Team World Vision Virtual 6K

I am struggling to put this experience into a coherent story, so just stay with me. My heart is so full, and I want the world to know it.  But that picture above. That joy plastered across Griffin's face. Priceless. My chest practically bursts open every time I look at it.

On March 22nd (World Water Day), I had the privilege of running a Virtual 6K with Griffin. The race was put on through Team World Vision, and there were runners from EVERY state participating at one point or another throughout the day. The distance, 6K, was chosen because this is the average distance someone has to walk in order to access water (mostly dirty) in Africa. The $50 entry fee guaranteed that you would provide one person clean water for life within 6-9 months.

It is no secret that Team World Vision is near and dear to my heart. When I started running with TWV back in 2010, I had NO IDEA how much this organization would change my life physically, mentally, and spiritually. I had no idea that I was stepping into an INCREDIBLE community of people who are on fire for Jesus. I had no idea that I would become the healthiest I have ever been, both inside and out. I had no idea I would become so passionate about something I HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. I had no idea I would become determined to solve a problem I had never really thought about or comprehended. I had no idea that I would meet some of the most awe-inspiring people. My journey with Team World Vision has been nothing short of amazing, and I was stoked to finally share this community with Griffin.

It didn't take long for Griffin to want to run like me. In 2012, he ran his first 5K, and he was hooked. From that day forward, he has been asking all about when HE gets to run with Team World Vision. TWV typically does endurance races, so being that he was five at the time, I knew it would be quite some time before I allowed him to train for a half or a full marathon. But, this year, that all changed with the creation of the 6K.

Griffin was on board with running this race IMMEDIATELY, and one of the first things he said was, "Now I get to help provide people with clean water." Despite the fact that he is VERY new to typing, he took the time to email family and friends inviting them to cheer him on and donate on his behalf. He even talked to a few people in person. He was set on accomplishing a goal....which leads me to another story :)

I learned through this process that God is bigger than I give Him credit for, and Griffin's heart of servitude is capable of accomplishing more than I can ever imagine. When I originally asked Griffin if he had a fundraising goal a couple of weeks ago, he told me that he wanted to raise $800 because he is 8. I quickly let him know that his goal was rather large, so he changed it to $400 because that meant 8 people would gain access to clean water. "You know, cause I am 8." So, that became his goal. Well, by race day, family and friends had donated over $800 in honor of Griffin's race. God honored the desires of Griffin's heart. Not the goal of my choosing. Through others' generosity, He honored Griffin's original goal. HOW AMAZING IS THAT? We serve an amazing God.

You guys, I can't even begin to describe how truly AWESOME Sunday was. I have completed two full marathons and have fundraised a lot of money thanks to the generosity of others, so I know what it is like to be full of emotions at the start and end of a race. But nothing prepared me for the joy and pride I experienced doing this with my eight year old son. My little man ran 3.78 miles in just over 35 minutes. He had 17 people show up to cheer him on (a few even ran with us) and celebrate even though it was COLD.  Not only did I get to share my love of TWV with Griffin, we got to once again experience the love and support of some of our closest friends and family members. Words of encouragement were constant, and smiles were plentiful. Griffin prayed for support, and now 19 people will have clean water for life because of his desire to help change the world.

I am determined to help solve the clean water crisis in my lifetime folks, and I am so honored that so many of you have joined me (and Griffin) on that journey. It is hard, at times, to reflect about things that don't affect your day to day life. But TWV has helped me think outside of my little MN life, and I am beyond grateful for the support I have received thus far. To those of you that sponsored Griffin, cheered him on, or have sponsored me (through financial giving and/or running support) in the past, words of gratitude are not enough. Actions speak louder than words, and I am surrounded by people who act in such a way that gives me SO MUCH HOPE for the future. Thank you.

Happy 6th Birthday, Grayson!

Today we celebrate Grayson's 6th Birthday. While I occasionally worry about the size of my tiny man who packs a lot of energy in his 37 pound body, I absolutely LOVE that he is small for his age. I just bought a pair of 4T pants (which are slightly big) for my six year old, but I am perfectly okay with that. All it means is that I get to pretend he isn't growing up so fast :)

His enthusiastic smile from the picture above really says it all. Grayson has more energy than most people I know combined, but his enthusiasm for life is truly contagious. He gets excited about the littlest things, and he often makes me reflect upon what truly matters in life. It doesn't take much to make him smile, and pretty soon we all have smiles on our faces.

If I am honest, I worried about Grayson starting school this year.  A LOT. He doesn't do well with sitting still, and I worried school would be a disaster. Thankfully it has been the complete opposite. According to his teacher, he is a joy to work with and is uber respectful. We even found out that he has started working with an intervention specialist because he is ahead of where he needs to be academically. I am thankful they have already identified this in him because I believe this will decrease his chances of becoming bored with school. I am pretty sure he might get away with a few things because he has most of the women in his building charmed by his smile, but hey, he is liking school and learning. I'm not sure I can ask for much else.

Tennis continues to be his sport of choice, and he told me last week that he doesn't want to play soccer again this summer. I imagine he might change his mind when he watches his brother play, but I refuse to sign him up for something he doesn't want to do. Last month he ran his first bigger (and longer) race at the U of M, and he loved it. Griffin has always loved to run with me, but Grayson is hit or miss. However, it appears he might have been bitten by the running bug, so I foresee more running in his future. For now, he is more than content playing outside and taking tennis lessons at the PIT. He is also very much looking forward to PlayNet this summer.

                                                           

Another new hobby for Grayson is playing board or card games. I love being able to play a full game with both of my boys! I think Connect Four might be his favorite, but a close second is HANG MAN! Now that he can read and spell, he wants to play this always. His words started out pretty simple when we began playing in January, and it has been pretty awesome watching his choices become more and more challenging as he learns bigger words. 

                              

Speaking of summer, Grayson does NOT LIKE WINTER. I have always known that winter wasn't his favorite, but just the other day he said, "Mom, I would be SO happy if winter was only for one day." Me too, little man. Me too

.

Despite being rather small for his age, we have been super pleased with his eating this year. Legally, school has to provide Grayson a Gluten Free lunch option because of his diagnosis. I was pretty nervous about this because Grayson is definitely picky. Well, he has tried many new things this year, and he LIKES them :) He actually eats breakfast and lunch at school, and he prefers school meals to the ones we send. (This is not shocking considering my lack of cooking skills!) But let's be honest; I don't mind. It's less work for Brandon and me in the mornings.

Happy Happy Birthday little man! I can't imagine life without you and your compassionate heart. I am so excited for what God has in store for you this year!

Happy Half Birthday, Griffin!

On February 11th, Griffin turned 8.5 years old. While we celebrate Grayson's half birthday, Griffin REALLY cares about his half birthday. Because he doesn't get to  celebrate his real birthday at school, he brings in treats to school on his half birthday, and we also got a bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes.

I always like to write up a post on the kiddos' half birthdays because I like to keep record of what they are doing and loving at that given time. It is fun to see both boys grow up and develop their little personalities.

Griffin began playing tennis two days a week this winter (it will go back to one day a week when he begins soccer), and he is still LOVING it. We are so lucky to have the PIT so close to our house, and Dave and Dan are amazing coaches. While they shorten the court a bit, Griffin has begun to play actual games (not full matches) at most lessons...serves and all.

School has been interesting for Griffin this year. He LOVES reading and learning, but it is very obvious that he misses his teacher from last year, and he hasn't quite clicked with his 3rd grade teacher in they way he has with other teachers. He continues to excel in all subjects, but we often tell him to SLOW down. He would rather finish any and all schoolwork quickly so that he can dive nose first into Harry Potter :) He is now halfway through book seven, which means he has almost read the entire series. TWICE.

Running is still one of his passions, and I couldn't be happier. Well, I was a tad jealous when he brought home his record of a 7:02 mile at school, but I am ecstatic that he continues to enjoy one of my favorite activities. His farthest run with me to date is 4 miles, and he will run a 6K on March 22nd in honor of World Water Day.

His love of running has spilled over into soccer, and we are currently exploring soccer options this spring and summer. I don't know much about soccer, but I imagine his speed will help him excel! Speaking of spring and summer, we just signed Griffin up for a WHOLE WEEK of summer camp at Trout Lake. I am TERRIFIED of sending my first born son away for a whole week, but he is adamant that this will be the best week of his life.

One of my favorite activities Griffin has started doing this year is being my tech master when I teach at church. I LOVE volunteering with him, and I love that he has a heart to follow God. He is the youngest person that fulfills this role, and it is definitely a proud moment for me when we finish teaching :)

It's hard to believe how quickly he is growing up. I swear I can remember when he was born like it was yesterday. It amazes me how mature Griffin is, and I am constantly in awe over the questions he asks and his empathetic nature. I am blessed to call him mine. 

Could this poster from school get any better? (Click to make it bigger)

My Little Packer Fan

For about a year, Griffin has become more and more obsessed with football. He knows more about the game than I ever will, and Sundays have been devoted to watching too many games over the last year. He really doesn't have an interest in playing it, but he definitely enjoys cheering on the Packers!

Welcome to the 1920's

Kelsey through herself a birthday bash to say hello to her last her in the 20's. While I am not one to dress up much, it was fun to play a role for a bit. I enjoyed pretending to be something I am not :)

This is what all the cool kids do on New Year's Eve!

7 Days Later...

It has been seven days since the 2014 Twin Cities Marathon. Seven days since I embarked on the arduous (and crazy) task of running 26.2 miles for the second time. Seven days since I crossed the finish line in euphoria. Seven days since the 69th kiddo was sponsored. Seven days since I committed to a third. (Shocker.)

It's really hard to put last Sunday into words. Truly, the word euphoric has been thrown around quite a few times, but even that word doesn't quite do Sunday justice. I ran 26.2 miles. And I enjoyed it. Seriously, how do those words even fit into the same sentence? But here's why.

This whole training season was such an incredible experience. While there was always a little bit of trepidation about 26.2 miles, my level of fear this time around was NOTHING compared to last year. And with a lack of fear comes enjoyment. Enjoying the process. Enjoying the exhaustion. Enjoying the pain. Isn't that how life is? When we take away fear, enjoyment tends to come a little easier. I trusted that God made me a part of Team World Vision for a reason. I began looking forward to Saturday mornings. While I started to dread my long runs during the week, I NEVER stopped loving those long weekend runs with my teammates. I trusted that I could do hard things. I trusted that God would work in the hearts of me, my family, and my friends to meet the needs of people who are desperate for clean water. I trusted my journey.

The generosity of my family and friends was UNBELIEVABLE this year! $3,475 later, 69 people will now have clean water. 69 people will now have new lives. EVERY time I was alerted of a donation a smile would appear on my face. I felt so supported, and I was stoked that my family and friends were helping me change the world. 

And then I had a freak out moment when my training partner got injured. I was obviously devastated for Scott. He had trained so hard all season, and for a few days he wasn't even sure he could attempt running. But selfishly, I was also devastated for me. Both of us pace the same, and we had agreed to do a walk/run combination during the last month of our training. What was I going to do? I prayed over and over that week for God to heal Scott and for my anxiety over possibly running alone to diminish.

Well, thankfully God orchestrated another plan through my brother, aka Eric, and Elise. I hadn't run too many times with Elise prior to race day, but during our 20 mile training run she ran with Scott and me and attempted the walk/run combination. She agreed to run that way on race day. To be honest, I wasn't thoroughly convinced she would want to stick with me during the whole race, so I voiced my concern to my older brother.

Both came through for me on October 5th. While Scott, Newton, Elise, Andrew, and I started out together, Newton and Scott took off early in the race. As a result, Elise, Andrew and I set off together looking out for one another. I couldn't have asked for a better race. First, knowing my brother had my back made the WORLD of difference for my confidence levels. When I learned he would run with me that day, I was beyond excited. Despite having a sore Achilles from the moment I crossed the starting line, my fear began to dissipate knowing my brother would do everything in his power to get me to that finish line. Andrew appealed to that competitive side in me, and Elise appealed to my emotional and spiritual side. Praying with her on the course was an incredible experience I will never forget. Her Team World Vision Jersey also brought a smile to my face many times. I often heard strangers call her name or cheer for Team World Vision, and in return, I rationalized they were also cheering for me :)

And then there were my spectators. Every few miles I was blessed with seeing a familiar face. EVERY one of my siblings came to support me. Christopher, Le'Dean, and Jeff (along with Henry and Ella) joined Brandon, Griffin, Grayson, and Samuel and cheered us on at multiple locations. I loved hugging my family members! Holly, Anny, and Gwen saw me FOUR times on the course. My friend Holly O. came out around mile ten. Scott's family cheered me on multiple times, and so did a large group of other Team World Vision supporters. Brent and Kiley were somewhere around mile 13. My friend Becca saw me at three different spots. The Flint Family and the Bostrom Family helped me conquer Summit. Kelsey joined the rest of the family on Summit, and my friend Amy walked back after her 10 mile race to cheer me on close to the finish line. I can't even begin to describe how important spectators are during a race. Seeing family and friends simply makes the race go by that much faster. Every time I saw someone I knew, I would get this little burst of energy that prompted me to push my limits even more.

Last year I was so delirious by the time I reached Summit that I contemplated quitting many times. I was so out of it that I didn't even see the Cathedral. That big beautiful church right before mile 26. Nope. Didn't see it. This year, my fastes splits were at the END of the race. I didn't contemplate quitting once. And you better believe I started looking for the Cathedral around mile 25 :) While I did begin to fade towards the end, Andrew knew that I had a time goal, and he knew exactly how to get me there. He slowly inched in front of me knowing I would do my best to stay on his heels. When we reached the Cathedral, Elise took off like the Rockstar that she is, and my brother kept me going. We crossed the finish line with my exact goal time--9:45/mile. Prior to the race, Andrew asked if I would run another marathon. I told him I didn't know if I would. Half marathons were looking mighty appealing. Steps after we crossed the finish line of the Twin Cities Marathon, I turned to him and said I would run again :)

 RACE day Jamberry Nails!

 TEAM WORLD VISION!!!

                                     
                       Photo from Gwen @ Mile 3                                                      Photo from Gwen...Mile 13??

 AWESOME SIGNS!!!

 Even BETTER signs :)

 Favorite Picture #1

Favorite Picture #2

 WE DID IT!!! I have the BEST big brother EVER!!!

 The man who started it all :)

SCOTT---I can't begin to count how many miles we have logged together...Thankful to train with this fine captain!

 ROCKSTAR Elise!

 Post-Marathon Feast

 FINISHER SHIRT!!!

If you have ever thought (even for a moment) about running a half or full marathon, DO IT! My time with Team World Vision has been LIFE CHANGING! I am healthier and happier, and I am passionate about bringing that health and happiness across the globe. If running isn't your thing, there are many ways to be involved with TWV. You can click HERE to donate money for clean water. $50 literally changes a life. We also LOVE volunteers who help us out on training runs and race day. Get involved. I promise you won't regret it!