Running is easy, reading is much harder!

Monday mornings are rough sometimes. Annie loses it because I woke her up and picked out clothes she didn't like. Gracie is trying to brush teeth without getting toothpaste in her hair or on her clothes because today is school picture day and we want to look "Extra Beautiful." And before we know it, once again we are running late getting out the door and all I can do is summon my waning patience so that our ride to school is enjoyable and stress-free as possible.

On the way to school Gracie began sharing her frustration of NOT being able to read the books in her book basket at school.  In true Gracie fashion, she immediately began to say “I Can’t” and “I will never be able to  . . . “ and “It’s too hard.” Fearing that she might become an adult, who like her mother is challenged to believe that she can, in fact do hard things, we talked about belief and changing the way you think. Heavy for a Monday morning drive to Kindergarten, maybe, but it was happening and I had a choice to make; I could shrug it off as no big deal, hoping she’d get over it, or I could engage and strive to make the most of this seemingly small moment. The next ten minutes included a conversation about how sometimes things in life are hard, but we have to believe we can instead of we can’t.

Like me, Gracie needs evidence and a visual to reinforce her belief. So I immediately gave her an example I thought she could grasp. I said to her, “Remember last year when Mommy ran the ½ marathon? Do you think that was hard or easy?” Gracie acknowledged that it was probably hard. I proceeded to tell her that I had felt much the same way she did. I didn’t think that I could do it, it seemed too hard;; but Chelsea had told me I could do it and Daddy had told me I could do it and “What did you and sissy tell me?” I asked her.

“You can do it” she responded.

“And did I do it?’

“Yes Mommy,” she replied, “but that was easy; that was running and I’m trying to read and that’s A LOT harder!”

And then there's that. This child of mine will most likely never be easily persuaded! So I did the only other thing I could think of in that moment . . . I said, “Gracie, you are right. Sometimes in life there are going to be things that are really hard, but you have to believe that you can do them. Daddy has taught me, and his cross country boys and he teaches the new people from church that you have to believe you can do something before you can do something. And do you know what God says?”

“What mommy?”

“Repeat after me . . . God says . . . I can do”

A barely audible voice from the backseat echoed, “I can do . . .”

“All things through Jesus . . .”

“Annie – you say that part . . . c’mon Annie we should do it together.”

"No. I don't want to. You do it."

I tried again. “C’mon Gracie you can do this. Annie can to, but if she doesn't want to, leave her alone. Let’s start again.”

“I can do all things . . .”

“Okay Mommy. I can do all things . . .” she replied a bit louder this time.

“Through Jesus who gives me strength!”

“Through Jesus who gives me strength.”

And for the final 3 minutes drive to school, she repeated the verse complete with arm motions and enthusiasm in her voice. Annie even chimed in a few times too. In the final moments waiting in the parent drop-off line, I reminded her that if she had a hard situation, or if she sat down to read and her brain said she can’t, to remind her brain that “I CAN do all things through Jesus who gives me strength.”

“But Mommy, reading is really hard, I can’t do it . . .”

“Gracie, daddy has taught me that you have to believe you can, even if you think you can’t. You have to change the way you think and what does God say . . .?”

“I can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength”

That’s right Gracie girl.

And with that it, she got out of the car and ran up the long sidewalk all by herself into her great big world. This morning I was vividly reminded that moments like this are the little things that become BIG things.  With a lump in my throat because I could not go with her into that great big school today, I choose to believe that she is not alone and that she is equipped to handle whatever this day brings. Today Gracie wasn't the only one who had to remember to believe that with God’s help we can do hard things..

Things Change . . . Keep Runnin

Eight months ago today the world changed. Yeah, I know the world changes every day; but sometimes it's personal, sometimes the change is exhilarating, sometimes the change is painfully earth-shattering, but the change comes whether we want it to or not. 

Many of us (myself included) go through the motions of each day forgetting that in just a moment everything we know, everything that is familiar, and everything we think is lasting, is truly temporary and will change wether we are ready for it or not. I'm not the first to experience this, nor will I be the last, but last night I was reminded why stories matter and why our experience must be shared and the story retold. 

Late last night I learned of another young, teenage girl, here, close to home, who has been battling ED. I was reminded of how hard it is to get quality treatment and that for most families treatment is not affordable and how ludicrous insurance policies are when it comes to helping those battling an eating disorder. I won't jump on a soapbox, at least not here and now, but change needs to happen on a much bigger level so those suffering from all that is associated with eating disorders can truly move from illness to recovery. As I lie in bed last night I couldn't get my mind off of her, I couldn't get my mind off of Annie, and the timing of all of this prompts me to write, it reminds me why we run for bliss, and it stirs something within me that I cannot even

explain. It urges me to ask anyone reading this to donate to our iAMBliss team so that the life-changing late-night texts and phone calls communicate messages of hope and recovery, and not despair and devastation. Your money goes directly to scholarships that help make eating disorder treatment available through Project Bliss to those who would not otherwise be able to afford treatment. 

Read more about the Anne M Bowe Scholarship Fund and Project Bliss here.

iAMBliss was created so that lives could be changed for the better, so that the pain and agony that unexpected change can bring would not have to be experienced in other families the way it was in ours. We keep running the race that is set before us, but we run, we donate, we seek to help others heal because change is possible, because the indescribable hurt of losing a sister, a daughter, a friend, a loved one can be prevented for someone else.

For those who do not know: 

iAMBliss is a team of experienced and inexperienced runners and walkers who are excited to achieve their fitness goals and contribute to Project Bliss.

 

Joining iAMBliss means we join the fight to save loved ones - men, women, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts, dads, moms, and friends - from all that is associated with eating disorders.

 

iAMBliss ran its inaugural  race on October 20, 2013 in the Columbus Marathon! The Columbus Team more than doubled their fundraising goal, and raised $23,000. iAMBliss will be coming to Ft. Worth, Texas to run in the Cowtown Marathon on February 23, 2014.

Help our team reach our fundraising goals by donating here

Jeremiah 29:11 * #keeprunninAMB

it's the little things

I have this frustrating tendency to sometimes focus on the things that I don't accomplish in a days time. I make the lists, both tangible and intangible, and I check things off, but still I can stand and see only the things that I haven't accomplished. 

I truly believe that goals, dreams, checklists, to-do lists and whatnot are essential to life. But this fall is teaching me that sometimes, I have to realize that some things will just have to wait until later, if they are even worth doing at all.

I blame my sweet friends and amazing Wave group gals for loving me and challenging me this fall. I have been encouraged and inspired by several of you in ways you may not even know, so although it's been over three years since I have captured a moment in this blog, I will not apologize. I will not dwell on the moments and the days that have passed and I will not worry about the days I will miss in the future. Today I will celebrate the little things that make up the BIG things of life.

After a very hectic fall, we had a Friday night at home to get some things done and the girls wanted to put up some Christmas decorations while daddy finished some yardwork. Amidst the dinner preparations inside, I missed the moments of playing in the "clubhouse" but I did eventually drop what I was doing and go out to make the most of the moment. Long story short . . . Gracie and I ended up decorating the blue spruce all by ourselves. 

 I'm learning most times it's not about the days, it's about the moments.

Lots of fun in October

Well things definitely haven't slowed down! Lots of fun memories are being made before Mommy heads back to work next month. Daddy's cross country team, who just won districts on Saturday, has consumed our Saturdays, but it's been great to get out and enjoy the fall weather! We've been to an OSU skull session, watched lots of Buckeyes and Browns football games.





Since mommy has been home from work we took our first trip to the Coshocton County Fair! Annie slept the entire time, but Gracie got to see big pumpkins, ride tractors with Aunt Ha, ride the carousel with Nah and Nana Donna, and then have my first fair waffle like Mommy and Aunt Kels used to get!






Melma and Mymy came to visit again this month. We had lots of fun playing and spending time together. They took Gracie for an early birthday outing . . . to make a BruBru at Build a Bear!


This past weekend we went to Boo at the Zoo with Aunt Jaym, Uncle Brian, Mar-boo, Nah and Papa. It was pretty late and everyone was pretty tired, but we had fun dressing up for our first night as Minnie Mouse x2!








As always, more pics can be found on our shutterfly site: http://olingers23.shutterfly.com/

Well things certainly are changin' 'round here . . .

The first half of 2010 brought surprises, time-crunches, headaches and backaches, and unspeakable anticipation as we found out we were expecting our beautiful baby O #2, as we worked to successfully complete a track season and school year so that we could get our new home painted and prepared for baby girl. Summer brought some headaches as I attempted to complete a few grad classes, some backaches as we painted nearly every room in the house, and, thankfully, it brought some much needed time with family. In June we had our first Olinger Family beach trip with Mama and Papa O, Aunt Sara, Uncle Kurt and the boys. In July we spent some long-overdue days at Nana Donna's pool. It seems like just yesterday I was the little girl in pigtails jumping into the seemingly deep water to her mommy! In early August we finished up things around the house and my backaches and sleepless nights continued until the early morning hours of August 19, when I wondered if perhaps my water was breaking. By 7am I realized my water must be breaking . . . so off the hospital we went and by 6:40pm our beautiful Anne Elizabeth had made her entrance . . . 3 weeks earlier than expected. Thankfully she was healthy at 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and 19 inches in length. Mommy was also happy that she was such a peanut too.





The past five weeks have been chaotic and joyful, often at the same moment. We are so blessed to have such wonderfully supportive family and friends. We truly couldn't have adjusted in those early days without you and I'm sure we'll need you more as this journey we're on continues. I know many of you enjoyed reading Gracie Girl's blog, but as I realized how difficult it is to keep that up last spring, I thought perhaps it was time to start one for our family and perhaps allow the girls to make posts here instead. I don't know where this blog will take me, or you, but I know that our life is blessed beyond measure and I want to share as much of these precious, fleeting moments as I can. At times I may ramble, and others be too brief, but we're glad you're willing to experience the journey with us . . . as things keep changing around here!

Because uploading photos seems to take so long and I never seem to be able to post as many as I'd like because of the time, I'm really trying to keep things up to date on our Shutterfly site http://olingers23.shutterfly.com/.