I woke up at 5 and headed out for a 5 mile run. It was a struggle. I think I’m in that “oh crap, training is starting very soon and all the joy of an easy 5-miler will be replaced by the pain of interval work and tempo runs” kind of mood. Sixteen weeks of hard work are knocking on my door and I’m reluctant to let them in.

So I decided to wash away my training fears with a trip to the new splash park. As a mama, this place is perfect. You don’t have to lug the usual “day at the pool” baggage, there is little fear of drowning, and the whole germ-a-phobe side of me gets to relax. Kade was in heaven. He ran through the mass of sprinklers like they were spitting out root-beer (his all time favorite) instead of water. Liv was not as accepting of this new form of entertainment. She didn’t appreciate the effect cold water has on sun-warmed skin. She was annoyed, and she expressed this by standing just at the edge of the mass of frolicking children, pouting and repeating “I don’t like it.” Sometimes she can be so high maintenance…

We came home and ate lunch and a miracle occurred. I got both kids to take a nap at the same time. So I did what any sane person with an hour or so of free time would do…I went outside to clean up dog crap and pull weeds from the driveway (isn’t it supposed to be bon-bons and Oprah). I sat down to enjoy a few minutes soaking up the sunshine and noticed that I was sweating from something other than the heat. I had that back of the knees drip going on and the book I was reading was shaking, so I went inside to test…48…lovely.

Even better than the low blood sugar was the letter I received in the mail. My insurance company has finally decided that there is sufficient proof of medical necessity that I use the continuous glucose monitor. All they need to do now (this is according to the letter) is make sure my insurance plan will cover it. This is like finding out you won the lottery, and then being told that you have to share it with a million people. I have no insurance coverage until I spend $2500, so I’d essentially be paying for the transmitter and sensors out of pocket until I meet that deductible, which puts me back at square one. Great.

So I pissed and moaned for awhile; got the kids up; fed them a snack; packed Kade’s batting gloves, baseball cap, wipes for cracker jack stickiness, and foam finger; and loaded everyone up to head to Kyle’s work. He and Kade are currently at the Indians vs. Twins game. This is their spring/summer, father/son ritual. Liv and I have a ritual now too. We go out for ice cream after dinner, fold laundry together, relish in having only one child’s hair to wash at bathtime and full access to all bath toys, and read countless books with no arguments over who gets to sit on mama’s lap. One of the many books Liv chose this evening was Walter the Farting Dog. When I read the title to her she said, “Oh no…poop.” The girl has cause and effect down pat

Now I’m relaxing on the couch (watching the Indians attempt a comeback)…the dishes are done, the laundry is clean, folded and put away (thanks, Liv), and the house looks relatively presentable. All that’s missing are my boys…