Training for my son

The past few months my friends and family has helped me raise over $3000.00 for the Disneyland Half marathon. This race will be my first ever marathon and I am very excited. Knowing that I am not only running in the happiest place on earth, but running for my son.

Earlier this year I joined "Run for our Sons" Team through Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. I had no idea what I was to expect or how I was going to run 13.1 miles let alone raise $1200.00 to be able to run through MY favorite place in the world! Our fundraising started with simple emails sent to everyone in my contact list, daily postings on Facebook and before I knew it, I raised $1200.00 without any problems. Then I raised my personal goal to $3000. I knew that this would be a little more difficult, but no more difficult than it is for those many boys, men and few girls with Duchenne to be able to simply walk. So I hit the rest of my goal head on, with one thing in mind, FUNDING A CURE.

I decided to have a little Bake sale, WELL this little bake sale turned out to be a large bake sale and we sold sweatshirts, books, and every baked item you could think of. We met our goal of $3000. just by having a little bake sale. I found out that all you need to do is send a little information to your local paper and they will put your event in the  local section. We had many Little league teams purchase dozens of cookies and cupcakes, it was a win win situation.

With all the fund raising set on the back burner I started to seriously train. Our whole family changed our eating habits, which is not to bad of an idea for anyone with Duchenne to avoid junk food. We started off with short walks, jogs, and I most recently ran 8.25 miles and felt GREAT. If my son had not had Duchenne I would have thought of every excuse on why I cant run, shouldn't run, or didn't have time to run.

I am still training, not as hard as I think I should be, but training none the less. I run with a double jogging stroller and every time I feel like giving up, I look down and see his little legs hanging over the seat with his body covered by the umbrella. What I see are two little legs with enlarged calves that I stretch everyday, Massage when he gets cramps and little legs that cant run like you or I. That's what keeps me going! I will keep running until I can see those little legs able to run and keep up with everyone else. The half marathon is about a month away and I know its going to be very emotional for me, I sometimes cry on runs. My reason for running is not selfish, its not to be healthier, to be thinner, not to have a sexy body or because its "My thing". My reason for running is my son, plain and simple and when people ask me how? why? I ask them "What would you do if your child was given a diagnosis with no cure"? Usually its no response.

So with all that is said and done, My next Stop is DISNEYLAND! Hope to see you there!

Butterfly Garden

Most recently Nicholas learned about Butterflies at school. He brings his school projects home to share with his sister, and teaches her all he can. Nicholas really loved learning about the caterpillars and how they turn into Butterflies. We decided to get a Butterfly house, I was worried about keeping bugs captive. But I ordered them online anyways, hoping they would survive. I felt very guilty about ordering a creature and it being sent via mail.

The Caterpillars arrived safe and sound via the post office, and we ripped the box open! Nicholas and Bella gathered around the little container and they both said "OH, WOW", from that moment I knew i made a good choice to allow bugs in my home.  Everyday we check on them and see how fat they are getting, they are all now at the top of the cup hanging ready to turn into beautiful painted lady's.

I started looking online at how i was going to release these little guys and give them the opportunity to survive. So...We started a butterfly garden. We planted parsley, ecineacia, Butterfly bush, marigolds, chives and mellons. It came together very nice and I suprised myself with making a "kid/butterfly" garden. This has made me feel so proud that my kids helped me plant and water the plants daily. Not to mention they see that our plants have attracted tons of new butterflies! Nicholas is learning the names of them while Bella is picking the flowers with the catapillars on them.

When I was doing my "Butterfly homework" I came across a wonderfull meaning of the butterfly. It made me think of Duchenne, my kids, my family.

If a child whispers a wish to a butterfly it will take that wish to the great spirit and it WILL come true. Because wishes only come true if the one who is told only shares it with the great spirit, sice butterflies cant make noise, your secret is safe.

So we will all be making our wish when we set our Butterflies free in the Garden. Can you guess what my wish will be?