Full Circle

I had another 5K race today.  Not my best performance - but pretty good all things considered.  "All things" include not being able to run for the past 2 weeks and only getting 5 hours of sleep last night due to my twins birthday sleepover.  I didn't have a fantastic race - but it was better than anything I was doing even last summer - so I'm pretty pleased.

After the 5K race today there was a "Fun Run" for the kids and such.  Only 3/4 mile.  My daughters really wanted to participate in it.  Neither of them really run (they are only in first grade) - though they are always asking to go running with me. 

So the whistle blew to start the race.  My one daughter took off like a shot!  Marissa was out there keeping up with all the boys - blowin' her mama away (in all fairness I had just completed a 5K - but I digress).  I was more concerned about Megan running out of steam.  We ran it together - holding hands most of the way.  (Good lord I can't even type this without getting all weepy!)  She would start to peter out and complain that she couldn't do it and I would say "Megan - you are doing so great!  You are running with mommy!  You can do it!"  She would get a burst of energy and take off in front of me.  When we turned the last corner to get to the finish line I started yelling at her "Come on!  Go faster!  You can beat your mama!"  And she did - she took off sprinting the finish line.  And after she crossed she turned around with the biggest smile on her face - "MOM!  I did it!  I did it!  I didn't think I could do it - but I did it!"  And I couldn't find Marissa anywhere - a friend grabbed me and said "She took off to do another lap - you did 3 laps - she's determined to do 3, too."

They all got medals for running the Fun Run - probably the best part of the day for them!

And so here is my full circle.  I always said I had this surgery as much for my kids as I did for myself.  I wanted them to have a healthy and happy mommy - and I wanted to be a better example to them.  I feel like it's all coming full circle now.  Is this the mommy that they will have memories of?  Instead of "fat mommy"?  The one that ran with them?  The one that ran races and exercised and made that a priority?  Even my husband has been losing weight and his clothes are totally hanging on him.  Our actions now are changing reality for our family.