Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Great things to celebrate this week & next

CONGRATULATIONS, DEAN!

How wonderful our good friend Dean has been chosen to carry the Olympic torch.
How deserving. Running with a great purpose.
Read more on
Dean’s Blog about his role as a torch bearer.




HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!

The day you came into our life was one of the best days of our life.
We love you to the heaven, the stars and the moon and back.








We have celebrated with you in so many different places…including your birthday in Morocco.

19 comments:

Olga said...

Happy birthday, Bella!!!!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday Annabella. You are most beautiful.

Nice for Dean he deserves it.

Susan M.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Bella!
Have a wonderful day!
Hugs and kisses,
Tess

Anonymous said...

Miss Annabella. I have never met you in person but this picture tells me that you are one special little girl whose mommy and daddy love so much. It would be fun to see a picture of your sister to.
You have a special birthday and eats some cake for me.

Shirley

Anonymous said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA!!!!!!! Can't wait to hang out with you again this summer :)

Anonymous said...

Annabella

Happy birthday, happy birthday.

We love you to the moon and back to!

Mike

Jacqueline Florine said...

Best wishes for a special day of celebration! You are a very special blessing to all who know you.
Love,
Jacki

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday to such a special little girl. You are so blessed to go so many places with your parents.
Who is that wearing #1 race number?
You all look so happy together.

It will be fun to see more pictures of the race itself.

Good weekend

Scott

Anonymous said...

Back in Baltimore and feeling good, although it wasn't always this
way...Monday night after 20+ hours of travel, Jessie and I were drifting
off to sleep when I had pains in my chest and arm and we thought I was
having a heart attack. Never felt anything like that in my life.
Jessie called 911 and we got to go to the ER in an ambulance...That is
the 3rd ambulance to come to our house in a week (Gracie, Sami,
me)--poor Jessie!!!. After taking my vitals, the paramedics thought it
was potentially a blood clot rather than a heart attack given the week
of running and lengthy travel immediately after. After several tests,
ekg's ect. and discussions with doctors that, after explaining myself,
had them asking repeatedly "ok, now wait a second...you just did what?",
it became clear that I was neither having a heart attack nor had a blood
clot making its way to my lungs at breakneck speed. I asked Jessie to
call a cab, went to the nurses station and had them take out my IV, and
announced I was going home, because if I did not get some sleep soon I
was going to melt down. After signing a 650 page release that absolved
my poor ER doctor of any responsibility as I was leaving before they
wanted to discharge me, Jessie and I got in a smoky cab, went home, and
finally got to sleep at 4 a.m. Where was my tent mate Dr. Aaron and his
wife Dr. Rhonda when I needed them??? I guess I had some reflux or
heartburn or something...makes sense given the big change in type and
quantity of food when I came off the race course and started working
over every buffet line in sight like it was my full time job.



After 2 nights of good sleep, more eating/drinking, and a massage I feel
pretty good and am glad to be back at work. Gracie is doing reasonably
well and is gaining weight. Her nurse should start soon and that will
provide some relief at the house. Through a combination of good
coaching and a little luck, I made it through the MDS in one piece and
am ready to go out and start running again. Coach Lisa's methods really
worked for me--run/walk vs. all running, when to train with a pack vs.
not, incorporating cross training into the schedule, giving up caffeine,
and a host of other real-time bits and pieces of guidance. Along the
way to finishing MDS in relatively good health, Lisa also helped me
achieve a PR marathon time at the 07 Baltimore marathon (3:40) and I met
some folks that will be friends for life. Thanks Lisa!!! I am looking
forward to the next big race and I just sent in my application for the
Vermont 100--my first 100 mile ultra, and then to the Tetons, and hope to see many of you there.
Colleen Woods has my MDS and death valley training camp shutterfly
pictures for anybody that wants them. Happy Trails!


Jeff Arricale

Anonymous said...

Phew, Jeff!! Had me worried there when I started reading your note! DVT did come to mind, especially with the length of travel time you did after the race. Glad you are fine now.
Take it easy...
Tess

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday Bella!

You are getting to be such a big girl!

I look forward to seeing you and spending time with you this summer.

Dusty

Jarom's Running Page said...

Hi Lisa...I can't wait to see you at Badwater this year...I'm in :) I finished the Brazil 135 in January...awesome race, you should totally do it. I'm trying to talk Dean into going next year. www.Brazil135.com.br

Check out my blog for some pictures and video of the Brazil race: www.JaromsRunningPage.blogspot.com

Lisa Smith-Batchen said...

Hi all,

Thank you for all the birthday thoughts for miss Bella, she was so happy and still is!
Jeff, my gosh you have been through so much.
Thanks to you all for the great comments.

Lisa

Lisa Smith-Batchen said...

oops sorry, the runner with #1 on is Lachen the winner, but not this years. Lachen gave Bella his race number that year on her 2nd birthday and it is hanging in her bedroom!!! On Annabellas 2nd birthday she was sleeping in a tent the night before the MDS in a blinding sand storm!

Anonymous said...

Did you see the footage of Dean running? Looks like they were all over him but he is used to this. Why do you think he gets so much attention, he is not the best runner out there?
You're daughter is adorable. I hope she had a fun birthday.
You have done such good work following the MDS, I have enjoyed it.

Scott

Anonymous said...

good morning bella!!! happy birthday from mikey. i really wish i could be there, but my best wishes to you.congrats again to the mds crew!
michael e.

Lisa Smith-Batchen said...

Bella had a great birthday, thank you. she has a house full of friends coming next week.
colleen, jen, cathy, abby and on and on...many from teton valley and colleen all the way from NYC.
yeah..we cant wait

Anonymous said...

Happy to you bella your friend mr meat bee georgie

Anonymous said...

Annabella, your daddy sure loves you and talks about you all the time. He sure loves your mommy and sister as well. Happy birthday Annabella, it will be fun to read books with you this summer.