Family Time and The Dempsey Challenge

Thursday night after work Hubs and I headed up to visit my family in Maine.  Boston is three hours from where my parents live, so we didn't arrive until pretty late (for Maine that is).  Everyone was asleep.  We followed suit, the heavy country air had tired us out immediately :)

The trip up to Maine was a multi purpose trip.  We hadn't been up to visit in awhile and needed some quality time with the niece and nephew.

Brooklyn and Tommy playing in Guin's Crate

Aren't they adorable? Brooklyn is the tiniest toddler ever.  Several times over the course of the weekend I witnessed her pants falling off of her.  Why didn't this gene settle in my biological composition?  (Does that sentence even make sense?) Never once has my pants fallen off of me...I mean...they are just too tight for that to happen..

I also wanted to spend some time with my sister, since her birthday had been Wednesday.  Friday we went shopping to a few of the sewing stores in Lewiston, had barbecue, and then Hubs bought her the Wii that he promised her as payment for designing his website (http://www.darrengreaneylaw.com/).

The final reason that we made the travel up to Maine is because I was running in the Dempsey Challenge on Saturday morning.  The Dempsey Challenge is named in honor of Patrick Dempsey (from Grey's Anatomy) and is done to raise funds for the Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.  The Dempsey Center provides counceling and education to newly diagnosed cancer patients. Patrick Dempsey actually grew up in Maine really close to where I grew up.  (Are we spiritually connected?  I think so.)  

A few of my high school friends ran the race last year.  I looked into it, and really liked the idea of the Dempsey Center.  So many walks and runs are to fund cancer research, but how many are actually helping to support the fragile emotions of people who have been diagnosed with cancer? 

I was signed up for the 10k race, and though I had a bit of a back and forth about whether I should run it, I did.  I had a great time.  The place on Saturday was absolutely packed.   Since it was outdoors we decided to take Guin with us.  He loved walking with his Grammy and Grampy...

Shortly after we got there I had to go and line up for the race.  Hubs, my parents and my sister went their separate way.  Apparently, Hubs made it his personal mission to get me a picture of Patrick Dempsey for the blog.  He got right up to the stage, and got a couple pretty good ones.  It's not like he was standing right next to him, but you can still tell we were in the same place :)

An hour and thirteen minutes after it started the race was over for me.  It was fun, but really, really hilly.  I'm used to training on the treadmill, so I did my fair share of walking.  I finished running though, and that's all that matter right?

Hubs and Guin were really proud of me.  They wanted to cuddle up and take a pic right after the race, even though I was soaked through (from sweat).  My sister wanted a picture too.  I tried to warn them not to touch me, but they didn't heed my warnings. 

My hair looks wet doesn't it?  I actually think it may be.  I have the worst excessive sweating problem.  I think it's really embarrassing, but Hubs tells me it's fine.  He says that it proves that I've been working out hard.  I'm not so sure about that....

It was a great run, and a great visit to see my family.  I miss them already. 
Oh, on a side note, my mom let me borrow her serger so I could see if I want one of my own.  I'm pumped!