My daughter the doctor!

We all drove to Memphis on Thursday to see Elizabeth dear graduate with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT). Aaron, Stephen, Mary, Russ and I in the CRV. Quite a car full, but it was an enjoyable trip. Elizabeth was already in Memphis taking review classes for the board exam.

That evening we took everyone out for Sushi, since Elizabeth and Aaron are die hard sushi fans--the real stuff. Me I love the California roll, but that's about it. Eliz and Aaron tried to teach Mary to use chopsticks--see pic.

We gave her all our homemade gifts: A "Schools Out Forever" t-shirt from me along with a dancing lion that sings, very loudly, "School's out Forever!!" Fortunately, the people dining in the back area of the restaurant had left before I set it down for its dancing and singing debut. Stephen gave her a drawing of "Liz Shatters the Real World." Mary gave her an emergency camo bag to take to work, complete with chocolate, pins, hair ties, brush, etc. Dad gave her a framed certificate for her graduation with a degree in Fizzy Cow There's a Pea, and generally a good time was had by all.

Friday morning we went to a two-hour ceremony where the graduates were "hooded" strangely enough, called a hooding ceremony. Then we had a quick lunch at Panera, Mary's favorite lunch place, and then onto the next Allied Health ceremony where hundreds of kids were made doctors of varying stripes. Quite frightening, really. ;) It went by rather quickly--though Stephen came prepared with his Gameboy and Aaron with his Kindle.

I am so proud of Elizabeth! I never really expected such a day to come. She already has two job offers (has only applied to two places) and will probably accept the offer from UT, where her last internship was, on Monday.

We dropped Russel off at the airport where he flew to Minnesota to a Rhetoric conference. On our 6-hour drive home we saw a beautiful rainbow that was so intense we could clearly see the violet color on the inside edge. We listened to great music, had great conversation and arrived home safely at midnight.

April Dam Serious Thinking

Okay, so Kristen told me it was okay to post my dam emails on my blog; in fact, she told me to "do it now." The funny thing is, I had just been thinking how Val, very much like my mother, would not take my advice. I'm sure this is what happens when you are the "big" sister. I have some good advice for Val, and I am expecting her to take it, first of all by arriving. So anyway, all that is to say that I can take advice and here is the dam april email.

DR (Dear Dam Racers),

Like I said, April is the month to THINK SERIOUSLY about getting in shape for the Dam Race. (May will be the month to start walk/jogging three days a week.)

Some few of us, of course, have already begun biking and walk/jogging several miles a day, as

well as doing YOGA and core exercises. But not everyone need be a serious contender, like moi.

(ha ha! With Lloya safely out of the way--though frankly she cannot be trusted--I am feeling

that the prize may indeed be mine!)

But now for all you seriousthinkers who have been waiting patiently for my new book: How to Effectively Prepare for Dam Racing: or, how to beat out dam near everybody! I am making good on my promise to share some helpful excerpts before the actual publication.

****************!!EXCERPT!! ************

Chapter 1: Dam Mental Prep

Preparing for the Dam race is very, very important!! Really!!!

To prepare you must first mentally prepare: visualize yourself running smoothly and effortlessly around the lake, lapping friends and family, with a smile and a nod, as you go. Also, you may as well picture yourself looking "hot" or "cool" (depending on the decade of your birth) in your new athletic apparel. (See Chapter 4, "Choosing your Dam Ensemble.") After all, there are no mirrors along the dike to disturb your fantasies. You may wonder if picturing yourself in this way is really helpful. But just try it, and you will see that you stand or sit a little straighter and smile a little broader as these stunning pictures of you arise in your mind!

I recommend you do these mental preparations once or twice a day for 5 to 10 minutes! That's all! You see, it is a very doable regimen I have in mind for you.

*******************

Now I know you would like more inspiration (though truly that is the bulk of Chapter 1), so I am including a few of the quotes I use in my book from Younger Next Year:

Everything you do physically, everything you eat, everything you think and feel, every emotion and experience changes your body and your brain in physical ways that were set in stone millions of years ago. Physical exercise and involvement in life trigger great waves of "grow" messages throughout your body and mind. Exercise is the only way to engage your body and your physical brain, but if you do it, you will get "younger." Not completely, but to an astonishing degree. . . . The physical messages you send by being consciously and steadily active, and the emotional messages you send by being engaged in the great hunt of life , can override the default message [of decay]. With relatively little effort, you can mimic a younger man in his prime . . . . the tide of decay is relentless, but it is not that strong.

I know, I know. It's not quite as inspiring as my own words, but there is a little something there to ponder.

So get out there Team Mantua and think seriously!!!

Cheers,

Rebecca