What a month, but first ---

I have not blogged since March 2. I will do an update blog by the beginning of next week. It has been a great month, full of friends, family and celebration!

I am here today, though, to put a plug in for my MS Walk team. So far, the team includes Connor and former daycare provider/friend/Kiera's Godmother, Sherri, in addition to me. If there is anyone reading this who would like to join our team, we would love to have you. If, for some reason, who cannot actually walk with us, you can still join our team. There is a virtual walker option! Isn't that great?! If you would prefer to not join the team and you don't really want to fundraise, that's ok too. What we could, of course, use is financial support. Every dollar counts. Please consider make a tax deductible donation today. Seriously, every dollar counts. If you can give $1, $5, $10, $100....any amount works! $3.19, $4.26, $5.28, $6.16....whatever you can afford, however you want to give...it is all appreciated. Not just by us. But, by the National MS Society and everyone who is supported by the National MS Society.

Here's the link:
MS Walk Modesto 2012 -- TEAM --> Rock-Walkin for Nana K

Please check it out and see how you can help. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Why I Walk

After years of symptoms, varying thoughts shared by at least one doctor, and finally another doctor seeing things through, my mom was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It was August 1993. She was 43 years old, just eight years older than I am now. I was 16. I walk for my mom. I walk for other moms like her. I walk for caregivers like my dad and me. I walk for 16-year-old girls hearing of a parent's MS diagnosis for the first time and not fully grasping what it all means. In my senior year of high school, I changed back to my regular high school from the LA County HS for the Arts. I did this because dad had taken a new job 300 miles north of where we lived, so he was home less. Mom needed more help. And, mom was facing not being able to work much longer. In October 1994, my mom had to stop working. My mom who loved teaching. My mom who loved working with eighth graders (of all students!)...My talented, beautiful mom came home after her last day and cried. All I could do was sit with her. I have walked in MS Walks before. I have walked in LA, Modesto, and Knoxville (TN). I took a few years off from the MS Walk (like 15 years!) but in getting myself back, I am getting back to the things that I love and that I have always supported. I support the Ms Society because I believe that with time we can live in a world where MS no longer exists. But in the meantime, we can provide support and services to those who have MS and to their caregivers and loved ones.

I know of at least four other people who have MS, connected in some way to our family. Chances are you know someone who has MS or a friend-of-a-friend....Please consider helping us today. Need that link again?
HERE YOU GO!

Let the celebrating begin

We are now a full day into the third month of the year. Where has the time gone? Seriously, at the end of this month, we will be 1/4 of the way into the year. Crazy! The cool thing, though, is that it is March! This is the month that I set aside for celebrating 35! I do not want to turn 35. I want to embrace it and celebrate it in any way I can.

That starts this weekend.

I am meeting two friends. One is divorced. The other is in the process of divorce. The second is the one with whom I am writing the book. This weekend will include some research. It will include some sharing of ideas. It will include some writing. And, of course, it will kick of the celebrating. I am incredibly thankful for this opportunity. This will be the longest I have been away from both kids. I came up with a travel plan that has me leaving after dinner tonight and home in time for dinner on Sunday. They have a visit with their dad tomorrow. I really won't be away from them all that much. I will only miss one dinner and yet, it feels like it will be an eternity. That makes me all the more thankful for my two friends who will help me enjoy the weekend. There is much to do and enjoy  in the next two days. I am excited! I am really excited!

Two weeks from Sunday is the half marathon I am doing. Just two weeks to go! I can hardly believe it! Someone mentioned the Northern California Survivor Mud Run to me yesterday. I am totally interested in doing it, but I think it will be far more fun with a group of people. So, I've started talking to friends to see who would like to do it. I think we're going to try to shoot for next year. That gives me another goal and another thing to look forward to! I love it!

A couple of weeks ago, I came to realization that I am really happy with my church involvement and the things I am doing with my two beautiful children. I felt at ease with where I am in life. I was totally ok with it. Then, at the beginning of this week, I had myself convinced (with a little nudging from a friend) that I should start seeing what (who) is out "there" and go from there. So, I started poking around the Christian Mingle and Match websites. I admit it, I got very interested and caught up in it all. What I have since realized is that I preferred where I was two weeks ago. I was happy. I was content. I was in a good place. I wasn't worried about where I was going or what I was doing or who I was meeting (or not meeting). I was just living life for myself, for my kids, and for God. I am trying to return myself to that place of contentment where I felt I was living a good life. I am not ready to get caught up in whatever games people play. I am not ready to see what or who is out "there" for me. If I have some fun, I have some fun. Fun is a good thing. I can do fun. But, I don't need a man in my life right now. I have learned that I don't need a partner...I survived long enough without a true partner and I am doing just fine now. I do not feel as if there is anything missing from my life. So, for some that race to the finish may be what they need. But I do not. I think I'll stick with run-walking a marathon and starting to prepare for the mud run. That's enough race for me. I have a full and fullfilling life. And I am ready to have some fun.

Sp, let the celebrating begin! CELEBRATE 35!!! Woo-hoo!