Turkey Chase 2008

Oh my! I am reminded why I love blogging. This morning Santa came to my house and I can't keep a story like this to myself!!
So, I have two stories.

First, Thanksgiving Day.
I was so excited to be getting our family up early to drive to Bethesda to do the Turkey Chase. I still relish in the new me who stops hearing about athletic families doing stuff like this together and taking the initiative to do it myself even though I don't look like I can. I was so prepared. I had lunch boxes of snacks for the kids. Pre-made chocolate milk for the drive there. Their clothes all laid out. Their soupies in the car. Ahh it was going to be great!


Then on the drive to the beltway we watched our red sleigh, our double jogger, fly out of the back of the truck and roll down the freeway. It was seriously a Thanksgiving miracle that no one was behind us and it did not hit another car. The roads were quiet on Thanksgiving morning at 7:30 am.
For Jeff I think he saw dollar signs rolling down the freeway and land by the median. For me I saw that wonderful stroller that helped me train for 3 marathons and gave me the freedom to run with two little babies. I can honestly say I love that stroller and all the wear and tears on it. (i get way too attached to items)The race day then ended up being kind of crazy. Annie Kate was really looking forward to running, really running. But since we now had no stroller we ended up having to carry the girls for the entire thing. Jeff ran with Sally Jane and Annie Kate. I am not a fast runner when it is just me so can you imagine me carrying a 5 year old.
Turned out I ran into our friends. He also is at Walter Reed and just got back from his second tour in Iraq. So I walked with them and I got to hear all his stories. Huge salute to that family. During his payback in the Army he has gone over there twice leaving 2 little children and his wife each time. Jeff's department is sending two doctors this year. For now it looks like he won't be going.

Since the finish of the race I have been trying to figure out how I am going to get another stroller. The red one we bought with almost all of Jeff's graduation money after he finished his residency. (poor guy goes to school for 10 years and then buys his wife a jogger) I have called insurance to see if there was anything they could do. I have called baby jogger to see if they would just sell me a new frame as I had just bought a new rain cover and canopy for my red one. I told the girl on the phone my big sad story - i had hoped she would take pity on me, but she is running a business.

Second part of the story today at 8:15 amToday at 8:15 I popped right out of bed - oops I had slept in. Today at 8:00 am was the first day of sign up for the Baltimore Marathon for October 2009. I wanted to be one of the first people to sign up and they have a Christmas special that saves us money. (poor Jeff said he would do it with me again)
As I was signing up for my 4th marathon - wow, I just have to type that again, my 4th marathon, I was thinking - how the heck am I going to train for this thing, I have got to get motivated to fix or find another double jogger. (what can I sell on ebay?) I signed up anyway despite not knowing how I would train for it.
Ok here comes the great part.
I finished signing up and it is about 8:45 am. Seriously seconds after I pushed the "pay here button" Jeff opens the door to go to Basketball practice with Ak and sitting on our doorstep is this...

A brand new double jogger!
with a card that says,
Merry Christmas!
We love you guys.

speechless. seriously speechless.
sniff, sniff. wipe tears.

Dear running Santa,
I don't know who you are or why you did such a generous thing for us, but we are so grateful. Not only for the stroller but that you believe in me that I will continue to run.
much love
Kristi