Changes Abound

Whoa...whirlwind!!!! Hello 2012!!!
Last week was intense, as is this week. I might be slightly absent for the next week, but I promise to make up for it with a vengeance shortly.

2012 has brought a lot of incredible change to me. With change comes stress, but I know that while I don't want chronic stress in my life, a little short term stress can be the sign of growth and hard work. Here are a few things going on right now...

I am leaving my current employer and embarking on a some new job changes. It was extremely hard to tell my employer, as they have been very good to me. I was nightmarishly hard to tell my families that I would no longer be working with their special needs children. I have made many parents cry in the past week with my news. It is very hard as a physical therapist to no longer be a part of the journey of the amazing and wonderful kids I treat. I have children that were not able to hold their own heads up 1 year ago...yet today we are starting to learn to walk. I know the change in my personal life will bring about change for these families, and I hope that newly open doors will bring them opportunities to continue growing.

Speaking of open doors, I also received some big and awesome news last week. I was invited to be a part of the Wattie Ink. Elite Team. Thrilled doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about the invitation. It has only been one week, yet this team has already been bringing the fire. I am so pumped to be joined with other triathletes with similar motivation and desire to Rock the W.

In celebration of new beginnings with job and triathlon, Dave and I went to New Orleans to watch the Saints rock their way through the first round of the playoffs. Yes, I was in heaven. How do I get so lucky???

Damie and Dave cruising from the Old Algiers ferry to downtown Nola.

I am pretty sure I did not need to be drinking champagne this early in the day.

The latter result of a day in the French Quarter and some amazing tailgating.

Charbroiled oysters and crawfish pasta...

Who Dat!!!!!!!

Thank you sooooooo much, Keith.

I returned to Memphis solo and left Dave to enjoy suffer through the LSU game in New Orleans. I have been unreal busy this week....wrapping it up at my job while starting to make the new work happen. Laura came in town to visit from San Fransico, and it was so wonderful to see her. It has been hard losing great friends to other cities, and she is a wonderful, wonderful person. I was so glad to spend some time with her last night.
And then major fatigue hit, and I think this picture happened 1 minute before I almost fell asleep at the bar and told Laura I had to go home.

In the midst of all of this, I have managed to do some training...including a 3.5 hour ride today in the rain with enough pain in my private area to make me want to quit the sport. I have decided I don't need some more HTFU, I need a bike fit. Any helpers out there???? Dave would greatly appreciate it, as would I. Not being comfortable on my bike is no bueno.

And seriously... I need to have that fit dialed in so I can sport my new suit in some upcoming races!!!
Whoop Whoop! Here we go!!!!!

PS: I am now on twitter. I haven't really figured out how to tweet, but I like reading tweets from everyone else! @DamieRoberts17