COUNTING THE DAYS TIL THE WEEKEND

It's Monday but I'm looking forward to Friday and Saturday. Usually my Mondays are about quiet and I focus on laundry. Today my focus is laundry and o.r.g.a.n.i.z.a.t.i.o.n. because we have a fairly busy week ahead of us before our fun weekend...

• Girl Scouts starts up again tonight for Faith
• Tomorrow is my weekly Bible study in the morning and Karate after school
• Wednesday I will continue to focus on staying organized for the week and Wednesday evening Scott is filling in for our pastor at youth group
• Thursday morning I volunteer in Faith's classroom and Thursday night is football for Parker
• Friday I will be on a field trip with Faith until early afternoon and then at the end of the school day we will pick up the kids from school and head out of town for this...

The Whistle Stop Marathon in Ashland, Wisconsin.

HUH? Neither Scott nor I run, much less run marathons, so why would we be going to a marathon...in Wisconsin? I'll tell ya why!

Scott's Uncle Tom is a marathon runner and will be running The Whistle Stop Marathon on October 9. Uncle Tom and Aunt Debbie live in a suburb of Chicago. Long story short...after witnessing a significant issue with Faith's eye when it hemorrhaged in March of 2009 and then knowing the story behind our recent medical/house/insurance/etc., troubles...Uncle Tom decided to run this marathon in honor of Faith. He was amazed at Faithy's strength and courage in lieu of her hemorrhage and wanted to do something for her. And it doesn't end with just the marathon. He he decided to do this, too.

Because this particular area of Wisconsin is away from a major city and what lodging there is in this neck of the woods is pretty much booked with runners, we will be staying in Duluth, Minnesota, on Friday night (a little over three hour drive). Scott's brother, who lives in Texas, travels a lot. He offered us some of his travel points and booked us a hotel in Duluth. On Saturday morning we will drive from Duluth to Iron River, Wisconsin (about an hour and a half drive), where the marathon begins. It is here that Faith will be able to see Uncle Tom and be there for him as he starts the race for her. From Iron River we will then drive to Ashland, Wisconsin (about a half an hour drive), where the race will end. And again, Faith will be there to greet Uncle Tom as he finishes this run as his amazing and beautiful gift to her.

Faith is soooooo very excited for this weekend! She told her friends in Sunday School yesterday that her uncle (even though he's Scott's uncle) is running a marathon for her and that he's doing it for her eyes. When someone asks her if there's anything exciting going on, she'll tell them about this. I have a feeling Saturday will be an emotional day for all of us filled with excitement, appreciation, fun, laughter and love.

And I'm excited, too!

Peace and blessings to your day!
Jeanine