why I'm doing this

In my last post, I wrote about how I'm training for a half-marathon because I want to keep the weight I've lost off and to stay in shape.  This is true, but there is also a bigger, more important reason behind why I've decided to train for this race, and his name is Simeon.

In November, our family was thrilled to learn that Wes' brother Greg and his wife were expecting.  This would be the their first child, and Wes' mom's third grandchild.  Greg & Mary Evelyn are two of the kindest, funniest, smartest, and most selfless people I know, and the thought of them being parents is just wonderful.  In January, Mary Evelyn went in for her routine visit and to find out the sex of the little one.  Unfortunately, they learned at this visit that their little boy has spina bifida.  More specifically, Simeon has myelomeningocele, which is the most severe (and also most common) type of SB.  A lot of Simeon's disabilities won't be fully known until he is born.  We don't know if he will be able to walk.  We don't know if he will have any brain damage, and if he does what the extent will be.  All we know is that he is going to be incredibly special and very, very loved.

Our whole family has learned a lot about SB in the past few months.  I've read several blogs about children born with very similar forms of SB as Simeon has, and there are a lot of things to be excited for.  I already feel like this little boy has taught me so much, and he hasn't even been born yet!  In my last post, I talked about my fluctuating weight.  A lot of my "problems" can be boiled down to one thing - laziness.  I go through phases where I'm really excited about working out, and I'll go all out.  Then, as it starts to get hard, I quit.  A lot of it comes down to the fact that I don't want to do the hard work required to get the results.

Now I think of Simeon.  I think of someone who may never get the chance to walk, let alone run.  And I think of myself, who is perfectly capable of running, but chooses to make excuses.  I can't do that anymore.  I can't take for granted the fact that I was blessed with a body that allows me to run.  Having a child with special needs in our family is really sobering.  Don't we all think that it will never happen to us?  I have been angry a lot the past few months when I think about girls on "16 and Pregnant," drug addicts (and even freaking Snooki) who have perfectly healthy babies.  Do they know how lucky they are?  I've been thinking about how unfair it is that two amazing people who have done everything right have to go through this difficulty.  I know that they will be amazing parents to Simeon.  There is no doubt about that.  I just know that I will never take a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child for granted.

So, long story short, I have joined Team Spina Bifida.  TSB allows you to participate in any event (half marathon, marathon, triathalon) on behalf of the Spina Bifida Association.  Naturally, my team is called Team Simeon.  (click on the link to donate!)  I'm trying to raise $1000 - and cross that finish line - in honor of Simeon.  I won't be able to look at him and tell him that his aunt very well could have run, but chose not to.  What greater motivation is there?