My Christmas Present

Nine years ago today, a slim little kitten walked into the door of my house and my life.

Her name was Misty. And from that day, she became my best furry friend and companion.

Through the most tumultuous times of my teen years, on my worst and happiest days, when I needed something to hug and hide my tears in, when I needed something to squeeze in my joy, when I just needed a companion to sit beside me as I stood looking out the window… She was there.

I remember feeling a warm furry ball at the foot of my bed as I rolled over at night. I have a picture memory of her lying with her head on the other end of my pillow just like a human, sleepily opening one eye to peek at me as I did my best to stifle my giggles. And on still other nights, I remember the clanging of belts against my door as she did her best to wake me and my sister up to let her out to drink water. And then a few minutes later, the most pitiful meowing and scratching on the door would be heard as she begged us to let her back in.

I remember her jumping on my desk to sit right on the book that I was studying from, just to get my attention. And her running from wherever she was in the house when I called. And her trailing me like a little puppy from room to room as I did my work. And her sitting outside the toilet door patiently when I was inside.

I remember her insisting on going out of the house for little walks on my own. I remember her stiffening with tension in my arms when I brought her for walks around the district and we encountered dogs. I remember her little tit-for-tat squabbles with Nacho, my Cocker Spaniel; the times we spent encouraging them to get along with each other; the eventual sitting side-by-side to eat from their bowls at mealtime.

As the days passed and turned into a year and then into 6, 7, 8 years.... try as I might, I couldn't imagine life without her. Her little unobtrusive presence graced every major event in my life thus far.

Then one day, almost reaching her ninth Christmas with us, my beloved darling fell sick. And her usual glassy eyes no longer sparkled. In a few short torturous days, her physical condition dropped to the lowest ever, till she was so weak and thin she could no longer stand or eat or drink on her own. Kidney failure, the vet said gravely, shaking her head.

I remember restless evenings when we were afraid to sleep, terrified that she might not be able to make it through the night.. I remember my sister giving her medicine through injections, our sitting beside her for hours to accompany her, stroking her head gently as teardrops glittered in our eyes.

On the evening of October 4, though already semi-conscious, our baby doll waited till she heard both Kimberley and my voices beside her, the two of us whom she was closest to, before breathing her last and slipping away forever. It is impossible to describe the grief which enveloped. The tears which I had been holding back over the last few days now rained down unashamedly as I knelt by her little bedside for a long time, unwilling to say goodbye just yet. The million memories of the past 8 years flashed through my mind, memories that will never be forgotten, memories that I am reliving today.

Two Thousand years ago, God gave the world a Christmas present through His Son.

Nine years ago today, He gave me another special Christmas Present - my Misty.

And both of them are gifts that I will treasure forever and always.

**She spent a precious Christmas with family and friends**

A Glimpse at the Next Chapter - Back to School

I was sitting in front of the TV after a long day at work, virtually brain-dead.

I had reached the point of tuning out to most of the hustle-bustle around me, only catching glips and snitches of conversation as my family members walked by the room.

Then my ears registered something that my mom called out all the way from the living room: "Em, you don't want to check your letter from UniSim?"

I lit off from the sofa like a rabbit-in-a-jackbox and dashed to stick my head out into the hallway. "What letter from UniSIM?!!"

She pointed to an A5 size envelope sitting on a pile of other letters on the table. The next second, my eager fingers were ripping open the seal to pull out...THIS.

I looked up to see my brothers and sister grinning at me, and realized I was hopping up and down with excitement, saying (well to be more exact, short of screaming), "I've been accepted!! I've been accepted! OMG!! I'm so happy!!!"

Evidently.

I DID eventually calm down a little, and am now anticipating my shopping for school supplies! Oh, not to mention that I just spent the last hour poring over the UniSIM website choosing my courses and familiarizing myself with the dates... And telling myself that this is just the start.

It's gonna be an exciting (stressful) year ahead!

**She enjoyed the suspense of Point of Entry's first episode shown at 8PM on Channel 5 tonight...and she can't wait for Episode 2!**

RIP, Nacho

You never failed to greet us enthusiastically at the door.
You entertained us with your tricks and various dog activities.
You begged for bread with those big brown eyes of yours.
You were sure to be found in the middle of the most happening location at home.
You always responded meekly to the words, "Nacho, OUT!"
You were a part of our lives, for seven years.
You were FAMILY.

None of us foresaw that you would be taken away from us so abruptly, but we know you are now up there in heaven surrounded only with happiness and no pain. Take care of my baby Misty for me, and don't bully her too much.

And in case you didn't see it already, here's some messages for you from the rest of the family:
http://facebook.com/?w2m#/profile.php?id=575965076

We'll miss you, dude.

**Without Nacho and Misty, the house feels...childless.**

If You Can Swim When Right in Front of you Is a Tsunami...

Today, the workload threatened to overwhelm me.
Today, there were customers to call and see and attend to, all asking for attention at the same time.
Today, I had to drive from one end of the island to the other. 
Today, I wanted to throw my hands up in the air, tear my hair out, cry in frustration.

And then I chanced upon an email sent by my brother, which enclosed a long-beloved poem. 

And I stopped struggling.
Took a deep breath.
Stared up at the tsunami, the wall of work, which was waiting to swallow me up.
Smiled.

And started swimming for the shore.

One lap at a time.

While the familiar lines of the poem which i many years ago etched into my memory, rang in my head, reminding me...

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

**she is carrying her baby niece Kayla**

The Power of Prayer (On a Hilarious Note)

My mom burst excitedly into my room this morning while my sis and I were still in bed.

"Girls, you know what??" She gushed.

We open our eyes to peer up at her sleepily.

"The bad ache I was having in my lower back yesterday was gone this morning when I woke up! Now it's coming back just a little bit, but I think the fellow GB teachers who prayed for me really helped!"

"Oh..so that means that our prayer is not effective la, only the GB teacher's prayers are," I replied cheerfully.

"No la, not that. But now my lower back has no more pain, but my middle back is experiencing some strain now."

"I think if like that, then next time ask them not to pray until so specific la. Just ask them to cover your whole back with prayer, so that the pain won't travel up and down!"

**She is telling herself that just because it hurts to smile doesn't mean you stop smiling.**

Sweet Twenti-Wan Moments

We only turn 21 once.

So my sis had to make sure my 21st birthday was memorable. Like, memorable.

She took a full day of leave, despite her crazy schedule, and brought me through a day of pleasant surprises... starting with...

We shrieked, giggled, and laughed at my Mom as we sat with our feet in the water, nibbled at by the little fish. It was my first time, and the LONGEST10 minutes of my life.

After the Tingling Senses Experience, we needed two hours of a relaxing comedy movie to calm the nerves.

Then it was time for...

After being super-duper full from the sumptious Dim Sum of The Imperial Restaurant, we took a leisure walk... I had no idea where we were going... and ended up at...
It was the perfect place for just the two of us to sit and chat while adding to our intake of uncalled-for calories.

When we were finally done, we went over to Bugis for me to get my IPHONE 4!!!

And at the end of the long happy day, I went home to be greeted by all these and more~

And as for the birthday bash the weekend before my actual birthday... well, maybe more of that next time. As it is, I have some of the party's pics here on FB, courtesy of Delwyn who kindly filled the position of Official Photographer of the Night with not a single complaint.

Gifts. SMSes. Overseas packages. Lunches and Dinners. Call it overload of happiness. It was an amazing time of being showered with Love and Joy and Happiness, surrounded by loved ones and friends.

Thank yeww, dear ones, for making my twenty first birthday so perfect! =)

**She went for a session of speed-blading today...and now has scratches and a cut lip as a result of a fall**

COURAGE

by Orianthi

Take all my vicious words
And turn them into something good
Take all my preconceptions
And let the truth be understood

Take all my prized possessions
Leave only what I need
Take all my pieces of doubt
And let me be what's underneath

Courage is when you're afraid,
But you keep on moving anyway
Courage is when you're in pain,
But you keep on living anyway

We all have excuses why
Living in fear something in us dies
Like a bird with broken wings
It's not how high he flies,
But the song he sings

Courage is when you're afraid,
But you keep on moving anyway
Courage is when you're in pain,
But you keep on living anyway

It's not how many times you've been knocked down
It's how many times you get back up
Courage is when you've lost your way,
But you find your strength anyway

Courage is when you're afraid
Courage is when it all seems grey
Courage is when you make a change,
And you keep on living anyway

You keep on moving anyway
You keep on giving anyway
You keep on loving anyway

**She has decided that the iphone is life-style-changing**

The Final Countdown

It's a little queer to sit here with the knowledge that I am spending the last few moments of my life as a twenty year old.

In less than half an hour the clock will strike 12, and I will be leaving behind my childhood (or what little I had of it) forever.

Life in the last twenty years has been an incredible journey.

the moments of laughter

the friends, old and new

the quiet tears

the unfailing support of siblings

the stresses of work

the dives into the deep blue ocean

the little juicy bits of surprise happiness

the beloved furry darling of my life, Misty

the excitement of new experiences

the triumphs of overcoming challenges

the heart pangs that cut deep

the roads less traveled.

It has been of learning lessons, of never giving up till I succeed. Of making the most of what I have, and still being contented. Of thanking God for both the laughter and the tears. Of things lost and things found. Of relishing the little joys. Of aspiring for bigger, greater, higher things. Of making decisions without regret. Of taking risks and enjoying the ride.

Yup, Life has been an adventure.

And I've a feeling it's only gonna get better from here!

I can't wait to see what TWENTY-ONE brings my way. (:

**She could die of happiness right now.**

Just Right.

You know how some things that we eat trigger memories from our childhood?

Well, this is one of my triggers.

As a kid, I loved it whenever I had this for a snack. Whether I was at home or in the classroom with the rest of my generation, I was thrilled whenever someone pulled out this little treat.

The part I liked best of course was the hard sugary icing on top. It looked pretty, like a demure little flower perched on a rock. And it tasted GOOD, too. I would bite off the top from the biscuit and eat it with a relish, savouring the sweetness.

The bottom part I would then discard with disdain. It was plain, colourless, TASTELESS. It didn't draw my attention the way the pretty icing did.

Why do people make such plain old biscuits? I would wonder. Why don't they just make the top part?

But after several such instances of snitching the icing and tossing the biscuit, I would get tired of the sweetness that I had liked in the first place and quickly lose interest. It was too much sugariness on its own till I could no longer appreciate its taste.

....

Fifteen years later, I am eating the biscuits again, snacking while I watch football with my brothers and friends.

And suddenly I realize why you have to eat the biscuit as a whole - not just the top, or the bottom alone.

Because together, they taste just right.

They complement each other. The plain biscuit accentuates the pleasant appeal of the coloured icing, and the icing in her turn lends sweetness to the biscuit that is not there on its own.

It’s a mini reflection of life.

Too many good things at one go becomes no longer good. If Life was over-saturated with happy moments and good things all at once, we would no longer be able to appreciate it after awhile. At the start, we would enjoy the sweetness, happy and pleased. But eventually our sensitivity to its pleasant flavour would be dulled. We’d get tired of the good things, losing interest and pleasure in its taste.

At the same time, if Life were constantly plain and uninteresting like the little round biscuit, we would be just as prone to murmur and complain. The dull staple would be viewed in the same way we view tedious days – with contempt. Nothing to look forward to. No sweet moments to add flavour to the unexciting existence. Boring.

But when Life is peppered with a little of both, they balance off each other perfectly. The fun happening days lend an existence to the other slow-moving moments, and the gentle peaceful days give us a breather so that we can recharge and properly appreciate the energetic moments.

Together, they are just right.

**She thinks the last two weeks have been too long, and is looking forward to tomorrow**

So What if It Hurts Me?

They call it Agliophobia.

Or, the fear of pain.

And much as we hate to admit to any signs of weakness revealed by the paralyzing emotion of fear, I gotta say I DEFINITELY have Agliophobia.

It's not something I think about often.

Considering the fact that we're young and fit and relatively healthy, we do not frequently encounter run-ins with that Fear Factor, Pain. It's not like we cut ourselves on purpose, or smack our knees against sharp furniture edges alot (unless you're a bit of a klutz...like me), or have to go for major ops. So no, it doesn't cross my mind alot.

Until this morning, when I accidentally gave myself a scissor cut while doing something.

And the first thought that sprang into my mind was: "Oh shucks! It'sgonnahurtit'sgonnahurt!"

My heartbeats picked up speed, just a tad.

I paused and braced myself martyr-like for the pain to accompany the smudge of red I saw on my fingers.

And felt nothing.

And looked down at my hand again, puzzled.

Ermm.. is something wrong with me? Isn't it supposed to hurt? Did I turn into an angel overnight and didn't know?

But weirdly enough, this was one cut that didn't hurt. A little discomfort, yes, but not the throbbing pain I envisioned.

And as I went my way, recalling the several "cutting" instances I experienced when younger which probably contributes to my little phobia problem now, it made me wonder if this fear of getting hurt physically reflects subtly on the relationships we have with others.

Does the instinctive recoil from disappointment or heartache cause barriers in the way we relate to those around us?
Does the dread of being taken advantage of hold us back from giving more freely of ourselves?
Does it cause us to "take caution when it comes to love" with valid reason?

They say, Once bitten, twice shy.

So how do we find the balance between thoughtless head-over-heels and overly-guarded mind-over-heart in this THING called love?

Much as we like to dress it up in glitter, and use the term"falling in love" like as if we just couldn't help it, I believe the truth is that we DO have a choice when it comes to loving someone.

Love leaves you vulnerable to heartache. It means that you are giving with the possibility of never receiving. Love is choosing to let your guard down and reveal your truest self to the person you love, giving him the ability to hurt you but trusting him not to. Love is working at a relationship even if you've been disappointed and let down time and again, because you think that person is worth your time and investment or capable of bringing you happiness when with him.

End of the matter? We have to choose what we win or lose; we can't have everything.

No relationship is perfect. No relationship is free of occasional misunderstandings or disappointments or anger or hurt. What's important is that we not let the fear of being hurt hold us back from creating wonderful relationships with those around us.

And if we think as Leona Lewis does, then it doesn't matter how much pain you might face ahead of you... as long as you are happy.

**The pieces of the puzzle are coming together...Countdown to her 21st has begun!**

Multi-tasking

(as we trudged home from the MRT station after work...)

Em: "See if you can walk with your eyes closed and count the number of steps you're taking and at the same time remember a memory."

Kim: "Actually that wouldn't be too difficult, because counting in your mind is easy, quite automatic."

Em: "Oh...And wiggle your arms like a goose."

Apparently, exhaustion makes the mind think up crazy things.

**She stood watching the tears roll down the cheeks of the stranger in the mirror**

Love is Accepting the Person for who They Are, not Who You Think you Want Them to Be

**Her thought of the day: Life is like bee hoon. Without the spice of chilli and ingredients, it would be very bland.**

Question::

If you have been disappointed three times in a row because something you highly anticipated or looked forward didn't work out time and again...

would you...

a) still continue to hope at the next given opportunity?
b) secretly hope but outwardly show no excitement?
c) kill all ideas of hope, excitement, or anticipation because you don't ever want to get disappointed in that way again?

**She has one last day to push up her Personal Best record**

From the Corner of Urban Bites

So I'm sitting at a little Mediterranean cafe along Telok Ayer Street.

I've ordered the lunch set on the menu(half of which I don't even know how to eat!) and have my laptop open in front of me for working purposes (and so on and so forth).

It's the PERFECT spot.

It's quiet, it's cosy, and - wonder of wonders, it even has WI-FI!!!

Which means I can surf the net for my work. And-and...yeah, for my work.

So. Now that I finally have a chance to update my blog after being virtually MIA online for the last two months or so, let me give a brief recap of what's been going on. Despite all the changes that has been taking place in and around me, of the following three things you can be certain:

1) I am still very much alive (and healthy? well, I'm currently on a 7-day course of antibiotics for a bad flu, if that's what you're asking. But other than that, I'm doing perfectly fine:)

2) I am enjoying my job. (Yes, enjoying. Not the stress to close orders, not the ache in the legs after a whole day of walking around in heels, not the hole in the pocket after forking out $20 cab fare upon reaching a customer's ulu location. But yes, I'm enjoying the challenges, the dynamics of a job that allows you to grow in mind and spirit, and of course - last but DEFINITELY not least, the monetary fruits I can reap from the labour that is put into my work.)

3) The days are still passing WAY too fast for my liking. (Think weekdays rushing around from appointment to appointment, weekday evenings burnt in office, weekends spent physically busy with family activities while mentally still thinking about how to tackle objections from a particular customer or how to present a case to another customer, and weekend nights waking up in the middle of the night thinking it is already Monday morning!)

Deadlines, weekly and monthly targets, phone calls and appointments all tossing around in my head like a pile of laundry in the dryer...so, yup.

It's not been all work alone, though. In just the last two months or so, there's also been the addition of another darling little niece, two 'almost-family' members, and a whole bunch of new friends and acquaintances to my life! Oh, and homecooked food has recently tasted even better than usual, because I rarely get it anymore due to an unpredictable work schedule.

Anyway, here's a quote I found which seems to sum up this post pretty well:

Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right, and forget the people who don't.
And believe that everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance, take it.
If it changes your life, let it.
No one said it would be easy, just that it would be worth it.

**She needs some salt water. Badly. It's been way. too. long.**

In love with my darling niece Kayla

I'm an Aunt for the second time in 2 years.

And am loving it.

:)

**She wants to watch Streetdance and Step Up 3**

I would dance, yes

Would you dance, if I asked you to dance?
Would you run, and never look back?
Would you cry, if you saw me crying?
And would you save my soul, tonight?

Would you tremble, if I touched your lips?
Would you laugh? Oh please tell me this
Now would you die, for the one you love?
Hold me in your arms, tonight

I can be your hero, baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away

Would you swear, that you'll always be mine?
Or would you lie? Would you run and hide?
Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?
I don't care you're here, tonight

I can be your hero, baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away

Oh, I just wanna hold you
I just wanna hold you, oh yeah
Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?
Well I don't care you're here, tonight

I can be your hero, baby
I can kiss away the pain, oh yeah
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away

I can be your hero, I can kiss away the pain
And I will stand by you, forever
You can take my breath away
You can take my breath away
An' I can be your hero

**She's smiling at the good memories and looking forward to more**

Did you just call me... B-LOB?

Just like that, two months has flown by since I went for my first LOB Tioman Trip aboard Beach Boys.

But it's never too late for pictures, especially when it was one of my best dive trips EVER.

So here goes!


On the very treacherous wooden-planks-with-a-few-missing-planks jetty which we had to walk over in almost pitch black night.
The view onboard the deck of Beach Boys.
The dive site for our checkout dive on Saturday morning.
Our impromptu snorkeling excursion
Enjoying the sunset
Donut games on the deck, courtesy of Andrew
They dumped me in the ice-box!!!
We talked... we laughed..
We suntanned...
We visited the outer reefs ofTioman...

We chilled under the stars...

We hung out our wet gear to dry under the blazing Sunday sun
WE HAD A RAWKING GOOD TIME.

In fact, staying on the live-on-board for two days and two nights have left me with no desire whatsoever to go back to the island. Nay, if I could, I would stay there. For good. Surrounded by my closest and best friends and my beloved sea and my drug, nitrogen. Wouldn't that be The Ultimate?

**She is exhausted from walking around in heels the entire day**

The Broken Egg

I closed MY VERY FIRST PRINTER ORDER last Friday,

Eighteen June Twenty One Zero.

Just so ya know, the feeling is awesome. :)

**She had a great time celebrating 'surface interval' with the Blue Reef gang at ICB**

Emo Defined.

Some days, the mood strikes. 

The sky above is cloudy, blue, serene..

yet the waves below are angry, churning, tumultuous..

and you feel like the helpless little boat caught in between,

towed along by forces beyond your control...

You've got so much to say...

yet the words never actually reach your lips... 

Your thoughts run along, linked one to another like a daisy chain...

You type out the words...

stare at the black marks on a white screen...

and then hit the delete button..

You don't want to talk...

You don't want to havta explain yourself...

You just want to withdraw away from everything, 

drown out the world for a few golden moments...

So you put on the headphones and turn up the volume...

and tear apart the individual phrases of a song, 

lending the lyrics a definition all your own.. 

And as the storm within echoes into stillness with the song's final drumbeat...

The vividness returns to the pictures your eyes are taking...

You pull off the headphones...

Take a deep breath...

And are ready to face the world once again. 

Picture Credits:  Hadrie Salim

**Her love for imagery was not drowned by her busy schedule...it simply took a nap** 

The School of Hard Knocks.

Today I attended "How to Cold-Call Lesson 101" in the School of Hard Knocks, led by experienced lecturer Serene K.  It was a hands-on case study, and I learned many things. 

I learned that different approaches worked for different customers. 

I learned what was the length and breadth and height of several office buildings. 

I learned that parking your car for 3 hours in town area can cost more than $10.00. 

I learned that you can see 15 customers in one day, and not have a single 'good' one. 

After having toes that are sore and cramped from a full day of being in heels. 

After walking from Equity Plaza 

to Samsung Hub 

to OCBC Centre 

to The Arcade

to Clifford Centre

to Hitachi Towers

to Singapore Land Towers

to Chevron House

all in one everlastingly long afternoon.

After changing ID for visitor's pass countless times at security counters. 

After finding out that a bag with a sales kit, notebook, and street directory can weigh more than a ton, especially when hanging from your shoulder for more than 6 hours. 

But most importantly, I learned that in sales you will have good days and bad days, and what matters most when you are down is...

HOW SOON YOU BOUNCE BACK UP. 

It's not always easy, but I'm sure it can be done. 

It WILL be done. 

Or i'LL DIE TRYING. 

**She enjoyed Sofra's Turkish food tonight with the rest of her Fantastic Four**

The torture we put ourselves through for a small round metal circle.

It's a full moon tonight.  Bright, and full, and beautiful. 

Just like how I remembered it last night.

Last night, 29 May,

as we stood at the flag off point, 

music pumping, 

heart beats accelerating, 

MC shouting,  

amid 5999 bobbing heads, 

waiting for the final countdown

to kick start our Adiddas Sundown Half Marathon 2010,

looking up into the cloudless dark sky

and seeing the big yellow circle hanging there:

bright, and full, and beautiful.

We'd been counting down to this day for months, and finally, suddenly, the day was here:

our very first 21KM run.

Yes, I think we're ready(:

See my latest baby?  The beautiful white, wireless, water-resistant W Series Sony MP3! 

Ben carbo-loading with bananas up till the last minute.

And so, we ran. 

And ran.

And calculated how many steps it takes to run 21KM. 

And passed the 12KM marker. 

And walked, a teeny bit.

And ran some more. 

And ran. 

And drank some 100 Plus. 

And walked, another teeny bit.

And checked our watches for the time.

And ran.

And applied Counter-pain to aching muscles.

And ran some more. 

And drank more water and 100 Plus.

And passed the 18KM marker. 

And belted out "Sweet dreams are made of these"

And slow-jogged, then sprinted to the next water point. 

And hydrated.

And didn't feel like moving another inch.

And forced ourselves to take another step, and then another. 

And passed the 20KM marker.

And ran. 

And ran faster. 

And groaned, "Oh man, why am I doing this to myself??" 

before sprinting in the final 30 meters to the finish line.

It was exhausting.

 It was leg-cramping.

 It felt endless. 

BUT WE MADE IT!

Us and 5996 other runners took some 63,000 steps or more that night, and completed the 21KM Half Marathon. 

And all for the sake of receiving a small round metal circle.

Now if I can just get back on my feet in time to survive tomorrow's day of work in heels...

**She is officially field-effective today (:**