He did it!  I warned you he would.  He did.

135 miles.  Starting at the lowest point in the western hemisphere (Badwater in the Death Valley National Park, 282 ft. below sea level) and covering 135 miles over 3 mountains and ending at the portal of Mt. Whitney (the highest mountain in the continental USA).

40 hours and 55 minutes.  Stopping only for brief massages and wardrobe changes.

As an at-home spectator, it was a very exciting and emotional two days.  There were long stretches that the crew would lose cell phone service, so I wasn’t able to get real-time updates.  But at other times, I was able to hear the latest, and watch a webcam set up at various mile markers.  I was even able to talk to him on the phone at mile 122.  Click here for a very rough recording of the webcam and my phone call.

My dad and I share a special bond with running and we’ve had some of our best memories together pacing and pushing each other (me pacing him for his first 100 mile ultramarathon, and him pacing me for my first marathon).  So, it was heart-wrenching to not be there for his most challenging race yet.

Here are a few excerpts from his race report:

• “I can sum up this race report by simply saying I ran and ran and ran and shuffled and shuffled and shuffled and staggered and staggered and staggered and stopped.  Obviously, Forrest Gump was a lot smarter than me.  He just ran and ran and ran and stopped.”
• “Amanda, my marathoning daughter, couldn’t go since she just gave us our first grandson 6 months ago.  In her place Kacee stepped up as the adopted daughter.  Of all the hours I spent on the road, the ones with Kacee gave me the most joy.  I’ve had many blessings in my life but my 3 kids are the best and Kacee makes 4.  What a lucky guy I am.”
• “I had to force myself to open my eyes every time I blinked.  I am even pretty sure I went to sleep several times while running.  I’ve read about this but never experienced it and really have never been sleepy in an ultra before.  Judy has told me that sometimes I run in my sleep, so why not sleep in my run.  It only seems fair.”
• “In Lone Pine, Amanda called to see how I was doing and to let me know that Pressley Ridge kids had been following my progress all day.  Even though I was exhausted, this was the most motivating thing I could hear.”
• “After the race I got to bed as quickly as possible and have been eating, resting and sleeping pretty much since then.  I have to admit, I’m getting good at those activities.”

Congratulations, Dad!  We’re all so proud of you!

Now, if someone could maybe turn the man on to golf or antiquing, we might all rest a little easier.

Amanda: Did I ever tell you I wrote the owner of Cadillac Ranch?
Doug: No.  Why?
Amanda: I needed new shoes.

(context: while looking at the picture of my sisters and me with matching mullets.)
Doug: Why do you even need the down part?

The monkey is seven months old as of yesterday.  He is something else.  We’ve had a big month.

• Sleeps about 12 hours a night, and takes three two-hour naps a day (although the third nap is starting to get shorter and shorter).  Glorious.
• Started eating solid food this month.  I’m making Rhett’s babyfood (making Jamie Oliver proud).  So, we’ve done bananas, squash, sweet potatoes, oatmeal and apple sauce.
• Still not sitting up on his own…but pretty close.
• Got his first guitar lesson.
• Wore girl clothes for the first time after an accident at my friend Sarah’s house (who has an 18 month old daughter).
• Celebrated Doug’s birthday and first Father’s Day.
• Picked up some bad habits from dad:
  

  Car Video Games

Glued to the TV

Our seven month slideshow:

I wonder what it’s like to have three girls and planning to pay for three weddings one day.  We count our many blessings that Rhett is a boy and prom dresses and weddings are not (yet) in our future.

The third and final wedding took place last month.  My younger sister, McKenna, tied the knot in Jamaica.  We’re totally pumped to have Lavell in the family.  Besides being a tennis coach with free lessons for family, he’s perfect for McKenna.  Great guy and loves her like crazy.

Congratulations McKenna and Lavell.  We love you both and we’re praying for God’s blessings on your marriage.

Rhett got his first guitar lesson last night.  If we measured success by how much he wanted to put the guitar in his mouth, he was a pro.  And the handsome hunk on the left…if you want me to make me weak in the knees, just put a guitar in his hands.  Unbelievable.

Before you judge my dad, know that you’re in good company.  I am a judger. I think he’s totally crazy and most of my prayer life is consumed with prayers of protection and sanity for him.

He’s running 135 miles in Death Valley on July 12.

“Who does that?” you ask.  Well, he does.  Along with about 80 other people in the world every year.   The conditions are grueling. It’s not uncommon for the temperature to be upwards of 135 degrees, even in the shade and at night.

The average finish time is 40-48 hours (the current record for the course is a finish time of almost 23 hours).  He’s aiming to finish in 36 hours – before nighttime the second day.

He has a “crew” of 8 people, including one of my best friends, Kacee, that will be able to see him every couple of miles.  (I couldn’t join the crew because of the small human that I am responsible for).

He’s running to benefit the organization he leads, Pressley Ridge. You can read more about his journey and how you can support him here.

I’ll keep you posted with the results.

In less impressive news, I ran 20 miles this morning and I didn’t die. Look out, Chicago.

It’s not too uncommon to hear “that’s going in the family quote book” around here.  The ironic thing is that we don’t even have a quote book and we’ve yet to write any of our best quotes down.

So, here’s to the second half of 2010.  Here, here.

(while getting ready in our bathroom)
Is it just me or does something smell like donuts in this bathroom? -Amanda

(background: a salesman came to the house while doug wasn’t here.  he creeped the peewaddlings out of me.  i just knew he was about to make a move to come inside.  i had just finished telling doug my plan to defend myself and our baby.)
Before you start putting things in the blender, you need to rethink your plan for self-defense. -Doug

I don’t think I’m a Coke addict. -Amanda