I'm outta my mind!

Let me give you a little background on this whole running thing. As I said in my previous post, I am NOT a runner. Most people would say they are not runners. I think I need to use visuals here...worth a thousand words, right?

This is me....two months after Carter was born in 2004. Do I LOOK like a runner? (rhetorical question, please don't answer!)

Two years after that was taken, I had gastric bypass surgery. I lost a lot of weight (obviously) and I had the great idea that I could run a half marathon for my 30th birthday - after all, my best friend Katie did, so I could too! The result...(picture shrunk for the faint of heart)

I had to have two ligaments in my right ankle repaired. Turns out the many ankle rolls I'd had over years had stretched them too far. I didn't know until I was running about 3 miles and one morning, I just woke in excrutiating pain. I had to go through several months of physical therapy, then surgery, and then more PT (which I never completed because of my move to Arkansas and loss of insurance coverage).

So...you probably get the idea that I am truly NOT a runner!

Well, I wasn't, but I'm learning to change that train of though now. I found inspiration....in my kids. I run for my kids...after all, everyone had kids that make them go outta their mind occassionally, right?

I ran my first 5K in honor of Carter in April of 2012. It was the local Autism Involves Me Walk & 5K. We did the walk last year, but this year, I decided to run for him. My ears hurt so bad because it was 32 degrees when we started, but it was every bit worth it to show my support to my little guy.

After that race, a friend that ran it for us last year and this year and is on a triathlon team said, "Welcome to the addiction." Thanks Richard! I wasn't addicted! I hate running! Running is NOT fun!

Then I joined Crossfit Aftershock in May and ran the Cancer Challenge in June with my Crossfit coach (well, not with him....far behind him, but you get the idea!)

Richard is again part of this story...he ran a water station and threw a cup of water right up my nose! I'm going to hold that against him for awhile!

Shortly after that, the One Heart For Justice event (http://www.oneheartforjustice.com/) Richard and our friend Malinda (who has completed a couple of halves AND a full marathon) then began telling me I could do it. I told them I couldn't. Cause, remember, I'm NOT a runner!

A month later, I did a 2 mile mud run with obstacle course in Tulsa with Malinda and my friend Katie (remember, the one who prompted me to try when I was 29). It was a blast! We were the Arkansas Lady Piggies!

So, I'd already run for Autism, Cancer, and Firefighters Burn Camps.

I planned to run the One Heart for Justice 5K to support adoption grants and fighting human trafficking. That's a great cause!

But a half marathon...13.1 miles? NOPE! Too much - I couldn't do that! It would hurt to train and take so much time!

Time out! Reframe!

My daughter has Spina Bifida. She's had numerous surgeries, very painful surgeries, and struggles just to try to walk. Is the example I want to set for her one of "it's too hard, I'm not even going to try because it hurts and takes a lot of time a practice"? HECK NO!

Philipians 4:13 says I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. I want her to believe that!

So, I committed! I'm doing it! I'm running a half marathon on October 6th! I use the word run loosely...but...

I'M A RUNNER NOW!

I can do it for her...and you can help!

There are three ways you can get involved.

1) Sponsor me (kinda like a jog-a-thon or laps for life). I've created a chip-in with a link to the right of this blog. You can donate there for the funds to go directly to our paypal account. If you would like a tax deduction for your donation, you can go to http://gracehavenhome.com/?page_id=4 and make a donation through Grace Haven Ministries. Make sure to note Skaggs family in the comments and 100% of the donation will still go towards our adoption!

2) There is a 5K, Fun Run, Half-Marathon and Half-Marathon relay (partners each run 10K). Pick and event and participate with me in my daughter's name. We will have met her by then and will name the team after her. Your registration fee will go to support Titus Task and Ezekiel Rain. The purchase of a team T-shirt will support our adoption costs and you too can gather your own sponsorships, 100% of which will go towards the adoption.

3) Volunteer at the event and cheer our team on! There are volunteers needed to help make this event as successful as possible. Visit the website to learn more about this opportunity. And you can still order a team T-shirt even if you aren't running!

While my daughter is motivation enough, it would mean so much to have your support in the great endeavor I've taken on!

And as always, thank you for your prayers! We leave in 15 days, 20 hours, 13 min, and 22, 21, 20 seconds!

Kendra

Much Needed Update

So, I haven't blogged for two months. There are many reasons behind that...a lull in activity, discouragement along the way as families adopting from the region we are lost their children to death, bio families who came back, or other situations, and then the hustle of the new school year starting for Carter and I. Oh, and training to run a half-marathon....yep, that takes A LOT of time and energy for a non-runner (me!).

Two months of blogs....I think I'll give you cut & dry bullets.

• We leave on Sept. 14th for Mo$cow for our first of three required trips. We have an appointment with the Ministry of Education (their version of DHS) on the 17th to accept the official referral. Our Visas will arrive tomorrow. We were lucky to get 6 weeks notice of our appointment date so that we could save money on airfare and visas! This means, depending on how long it takes to get a court date, our girl will come home with us sometime between Christmas and Valentine's Day.

• We have three different options for staying while in-country that we are working on checking the details of...two include staying with people living in the country. We are so excited that another family adopting from the same orphanage will have an overlapping visit with us! We have been in contact with them from the beginning of this journey and are excited to meet them - if even only for one day.

• I'm training to run a half-marathon on Oct. 6th. You can visit http://www.oneheartforjustice.com/ to find out about this amazing event benefitting two local organizations that provide adoption grants and fight human trafficking. I'm going to write a whole post about this - why I'm doing it and how you can help, right after I finish this one.

• We need to raise $15,000 more to be fully funded. The half-marathon is a fundraiser for us (more in the next post), we are having a garage sale, the word is still out on one grant, and we plan to have a dinner, dance and auction in the beginning of Nov. We are also still selling Qdoba coupon sheets. You can read more about these on the fundraisers tab.

I think that's all for a cut and dry update. Stay tuned to find out more about the half-marathon. Did I mention I am NOT a runner?

Kendra