After our race on Sunday morning, Reagan and I had a very long and relaxing visit with Piper. For some reason, all of the photos that I took, came out looking like Piper was groggy and sad. She probably was groggy. She definitely wasn’t sad though. Just the same, I thought that if she could talk, she probably wouldn’t want me posting those shots of her, not looking like her normal princess self.

After our visit with Piper, we met up with some friends of ours (John and Kat), who are visiting from SC. Reagan knows John from HS. We spend the evening palling around lower Manhattan, since it was so nice out.

Highlights included a jumping contest on the benches at the Battery Park City Promenade.

^–Reagan’s Jump

^—John’s Jump

^—My Jump (shot by Reagan)

Kat also had a pretty impressive jump. But the lighting was throwing off the AF, so it came out all blurry. I’m retarded.  More photos of this outing are here.

Our new running club had it’s first club points race, last weekend. Our friend Zach Tolbert came out and shot the race for us. It was perfect weather and a lot of fun. Becca was totally on the ball, with getting our jerseys made and delivered before the race.

It was a bit chilly, before the race, but the sun was out, and it was perfect temperature, for running. Our team did very well. Additionally, we had a mystery person sign up as an NYRC affiliate, who beat everyone else on the team, by almost a minute. Jessica (whoever you are) if that is your way of trying out, you passed. Hahaha.

It has been pretty crazy in SLC, so far. Reagan and I have been loving every second of it. Here is a little taste of what we have been up to, since we arrived.

^—–Reagan holding our new little niece Clover

^—-Me, holding our new little niece Penelope

While NYC was having a snow day (our firm even closed early), I was having a little bit of a snow day of my own, enjoying all of the fresh pow that had fallen the night before. I took Reagan back country snowshoeing/snowboarding for the first time in her life. She loved it. I was so impressed by her toe touch, while wearing snow shoes.

^—-Looking down at Little Cottonwood Canyon from UT back country.

^—-”Flipping out” over all of the fresh powder. Heheh, I couldn’t resist, the pun.

Last night was a Karen Sabag runway show at the Altman Building in Chelsea. The venue was awesome. The ceiling in their event space is made of paver brick, which I loved. I was able to shoot the backstage, as well as the runway show. No CF card malfunctions Wednesday night. But there was a problem with the lights. Which was a bummer, because in contrast to the iFashion show, Tuesday night, Sabag, was actually properly lit. Luckily, they resolved it, after a few minutes. I was freaking out digging for my flash, for a sec. Anyway, it was a lot of fun. Catch more coverage from the Sabag show on shotbyjake.com.

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Last night was the iFashion runway show, featuring 3 emerging designers. I was shooting back stage, as well as the actual show. It was a lot of fun. Although, I was totally punked by one of my CF cards which failed when I as trying to retrieve the images from it. I lost about 300 of the images from the headliner’s portion of the show (and the ones that I was the most excited about). When I realized that the card was corrupted, I almost had a heart attack. All in all, I still came away with some OK, stuff. Stupid technology. Sorry that there are so many photos in this post, and I know that the watermark is annoying. Here they are anyway.

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One more show tonight. Fingers crossed for no technological malfunction.

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It has been snowing all day. As usual, the local media totally hyped it, beforehand. Yesterday, NYC public schools preemptively canceled class for today. In fairness, it has been coming down pretty hard, all day, and is still coming down. Even though Reagan and I both had to work, we were both able to leave a lot earlier than normal. I wish that we could have had the whole day off, to be out and about, like our friends Kim and Ryan.  I did get a few snaps of my own, today, mostly on the way out of work.

^—Looking at Battery Park City, from 1 WFC.

^—-1 World Trade Center from the Vesey Street Bridge.

And my favorite, the ever timely snow-heart that someone made on our sidewalk.

I have been so freaking bad at running, lately. I haven’t done any running in almost a month. True, Piper has been sick, and I have been sick. But, even when I didn’t have an excuse, I have been extremely bad at keeping with a routine, for this entire winter. Hopefully that will all change, now. Monday, I registered Reagan and myself for this year’s New York City Marathon, in November. We gained automatic entry through the 9+1 program. I have to admit, that the motivation meter was going up a little, just being on the NYRR site, putting in my info.

In addition to running the NYC Marathon, this year. we have also started a club. When I say “we,” I should say Becca. She did almost all of the work. It should be really good for getting in some group runs. Nothing like a little healthy competition, for a pick-me-up. BTW, if you want to be in the club, and are not already on the email list, hit me up. Since we were able to Recruit Carl, I’m pretty sure that we will have the club points championship pretty much in the bag. But, if you would like to be a part of Carl’s entourage, we are currently still recruiting. As of Monday, our name is now officially showing up on the “affiliations” drop down, on the NYRR registration screen. At least it is, if you are registering for the Marathon .

This may sound totally dumb, but, after having so much fun shooting last year’s race, I’m kind of bummed that I can do it again this year. I’m a nerd, I know.

Go NYRC!

^_____Reagan, waiting for the A after our Piper visit on Sunday morning

Now that January is officially over, I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that 2010 is really here and well underway. February is going to be a big month for us. First of all, it is Reagan’s birthday is on Thursday. Woo hoo! Apparently, she is getting pissed off about people telling her that she is entering her “late twenties.” So, if you talk to her about, try to avoid that characterization.

Piper will most likely be moving back to Blythedale in the next couple of weeks (possibly next week). We are pretty excited about that, and what it represents, as far as her recovery from this illness that she has had.

Mercedes Benz Fashion week is also this month, starting next week. I’m already booked for one event, but hoping to get a couple more things lined up. There are a few possibilities in the works, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

At the end of the month, assuming that Piper is in good shape again by then, we are planning to make a stop out west, to visit our new little nieces and nephew. It will be a really huge thing for us, since my entire family will be there (except Piper ), even the ones from Alaska.

Finally, for something completely random: Check out this slide that I found on the sidewalk, over the weekend. I haven’t seen a slide in ages! Some people pick up change. I pick up this (someone’s trash). Hehehe.

Today marks three years of marriage for Reagan and myself. In these short three years, it has already been a pretty crazy ride. I don’t mean that in a negative way, at all. When I say crazy, I’m referring mostly to the things that have come our way that have been out of our control. It has also been a crazy-good three years. I’m so glad that we tied the knot. Happy anniversary, Reag!!

I thought about just putting in a stock photo of Piper, for this post. But, Reagan and I are still just having to use our imaginations to guess what she looks like, right now. So, I guess everyone else will too.

Yes, Reagan and I have still been too sick to be allowed into the ICU. We are both starting to feel a lot better, though. What is more important, is that, apparently so is Piper.

From what we have been told, she has still been back and forth on her vent settings. But, there has been a general trend in the right direction. The doctors have also been coming down on the nitric, as well as most of her other (non-daily) meds. Apparently Piper was pretty rowdy last night. Her doctors interpreted this to be most likely caused by withdrawals from the morphine. As a result, they are giving her a bit of extra methadone to help her cope.

She still has her A-line and C-line, but that didn’t stop her nurse from ordering some physical and occupational therapy for Piper. That makes me super, super happy. If Piper is well enough to goof off with therapists, and possibly start getting back to practicing sitting/standing, then she is definitely making strides.

We also learned today that she has already successfully been referred back to Blythedale, and will be going back there when she has recovered enough to safely move. As for lining up new long term care, it is all still in the works. I’m finding it to be a bit like how I would imagine herding cats while trying to catch a fly with chopsticks. I mean, I know that social workers are busy people. But, then, so are we.

To be completely honest, I don’t have any complaints, right now– Only gratitude. Our little family has been so incredibly blessed, throughout this entire ordeal, in both tangible and metaphysical ways. All I can say is: Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all of those who have been kind enough to keep Piper in their thoughts and prayers over the past several weeks. As she has done so many times in the past, Piper has made it pretty apparent to me, that there is someone out there listening to those thoughts and prayers.