday card for Taylor when I went to Blue Man Group for Taylor's birthday. Sorry, Taylor!
I stopped at a bathroom inside Animal Kingdom while Michelle kept walking. I didn't want her to stop moving if she didn't have to, so I told her to walk ahead and I would catch up. It seemed like the line for the bathroom took forever. As soon as I was done I took off and passed the halfway point (13.1) running really fast to try to find Michelle on the course. Thankfully, she messaged me saying she was in front of the Dino ride and sure enough I looked up ahead and saw her. We chugged along and came across our group leaders right before mile 16 where they were standing on an overpass cheering the racers on. They gave us big hugs and even brought snacks. They are amazing group leaders!!! They are invested in everyone's success and we couldn't ask for a better running group.
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| I'm not sure how she managed to smile here. |
I know when we entered Epcot, she finally believed she was going to finish. We ran around the world and took a walk break before running to the mile 26 marker. We saw Kim and Taylor right before the grand stand seating cheering us towards the finish line, yay!!! We even saw Michelle's wife and son in the grand stands waving at us! As we approached the finish line Michelle asked if we could hold hands and cross. So we put our hands over our heads victoriously and crossed the finish line hand in hand!!!
If we weren't friends before the race, we are certainly friends now. Seriously, helping a friend cross the finish line beats a PR any day! I played this scenario out in my head before race day and every time I thought I would choose a PR over slowing down to stay with someone, but in the moment I made a different decision entirely and I don't regret it one bit. That unexpected, awkwardly HUGE hug says it all! She said that without me she would not have finished. I know running a marathon is never easy, especially when you don't feel well. Two ladies in our group (Michelle S. and Cindy) were volunteering at the finish line handing out heat sheets. They were screaming for us and it was awesome!!! After we got our medals and heat sheets, we picked up Michelle W's bag from bag check and met her family briefly before a medic came with a wheel chair and wheeled her to the medical tent. On our way to the medical tent, I found Taylor and Kim. They were good sports, helped carry our bags, and followed us to the medical tent. Michelle was very nauseous and likely a little dehydrated. She was totally not herself. Michelle's family found us again in the medical tent. We stayed for a few minutes, and then I gave all of Michelle's stuff to her wife. I hated to leave while she was so down, but I had a Cinderella photo op with my best friend awaiting me.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
The Best of 2016
I know there's a lot of hate going around the internet towards 2016. However, 2016 was a phenomenal year for me for the most part!
- I was promoted at work.
- I entered and won a lottery entry into the NYC Marathon on my first try.
- I made new friends at work.
- I started new medicine (Remicade).
- I felt the best I've felt in over a decade! I got my life back!
- I had awesome bowel movements.
- I joined a running group.
- I made great running friends.
- I trained for a marathon and regularly woke up at 4am or earlier three days a week to run.
- I joined a gym.
- I saw Halsey live in concert.
- My best friend got engaged!
- I said yes to be my best friend's Maid of Honor!
- I socialized and stepped outside of my comfort zone.
- I went to NYC on vacation with my best friend!
- I ran the NYC Marathon!
- I ran an awesome half at OUC!
- I ran my first relay and my first trail run at Ragnar!
- I camped for real!
- My sister graduated from UCF!
- I got an electric keyboard to learn how to play.
Sunday, November 13, 2016
NYC - Part 1
Day 1:
After I met Taylor at the LaGuardia airport, we took a taxi to the hotel. The morning rush hour traffic was so terrible that it took us 45 minutes to go 5 miles. By the time we made it through the tunnel bridge from Queens to Manhattan, the GPS was estimating it to take 18 minutes to go 0.9 miles. We decided to ditch the taxi and walk the rest of the way to the hotel. Dare I say we walked faster than the taxi.
Upon arriving at the Renaissance at New York Midtown hotel, they had trouble locating our reservation because I reserved our room through a travel agency through the marathon website. Once they found our reservation, I think they felt bad because they let us check in five hours early. Our room was on the 22nd floor with a cool view of the city. The hotel is only a block away from the Madison Square Garden.
The Expo was first on our long list of things to do, so we grabbed a bite to eat, bought our unlimited 7 day metro card, and took a bus to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Expo was HUGE! I picked up my race bib and race shirt, and then we explored the Expo. I bought a tank, beanie, visor, coffee cup, and glass with the race logo. We tasted different energy bars and protein shakes. Taylor even made a sign that said "TEAM LAUREN" and a customized bib that said "RUN LAUREN RUN!" We walked down every aisle and took advantage of photo ops. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel to drop off everything. However, we realized we forgot to pick up Taylor's grandstand seating ticket, so we made our way back to the Expo to pick up her ticket. Shoutout to Taylor for being cool about my forgetfulness!
Once we had her grandstand seating ticket, we made our way to our first subway ride. We took the 7 train from the convention center to Grand Central! Grand Central Terminal looked just like it does in the movies! From Grand Central we walked to the New York Public Library. The library was really neat. I loved the architecture. Taylor even looked up her last name in the Genealogy room!
Our next stop, Ellen's Stardust Diner! On the way through Bryant Park we came across a Carrousel and I just had to go it! Taylor was a good sport and humored me. I rode a cat on Le Carrousel in Manhattan! At the diner, waiters and waitresses sing while they serve as they await their big break on Broadway. This was a really cool experience because they sang two of our songs "For Good" and "Let it Go"! We called it a night after dinner and headed to the hotel to get some sleep for our second day in the city.
Day 2:
Our first stop was the Marathon Pavilion near the finish line. We practiced taking the exact subway line Taylor was going to take on race day. The finish line stood in its full glory awaiting thousands of runners. It was surreal to see the finish line that I trained so hard for. I didn't cry, but I was still overwhelmed.
On our way to The New York City Fire Museum, we enjoyed Starbucks. It had a touching 9/11 exhibit. My favorite part were the fire engines from the late 1800's to early 1900's where they changed from being horse drawn to motorized. Also, the history of how the Dalmatian became the fire mascot was interesting. Dalmatians became the popular breed with fire departments because they used them to keep critters away from the horse drawn fire carriage. They were long winded and worked well with the horses, but they were smart enough to realize they could hop on the motorized engine once the horses were no longer necessary.
We finished the NYC Fire Museum just in time for lunch at Black Tap. They serve out of this world shakes and burgers. I got the Salty and Sweet shake that was peanut butter with pretzel bits and a delicious display of candies, whipped cream and drizzled chocolate. It was AMAZING!
After lunch, we headed to Wall Street. Wall Street found its way on my bucket list while I was a finance major at UCF. Although it's not for the public, it was still neat to see. We had a photo op with the Charging Bull of Wall Street where we rubbed its balls for good luck, and then we walked by the New York Stock Exchange. Security was really tight around the NYSE. The public isn't even allowed on that side of the street.
The Staten Island Ferry was only a few blocks South. We walked there just in time for the 2:30PM. It's a free 30 minute ride each way from Manhattan and Staten Island. The view from the ferry was picture perfect. I got great photos of lady liberty and Manhattan's skyline with the One World Trade Center.
Once we were back in Manhattan, we took the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge. There is something about bridges that fascinate me. The Brooklyn Bridge is on my list of top three bridges I've visited along with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and the Golden Gate Bridge. Although we didn't walk all the way across the bridge, it was still cool to see up close in person. After the bridge, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for Broadway.
On the way to see Wicked, we found an Irish Pub and grabbed a drink and some food before the show. I had my first Irish coffee (whiskey and coffee)! I am so in love with coffee and it rocked my world. I dressed as Elphie with black over the knee boots, black dress, black jacket, and green leg warmers to pull the witch look together. The show was phenomenal with powerful vocals, a talented cast, and Broadway style performances! It was so special to share the experience with Taylor! The story line and main characters closely resemble our own story and the friendship we share. When Glinda and Elphaba sang "For Good", it was the cherry on top of the experience. "For Good" is our song and while I was nearly moved to tears, a reflex fought back the emotion and I just soaked up the meaning and promise of every word. "Who can say if I've been changed for the better? / I do believe I have been changed for the better/ And because I knew you / I have been changed for good." Taylor was a champ the whole trip! Even when I was moody no matter how well I tried to control the taper madness and prerace jitters, she was right there along for the ride snapping me out of my funk and bringing me back to reality. There's no doubt she makes me better and I love her for it!
Day 3:
We explored Central Park and it was absolutely beautiful! The leaves were changing color and it made it a picture perfect walk in the park. We saw the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain and the Loeb Boathouse. Even the hotdogs we ate in Central Park were supremely better than a normal hotdog. Central Park is where Taylor seemed most at home with the trees and lakes and without the stink of the city.
From Central Park, we went and rode the Roosevelt Island Tram. It's like a sky ride that takes you to and from Roosevelt Island and Manhattan along the Queensboro Bridge. We used our unlimited 7 day metro card for the round trip. The tram offered awesome views of the city! It was great for sightseeing. After the tram ride, we enjoyed NY pizza at Patsy's Pizzeria. Seriously, the best pizza I've ever had!
We quickly walked through Rockefeller Center and took a photo with the gorgeous St. Patrick's Cathedral before heading to the Love Structure for a picture. The Love Structure was a lot smaller than I anticipated it was going to be. Afterwards, we went to the hotel where I took a three hour nap.
When I woke up from my nap, we went to Barilla Restaurant - Bryant Park and got lasagna to go for my pre-race pasta dinner.
I'll blog about race day in another post. We walked over a marathon while exploring the city during the three days leading up to the race. Between the walking and the stairs to get to and from the subway, Taylor was sore and swollen. I was a little sore myself, but I like to think that my marathon training prepared me for exploring the city as well. Although there's no doubt it made race day a little more difficult, I don't regret it. Our days were packed with activities and I think we made the most of our time in the city!
After I met Taylor at the LaGuardia airport, we took a taxi to the hotel. The morning rush hour traffic was so terrible that it took us 45 minutes to go 5 miles. By the time we made it through the tunnel bridge from Queens to Manhattan, the GPS was estimating it to take 18 minutes to go 0.9 miles. We decided to ditch the taxi and walk the rest of the way to the hotel. Dare I say we walked faster than the taxi.
Upon arriving at the Renaissance at New York Midtown hotel, they had trouble locating our reservation because I reserved our room through a travel agency through the marathon website. Once they found our reservation, I think they felt bad because they let us check in five hours early. Our room was on the 22nd floor with a cool view of the city. The hotel is only a block away from the Madison Square Garden.
The Expo was first on our long list of things to do, so we grabbed a bite to eat, bought our unlimited 7 day metro card, and took a bus to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Expo was HUGE! I picked up my race bib and race shirt, and then we explored the Expo. I bought a tank, beanie, visor, coffee cup, and glass with the race logo. We tasted different energy bars and protein shakes. Taylor even made a sign that said "TEAM LAUREN" and a customized bib that said "RUN LAUREN RUN!" We walked down every aisle and took advantage of photo ops. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel to drop off everything. However, we realized we forgot to pick up Taylor's grandstand seating ticket, so we made our way back to the Expo to pick up her ticket. Shoutout to Taylor for being cool about my forgetfulness!
Once we had her grandstand seating ticket, we made our way to our first subway ride. We took the 7 train from the convention center to Grand Central! Grand Central Terminal looked just like it does in the movies! From Grand Central we walked to the New York Public Library. The library was really neat. I loved the architecture. Taylor even looked up her last name in the Genealogy room!
Our next stop, Ellen's Stardust Diner! On the way through Bryant Park we came across a Carrousel and I just had to go it! Taylor was a good sport and humored me. I rode a cat on Le Carrousel in Manhattan! At the diner, waiters and waitresses sing while they serve as they await their big break on Broadway. This was a really cool experience because they sang two of our songs "For Good" and "Let it Go"! We called it a night after dinner and headed to the hotel to get some sleep for our second day in the city.
Day 2:
Our first stop was the Marathon Pavilion near the finish line. We practiced taking the exact subway line Taylor was going to take on race day. The finish line stood in its full glory awaiting thousands of runners. It was surreal to see the finish line that I trained so hard for. I didn't cry, but I was still overwhelmed.
On our way to The New York City Fire Museum, we enjoyed Starbucks. It had a touching 9/11 exhibit. My favorite part were the fire engines from the late 1800's to early 1900's where they changed from being horse drawn to motorized. Also, the history of how the Dalmatian became the fire mascot was interesting. Dalmatians became the popular breed with fire departments because they used them to keep critters away from the horse drawn fire carriage. They were long winded and worked well with the horses, but they were smart enough to realize they could hop on the motorized engine once the horses were no longer necessary.
We finished the NYC Fire Museum just in time for lunch at Black Tap. They serve out of this world shakes and burgers. I got the Salty and Sweet shake that was peanut butter with pretzel bits and a delicious display of candies, whipped cream and drizzled chocolate. It was AMAZING!
After lunch, we headed to Wall Street. Wall Street found its way on my bucket list while I was a finance major at UCF. Although it's not for the public, it was still neat to see. We had a photo op with the Charging Bull of Wall Street where we rubbed its balls for good luck, and then we walked by the New York Stock Exchange. Security was really tight around the NYSE. The public isn't even allowed on that side of the street.
The Staten Island Ferry was only a few blocks South. We walked there just in time for the 2:30PM. It's a free 30 minute ride each way from Manhattan and Staten Island. The view from the ferry was picture perfect. I got great photos of lady liberty and Manhattan's skyline with the One World Trade Center.
Once we were back in Manhattan, we took the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge. There is something about bridges that fascinate me. The Brooklyn Bridge is on my list of top three bridges I've visited along with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and the Golden Gate Bridge. Although we didn't walk all the way across the bridge, it was still cool to see up close in person. After the bridge, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for Broadway.
On the way to see Wicked, we found an Irish Pub and grabbed a drink and some food before the show. I had my first Irish coffee (whiskey and coffee)! I am so in love with coffee and it rocked my world. I dressed as Elphie with black over the knee boots, black dress, black jacket, and green leg warmers to pull the witch look together. The show was phenomenal with powerful vocals, a talented cast, and Broadway style performances! It was so special to share the experience with Taylor! The story line and main characters closely resemble our own story and the friendship we share. When Glinda and Elphaba sang "For Good", it was the cherry on top of the experience. "For Good" is our song and while I was nearly moved to tears, a reflex fought back the emotion and I just soaked up the meaning and promise of every word. "Who can say if I've been changed for the better? / I do believe I have been changed for the better/ And because I knew you / I have been changed for good." Taylor was a champ the whole trip! Even when I was moody no matter how well I tried to control the taper madness and prerace jitters, she was right there along for the ride snapping me out of my funk and bringing me back to reality. There's no doubt she makes me better and I love her for it!
Day 3:
We explored Central Park and it was absolutely beautiful! The leaves were changing color and it made it a picture perfect walk in the park. We saw the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain and the Loeb Boathouse. Even the hotdogs we ate in Central Park were supremely better than a normal hotdog. Central Park is where Taylor seemed most at home with the trees and lakes and without the stink of the city.
From Central Park, we went and rode the Roosevelt Island Tram. It's like a sky ride that takes you to and from Roosevelt Island and Manhattan along the Queensboro Bridge. We used our unlimited 7 day metro card for the round trip. The tram offered awesome views of the city! It was great for sightseeing. After the tram ride, we enjoyed NY pizza at Patsy's Pizzeria. Seriously, the best pizza I've ever had!
We quickly walked through Rockefeller Center and took a photo with the gorgeous St. Patrick's Cathedral before heading to the Love Structure for a picture. The Love Structure was a lot smaller than I anticipated it was going to be. Afterwards, we went to the hotel where I took a three hour nap.
When I woke up from my nap, we went to Barilla Restaurant - Bryant Park and got lasagna to go for my pre-race pasta dinner.
I'll blog about race day in another post. We walked over a marathon while exploring the city during the three days leading up to the race. Between the walking and the stairs to get to and from the subway, Taylor was sore and swollen. I was a little sore myself, but I like to think that my marathon training prepared me for exploring the city as well. Although there's no doubt it made race day a little more difficult, I don't regret it. Our days were packed with activities and I think we made the most of our time in the city!
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Everyone Deserves a Friendship Like Ours
I just want to take this moment to brag about my best friend. She challenges me and encourages me to chase my dreams. Before I found out I got into the NYC Marathon, she was on board to go with me in the unlikely event that I won a lottery entry.(I never would have guessed I would get in on my first try.) I know this trip isn't happening at the most ideal time in her life as she is busy making huge life plans (like planning a wedding and buying a house). Yet, her support hasn't faltered. She's in it for the long run, pun intended. Since I'm a marathoner, I know and appreciate her commitment to being my biggest fan and her dedication to being my best friend. I'm overwhelmed by the fact that she will be in the grandstand seating area to watch me accomplish this amazing achievement. Not only does thinking about crossing the finish line make me emotional, the thought of sharing that experience with her has a powerful affect on my race mentality. I want to run the race for me and I want to finish strong for her. She wants me to cross that iconic finish line in Central Park as much I want to cross it! Everyone deserves a friendship like ours!
As much as this trip is about the race it's also about being on vacation in NYC with my best friend! We haven't vacationed too much together. Will this be a test in our relationship? I doubt it, unless we're testing to see how high we can get our level of awesomeness. Will this be an audition for the Amazing Race? Unlikely, although I have a feeling using public transportation will be comedic and terrifying at times. I believe this trip will be one we remember for the rest of our lives. Even without NYC in the equation, I'm excited to get some much needed Taylor time!
As much as this trip is about the race it's also about being on vacation in NYC with my best friend! We haven't vacationed too much together. Will this be a test in our relationship? I doubt it, unless we're testing to see how high we can get our level of awesomeness. Will this be an audition for the Amazing Race? Unlikely, although I have a feeling using public transportation will be comedic and terrifying at times. I believe this trip will be one we remember for the rest of our lives. Even without NYC in the equation, I'm excited to get some much needed Taylor time!
Sunday, September 18, 2016
"YES!"
After my 15.5 mile run Saturday morning, I drove down south to go wedding dress shopping with Taylor. Taylor's friend, Cybelle, rode down and back with me. Cybelle and I found out that we have a mutual love of the TV show LOST as well as rock music! Taylor's mom and grandma were already at the hotel when we arrived. Before going to the dress appointment, we went to the mall to eat and kill some time. The dress appointment was at Patricia South's Bridal, which happens to be the same place Taylor's mom bought her wedding dress over 30 years ago. I have never seen so many wedding dresses in my life.
We were served mimosas, cookies and cheese and crackers while they picked out dresses to try on. The first dress Taylor tried on had a sweetheart thingamajig with a corset doohickey and a lace pattern all over it. It was pretty, but it didn't have the "wow" factor. The second dress was little more form fitting and had a halter-toppish kind of style and an open back. It had some lace shenanigans going on, but the leg part on the front was plain. Again, it didn't have the "head turning" factor. The third dress I consider to be a princess type of dress. Perhaps ball gown is a better description. It had tulle from the waist downward that flowed outward. The top part was sleeveless and had shiny sparkles and lace. It was pretty, but it didn't really flatter her figure. The fourth dress was my favorite up this point. It was also sleeveless with tattooed lace on the back. It was form fitting and had lace; however the train of the dress was rather boring.
As soon as Taylor came into sight in the fifth dress, an Enzoani dress, I could tell it was THE DRESS! Not just because of the tears in Taylor's eyes, but also because of the radiance she emitted and the undeniable beautiful way the dress complimented Taylor's elegant essence. I won't describe the dress as I did the others because I don't want to give it away before her big day. Believe me when I tell you though that her dress will turn heads and it will make you say "wow". She would be a gorgeous bride without the dress, but the dress compliments her style and charm. Taylor said, "Yes, to the dress!"
Taylor gave me an amazing box and when I opened it the top of the lid read "will you be my maid of honor". I may not yet fully understand the meaning of being a maid of honor, but I can tell you that I was truly honored to say, "Yes!". I'm super excited to go on this journey with Taylor as she becomes a Mrs. I also can't wait to be standing by her side when she says, "I do".
We were served mimosas, cookies and cheese and crackers while they picked out dresses to try on. The first dress Taylor tried on had a sweetheart thingamajig with a corset doohickey and a lace pattern all over it. It was pretty, but it didn't have the "wow" factor. The second dress was little more form fitting and had a halter-toppish kind of style and an open back. It had some lace shenanigans going on, but the leg part on the front was plain. Again, it didn't have the "head turning" factor. The third dress I consider to be a princess type of dress. Perhaps ball gown is a better description. It had tulle from the waist downward that flowed outward. The top part was sleeveless and had shiny sparkles and lace. It was pretty, but it didn't really flatter her figure. The fourth dress was my favorite up this point. It was also sleeveless with tattooed lace on the back. It was form fitting and had lace; however the train of the dress was rather boring.
As soon as Taylor came into sight in the fifth dress, an Enzoani dress, I could tell it was THE DRESS! Not just because of the tears in Taylor's eyes, but also because of the radiance she emitted and the undeniable beautiful way the dress complimented Taylor's elegant essence. I won't describe the dress as I did the others because I don't want to give it away before her big day. Believe me when I tell you though that her dress will turn heads and it will make you say "wow". She would be a gorgeous bride without the dress, but the dress compliments her style and charm. Taylor said, "Yes, to the dress!"
Taylor gave me an amazing box and when I opened it the top of the lid read "will you be my maid of honor". I may not yet fully understand the meaning of being a maid of honor, but I can tell you that I was truly honored to say, "Yes!". I'm super excited to go on this journey with Taylor as she becomes a Mrs. I also can't wait to be standing by her side when she says, "I do".
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
My Best Friend is ENGAGED!!!
One of the things I love about Taylor is that she loves fearlessly. She deserves the world and everything that's good and amazing in it. I know she has been dreaming of this time in her life since she was a little girl and words can't describe how delighted I am for her to be realizing her dream. I can't wait to watch them grow old together! Congrats, Taylor! I love you!!!
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Happy Early Birthday
I had a fun three day weekend in Lake Placid. I celebrated Taylor's birthday early with her and the family. Her family is beyond awesome! They are so sweet because they had dinner waiting for me when I arrived. Saturday we woke up early and Mr. C. took us out on his airboat. We saw tons of birds, butterflies, and a couple of baby gators. We even took the airboat on a dry land and got stuck, so Mr. C. had to get out to make it lighter for it move. By the time we made it back to the house Mrs. C. was serving homemade lasagna for lunch. After lunch, Mr. C. told Taylor and I to get ready because he made us a mani & pedi appointment for 2pm. Mr. C. got a pedicure and Taylor and I got manicures and pedicures. It was my very first mani and pedi. It was quite an experience! I took a short nap afterwards and then Mr. and Mrs. C., Taylor, and I headed to see the movie "A Walk In The Woods."
Sunday, Taylor and I spent most of the morning trying to figure out how to work the C Geo app so that we could go geocaching. Once she figured it out we went out in search for geocaches. We found tons! We even went to the local state park to find some and we ended up seeing a deer and swinging on swings as well. We ate lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, which was delicious. Afterwards, we headed back to the house to take showers and then I took my daily nap. Mrs. C. made pork chops for dinner. Yum! After dinner, we headed to the bar down the street. We started with a jack and coke, then went to a long island iced tea... after which we still weren't feeling a buzz at all. We took a Johnny Vegas shot (red bull, watermelon schnapps, and silver tequila) and then we felt the buzz. Taylor went up to the live band to request a song and ended up singing two songs (Sugarland's Stay and a duet of Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss' Whiskey Lullaby). I loved it because I had never heard her sing those songs before. While she was singing I drank two key lime martinis and paid our tab. They tasted just like key lime pie. I should have been drunk, but I was just buzzed. When she was done, we sat at the bar a while longer talking until she was ready to drive home.
Monday, we woke up, had breakfast and lounged around watching TV until it was time to head home.
Sunday, Taylor and I spent most of the morning trying to figure out how to work the C Geo app so that we could go geocaching. Once she figured it out we went out in search for geocaches. We found tons! We even went to the local state park to find some and we ended up seeing a deer and swinging on swings as well. We ate lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, which was delicious. Afterwards, we headed back to the house to take showers and then I took my daily nap. Mrs. C. made pork chops for dinner. Yum! After dinner, we headed to the bar down the street. We started with a jack and coke, then went to a long island iced tea... after which we still weren't feeling a buzz at all. We took a Johnny Vegas shot (red bull, watermelon schnapps, and silver tequila) and then we felt the buzz. Taylor went up to the live band to request a song and ended up singing two songs (Sugarland's Stay and a duet of Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss' Whiskey Lullaby). I loved it because I had never heard her sing those songs before. While she was singing I drank two key lime martinis and paid our tab. They tasted just like key lime pie. I should have been drunk, but I was just buzzed. When she was done, we sat at the bar a while longer talking until she was ready to drive home.
Monday, we woke up, had breakfast and lounged around watching TV until it was time to head home.
 |
| Airboating |
 |
| Cake |
 |
| geocaching |
 |
| Can you spot the geocache? |
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| Enjoying a drink at the bar while listening to the live band. |
Thursday, July 9, 2015
The Cat is Out of The Bag
I'm taking Taylor to see the Shania Twain Concert in Miami next Thursday. It was supposed to be a surprise, but her boyfriend told her about it on their anniversary since the concert ticket is one of his gifts to her. Thank God because it was killing me not being able to talk about it with her! Now we get to have awesome text convos like the one below. It's so awesome that she loves Shania Twain as much as I do!!! God Bless her... she can't spell to save her life
Friday, April 10, 2015
Unnecessary Stress
It has been unnecessarily stressful whenever my best friend, Taylor, comes to visit since I've moved back in with my parents. In the past, for whatever reason my mom and Taylor openly dislike each other. It was no secret; there was no hiding it. Obviously, I know Taylor as being an outstanding young woman with great drive and motivation. She challenges me in life and I love her for it! I trust her completely! Certainly, I know my mom as being someone I can depend on. Even though we've gone through phases of disagreements and periods of dislike, I have and will always love my mom.
Since getting my new job and having to work weekends, my free time is very slim. So, when Taylor comes to town it's difficult for me to be constantly available to be with her 24/7 while she is visiting. My parents (my mom in particular) have some beef with Taylor being at the house when I'm not home. My mom seriously tried to get me to kick Taylor out of the house this morning when I left for work at 8am. Taylor wasn't able to check into her hotel for the wedding she's in town for until 3pm. My mom was going to be home, so I didn't understand why Taylor couldn't sleep in and hang in my room until she was ready to leave. I somehow managed to calmly explain to my mom the stress the situation puts me through. The tension between my mom and Taylor and feeling responsible to keep them separated stresses me out like nothing I've ever experienced before. I always consider getting a hotel whenever Taylor visits, but I usually incorrectly think I can handle it.
After trying to calmly explain the unnecessary stress (which got my mom's attention because she knows stress can be a trigger for a Crohn's flare), my mom offered to let Taylor sleep in and then asked if she could take Taylor to lunch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I thought I was stressed before, that was nothing compared to how much I over analyzed how horribly the two of them having lunch together could go. I had to leave for work, Taylor said she would also like to have lunch with my mom, and I had no time to talk them out of it. Thankfully, once I got to work I had a team meeting that cleared my head and then I was busy pricing cars and selling a 2015 CX-5 to a customer.
Out of sight, out of mind.... at least I tried to put the two of them having lunch together, unsupervised, out of my thoughts. Who would win in battle? Shit, am I obligated to be Switzerland? I got a text from Taylor that said, "We had fun *smiley face emoticon*". I haven't had a chance to talk to Taylor to get her point of view yet. However, even my mom said it went well! Holy fuck nuggets, they actually enjoyed lunch together! I can't even explain how happy this makes me.
Taylor's family always makes me feel like part of their family and I always feel disappointed that she doesn't get to feel that way about my family. This was a huge step in the right direction. It was like a ton of bricks lifting off of me. Super thankful for my mom being willing to make the first move and ask to take Taylor to lunch and super thankful for Taylor being willing to go.
Since getting my new job and having to work weekends, my free time is very slim. So, when Taylor comes to town it's difficult for me to be constantly available to be with her 24/7 while she is visiting. My parents (my mom in particular) have some beef with Taylor being at the house when I'm not home. My mom seriously tried to get me to kick Taylor out of the house this morning when I left for work at 8am. Taylor wasn't able to check into her hotel for the wedding she's in town for until 3pm. My mom was going to be home, so I didn't understand why Taylor couldn't sleep in and hang in my room until she was ready to leave. I somehow managed to calmly explain to my mom the stress the situation puts me through. The tension between my mom and Taylor and feeling responsible to keep them separated stresses me out like nothing I've ever experienced before. I always consider getting a hotel whenever Taylor visits, but I usually incorrectly think I can handle it.
After trying to calmly explain the unnecessary stress (which got my mom's attention because she knows stress can be a trigger for a Crohn's flare), my mom offered to let Taylor sleep in and then asked if she could take Taylor to lunch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I thought I was stressed before, that was nothing compared to how much I over analyzed how horribly the two of them having lunch together could go. I had to leave for work, Taylor said she would also like to have lunch with my mom, and I had no time to talk them out of it. Thankfully, once I got to work I had a team meeting that cleared my head and then I was busy pricing cars and selling a 2015 CX-5 to a customer.
Out of sight, out of mind.... at least I tried to put the two of them having lunch together, unsupervised, out of my thoughts. Who would win in battle? Shit, am I obligated to be Switzerland? I got a text from Taylor that said, "We had fun *smiley face emoticon*". I haven't had a chance to talk to Taylor to get her point of view yet. However, even my mom said it went well! Holy fuck nuggets, they actually enjoyed lunch together! I can't even explain how happy this makes me.
Taylor's family always makes me feel like part of their family and I always feel disappointed that she doesn't get to feel that way about my family. This was a huge step in the right direction. It was like a ton of bricks lifting off of me. Super thankful for my mom being willing to make the first move and ask to take Taylor to lunch and super thankful for Taylor being willing to go.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Christmas with Taylor 2014
After work on Friday, I drove down to visit Taylor and celebrate Christmas. Damn, I missed that girl! We wasted no time in opening up some wine and opening our gifts from each other. Oh, and I passed our friendship turd back to her. After adding something to it, of course. I think the red button looks great!We talked for another hour, and then Kenny, Taylor, and I went to P.F. Chang's for dinner. We are two very classy ladies, so it should be no surprise that we took advantage of the chopsticks and became walruses for a photo op.
I left around 6am for a 9 mile run. Even though I had a paper with turn by turn directions with me, I still had no idea where I was because I'm not familiar with the area. It was a great run. I ran 9 miles in Sunrise, Florida, on Sunrise Blvd as the sun was rising, so that was kind of special. Kenny had already left for work by the time I got back and Taylor was already up getting ready, so I didn't get any extra sleep. After I took a shower, Taylor and I went to a flea market she wanted to check out. We followed the flea market with lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, which was my first time there. It was delicious! We took our cheesecakes to go and ate them at her place before we left for the Phillips, Craig, and Dean concert.
We took a great photo by a Christmas tree before the concert.
When the show ended, we went back to Taylor's place and recreated a selfie we found on Pinterest. It was outrageous and hilarious. Memories were most certainly made while trying to recreate it. After that nonsense, we went to bed.
We slept in Sunday morning, and went to Publix for some baking supplies before going to church at 1pm. After church we went ice skating! I had forgotten how much I love to ice skate. It was great fun. Once we made it back to Taylor's place, we did some baking and took some selfies while we waited for things to bake. Once we finished baking, selfie taking, and listening to Christmas music it was time for me to head home. We're hoping to see each other in January.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
My Trip To Sunrise
I left after work on Friday to go visit Taylor. It took me about three and a half hours to get there and it rained most of my drive down, which sucked. However, getting to see Taylor made it worth it. Wicked rain, wind, thunder and lighting accompanied me on the Turnpike, which slowed my pace. I arrived at Taylor's a little after 7:45pm. Then, Taylor, Kenny, Sean, Chelsea, and I went to P.F. Chang. Yeah, I was the fifth wheel, but I didn't mind. I had amazing kung pao chicken. We followed P.F. Chang with Funky Buddha Brewery. The brewery was awesome because they had their own micro brews on tap, plus they had numerous tables to play games at. You sign out games from the game room like Apples to Apples, Monopoly, etc... then you sit in the well lit bar area with music at a lower volume than a typical club so that you can play the games and drink their great brews. I fell in love with their Hop Gun IPA. I've never tasted a beer like it before and it makes me want to try more local breweries around Orlando. We closed the brewery and I'm not sure what time we got back to Taylor's place, but I know it was Saturday. I slept on their fold-out couch, which was surprisingly comfortable.
Saturday's wake up call came early because her birthday party started at 10am. By the time, we got up, got dressed, and folded up the couch bed Mrs. Conklin was knocking on the door. Slowly, people trickled in, Taylor's grandma and grandpa, Katrina, Kenny's sister's, Alisa and Emily, and CJ. It was storming, so we had to post pone the pool party. Taylor opened gifts and everyone snacked. Eventually, the storm let up enough for us to move the party to the pool only for another storm to chase us back into the apartment. We sang, ate cake, played games, and watched a movie. During this time a few people left and I went into Taylor and Kenny's room to take a nap while everyone else played another game. By the time I woke up it was time to go to the Game Room, which is like a knock off of Dave and Buster's. Mrs. Conklin, Taylor, Kenny, Sean, Alisa, and I went to the Game Room where we raced, shot things, played guitar hero, bowled, and played air hockey. I left in the middle of gaming because I wanted to get back home before midnight. I had a blast celebrating with Taylor, and I know it meant a lot to her that I came to celebrate with her. I love seeing her new place and where she calls home. Though I wish we would have gotten some time together without everyone else around... I'm just greedy like that I guess.
The friendship turd is now in my hands, so I get to think about how I want to enhance it this time.
Saturday's wake up call came early because her birthday party started at 10am. By the time, we got up, got dressed, and folded up the couch bed Mrs. Conklin was knocking on the door. Slowly, people trickled in, Taylor's grandma and grandpa, Katrina, Kenny's sister's, Alisa and Emily, and CJ. It was storming, so we had to post pone the pool party. Taylor opened gifts and everyone snacked. Eventually, the storm let up enough for us to move the party to the pool only for another storm to chase us back into the apartment. We sang, ate cake, played games, and watched a movie. During this time a few people left and I went into Taylor and Kenny's room to take a nap while everyone else played another game. By the time I woke up it was time to go to the Game Room, which is like a knock off of Dave and Buster's. Mrs. Conklin, Taylor, Kenny, Sean, Alisa, and I went to the Game Room where we raced, shot things, played guitar hero, bowled, and played air hockey. I left in the middle of gaming because I wanted to get back home before midnight. I had a blast celebrating with Taylor, and I know it meant a lot to her that I came to celebrate with her. I love seeing her new place and where she calls home. Though I wish we would have gotten some time together without everyone else around... I'm just greedy like that I guess.
The friendship turd is now in my hands, so I get to think about how I want to enhance it this time.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Thankful for Taylor
So, I got a text from Taylor this morning that read: "I have to see you tonight to give you your gift." How lucky am I? I got to see her one last time before she leaves tomorrow! =) It made my day and yet I'm swimming in tears as I write this. This time it wasn't a pathetic goodbye. She wrote a going away parody for me based on Frozen's 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman?' She serenaded me with the karaoke music playing in the background. It's pretty much the story of our best-friendship She even had a story script to go with the instrumental parts of the song. It's called 'Do You Want to Be My Best Friend?'
Excuse me
Do you want to be my best friend?
I know we just met
But I am new to this town and you look like a clown
Come on let’s go and play
We could be best buddies…or not…But let’s give it a
try
Do you want to be my best friend?
DOOOO YOUUUU WAAANNTT TOO BEEE MYYY BEESTTT
FRRIENND?
Ok bye.
(Taylor wouldn’t
give up. She kept sitting next to her in class every day. Lauren had to give in
some time, right?)
Do you want to go to Blueman Group?
Come on it’s my birthday
You don’t have to be afraid. God’s planned it this
way
If only you could see the best friends we will be
As the time goes by ******
(Time did go
by…three years. Although it did take Lauren three months to admit to being
Taylor’s BEST FRIEND lol they did everything together; laughed, cried, learned
from each other, and told each other their deepest secrets. There was some
planking days and plenty of days teaching Taylor to get over CLOWNS. Living
together was the best! POOP POOP and
more poop. Lol Taylor did most of the cooking and Lauren did most of the
eating. The three years that God gave them together were the best three years
ever. But now it came time for Taylor to move away and start anew. She didn’t
want to leave, but she knew she had to.)
Lauren…
You know I don’t want to go
But it’s not that far away
They say have courage and I’m trying to. I’ll always
be here for you
Because I love you
We’ll always have each other
Me and you
That will never change
Do you want
to be my best friend?
As she started singing the part that begins with "Lauren" she got choked up and couldn't finish it. My emotions were in check until I saw her lose it. The music played in the background while we shared a hug full of tears, love, gratefulness and best friend magic. Once the music stopped, I whispered, "Yes."
I'm extremely thankful for Taylor. Words can't even begin to explain how much she has influenced my life. She's the kind of friend that you don't think exists until you meet them. For me, it took a while to convince me it was real even after I met her. The friendship we share is everlasting. That's comforting to know as she moves away. My name is Lauren and Taylor is my best friend.
P.S. Now I'm balling like a depressed mess.
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