I am a single mom of two beautiful girls who has a full-time (and amazing) job, and love of physicall fitness and overall well-being.  There is something very holistic about taking care of yourself so you can take care of others using your best and most authentic self.  I’ve gone back and forth about writing down some of what I know and have experienced realizing that while I may have nothing earth-shattering to share, I want my daughter’s to be able to see how our lives have evolved together and the things we do as a family to stay connected and healthy. 

My daughters are my reason for so many things…for everything really.  I am so blessed to have them and being tasked with raising confident, thoughtful, strong women in them is a challenge I take on with humility and joy.  I write these things for them and I hope that the lessons I am learning are ones we can live with together.

As a woman, we take so much time taking care of others we forget that taking care of ouselves allows us to be a better mother, employee, daughter, sister, friend.  I recognize that in so many capacities in my own life.  Running and training have become as much a part of what moves me forward as breathing and it continues to be something in my life I can return to time and time again when I need to be refueled and recalibrated.  Coaching has given me the responsibility of instilling a love of a game and a discipline and accountability in my soccer girls so that they can build character and a sense of being a part of something bigger.  Watching that grow is a gift.

This past year  has been intense, dark, enlightening, very much a learning experience.  Arguably the toughest of my life. This year has had so many laughs, moments of clarity, despair, acceptance, and the realization that I am surrounded by an amazing army of people who will go to war for me and for my girls without a second thought.  I never doubted that there was a purpose for the darkness and even when it was hard, I always got what I needed and more in ways I could never have hoped to expect. 

New people have come into my life, old friends have re-emerged, others have disappeared, but ultimately I’ve been given so many blessings that I cannot give enough thanks.  All the experiences, good and bad, that have been evolving, emerging, retracting, in and outside of my control have brought me here, to this moment.  A year ago I asked myself “I gave my life to become the person I am right now. Was it worth it?” (Richard Bach)  Today, the answer is YES.