My heart was breaking as I left the house this morning. You have to have had kids to understand why I was so sad. Today was the first day I left my Lion Cub at daycare. I started feeling sick last night when I was packing bottles, getting the diapers together and finding some spare outfits.

I really have the best job in the world. I am so grateful to have a fabulous job to return to. But the first day returning is so hard. Thankfully I went to a meeting with a bunch of bloggy friends, many of whom are moms. So no one looked at me funny when I showed up with tear-streaked cheeks and red eyes.

I know it gets easier, but I miss my baby boy!

These running shoes represent my sanity.  20 days after having a baby, I laced them up and went for a run. And a piece of my sanity returned, step by step.

I started running in 1996.  I stepped on the scale one morning and was repulsed by the number that stared back at me.  I had been married to my farmer for one year and had put myself last on the to-do list.  I was in school full-time, working full-time and trying to be a wife, all at 21 years old. 

I put on a pair of shoes and ran in a straight line from my house until I was exhausted and turned around and walked home.  Each day was a challenge to run a bit further.  As the years passed, I challenged myself to run races, starting with 5K’s and working my way up to marathons.

My first marathon was in Walt Disney World in 1999.  Since that time I have run 4 more marathons, a dozen half-marathons and countless small local races. The medals are all saved and provide a perspective of the miles covered.  I’ve even run a half marathon in Napa, California, where the finish line featured a wine festival. After that race, I firmly believe all races should end with wine! It’s good to have a goal to run for!

So today, when I have been feeling a bit exhausted from seemingly endless feeding sessions of a 3 week old, homework for the 6 year old, the meanderings of the 4 year old, laundry, meals, and trying to keep up with my “real” job while supposedly on maternity leave, I decided I need to run.  With each step of a fairly slow 3 mile run, I felt a bit of myself returning.  Running is my passion.  And while I have the pace of a turtle instead of the hare, it is a time of reflection.  I can’t wait to lace up the shoes again tomorrow.

Why I havent had time to blog in 2 weeks!

Thursday, august

My job as Marketing Director of the Indiana Wine Grape Council has me at the fair alot. I have a booth in the Ag/Hort building.  I spend time in meetings and greeting many people as they tell me their favorite wine!
So I think I know the fair inside and out.  I’ve seen it all at some point.  However, Monday was a fun day to experience the fair with fellow bloggers and our kids!  Thanks to the Indiana Soybean Alliance, American Dairy Association of Indiana and Indiana Pork Producers for the tickets and meals they provided for myself and my Panda.  We were exhausted from walking the fair all day, but were well fed along the way!  I’ll have more posts this week on our fun day of activities.

I am happy to announce the winner of the ticket giveaway, using the website RANDOM.org is…(insert drumroll)…Windi!  Please email me at the email on my contact list and I’ll get your tickets to you!

Congratulations and enjoy the fair!

What might be the best job to have for a few days? How about judging 2600 wines at Purdue University?!

The 2010 Indy International Wine Competition is taking place in the Memorial Union of Purdue University. Over 50 judges from around the world have gathered in West Lafayette to sniff, swish, spit and score their ways to determining a Best of Show!

We divide our judges into panels. The panel above is made up of Jeanne Burgess, VP of Winemaking at Seavin; Dana Huber, Marketing and PR Director at Huber’s Orchard, Winery and Vineyard; Carl Behnke of Purdue University; and Scott Tucker, Co-President of Maple Leaf Farms!

This is just a portion of the wine the judges will go through. Whew!!