Lesea

Yesterday we received a wonderful surprise in the mail. Rachel’s best friend from our village in South Africa, Elizabeth Ditsela, sent photos of their new house. When we left in December of 2008, the house was only an unfinished concrete block frame. She was never able to finish it when her husband was still alive (due to other financial responsibilities). But now, after Elizabeth’s husband passed away from tuberculosis in 2009, the Ditsela’s have a beautiful new home.

We love getting mail from our family in South Africa, and pictures are so rare! This was a special treat. As you can see, we even got personalized notes from Elizabeth and two of her daughters (Khomotso and Tebogo).

We were on the road once again this weekend. This trip had been on our calendar for a long time, but I never knew it would fall the weekend before my summer semester finals. Yikes! Despite that minor setback, I was packing the car and excited to head north to Asheville, North Carolina on Friday afternoon.

Back at the end of February we went up to Boone for the wedding of David and Beth (Huskamp) Thompson. Rachel and Beth were good friends in high school, but they had nearly lost touch through the years. After the wedding, Rachel and Beth decided to set aside a weekend for all four of us to go camping.

Rachel and Beth picked the weekend of the Bele Chere in Asheville, a local art and music festival. It turned out to be a great choice and there was plenty to do in the city despite the extremely hot weather. My favorite part of the weekend was the food. We shared good conversation over some incredible food … many times over. The Laughing Seed Cafe (above) was our spot for lunch on Saturday.

Like most festivals, people come out of the woodwork and seemingly greeted the public for the first time in years. We saw so many shapes, sizes and “breeds” of people. The booths sometimes took a backseat to the free entertainment walking by.

As you can see in the photo below, there were also plenty of street corner “Christians” sharing their blatant message with the world. We were amazed by how many came out for the festival. And in turn, several less-prepared folks from the … let’s just say “opposition”… created makeshift cardboard signs in disagreement. I was intrigued by the actions of one such young man. As a young woman was shouting scripture quotations and words of condemnation from a microphone opposite the junk food alley, the young man held a sign that stated, “God does not play favorites.” His attitude and greetings toward the people passing were calm and gentle. He was simply saying, “I’m not with her. Have a wonderful day. Enjoy the festival.” He was smiling a genuine smile and showing a sincere interest in the people he spoke to.

Despite the messages that each of them was conveying, I couldn’t help but ask myself … which one exemplified a love like Christ’s? Is it love or condemnation that will bring people to the Lord?

In the afternoon, we took a break from the heat and drove over to The Grove Park Inn on the outskirts of town. The property lies on a hillside facing Asheville and the neighboring mountains. The views are breathtaking. President Obama stayed at the inn on his visit to Asheville a few months back when he met with Billy Graham. Several former presidents have done likewise. During our visit, we sat down in the Magnolia Lounge and enjoyed refreshing drinks and a few appetizers.

We went back to the Bele Chere that night for a concert on one of the four stages at the festival. David found out that Toubab Krewe was playing and he had seen them a few times before in concert (where he usually paid $20 or more for tickets). We showed up to a crowded street and worked ourselves into the mix for a good view. The music was incredible -- completely acoustic, using several uncommon instruments and fusing the music of West Africa into their sound.

We camped both nights in Asheville at the Lake Powhatan Campground. The staff were friendly when we first arrived, but we eventually felt like kids under strict authoritarian control by the end of our stay. The main gate to the campground was literally locked at 10pm on Friday night. We drove out for dinner and couldn’t get back in, so we had to leave the Thompsons’ car on the side of the road overnight. Then after getting back to our campsite and enjoying casual conversation at our picnic table, we were confronted by the roaming night security guard that he received several complaints that we were being too loud. The next day I also found a note on our windshield that we were illegally parked at our campsite. We had to have all four tires of both cars on the designated gravel driveway -- a driveway that hardly had space for two cars. Geesh.

The entire photo album from our trip can be viewed at http://picasaweb.google.com/Johnson.BLee/AshevilleWeekend.

Rachel had a check-up this afternoon. It was originally scheduled for earlier in the week, but she canceled it since I had a conflict in my schedule and couldn’t make it. We didn’t want to chance having an ultrasound without both of us there. Communication from Rachel’s OB/GYN office hasn’t been great, and we never really know what to expect when she goes in for her appointments.

Sure enough, we didn’t have an ultrasound today. It was just a simple check-up. I did, however, get to hear the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. The doctor found it right away and it was loud and clear, beating away at 142bpm.

We should have a detailed ultrasound at 20 weeks, which is two weeks from now. Supposedly they will look in detail at the baby’s vital organs and make sure everything looks okay. We should also find out the sex of the baby if possible. And yes, we will share the news as soon as we find out! We aren’t planning to wait until the birth.

Tonight we headed out to our refugee family’s apartment around 8:00. We bought an assortment of fireworks on our way home from Kentucky last weekend and we wanted to introduce our family to this American tradition.

We got there about an hour before it was dark, so we decided to do some of the smaller things while it was still kind of light … like the snappers, growing worms, and sparklers.

A few neighbor kids showed up and asked to join in. It wasn’t bad at first. They all just wanted to have one, but we obviously only had enough for our refugee family. It was fun trying to convince them that our refugee family was actually our real family.

Then, after dark, we literally became the center of attention for most of the kids in the neighboring apartments. We completely lost control of the situation at that point.

We’re just glad some kid didn’t catch on fire. And that we weren’t held responsible for that kid catching on fire.

Over the July 4th extended weekend we headed north to meet my parents halfway between Georgia and Indiana. My dad found a campground called General Burnside Island State Park in Kentucky right on the Cumberland River and near Lake Cumberland.

We may have been the only ones in the campground not pulling a boat or RV behind our car, but it was a fun area nonetheless. We all brought our bikes along and it was a great area to ride despite the hills and heat. We spent most of the time just lounging around the campsite and relaxing (and eating). Mom brought all sorts of great food!

Dad and I also got in many games of cornhole. He brought his homemade set along and it wasn’t until late in the weekend that I broke through one of the beanbags that was filled with real corn :) At one point we even saw three other games of cornhole going on simultaneously in the campground. Popular game.

On one afternoon after riding our bikes several miles in the heat, we wanted to get some relief in the AC. We got in the car and drove about 25 miles to Cumberland Falls State Park. It was a very scenic and windy trip, but it was fun to do a little sightseeing.

It was a beautiful area and a lot of people were around for the holiday. For only a 5-6 hour trip for each of us both ways, it was a great spot to meet for a long weekend. And we didn’t even hit Atlanta traffic coming back home!

Back in March, after successfully completing the ING Half Marathon here in Atlanta, Rachel and I signed up for the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota. It’s a special destination race for us in a few different ways. Duluth is right across the bridge from Rachel’s hometown of Superior, Wisconsin (where we were married as well). Rachel’s parents still live in Superior and the race was an opportunity for us to see them once again this year. Also, our good friends Paul and Jessica Vig (neighbors in South Africa) are now calling St. Paul, Minnesota home after being back in the States for about nine months. Rachel and I signed up for the marathon knowing that Paul and Jess had already signed up. It would be a wonderful opportunity for a reunion!

Well, not only did Rachel become pregnant after signing up for the marathon, but Jessica also endured a running injury during training. So the plans for the race changed. Paul and I would be running it solo without our wives. Although we were sad that they couldn’t join us, it was special knowing that we had at least a few fans along the course during the race.

The marathon was going to be my first and Paul’s fifth. I was thrilled going into the race, knowing that I had trained hard for 12 weeks since the half marathon. Also, having been a runner most of my life, I was expecting to run the 26.2 miles without much of a problem. It was something I knew I was capable of doing.

I met Paul at the Holiday Inn in Duluth at about 5:10am on race day. We hopped a bus to take us down the lakeshore to Two Harbors, the start of the course. I love organized races. Grandma’s was perfect because it was about 6000 runners. It wasn’t too overcrowded, but it was enough to get your adrenaline pumping and have people push your pace most of the race. My favorite part was the few minutes leading up to the start. The national anthem had just finished playing over the loud speakers, and then out of nowhere, two fighter jets did a flyover! It was incredible to experience, knowing that I was taking part in such a significant small town event. Helicopters were circling overhead (very close) as we were corralled into the starting gate area according to our estimated finish times.

I had set my sights high for the race. With the arthritis problems that my dad went through, and the scare I had about seven years ago, I wasn’t sure how many marathons my body would put up with in my life. I still don’t. I hadn’t run a marathon before, but I didn’t want to take it easy. I have had a longtime goal of running the Boston Marathon, and in order for me to qualify, I need to run a 3:10 marathon (about a 7:15 mile pace). I trained accordingly for the past few months, and I had run my last 20-mile training run at a 3:23 marathon pace. I was ready to give it a shot.

For some reason, my body didn’t agree. I ran strong with the 3:10 pace group through the first 10k. Between miles 8 and 10, my muscles just started to shut down. My calves tightened up and I just couldn’t keep the pace. Not only that, but I had to slow down so much that over 300 runners passed me before I got to the half marathon mark (which I still ran at a decent 1:42 pace). By that point, I was just ready for the race to be over. I don’t know if the colder weather (58 degrees) was a shock for my muscles to adapt to after the high temperatures and humidity in Atlanta. Who knows?! I just know that those next few hours were some of the longest moments of my life. I struggled to get from mile marker to mile marker, using the water stations as motivation to get me through. My calves tightened up so much that I had to walk/run the rest of the race after the halfway point.

I eventually crossed the finish line exactly an hour after my goal … 4:09 was the time. Poor Rachel had been worrying like crazy for the past hour since she had expected me to come through Canal Park a lot sooner. It was a frustrating first marathon, but after my initial disappointments settled, I was ready to sign up for my next marathon the next day. I definitely don’t expect this one to be my last. As much as I’m addicted to this sport, I sure hope my hips are willing to hang in there for a while. I’m far from ready to hang up my running shoes.

You can see a few more photos from the race at www.marathonfoto.com.

The weekend was more than just the race though. Had I gone up north for just the race, I would have been truly disappointed! We had a great time hanging out with Paul and Jess, as well as Jerry and Rosy (Rachel’s parents). I enjoyed a lot of good food following the race as well!! The only down side was that we had to leave our family and friends and return to the real world in Atlanta. The delayed 9pm flight out of Minneapolis that landed us at home at 1:15am was not a great way to start the school and work week. Not only that, but I had a homework assignment to finish up. I went to bed at 4am only to wake up just two hours later to catch the bus. I’m still recovering from the exhaustion of that trip!

I wish my schedule was open enough to be able to accompany Rachel to every doctor’s visit, but unfortunately that can’t happen with school right now. Yesterday was the first appointment I missed. It was scheduled to be a simple checkup for Rachel … no ultrasound or anything fancy … and she’d be in and out quick.

Well, the quick part turned out to be true in terms of the actual appointment, but Rachel ended up waiting for about 40 minutes just to get in to see the doctor. It was well worth the wait though. The doctor brought in a technician and equipment to allow Rachel to hear the baby’s heartbeat. She moved the device around Rachel’s stomach for a few minutes, trying to find the beat. As she was about to have the technician get a stronger machine, she found it! Rachel was able to sit and hear the joyful little life inside of her (now about the size of a closed fist). I was so happy for her, but so sad that I missed out!

So they say that with the second trimester everything is suppose to go much smoother and many nagging symptoms that plague most pregnant women disappear. Well, then how come the 2nd day of my 2nd trimester, I threw up for the first time…in public! I’ll save you from the gory details, but I have to say that being the first time I’ve thrown up in several years, it was not nearly as bad as I was expecting…and I felt amazingly good afterward.

Besides that swell start to this new phase of pregnancy, this morning I arose probably the earliest I have in the last 3 months and went to the fitness center and ran for 30 minutes. Granted, the run was not near what I was capable of before pregnancy (I’m guessing it will be a while before I run half-marathon distances again), but it felt very rewarding to know I can get back into a routine of exercise again. For various reasons, I had let exercise slip during the first trimester. However, it also helps that Brandon is starting his first day of summer classes today and will be leaving the house at 6:45 every morning. That gives me the motivation to wake up and see him out the door and get myself to the fitness center before going to work.

Most exciting is what is happening at work right now. I have not yet announced my pregnancy because I’ve been waiting for my reassignment to go through, and last Thursday, it became official. I got an email from HR congratulating me on my new position and I will be starting on June 21st.

For those who are unaware, I joined the CDC 11 months ago in an office that was shortly thereafter pinpointed to be dismantle and realigned under the new Presidential appointed Director’s organizational improvement goals. Well, this impending transition from the current office to a new placement in the organizational structure of the CDC definitely had its rough moments when it felt like I was moving forward in the dark without any directions (and this transition time lasted a good 9 months). Finally, two months ago, my team was placed into our “new home” to continue Public Health Informatics-related work, which is great for those who are passionate about this work, but I have always wanted a more direct influence on the public’s health.

Well, then about one month ago, I was approached by a former deputy director who was reassigned to a different office (Office of State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support) within the CDC where she would be overseeing 12 different programs. One of the programs happened to be a program I had shown a great deal of interest in several months earlier and expressed to her in an email. Well, when this program was placed under her and in desperate need of staff, she remembered my interest and contacted me to offer me a lateral reassignment.

My new job will be working with the Public Health Apprentice Program (PHAP). The program is designed to hire federal employees at an entry-level (straight out of undergrad) and place them for two years in state, local and tribal public health agencies to develop their understanding of grass-roots public health and serve the nations greater needs. I will act as a CDC supervisor to these apprentices as well as continuing to develop the program further through various communication tactics. PHAP has only been in existence since 2007 and funding was tight at the beginning of its development. In 2007, only 10 apprentices were hired to work in the state of Florida. Then in 2008, the CDC hired 20 and placed them in states throughout the southeast. In 2009, no apprentices were hired, but this year the new director has shown renewed support for this program and we are bringing in 67 apprentices during this summer. There is quite a lot of work to develop the program further to match the speed at which we are trying to expand the program…and I’m excited to be a part of it now.

The best part of this transition though is that I will love my job. Knowing that Brandon is in school for the next three years and I will be the only one working, it feels good to know that I will enjoy going to work rather than dreading each day. Also, I’m sure that as a first-time mom, it will be hard going back to work after three months at home getting to know our little child, but again, it helps that I will be eager to contribute to this new program and love the work. Everyone who knows me well understands that I am drawn toward positions and roles where I can act as a mentor – and this position is just that.

Today is a big day in two ways. The World Cup begins with South Africa’s game against Mexico, and Rachel enters the second trimester of her pregnancy. I can’t believe that she’s at 13 weeks already, and she has handled it so well (at least from the stories I hear about what the first trimester can be like). She will have her next check-up on Tuesday, which also happens to be her 28th birthday.

There’s a lot going on this week! I also start my summer classes on Monday and I run my marathon next weekend up in Duluth, Minnesota. I just found out this week that the race is offering a runner tracking system sponsored by Verizon.

You can go to the race website and choose to follow up to three runners on race day. During the race, you will receive either text messages or emails with updates about their progress. Feel free to track me!