Race for the Cure

Those of you who know me know that I love runs.  The atmosphere is just awesome.  Everyone coming together, no matter their physical level, and running to support a cause and get active is just the type of people I love to be around.  I ran in my first race when Emma was 4 months old.  It was a family friendly, tiny 5K in Lyman, SC, supporting fallen soldier's families.  My friend Tammy talked me into it and I was nervous as all get-out, but Steven came with me and that was just the confidence booster I needed.  Emma Claire also came with us - in her jogging stroller - and I just got hooked on doing runs with my kids from that moment.

I just love doing it with them!

I want my kids to see me doing what I teach them.  Does anyone else know how tough that is?  

I hope my kids learn that life is service, at least it should be, and it's not about them.  I also want them to learn that being healthy and staying active is important.  Runs are one way I hope to show them this.  My heart just melts when Emma will point out a runner we see on the side of the road and say, "She's running!  She's making her heart stronger."  

I pray that they get it!

UPS {Steven's company} was a huge supporter of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure run this past weekend.  We woke the kids up bright and early and headed to downtown Tulsa for the big {over 12,000 people} event.

I'm not sure if Steven is laughing over the pink bandanna on the guy's head or me making off-color comments about some of the t-shirts we kept seeing.  

  

While Steven volunteered, me and the kids played on the stadium's playground...

Now, I wasn't planning on running this one, partly because I had heard about it only a couple days before the event, and partly because I've been having nursing issues, so I've cut out all exercising.

But you know, just being there, made me want to do it so so bad. 

Steven's boss offered me her race bib and said I could take her place if I wanted.  I. WAS. PUMPED. :-)

I didn't have my jogging stroller with me, but I had on my running shoes I've had since high school, and that's all I figured I needed.

Here we are just before jumping into one of the 5K heats...

Poor Shiloh's head looks so awkward with the car seat handle down.  I sure hope it wasn't like that the whole race. :-(

Emma stayed behind with Daddy and helped him with bag check.

Here I am all finished and just a little pale. ;-)  

I tried to edit some color into me, but you all might as well know I was on the verge of throwing up.  So if I look like it, your conclusions are correct.

I think Keller got bored, so he took a nap almost the whole time we were running, if that gives you any idea what a slow poke I am.

And Shiloh was such a sweet little racing buddy the whole time.  She was singing so sweet at points I just wanted to cry because we were having so much fun...and partly because I wished she acted like that all the time.

McDonalds was there handing out free Mango Pineapple Smoothie {my absolute favorite} samples.  

I was on cloud nine...

It also kept the girls quiet for 5 minutes, so Steven and I were both on cloud nine.

Another thing you probably know about me is that I don't eat red meat.  I'm not proud of it, I just don't.  But if you also know me, you know I always leave room for exceptions to my rules.   Maybe the meats better out here...we are in Oklahoma after all.  Or maybe it's because I haven't tasted steak in a really really looong time.  Or maybe it's because I had just ran a race I shouldn't have run, so it just felt right to eat it.  Whatever it was, it tasted good y'all!

 

We had such a fun morning and it made my whole weekend.

And if you've hung in with me all the way to the end of this long post, God bless you!  

Interior design/thrifting makeovers are on the radar screen for next week!