Failing at #29: Complete a triathlon

God just wants to make this triathlon as near to impossible as He can! At the beginning of April it was discovered that I had an abdominal hernia. I've had it for two years but just played it off as a recurrent muscle knot. Finally it got too painful and was refusing to go away sooo I mentioned it to my mom who tentatively diagnosed it as a hernia. Go figure -- not a muscle knot. Doctors at UHS and U of M confirmed via exam & ultrasound and low and behold, I needed surgery. I met with the surgeon on a Monday and four days later was in the OR getting my tummy cut open and all sorts of things sewed together.

It went well -- I was able to walk later that day, and thanks to Brian, walked every single day thereafter. But I'm on activity and lifting restrictions until June. AKA I can't run, rollerblade, swim, bike, or lift more than 10 pounds for what feels like forever. This basically sucks for triathlon training because by now, I've probably lost all the strength and endurance I'd built up. When I'm allowed to move again, I'll have exactly 12 weeks to train. Typically having at least 16 weeks is necessary so we'll see how it goes. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to bounce back pretty quickly (as soon as the rest of my tummy wakes up from surgery! We're having problems still. =( blah). My goal now is to just finish the triathlon... screw placing. I just want to be able to do it!

#31: Read the Bible.

I've officially added another item to My List. Welcome to #31: Read the Bible. I began this one a few months ago but never truly added it to the list. On the way to the Newman Center Spring Retreat this weekend, I had a very productive thinking session which resulted in several decisions and new thoughts. One of these included the addition of the Bible to My List. It'll take a few years but I'll get there! =)

Registering for #29: Complete a Triathlon

So I'm officially registered for The Triathlon.

It's perfect.

8/28/2010: Perfect for many reasons. It's my grandpa's birthday, as well as that of my childhood idol Shania Twain. It's at the end of the Summer, so I have the whole season to train and it's not awkward to take time off from work. It'll be warm... including the water!

All Girls: Meaning no pressure, and more friendly competition. =)

Newbie Class: the night before the triathlon, to teach all us first-timers what to do.

Kalamazoo: not too far from home but far enough that it'll be an adventure.

Basically it's gonna be epic. I'm stoked. And kinda freaking out. But at least Dana's doing it with me!!! Now to convince Brian that it's not worth watching...

Completing #22: Save a Life!

January 29, 2010 = Epic.

We saved a baby!

U of M's Students for Life group sends a small group of volunteers out to the local Planned Parenthood every Friday and Saturday (days when abortions occur) year round to do sidewalk counseling. Due to classes, work, and a general nervousness about it, I have never been able to go. This morning, however, was different. I got up early, put on five layers of clothes, and headed out in the -5 degree windchill to stand with the other young adults
from our club for the first time ever.

What a great experience it was.

A young woman got out of her car to walk into the clinic when Elise, a fellow student, called out to her that we cared and that we had resources for her if she wanted them. She asked what they were, and we called back that we had other options for her, that we had seen people hurt by abortion and that we didn't want that to happen to her. She walked in. We thought we had lost.

15 minutes later, she came back out! She came over and asked how long we had been standing there. We told her we'd been there for a few hours and handed her some information. She asked questions about how far along she was, what to expect inside the clinic, what other options we could offer her, and after sharing a few stories, she went back inside. 

We began to pray.

Over an hour and a half later, after we'd about given up hope, she came back outside with the words "I DIDN'T DO IT GUYS! I DIDN'T DO IT!" I wasn't there but Elise said that she looked like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. =)

I'm pretty sure that was the most epic thing I've ever crossed off the list. Ever.

The courage shown by that young woman can only be that of our Lord. I have never felt the power of prayer as much as I felt it during that rosary. Those 5 small decades held so much hope, so much strength, so much faith... I felt it. So did she, apparently, because inside those hard, cold walls, she stood up for the truth. Please keep her in your prayers -- she needs ongoing prayer for an ongoing decision to keep her baby to term. Her tiny baby needs our prayers as well, as do all of the women that enter those doors each day.

Thank the Lord for that tiny baby!

Not-technically-on-the-list-but-I-did-it-anyway: Winning Something

So here's the deal. Textsfromlastnight expanded from their website to facebook, where each college that is worth anything has a textsfromlastnight group. You send in a funny text you've received and people vote on it by "liking" the post, and then at the end of the week, the administrators announce the winner.

Get this. I won.

Super exciting, right?! I never win anything!

Here's the super exciting announcement:

Amin Haririnia: Congratulations to Sarah Elizabeth Osentoski!! Your text from last night won the "Text of the Week" with 39 "likes" It said: (734): I bet traffic in columbus is nice. Because that's where osu is.(1-734): You're probably right. All the osu students are probably staying on campus for break since no one likes them enough to invite them home for christmas.

Keep the posts coming and don't forget to vote!

Take that Brian. I totes whooped you with not only a good comeback but a win on a website. Which is like a super win because I never win. =)

Completing #12: Receive a message in a bottle.

Just minutes into Christmas Day I completed item #12: Receive a message in a bottle. AND it was technically even on water (because snow is a form of H20, obv). Twas a true adventure - it even involved a scavenger hunt (of sorts) and I was attacked by a dog in the process. Gotta love Jaymin. He's always got the best gift ideas. =)

Back at it: #29 Here I Come

Just 2 days after I began training again following the broken foot, I stress fractured the other foot. Blah. But that's just not normal. So I went to Tortoise and Hare, the running store, and talked to a very nice employee who assessed how I walk and everything. He said I have great shoes -- they're the same ones he trains in -- but that my arches cause the top of my foot to take all of the impact when I run. The shoes I have are great but the material they're made out of gets really hard when it's cold. So basically, when I run in the cold, I'm running on rocks and the tiny bones in the top of my foot take all of the impact. I guess that explains why those little bones break after a few miles. SO he fitted me with inserts that will absorb the shock and told me to avoid hardcore training for a week or two.

Thus, it's ellypticals, walking, and lots of weight training for the next couple of weeks until stress fracture #2 heals up. Thank goodness for SarahJoy. We go to the gym every day & whoop it. I feel SO much better now that I'm back at it.

Also, my bathing suit is in the mail. Can't wait to start swimming. =) June 19, 2010 here I come!!!