The next time I start a new blog, I'm going to stockpile a few posts so I can just pull them out of the vault every few days. Why has it taken me so long to blog? My best answer is this: These days, if I'm not getting paid for or graded on something, it's tough to do. And lately, I've had lots of work, both for school and Runner's World. I can't really remember enough about Jordan's last two months to write a detailed account, but here are this weekend's highlights.
Running
Because I hurt my knee and had to pull out of the National Marathon, I gave Jim my bib number. His plan was to run the half marathon, and Jordan, Kristin and I found a great spot near Kristin's house from which to cheer for him and several other friends of ours. He looked strong near mile 7, and he ultimately ran 20 miles! Quite a feat for someone who's never run close to that distance. Jim is very sore today, but feels inspired to run a full marathon this fall. After cheering, we went back to Kristin's house, where Cody prepared us some delicious muffins and Jordan had fun hanging out with Pippin the cat.
Dinner
We had some new friends over last night. William and AnneMarie are a neat couple who live about half a mile from us. They and their adorable one-year-old came over, and he and Jordan had a great time playing in her room. We're looking forward to hanging out with them more often.
News
This morning I had brunch with my friend Sara, who was down from NYC with her boyfriend for this weekend's race. Oops, make that fiance! He proposed to her amid the cherry blossoms on the Mall yesterday, after they ran the half marathon and before they toured the National History Museum. Sara and I worked together at Rodale, and we calculated that it's been five years since we'd last seen each other! I hope it won't be that long before we meet up again.
Spirituality
Jim and I joined a local branch of a national Catholic lay movement - doesn't that sound intriguing? - called Teams of Our Lady, and our first meeting was this evening. Our particular team is comprised of five couples who attend our church, and we're charged with inspiring one another to grow closer as couples, families, and in communion with God.
          I should mention here that despite joining the movement, my church attendance is actually pretty spotty. My adherence to any actual creed is also pretty loosely defined. We go to a church that's only a few minutes from our apartment, and we've met some wonderful families there. Jordan loves seeing her friends there and enjoys the donuts and coffee hour after Mass. The church's liturgy is pretty ho-hum, and the homilies aren't usually memorable. But I've started giving thanks for that which our family has gained from the church - namely, a warm community of wonderful people. And shifting my focus has made all the difference.