Katie's Visit

I'm taking a break from my solemate entries to share with you the last few days.  First of all, I want to say, my brain is so full of stuff, I'm not even sure where to start or how this will go, so bear with me as I try to capture this moment, you know me, I'm a talker, chances are this is going to be really long. . .

Let me back up to last summer.  David and I hit the 10 year mark with a bang, and not in a good way. David moved out for about a month which forced me to reevaluate my life and the direction I wanted to go.It was during that month that I first met Katie.  She was this young, 23 year old, passionate kid who was running across the country to inspire people to live their passion.  Hearing her message spoke deeply to me.  My passion at that time came down to two things, my kids and my Girls on the Run. My GOTR included my board president, Emily who has been a big part of my life since the seed of GOTR was planted in Jackson County. She came over and helped me redecorate my house, ok, helped is not accurate, she redecorated for me. She and my vice president, Sarah, sat with me into the wee hours one night on Emily's roof top over looking the city while we talked about my future. My SoleMate coordinator, Aimee, came to my house and sat with me letting me vent, cry and whatever else needed to happen. Through that process, our friendships were strengthened and my commitment and passion for this program grew.

And then came Katie.  She brought such joy with her and such determination, I took from that and realized I would be OK. I had great friends, a great organization and wonderful kids. And eventually, David came home. He saw the changes in me and realized that I too had changed. That I wanted more in life than just getting by.

The last year has been one of the toughest in my life, but it's also been one of the most rewarding. I've gotten to do some pretty cool things and meet some pretty fantastic people, and I've gotten to restore my marriage.

The last few days, Katie has been in town, staying at my house.  Being around her reminds me of how much I love GOTR. Thursday she and I took a trip to Fairmount Elementary School, one of our sites.  One of the most rewarding parts of GOTR are the stories. Seeing them unravel right in front of my eyes, watching and listening to the girls, seeing the difference GOTR is making.  And so, Katie spoke to these girls. She asked them what their passions were.  One girl said, "I want to be a model, but that won't happen." Katie took that opportunity to tell her that she could do anything she wanted. ANYTHING!!!  Then it was time for the work out piece of the day, the girls clung to Katie, holding her hands, standing only a few feet away, just being near her.  As I watched, I could only smile. I knew what they were feeling.  Wow, here's this amazing person who has an incredible message, and she thinks I'm cool enough to hang with, AND she believes in me.

When we left, I asked Katie if that was pretty typical, "Do all the kids take to you like that?" I was not surprised when she said, "Yeah." Of course they do, adults do too, she's just that kind of gal.

Yesterday was a blast! It was beautiful outside, and we spent most of it outdoors, playing baseball, going to the park, riding bikes, hanging out.  And then she cooked us dinner. AHHHHH!!!!!!

This morning we woke up with a blanket of snow. We all new it was coming, but we were hoping it would pass or the weather folks were wrong, they weren't.  Oh well, off we went to Loose Park, where over 30 people showed up in the freezing cold snow coming down kind of day to meet Katie. Several of us had met her this summer, but for others, it was their first meeting. Nearly all the coaches showed up, including the Pave Your Lane coaches.

Wait, I guess I skipped that part of all of this.  So, while Katie was running across America, she was raising money for GOTR.  At the end of the run, she sent us a check which allowed us to open a site at Imagine Renaissance Academy (located at 17th and Hardesty). Because of her efforts, 15 more girls this season are touched here in Jackson County.  This legacy will continue as we add more Pave Your Lane sites in the fall and spring!

And now, she's gone. Off to Trenton, MO and eventually back to Chicago on April 1. I miss her already, and I will cherish our time together. She reminds me of the importance of what I'm doing and of why I'm doing it. And she reminds me of the passion my board has, how amazing they are and how blessed Jackson County is to have such fantastic women passionate about this organization.