I'm so sorry to hear about your father. I'm inspired and encouraged by your mother's state though, that is a wonderful thing!! My mother is a cancer survivor and when I ran the Portland Half Marathon I ran in her honor -- she was here for the race too so I know how special that will be for you and your sister!! I wish we lived closer as well so we could run together, but I think meeting somewhere in the middle will be a very nice goal -- I've signed up for a half in San Francisco next April so that will be my first big travel to run -- I'm so addicted I would be happy to meet you ANYWHERE I'm not a big American Idol fan, but you KNOW I'm going to have to watch. I watch anything with Steven Tyler . . . it just doesn't get old. Stay well and happy! I'll be looking to see how you do at the half, I know you'll do awesome.