4 weeks

4 weeks to go...

Wow.  Wow.  Only 4 weeks.  I have mixed emotions about what little time I have left before the day that I've been talking, eating, sleeping, and dreaming about.  You see, in the beginning, this was just a little glimmer in the back of my mind.  A "simple" bucket list item.  I never thought that I would actually do it.  This is proof to anybody that if you set your mind to it, you CAN and WILL achieve your dreams.  I'm not an elite athlete or fast.  Point A to point B is more like it.  I've held onto these thoughts over the last several weeks.  I have my frame of mind ready to go for race day and they say that is one of the biggest parts in finishing Ironman.

This time I have a story to share...

Kylie went to basketball camp the first week of summer vacation.  Last week, she broke down and told me about this little girl telling her that she is "freaky looking".  Unfortunately, this isn't the first time the same little girl has said something to Kylie.  Of course, what happens to Kylie?  Low self-esteem thoughts come racing out of her mouth.  I'm stupid.  I can't do anything.  I'm not pretty.  Talk about heartbreaking.  I know that Kylie is going to have a harder road that the "average" kid.  What gets me is how can children be so mean at such a young age?  I shared this story with one of my dear friends and I love her idea.  She said that I shouldn't teach Kylie to stoop down to a mean kids level.  Instead, Kylie can simply say, "I may not be able to change the way I look, but you are choosing to be mean."  Kylie is a fun loving, dramatic, independent, caring little girl.  The only thing I can do is continue to teach her that she is beautiful inside and out.  She is God's princess.

So, the reason why I'm sharing this story is that, as parents, we have a choice on how we raise our kids.  Just because your kid is "good" and you think they will never pick on another child.  Think again.  Teach kids that it's ok to be different.  Society and false role models have really messed things up.  The foundation starts and ends in the home.
...End of my soap box.

People with NF do look "different".  Some have tumors that are visible all over their body.  Some have them on their face and look disfigured.  Some are in wheelchairs because of bone abnormalities.  Some people have NF and you would never know.  No matter how it affects them, they are human.  They have feelings.  They need love and support.  They need a cure.