Feeling Very Blessed!

My goodness, time just flies lately! We had quite a few stressful days with Sydney last week. Poor thing was getting her two year old molars in and must have been in a lot of pain. She wasn't eating much and she was VERY unhappy! We experienced MANY meltdowns through most of the day for 4 days or so. I felt so bad for her. Uncle Mike and Aunt Peggy came to babysit her on one of the days that she wasn't feeling so well and they got to experience her meltdowns in person!! Thank God that has all passed for now and we have our sweet, funny Sydney back:)

She continues to say and do things that just crack me up!! We were in a store one day and she said "Mommy, your my best friend" and gave me a big hug!!! I felt so much joy and pride in my little girl. There we stood in the middle of a store with her in the cart and me leaning over to her and us hugging. How wonderful!

She has also found her singing voice! She sings all of the time and I LOVE it!! I used to sing all of the time too - still do when it's just her and I around!! She makes up her own songs. For example, we were in a store and she was in the cart and started singing - loudly - "My name is Sydney and this is my Mommy and that is a baby and...(she would point things out that she saw in the store and sing what it was)" and of course she was using her arms to make it all one big production. So funny!!

I am still amazed at the big words she is able to pronounce and say at the appropriate times in her sentences! Examples: "I want pancakes Mommy. I love pancakes, they are delicious!" "Mommy, the mountains are beautiful. Can we touch them?" The list goes on and on!!

We have also started playing a matching game using little animal cards. She is able to match them by picture and color! She has also started counting backwards from 10-1! She closely watches EVERYTHING I do and tries to mimic me - so I need to be very alert! One thing that is really cool is that she sees me exercising and will often announce that she is going to exercise and will mimic something I have done. I feel really proud about that and hope that she continues to to enjoy "exercising" as she gets older.

Speaking of exercising...I am doing well with my marathon training. I run at least 4 times a week - two of which are long runs and two short recovery or interval runs. I have also started Pilate's to help with stretching and soreness. And of course I still do light weight training. I take one day off a week! I really feel confident that I will be ready for the 13 mile run in Jan. I am NOT feeling confident however, about the fundraising!! I still need to raise $900 by the end of December! I have had NO donations yet and that really stresses me out.

I feel so much passion for this charity and I feel others may not see the importance of such an organization. Obese kids means the cycle of obesity continues into adulthood. As tax payers, we all pay for adult obesity!!

Many of these kids don't even get PE classes anymore in school because of all of the budget cuts!! I honestly don't know what I would have done as a kid if I wouldn't have had PE classes and after school programs where I could use running as an emotional outlet. Many of the kids that are served by this organization are at-risk kids who are living in low income single parent families. Growing up in a low income single parent family is hard for these kids - I know because I was one of them. My Mom was awesome but she was very busy working and there was a LOT of stress!! I took on a lot of that stress as a kid!! One of the most important outlets for all of that stress was running and playing sports!! Unfortunately, with all of the budget cuts in schools, these same opportunities for these kids have been taken away! Without a healthy outlet for these kids, obesity and behavioral issues are only going to increase!! This is why I have such a passion for this organization. It's one of few organizations that is really having a first hand impact on these kids - who, by the way - didn't even make the choices that caused them to be in a low income single parent family!!

When I think about my past, my childhood in particular, I am so amazed at where I am at today. There is so much about my past that most people don't even know about. My Mom bless her heart, did the best she could under the circumstances we were in. She was a proud women who experienced more than anyone should have to, yet, her heart remained big and she carried no bitterness! It's because of my Mom, God, and my inner determination that I am where I am at today. Many times I get lost in my thoughts and lose touch of how far I have really come in my life. As a little girl, I could only dream of where I wanted to be one day - and here I am!! I have an amazing loving husband, a beautiful - wonderful daughter, an awesome stepson, Ziggy & Zoey, amazing extended family, a beautiful home, money to buy food and pay bills, a functioning body and mind, and so much more!

Wow...kind of got took this post in a direction I wasn't planning. But I sure do have a new perspective now!