Walk-It

All across the country WW-ers were walking 5Ks yesterday as part of the Walk-It Challenge, a campaign sponsored by WW to get members moving.  I participated last year & again this year.  It was such an awesome reminder of how far I've come.

To set the stage: last year Coraline was about 15 weeks old.  I weighed about 232 lbs.  I was scared to death that I would die half way around the lake--I tried to manufacture any possible excuse why we couldn't go.  I didn't own any work-out clothes that fit me, so I wore jeans.  Some friends & my husband hopped in & took turns pushing Coraline because the extra effort required to push the stroller was too much for me.  I finished!--& then crumpled in a heap for the rest of the day.

Today, I am proud to say that I weigh 156 lbs & I pushed that 15 month old & her enormous diaper bag all the way around the lake & had no fears of dying.  I did try to manufacture a reason to not go, but that was because I'm a lazy parent & didn't want to deal with the fact that both of my children started to have tantrums as we were getting ready to leave.  Not only do I own work-out clothes, but they all have a little M on the tag (as opposed to an X, another X & an L).  I wasn't gasping or panting & my butt wasn't twitching.  We made it around the lake in under an hour with stops along the way to get water for the kids, let Link see Lambs' Ear, lay the stroller down to entice one baby to sleep, winch the stroller back up because one baby refused to sleep & to perform a burlesque show trying to get my top layer off when the beautiful sun proved too hot.  When we got home, not only did I not sit & recover all night, I lugged dirt around my yard as we inched closer to being Square Foot Gardeners.

The whole day was such an image of all of the ways that New Sara benefits my whole family.  It's easy for me to get caught up in all of the things that are better for me (did I mention the burlesque show?), but in actuality the biggest benefits are in the many many ways that I can be a more present & active mom & wife without being slowed down by all of the extra pounds.  The icing on the cake: Lincoln asked to get out & run like Mom & Dad for part of the way...like MOM!?!?!  Modeling is a powerful force in a child's life & it was such a thrill to see it pay off in a positive way for just one moment. 

Now, if only running a 5K would be such a positive experience...2 weeks 'til "the event."  Almost makes me wish the world had ended on Saturday...there's an excuse I wouldn't even have to feel guilty about.