Dingos Jogging Into January 2012! - Page 4

[JenLove]

Jo - Safestway?!  For real?!  I almost spit my coffee all over the laptop.

By the way, screw the caffeine free crap.  I gotta full force caffeine coffee going on.  We ended up sleep training our Great Pyr outside last night (usually he stays in the barn) but he whined at the door for an hour on the porch.  I couldn't sleep.  Between him and AJ nursing a few times, I need more than one cuppa joe today.

Gaye - You put in some serious mileage and races this year!  You amaze me!  

Yesterday was our weekly trip in town (45 minute drive each way).  We did groceries, got chicken food, sold eggs, and I met with some people so I could sell some of my Craigslist things.  We raced home and I got on my laptop just in time to start work for the day.  The rest of the evening consisted of lounging in the living room as a family watching C-SPAN on the laptop to see the Iowa Caucus Results.  It was really close in the beginning and we were hooting and hollering for a bit of it.  Santorum though... really?  Not to bring up politics here, but what the hay?!

Off to make some breakfast and get DD started on "school time."  Have a fab day, ya'll!

[sparkletruck]

Geo - If ever there were an appropriate time to throw a tantrum, you nailed it (as usual). What is the next step? It seems like you've covered all the bases - where to go from here?

JG - It sounds like you dont have yeast after all. Great! ...although you still have to deal with withdrawals Have they subsided yet?

Nic - I too went through a style assessment in the past two years. Until then I wore the same style, and some of the same clothes, Ive worn since college, or earlier! Then I started paying attention to what I liked about other people's style. And I realized, over time, that I prefer certain things, so then I was able to have categories of clothes in my head when I hit the thrift store, so that when I picked up yet another T-shirt, I'd put it back b/c it didnt fit any of those categories. For example, I like vintage-y looking clothes (I also like black biker style, so try putting those together ), so I would asses things as having that vintage look. I found two very sweet vintage cardigans. I them, and I havent lost my love for them like I have with so many other t-shirt, same old amse old clothes I used to buy. I also look for black clothes, and have found a super cute/sexy long sleeve v-neck black shirt (form fitting) and an a-line knee length black linen skirt. The other fashion look I like is boho. So, over the past two years Im changing my wardrobe by picking things in these genres, and now i sort of have a style nd I feel cute. Of course the T-shirt and jeans girl Ive always been is still there. What are your dress "restrictions"? For modesty?....

Plady - Woot I was just thinking yesterday about you being the theater mama on SJI if you got that middle school job, and yippee, you will be

Kerc, Real, Plady, Jo - Interesting that you bring up drinking, as I have just started drinking, maybe a 1/4 cup of red wine every few days, and IM really enjoying it. MOre than that, I feel like an adult in a way I have not until now (Im sure that has to do with a whole bunch of other things happening at the same time) and have wanted to. I never drank before b/c both parents are alcoholics too, and both with wine; Mom is a pass out, burn bridges left-and-right drunk, although sober for many years now as long as she lives in Holland, and my Dad is a several glasses of red a night my whole life, never able to relax or be affectionate unless he's buzzed, but highly functional and responsible (read: anal, hence the wine). I have wrestled with drinking my whole life, and only until recently have I started, and realized that I dont "need" it, but I do like those 4 sips when I have them

NRR: I wont bore you in this post with lice. Short story is that we're not done battling, but out of the woods. Whew!

[Geofizz]

Originally Posted by 1jooj 

Geo: I wonder whether the stiff soles make your shin/calf muscles work too hard to lift toes/forefoot off the ground with each step? And on the school thing. For both kids. From here, it sounds like the overall environment/school vibe is just not working for either kid. Your ds sounds much more like maybe a Montessori kid? And dd seems to be in search of a smart teacher who connects with her personally, someone like a learning mentor, more like a supportive guide than...well, what I see in lower grades is often something like a monkey herder, leading a class of 25 through its daily paces. Are there ANY alternatives/charters/co-ops available?

On the shoes, I fear I've now done serious damage.  :(  I had to stop at 3 miles last night when suddenly my right foot started to hurt horribly on the outside of the arch to the outer bone just in front of my heel.  The patch on my calf didn't hurt in the least.  But today I can barely stand where the tendon on the outside of my foot cannot bear any weight.  :(  Now I'm sitting in my office cold and needing coffee, and I can't even walk next door to get myself coffee.  Seriously, that's the worst indignity.

On the school:  Montessori is a poor fit to DS and my family.  I've looked at two, and both are non-starters.  DD was in the school-within-a-school Montessori program through second grade, and I'm beginning to think that DD maybe does not have a learning disability at all, just that the program was so poorly suited to her that this is what has led to her current issues.    The charter in the district is the same program but more.  No alternatives or co-ops that I know of:  she couldn't get into the fancy schools with her current writing skills, and all but one has eliminated subject accelerations, so she would have to go back two years in math.  There is one school that I need to look at that might serve the bill, but I don't know their policy on subject acceleration, and they're not necessarily known for gifted education (not to say they can't do it, they just aren't on the hoity toity fancy school circuit, so I know less about them).  DS at this point could get accepted to the fancy schools, but then we have that whole acceleration thing again.  Worse than 3 hours of kindergarten a day not learning anything will be an hour a day in first grade of single digit addition and subtraction.  That would be sheer torture for him. 

Originally Posted by sparkletruck 

Geo - If ever there were an appropriate time to throw a tantrum, you nailed it (as usual). What is the next step? It seems like you've covered all the bases - where to go from here?
 

Well, evidently the woman on the receiving end of the tantrum was tone deaf.  I finally got an update from her (24 hours late) on what she said she'd look into, and now it's clear she simply doesn't get it.  From here, I need to keep my mouth shut, get the neuropsych report, and trust the psychologist's judgment.  Eyes will be checked while awaiting the report, and I keep holding my daughter in my lap through her nightly crying sessions of calling herself a failure.
 

[kerc]

on coffee: I keep having this thing -- I can be in shape (which right now I'm not) and I run and don't sweat and get SUPER hot, feel like I'm going to pass out. She suggested cutting back (to more like 2 cups of coffee and A soda) and see where it gets me. I don't get why I don't sweat much. My doc thought maybe I was dehydrated, but I drink 2 x as much as my dh who sweats like a hog.

on alcohol: you all have already said it all. I think what I'm going to do is challenge my husband to not buy beer until we pay off our furnace. We pay 55 dollars a month and we're awfully close to paying it off (we did one of those deals where you upgrade to a better furnace and basically your utility cost remains the same, but still I'd love to check off that box). If we're each drinking 30 beers a month that's 60 beers or 5 x 12 packs. At about a dollar a beer, we could double our furnace payment.

on lice: ish.

on clothes and thrift shopping:  I think you always need a few basics and I don't buy those basics at the thrift shop (or I don't expect to). When I was a kid (15ish) my mom would talk about the importance of having a black suit that fit well to wear to interviews, funerals and weddings. I don't do suits all that well, but I agree that you need a few basic items (that you might have to spend some money on) to tie your wardrobe together. Personally every 2-3 years I go and drop some $$$ on nice tshirts because they fit me well and a few pairs of pants, skirts or capris.  With a brown pair and a black pair of pants you can pretty much wear anything. I guess I think about it like what would I pack if I were traveling overseas for 2 weeks and needed to attend a meeting too -- neutral. Then once you have the foundation put together you can spice it up.  But don't take fashion advice from me. I could dress exclusively from title nine sports and be ok with myself.  I guess I would have that black suit......

I've got 3 large bars of good chocolate, 2 oranges and, well who cares what else is in my lunch box. LOL.

[kerc]

Cross posted
 

Originally Posted by Geofizz 

 and I keep holding my daughter in my lap through her nightly crying sessions of calling herself a failure.

Do you have any overseas sabbaticals coming up? Can you pull your kids and go someplace else to have success?  It sounds like your district is ridiculous. Period. Is there open enrollment?  ( we can open enroll in other districts/schools willing to take our kids but have to get them there ourselves).

Know what one of my two dream jobs would be?  (ok one would be preschool/kindy teacher) --- the second one would be to run "camp" for kids like your dd. Fun, self-confidence building academic experiences. Sigh. In fifteen years when my house and phd are paid off.

[bec]

Happy New Year's Dingos!

Geo - What your poor DD is going through is a crime.  Seriously, the school system is simply failing both of your children so utterly.  It breaks my heart.  They are so lucky to have such a fierce advocate, though!

New Dingos - Welcome!!!

Ann - Where in IL are you?  I'm in the northern Chicago 'burbs. 

Nic - Your 2011 accomplishments are truly awe inspiring!

There are a bunch more personals, but they are lost in a haze of exhaustion.  Last night was the store's big mark-down night.  I was there from 9pm till 5am.  No amount of trying to adjust my sleep schedule, take a nap during the day or any other method helped with staying up all night long.  I feel so old right now!  But, all this talk about caffeine makes me smile and love my Dings even more! 

2011 running recap:

I didn't track total mileage, as I thought it would be depressing.

I didn't think to track bike or swimming mileage either.

But, I do have my races!

I did 3 half marathons,  1 15k, 5 5ks, the Warrior Dash, 1 sprint distance tri, and 1 olympic distance tri, and 1 10k

2012 goals:

Track my miles.  I would love to run 700 miles this year! 

4 half marathons (I loved the 3 I did last year, and would love to do them again!)

Complete a half iron-man (gulp!  Did I just SAY that?!)

Lose the extra weight I STILL have

[sparkletruck]

Meant to add:

Real: I think I was one of the "are you drinking too much caffeine?" people. Im sorry

Plady: That boxing work-out sounds awesome!! I want to find something like that

[Ann15]

Hi Ladies!

Geo--I don't know the whole story, but my heart breaks for your DD feeling that way about school.  And how frustrating for you with the response you are getting from her school! 

Bec--I'm in the far west suburbs, tri-cities area. Hope you can recover from your night shift soon!  Awesome races for the year, too!

On the fashion topic, I have no idea what I am doing, and I'm stuck in that awful "I have clothes that would be cute if I lost 5-10lbs, so I don't want to buy more at my current size that I hope to not be much longer" place.  I would like to look like a put-together almost 31-year-old mom, but I'm afraid I look like a teenager who is either a slob or trying too hard.

As for the coffee question, I've been thinking I should do a caffeine detox for a while due to some, ahem, over-active bladder issues, but I haven't been able to bring myself to do it yet.  My DH brings me coffee every morning before I get out of bed, and I don't think there is any better way to wake up

Alcohol, well, I drank way too much of it when I was in college.  Before I was pregnant DH and I would go through about a bottle or two of two-buck Chuck a week, and now it's about half a glass with dinner a few nights a week, but not every week.  DH has a few members of his extended family who I wonder if they are functioning alcoholics, but they are in Wisconsin, so it's like a normal part of the culture

RR: 2.85 short miles yesterday, plus some hand weights, and 3-4 on tap for tomorrow.  

NRR: I may need some good Dingo school issue vibes as I just scheduled an OT evaluation for DS's fine motor issues.  He's not making the progress that they usually see with letter formation, and drawing in general at this age, so we want to adress it sooner rather than later.  Of course, the worried mom in me wonders if this was something I should have seen before he started preschool and dealt with it sooner. 

[1jooj]

Originally Posted by Geofizz 

On the school:  Montessori is a poor fit to DS and my family.  I've looked at two, and both are non-starters.  DD was in the school-within-a-school Montessori program through second grade, and I'm beginning to think that DD maybe does not have a learning disability at all, just that the program was so poorly suited to her that this is what has led to her current issues.    The charter in the district is the same program but more.  No alternatives or co-ops that I know of:  she couldn't get into the fancy schools with her current writing skills, and all but one has eliminated subject accelerations, so she would have to go back two years in math.  There is one school that I need to look at that might serve the bill, but I don't know their policy on subject acceleration, and they're not necessarily known for gifted education (not to say they can't do it, they just aren't on the hoity toity fancy school circuit, so I know less about them).  DS at this point could get accepted to the fancy schools, but then we have that whole acceleration thing again.  Worse than 3 hours of kindergarten a day not learning anything will be an hour a day in first grade of single digit addition and subtraction.  That would be sheer torture for him. 

Well, evidently the woman on the receiving end of the tantrum was tone deaf.  I finally got an update from her (24 hours late) on what she said she'd look into, and now it's clear she simply doesn't get it.  From here, I need to keep my mouth shut, get the neuropsych report, and trust the psychologist's judgment.  Eyes will be checked while awaiting the report, and I keep holding my daughter in my lap through her nightly crying sessions of calling herself a failure.
 

Geo, this is the school I am trying to convince dh to try. They have a statewide OH charter. I know the logistics of it all would be a challenge to say the least, but from what I understand students can pass through subjects/units through assessment, which at least in theory gets everyone to a more or less individually appropriate place without having to plow through hours of meaningless busywork. I'm not thrilled with what I have learned about the politics and corporate side of the picture, but I feel like it's still my best hope right now, educationally and given the particulars.

Return the shoes as soon as you can walk again.

Ann, that "functional alcoholic" describes about half of my extended family. The other half is dysfunctional.  <-- This is bitter laughter.

Sparkle, I think your style is what I would aspire to if I could pull it off. Meantime, I am a total utilitarian.

Interesting talk with dh yesterday. I think it is fair to say I have no way of knowing where we'll be a year from now. That would trouble me, except it means there is a chance it might not be here. All the more reason to convince him of the online option for now.

RR: Another beach run/walk planned, and again with the yoga. Muscles feel OK after yesterday, so I guess I'm not a totally lost cause, even if my weight is up 5lb. 

[tjsmama]

DS is THRILLED with the new wii. The kid was literally jumping around the living room in joy after every spare (we were bowling), saying "this is a FUN game." We had a little talk before bed about how it's a special treat toy, and it's not for school nights (most of the time).

Other than that, it was a pretty uneventful day. Track this morning, two quick grocery store trips, a short nap, a shower, unpacking DS's suitcases (if not putting all the toys away...that can wait till we have time to do a playroom purge, I think). I finally tried the Whole Foods pizza dough, and OMG, I am a convert. It is gooood, so good it convinced me that for $2.99, it is not worth it to keep attempting to make my own dough. We had pear, prosciutto, and asparagus pizza for dinner and it was SO yummy. Ok, DS had his asparagus on the side rather than on the pizza, but he still ate it!

rr~Track. First time in oh...6 weeks? And my longest run in probably 2 months, to boot. Oh, it hurt. One end of the track was still covered in ice, so we did 300(ish)'s. 9 of them. OW.

[LaLaLaLa]

2012 is not starting off well running-wise.  Ugh.

I have a sinus infection.  I've been sick since Christmas Eve but thought I'd try to guts it out with rest and tea and nasal rinsing.  This morning I woke up to super-goopy eyes and decided that if I'm producing enough gunk in my sinuses that it's squeezing out through my eyeballs, perhaps it's time to get on an antibiotic.  I'm hoping to feel better by the weekend and maybe pick up running again next week.  

For Christmas DH bought me a bunch of running fuel, and a running belt, and some fancy new headphone things, so I'm eager to try it all out.

On the good side, I've felt so crummy that I've been eating approximately 800 calories a day and have probably dropped some weight.  On the bad side, 800 calories does not give me the energy to do things like clean the kids' rooms and take down Christmas decorations.

Next week will be better.  Next week.

[Runningmommy]

Subbing!  Be back to read!

[JayGee]

Gaye ~ that sounds like a delicious pizza!  Huge kudos to you for raising a kid who will eat that kind of thing, even if the aspargus is separate!

Lala ~ feel better.  Thanks for that lovely description of snot coming out your eyes !

Jooj ~ , just cause it seems like you need it.

Ann ~ I couldn't give up the coffee either.  I've tried.  And if DH was bringing it to me in bed (yeah, that like would happen), I'd certainly accept it!  Good luck with the evals for your DS.

sparkle ~ your former "style" (jeans/t-shirts) sounds like my current fashion rut, a rut that I've been in for about 20 years!  Recently I've found inspiration on Pinterest and actually wore a SCARF yesterday (gasp).  My DDs dress way better than I do, especially DD1 who is my fashion maven.

Geo ~ return the shoes.  If they are causing muscle issues after just one run, they are not the shoes for you.  Maybe a different Brooks would work better?  I can totally hear your frustration on the school issues (and share that frustration).  Wish I had some suggestions, but I'm stuck in the same boat.

RR ~ hitting the trainer as soon as I get off the computer

NRR ~ I got a totally new haircolor yesterday!  Instead of blond, I am now brown with red highlights.  I wasn't sure what DH would say, but he accosted me the second he walked in the door, so I think it's a win . 

Re:  School issues ~ apparently my kids' school invited some parents to a meeting with the principals to discuss things they like/don't like/want to change.  I was not invited, but my friend was.  Should I just go anyway?  Give her my list of issues to present? I wonder why it's not open to all parents anyway?  I would have never found out about it if it hadn't been for my friend asking me if I got the invitation letter.  It's next Tuesday evening, just before the PTO meeting I'll be at anyway.  I'm a little miffed that I wasn't invited since I have 3 kids at the school, am uber-involved, and know the administrators quite well.

[Geofizz]

Just go, JayGee.

There are meetings at the elementary schools next week about the transition in the math curriculum with the common core.  There are rumors that they will change the gifted math sequence as a result.  Suggesting that anything is wrong with gifted programming is heresy in our district.  So I'm going to a friend's elementary school meeting and she's coming to ours.  We can ask our questions anonymously and then we're going to compare answers. 

jooj, there was a woman who had her kids at DD's camps last year who had her kids in Connections.  She was very happy with it, and indeed, her kids were allowed to advance 2-3 grades in the first year across a few subjects.  Computer-based education is a very poor fit for DD.  I'm a poor fit for teaching DD as well.  She's a complicated kid, that's for sure!  DS may well end up with a year or two doing something like that once he's a bit older, so I'm keeping my eye on it, and I'll be watching your experience carefully.

I can put weight on my foot ok now, but I don't change directions well at all.  I'm so sad and angry to be hobbling.  I even went to buy a parking permit this morning.  :(  Alieve and advil do diddly squat for it.  Ice is the bomb, though, despite no evident swelling.  So I'm taking at least another day off.  Sigh.

[sparkletruck]

JG - I started wearing a scarf this winter - just the one, as I cant find any other I like - totally by accident (saw it at Cost Plus, not looking for a scarf), and I love it, wear it EVERY day (I know, gross ) ... except this week obviously [lice]....and think it takes my jeans and t-shirt and hoody (forgot that important staple) to another level I double the scarf, put it around and then put the ends through the U end - um, kind of like a noose. This only works if the scarf is thin ebough, as Ive tried it with others and the doubling of the scarf just gets too thick around your neck.

And, omg what a change in the hair!! That is very bold. Ive been thinking bout adding some pink to my blond/gray, but I think the window on pulling off pink hair is closing FAST

NRR: all three kids have been lice free for 24 hours!! I am SO. Exhausted. Still must put all four beds' bedding in the dryer today, and do a few loads of laundry. Still putting anything that touches hair in the freezer over night and hanging jackets on the [freezing] porch overnight. I feel like I live in a bio-hazard laboratory...

1/2 of one letter of intent done.... Now to work on it (as this is the first day in nearly 3 weeks that I have been child-free!)

[kerc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayGee 

Re:  School issues ~ apparently my kids' school invited some parents to a meeting with the principals to discuss things they like/don't like/want to change.  I was not invited, but my friend was.  Should I just go anyway?  Give her my list of issues to present? I wonder why it's not open to all parents anyway?  I would have never found out about it if it hadn't been for my friend asking me if I got the invitation letter.  It's next Tuesday evening, just before the PTO meeting I'll be at anyway.  I'm a little miffed that I wasn't invited since I have 3 kids at the school, am uber-involved, and know the administrators quite well.

I bet they invited people who aren't as involved. they probably think they know you.....

ok back to work now. Big deadline tomorrow morning for work.

[Shantimama]

Happy New Year Dingo friends!!

I just completed the first week of C25K      I have doubled up my asthma inhaler use but it means I can run again! I have a big batch of really healthy soup in the fridge so I eat a bowl of that and drink a cup of fresh lemon-ginger-mint tea after my run/walk. That clears the way for my afternoon Diet Coke every day 

Alcohol consumption is not an issue for me. Caffeine can be though. I often find I sleep more deeply when I have had more of it but that might be because I drink more when I am more tired anyway. I would like to break the Diet Coke habit but the holidays is no time for that. Maybe when the kids get back to school next week. I have a home made Chai latte every day and try to drink some green or white tea every day so I do get a fair bit of caffeine. I am a much better mom and wife when I have something in the mid afternoon.

I am reluctant to set clear fitness goals for this year since every time I do, my life takes me somewhere else. I am going to complete the C25K again and I already have the Bridge to 10K app waiting on my iPod. I am going to limit my sugar intake to honey in my tea and small amounts of dark chocolate when I need it. If I can remain gluten free I am sure I will be able to resist sugar and have the energy to exercise every day.

[Shantimama]

Has anyone else made the transition from reading glasses to progressive lenses yet? It has been a month and I am having a terrible time  

[Nickarolaberry]

Hi everyone!

Wow, so much to respond to. I will try to say what is floating around in my brain but please pardon me if it doesn't come out quite right.

First, RR: pretty yech 5 miles this morning. Was not feeling the running love. It was really (REALLY) cold, my nose would not stop running, my stomach was iffy, and I just felt bleh. Had to take several walk breaks, but the run got done and although I *thought* took a short cut, it still ended up being 5 miles, so it's all good.

Then I went to the dermatologist to get my skin checked (no lice! hah. actually basal cell carcinomas run rampant in my immediate family so I do this twice a year) and I'm good, and decided to reward myself by spending the money I made on the used kids clothes at the consignment store to get myself a spa peppermint pedicure. (On sale! 30% off!). That put me in a much better mood!

JayGee, good for you on the hair! Love dh's reaction...so cool.   And just go to the meeting.

ETA: Shanti, congrats on the c25K! Woot!

Style...yeah, I am also stuck in that multi-year "just wear a t shirt with a jeans skirt" rut. Sometimes I change it up with a corduroy skirt. Boy, I'm adventurous. actually in the warmer months I go for the boho gypsy skirt and floaty top look, which works for me, but necessitates cute sandals so does not work when it's cold outside.

Education: gah. I am having some very deep, very game changing thinking about this lately. The year teaching in the Montessori was a huge shift for me philosophically and really caused a fundamental shift in the way I think about education and school. I am (was) glad to have my kids in the religious environment they're now in, but the educational philosophy of the school is significantly less than satisfying (very straight laced, traditional, in the box -- rote, not very challenging, etc.). I don't know what I am going to do about this, either for my kids or for my career. Because my recent teaching stint, while satisfying in some ways, also reinforced that my views on kids and education are very different now and I don't have a helluva a lot of patience any more for the 'you listen I talk' approach that seems to define schools. (At least the ones I've been involved with)

I don't know what I'm going to do for my own kids (especially since this choice of school is a point of contention with dh anyway, and if I'm less than thrilled, it's even more precarious); nor do I know what I am going to do for my career. I've got a meeting set up next week at a Montessori here that is considering opening a middle school program, and I may go that route. Or, I may look down the road toward -- gasp -- trying to help establish a local public charter Montessori here (I'm not very interested in another elite/no one can afford it school which are already thick on the ground in this area). In the meantime I will probably pursue official Montessori certification, online and part time, to broaden my options.

But, I don't know. Sigh. Sorry I'm not more help with mamas' specific situations...but I guess there's something heartening to know that we as a group of mamas who care about each other all are wrestling with similar issues for our kids and families. 

Edited by Nickarolaberry - 1/5/12 at 11:42am

[moominmamma]

RR first: Managed a dispiriting 5 miler yesterday. Conditions on the ground outdoors right now are a combination of slush, sleet, black ice and gravel. I actually went on-line last night to start reading treadmill reviews. Never thought I'd be interested in one (I generally hate running on the TM at the community fitness centre), but weather like yesterday is enough to push me over the edge. Tomorrow I'll use the TM at the fitness centre. Today, after work, I'll do a quick 5k with the dog on the slush & sheer ice, for better or for worse.

Coffee: I gave up caffeine about a year ago. I lasted about 8 months and have gradually slipped back. Nowadays I allow myself one latte every morning and an occasional second one before 1 pm. I used to drink two or three times that much, so I'm happy where I'm at.

Shantimama: I changed to progressives about 3 years ago. I think I was very lucky. It took me about 5 minutes to adapt. I think if you're still having trouble after longer than a couple of weeks it might be time to reconsider or try a different prescription.

Sparkle, congrats on (so far) beating the little critters back! I'll bet you're exhausted! I'm grateful that in 18 years of parenting I've never had to deal with lice. Touch wood!

Oh yeah, my 17-year-old comes home tomorrow, in time for her 18th birthday on the weekend. I haven't seen her since early September. Where's she's living 18 makes her legal to drink, and she's pretty much living an adult's life for the past 8 months, so this feels like the last big passage for her. I'm so excited to see her! She's been in China for the past couple of weeks, and Montreal for a few months before that.

Miranda