Being an overweight child meant that school-wide track-and-field events made me want to cry on the inside. I would don my too-tight shorts, my top pulled taut across my belly, and amble up to the line up for high jump. I would try to be cool, like, hey, it’s no big deal that I’m fat. I can still totally do the high jump. Except that I SUCKED. I would do my best to sprint, then hoist myself over the bar, but it would fall every time and I would collapse onto the big squishy mat and wish that it would swallow me whole.

Running, long jump, high jump, triple jump. They were all equally horrible. I made it through, though, while my friends all excelled.

Then I got to high school, starved myself for a year, and got skinny. Thus began a decade-long love affair with disordered eating, yo-yo dieting, shameful secrets and painful memories. It all led me to where I am today though: still flawed, but on the right path.

I hope with all my heart that our girls can walk an easier road than I did. I am so thankful for where we live, where the fresh fruit goes on the trees that are literally in our backyard, and where the weather is warm and we can get out and run and bike and play for most of the year.

Avelyn had a 2 km race this week at a district-wide meet  and was the second place finisher for her school and 6th overall out of close to 100 girls.

My heart swelled as she sprinted across the finish line, legs strong and fast. Sometimes it feels like kids get to rewrite a chapter in your own life, one that you get to marvel at and just be so thankful for.