I stood with tears welling up in my eyes as I watched Preslie run each and every lap today! I laughed at times but found myself overcome with emotion! She is so precious to me. She melts my heart! I am so grateful that God knew how much our family needed her in our lives. She came to save my life from cancer, I am sure of that - but in the process she adds so much to our lives I cannot begin to explain it!
She has such determination and such a joy about her. People constantly comment on how she is always smiling, always happy and fun-loving. She really is (most of the time) and as she ran and ran her smile never faded - she was having a blast!
I think there was so much emotion with me because I just realize each and every day how fleeting this season of my life is and how much I love it. How much I will miss it because I cannot freeze time and keep her 5. She is growing up so fast! I sometimes forget because she feels like she is so big I am almost convinced at times. But then I see reality and I know that Preslie is so so young in so many ways. I call her my baby and she always corrects me and no matter how many times I TRY to explain I don't mean she is a baby but she is my baby, she refuses to let me refer to her that way. Her chubby little hands, her sweet innocence, little voice and simple outlook are sure signs that she is so young and having a 16 year old and a 5 year old shows such a gap that daily I am reminded in so many ways she is still such a baby. But today, she was big! No one held her back and she was determined to run the race and run it well. She did. She ran for 20 minutes pretty much non-stop. She completed 11 laps and we figure it was atleast a mile and likely more.
Addison is an old pro at this - she socialized a bit more on the walk/run but still completed 13 laps. She had a good time with her friends. She has a boy named Cal in her class. Cal has always had health issues. Big ones. But he too has a huge determination and he ran today. He completed 8 laps and the cheers and encouragement from those 3rd graders to Cal was priceless to watch! It also reminded me how fortunate we are that we don't have to work at walking or running. How grateful I am that all four of our children are healthy and strong and can do whatever they set their mind to!
The Annual Walk-a-thon ~
Addison warming up for the walk-a-thon!
rounding the turn
Addison and her friends encouraging the kindergarteners with high 5's!
All smiles running the laps!
The snack and the water! 
1 comment:
Looks like they had a great time!
You are a proud mom, as you should be!
On a more superficial note, your girls have gorgeous hair! :D
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