Special Moms

This weekend I had the opportunity to spend four days with some other moms from my special moms group. This is a group of ladies who all have children with special needs. These women have inspired me with their stories. Isn't that what God wants us to do, share our stories? We were able to laugh, talk, laugh some more and even get a little teary eyed! IT WAS GREAT! Everyone needs friends like these.

Thank you to my friends for what you gave to me to lift my spirit and nourish my soul! In sharing your stories I know that I am not alone:
Thank you D. for providing the home, for sharing your challenge in getting your hubby to take care of himself. I can so relate.
To C. for reminding me to not forget to be a woman and that being married can be fun. I have met a new friend.
To J. for your openness in saying, I LOVE YOU, words we often feel but rarely say outside our family
To H. for your spiritual insight, for reminding me to give without expectation and to pay attention to that God voice.

You are all amazing, beautiful and strong women, I am grateful to have you in my life!

I was also able to run this weekend, 8 miles in the state park. I saw raccoons, a whole line of them munching with very little concern for me. It was quiet and beautiful. The run itself was a little tougher than usual because I forgot to eat. After 40 minutes I was beginning to struggle with the thought, Why am I doing this! But much like life, I kept on running knowing that it would eventually be over and I would feel great. Which I did. Keep on going, life gets better, and the rewards are great.

I read this from Richard Rohr: If you can't run, like my Brendon can't find something else, honor your body.
St. Paul says in his analogy of the body, "if one part is hurt, all parts are hurt with it. If one part is given special honor, all parts enjoy it…[and] it is precisely the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest which are the indispensable ones, and it is the least honorable parts of the body that we clothe with the greatest care" (I Corinthians 12:26, 22-23).

Blessings,
M

Blind Running

Today was my long run. I wasn't sure when this week I would be able to get in the 8 mile long run that was part of my training this week. And putting it on my calendar in advance for some reason leads me to dread the day. Today was a relaxed Sunday, with no agenda, a perfect time to run. The sky was cloudy and the temperatures were in the low 80's, a little humid but thankfully cloud cover.

I have been wanting to run the big hill off Long Hollow, straight up, but have always found an excuse to not run it. Today was the day. Straight up I went, it was long. I used the distance to run with my eyes closed, something I will do on a hill that is really hard. I put myself in the place of a person with blindness. How is the world different from that point of view? I close my eyes, thinking of Gavin, my friends son who has blindness as a result of prematurity. I thought of the person this year who completed the Country Music Marathon. How did they do it? I tried to pay attention to the sounds. It was quiet. And I became aware. I could only close my eyes a few minutes before I'd had to see what was going on. I would test myself trying to run a little longer with my eyes closed. On one of my blind trials I began veering off the road, opening my eyes just before I ran off the road. All you runners out there, try it, view the world from a different perspective. Appreciate the great gift our eyes are and the utter awe of those without their sight and how God allows them to view the world.

The rest of the run was peaceful. I love runs like the one I did today. It was quiet, with sights to see, hay bales, a family of quail, the stream that is very low right now, a few cars, a smashed turtle, and frog in the road, some buzzards. I was comfortable.

"I will run with perseverance the race that is set before me"

Blessings for a peaceful day,

Michele

July 4 5K

Happy July 4th to everyone. Nine years ago, today I was beginning a journey I would never have chosen but now would never change. today is Brendon's 9th birthday. We celebrated by doing our first 5K race. The weather was humid but cool and cloudy, with a light drizzle at the start that ended shortly after we crossed the start line. Andrew, Ryan and I started out pushing Brendon. The course was hilly but not steep. It was a little crowded at the start, even though we were at the end of the pack. Negotiating and trying not to run anyone over with the stroller was a challenge and Ryan and I were trying to figure out how to run together with Brendon. My goal was to get to two miles and have Ryan take over toward the finish. I made it... almost. Heading up a hill around mile two, I was feeling tired. I wasn't getting into a smooth rhythm. My breathing was heavy, I ws sweating and was worried about running someone over. I noticed I was going to have to be patient. We would get behind a person or group of people and couldn't just whip around them. So we followed, watched and waited for an opportunity to pass. Another opportunity to practice patience. I was prepared for this to happen but it didn't make things easier. I think the mental energy was making me physically tired. I've never been very good at patience. So right before mile two I ad Ryan take over with little effort he pushed Brendon. I struggled to keep up. Ryan and Brendon were ready to take off. Mom was hanging back, saying,"slow down!" "Come on mom, let's go, mom's slow, are you ready mom?" These were the questions fired off from Brendon and Ryan. But they were smiling , enjoying the energy of youth and making fun with their old mom.

The finish line was quickly approaching. "Are you ready mom...ok, let's go", and away we went. "I am focusing my eyes on the prize that is set before me." was the only thing I could think of. At the finish the cameras awaited as Fox 17 news was doing a story on us. All I could think of was, "I can't pass out here with the cameras rolling, gotta make it look good, don't make such a scrunchy pained face for the camera!" And across we ran in 29:24. YEA!

Relief and gratitude and a sense of accomplishment, under 30 minutes, pushing a stroller, I was surprised at my own ability. I couldn't have done it without the encouragement of my boys. I was so grateful to Ryan, he slowed down to allow us all to finish, he could have zoomed past me! I'm proud of Andrew who finished a little behind us. We are now a running family. Hot, sweaty, but newly energized, we met Scott Couch with Fox 17 for our interview. I was able to be somewhat articulate though I can only imagine what I looked like! I probably should have hid behind the stroller. We'll see, the interview airs tonight on Fox 17 news at 9:00.

Blessings, and thanks for being a part of our story.

Perseverance

Gosh sometimes the my limitations in handling frustrations are so present. Ten minutes into the posting of this blog, because I forgot my password I was ready to say forget it, it's not worth it. But I persevered and here I am.

Great news, Rachel and I talked (she and their husband have started a non profit organization called Team Mcally). Because of my purchase of the running stroller Advanced Medical will be donating two strollers to their organization. Yea.

Update on the stroller, they delivered the wrong one, and are to pick it up. It was scheduled to be picked up yesterday! Guess what, it's still sitting on my porch! I hate ordering by mail, especially when it's something large like this. Almost without fail, I end up with a problem to solve. Another opportunity to persevere!

Perseverance has been the gift taking action to bring to the awareness the needs of children with special needs. Through the perseverance of training for the marathon I am putting my story out there. My son is a visible reminder of all that is possible if we just persevere. The strength comes is we have the courage to trust.

For all my friends and family, Fox 17 locally will be doing a feature story on Brendon as we will be doing our first training run this July 4 in Hendersonville at Drakes Creek park. So all you local friends I will let you know when it is aired. Wouldn't it be great if it got picked up nationally? Let's keep our fingers crossed. I am working to make a contact in Virginia. Anyone know anyone?

"So run with perseverance the race that is set before you!"

Minor Annoyance

Life is filled with minor annoyances. Little things that happen on a daily basis that make our life inconvenient, frustrating and downright stressful. How we choose to handle these events determines our peace of mind in any given moment. Today was one of those days. The running stroller finally arrived, a week ago. It has been sitting in our garage for a week because I was relying on my husband to put it together. As it came in a little box, I anticipated hundreds of pieces with complex directions and frankly was not up to it so I asked my husband to handle it. Today, he had the time and put it together. Into the bedroom he came, while I was relaxing and reading to let me know it did not look like the stroller that I had borrowed from Tommy. Upon investigation, it is the wrong stroller. GREAT!! Just GREAT! (and a few other words) Back to the receipt, and return policy on the Internet, phone call, e-mail and wait until Monday to see what the outcome is. I'm just not sure if the error is mine (which I have automatically assumed, and the error I've already figured out will cost me $200.00) or the error was on the part of the company. Why am I jumping to conclusions without waiting for the customer service to call me back? Why am I putting myself through the worst case scenario? All I can do at this point is to wait until Monday.

These are the little events that occur as a result of living life. Compared to the big things, death, financial ruin, illness, is this really such a big deal? But these are the daily events I often choose to go crazy over!

I think I'll concentrate on paying attention to all the things that go smoothly in my life, at least until the next annoyance!

Have a blessed day, pay attention to all things that occure without incident, inconvenience or annoyance!

M



"I am running, with perseverance the race that is set before me."

Humility

I will never in my life have as much humility as Brendon. This is something that comes naturally to him, and I have to work hard at everyday! Brendon knows the humility of relying on others. When you can't dress yourself, use the restroom or even turn over in bed you know humility and the importance of relying on others. You know the importance of having others in your life to help you. You know that God didn't leave you in this world to be alone, or to figure things out for yourself. I often have thought with sadness that Brendon would never be able to run, do yoga, or anything the physically active can do. Over time I have changed my thinking. But there are things Brendon experiences that I may never know. I may never know the total dependence on others and the faith that my needs will be met through no action on my part. I will probably not be featured on a television news cast, get to fly as copilot in an airplane, have a group of Tennessee Tech students work to modify a bicycle for me, be a guest at the Shriners Circus or any of the other numberous things Brendon has been able to do because of his disability. As his mother I am challenged to figure out ways to include Brendon and this year he will get to cross the finish line of a 1/2 marathon. How many 9 year old children can accomplish this, or are even given the opportunity to do it? I have become willing to accept his disability not as a negative event in his life but an opportunity to think of things in another way. God has given me all I need to take care of him and God will continue to put people in his path that will be there for him. For this I am grateful.

" You've had more than enough teachings. You have been given everything you need in order to be free. It's time for you to go out in the world and live a happy life!" -Eat, Pray, Love p. 313

M

Thank You Team Hoyt

I would like to thank first Tommy Mcauley (at T.E.A.M Mcauley, check out their non profit) for the use of your stroller, for being at local races and showing me what is possible for a running mom, and for inspiring me to take my own physical journey with Brendon. Thank you for also connecting me to TEAM Hoyt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS596VsNEOE, this is a father son who raced with his son in the 60's, an unheard of feat at the time. I think you will be moved by this short video. Thank you all parents who have come before me to make the road a little easier for Brendon and I. And thank you for all the parents taking wondrous journeys and putting their children out there for all to enjoy.

Brendon is going to be a celebrity again, many of you got to see him last year at the MDA telethon Labor Day 2007. Scott Couch from Fox 17 will be doing a follow up story on Brendon for the 2008 telethon on our new journey to finish the Virginia Beach Marathon. More detail to come.