In the last 7 months I have grown so much. I have improved my best mile time by several minutes. I actually ran a mile straight in July, the first time I have done that since 8th grade gym class. I completed two more 5K races. And I achieved my goal of completing a 15K  this summer. I have learned about proper nutrition for my body. More importantly, I used that knowledge on my vacation this summer and maintained my weight, instead of gaining the 10-15lbs I usually do when I go home to visit. Planning meals and watching proper portions is becoming second nature now, something I never would’ve believed would happen 7 months ago. We have 5 more months of this program, and I intend to meet each of the goals I set for myself. I have the knowledge now, and the support of a team with the same types of struggles and several personal trainers I am proud to call friends, as well as mentors. But, the best thing of all, I believe in myself and in my ability to achieve all I can dream.

Growth is a post from: Becoming Kelly

It is almost comical to me that I was up on stage last night, with a mic in my hand, sharing my story. I mean, really, its me. Super shy. Hyper emotional when feeling “on the spot.” Certainly not a fan of public speaking. At all. Yet there I was, spilling details of my life that would normally be reserved for close friends and family. And you know what? It felt great! The things I was speaking about- teen pregnancies, marriage trouble- have brought me a lot of pain, but it was so amazing to speak of God’s grace in my life. To share how He has used the pain to bring even greater joy. And to spread that good news, I would stand on the rooftops and shout!

Aliene has shared with me that my courage in sharing my story has helped many others also tear down the walls they have built, letting others in and beginning the healing process. It is not an easy thing to do, to pull away the facade and share your heartache. Especially if it means shedding light on someone else’s wrongdoings in the process. I know that I had been protecting others with my walls, and it wasn’t until I let others in, and stopped covering it all up, that I was able to let it go and heal. My goal last night was simply to share my story in hopes that it would touch others. And judging by the numerous emails I have already received today from some of the women in attendance,  I would say that I have accomplished that goal.  So thank you, Aliene, for a wonderful study, an opportunity to share, and the gift of your friendship.

Vine Life is a post from: Becoming Kelly

In first 8 weeks of our program, we have been working out hard, getting to know they trainers and the other members in our group. I am so lucky to have the most incredible group of people on my team! We bonded right from the beginning. The support we all show each other is incredible, especially since we all just met a few short weeks ago. And this is a really big opportunity for me. I have been struggling with my weight since I had my oldest daughter 14 years ago.  This program will allow me to have accountability and build friendships with others who are on the same journey, as well as building friendships with those who aspire to help us all change our lives from the inside out.

It has definitely been an adjustment for my whole family, as I am now in class 3 evenings a week. We have all had to make sacrifices and changes in what had been our normal day to day activities. Our meals have changed, our family time has changed, but I think overall it has been a good thing so far. We are all eating far better than we ever have. We are all learning to try new things and to step out of our comfort zones. My husband and kids are all pitching in to do what I had been doing in the evenings, and everyone is helping to cook our new, healthier meals.  I’m glad that the weather is starting to get a bit warmer, so we can all be outside more often, and hopefully get some more of the family runs in on the greenways.

In closing, I will try to update more often, and share my triumphs throughout this program and beyond!

Life….. is a post from: Becoming Kelly

In early December I got an email from my gym promoting a contest for a new program they were launching this year. They were calling it Make A Difference 2010, and it included 3 days a week in a 6 person class with a personal trainer, 2x a month with a nutritionist for the first few months, then 1x per month for the remainder of the year. To enter the contest, I had to submit an essay detailing why changing my life and living a healthier life is important to me. I sat down to write and kept struggling to get the wording right when it hit me that I was having a hard time wording it correctly because I had already written my essay–as blog posts! So I cut and pasted and added what I needed to write the best essay I could. And the following week, as I was traveling, thinking I hadn’t been chosen, I received a call from one of the trainers requesting a phone interview with me, since I was on the road. Several days later, I got the call I had been hoping for and my whole family (yep, my husband, kids, and even a few of my siblings, dad and stepmom) could guess what I heard when I started cheering and jumping up and down in the middle of my dad’s kitchen- I had been chosen as one of the 12 participants from my gym to have the opportunity to take part in this program!

I just completed the first of the assessments provided by the program and have another scheduled for this weekend. The  complimentary assessments include: CardioPoint (identify the heart rate zones in which my workouts are most effective), CaloriePoint (learn how many calories my body burns naturally)and  RiskPoint (a thorough analysis of my overall health).  The program actually begins in a little less than 2 weeks- January 25, which also happens to be my birthday! I am so excited to begin this program. I am looking forward to the challenge that it will provide to me, to the consistency and accountability I will have. This will help me stay on track to run that 15k in July that I have committed to. I look forward to seeing what life changes this opportunity will provide to me.

Resolutions is a post from: Becoming Kelly

I did get to experience all those wonderful things, but I also got to deal with smelly diapers, the constant spitting up ( and my daughter did this MUCH more than the average child does, because of her birth defect), the sleepless nights, the incessant crying when nothing appeared to be wrong, the isolation from friends (or losing them altogether), the pressure of trying to finish high school, the pressure of trying to succeed in college, trying to fit work into the mix of child rearing and school, and struggling with whether or not I was making the best decisions for my baby.

Fortunately, I had a very supportive family. In fact, I came home from school the day after my grandparents were told I was expecting, to find that my grandpa had purchased a bassinet and some newborn diapers for his first great grandchild. My parents juggled work schedules to provide 3 days a week of child care for my daughter, and my grandmother cared for her the other two days each week so I could finish my junior year of high school. During my senior year, my grandmother watched her 3 days a week and she went to day care the other two days. My siblings were also extremely helpful, babysitting and playing with her. They say it takes a village to raise a baby…and I was so fortunate to have my “village” rally around me!

Friends also helped out a lot. They often planned activities that would include me and my daughter. And they helped if I needed a babysitter in a pinch. My true friends never made me feel bad about my situation, they just encouraged me and loved me and my baby girl..and my baby boy, when he came.  The youth group at my church, which I wanted to quit when I got pregnant (yep, I was pretty embarrassed), threw a surprise baby shower for me. All of the other members of the group had gotten gifts for me and my unborn child. Seriously, a bunch of teenage boys bought gifts for my baby. So did the girls, who I wasn’t really that close to. Instead of judging me, they embraced me and showed me love. Blankets, clothes, bath stuff, and even a rocking chair were given to me that afternoon. One of the youth leaders made a puzzle for my baby, which all five of my children have now played with, and I will cherish forever. So, St Joe’s youth group members…I want you ALL to know just how much you have touched my life. The kindness and love you all showed me on that day will be with me forever.

And that brings me back to where I began. I wanted to show that same love to other young moms. And to help prevent teens from becoming young mothers. It can be done, but it is no easy task to be a teenage mother. Once these young girls find themselves in a tough situation, I wanted to be an encouragement to them. To assure them that a teen pregnancy or teen motherhood does not define them. It will be a small piece of who they are. I wanted to encourage them not to give up, but to keep putting one foot in front of the other and life will get easier. I waned to encourage them to stay in school and look to the future, making the best choices they can for themselves and their children. But mostly, I just wanted them to feel loved and accepted, and to have someone to talk to who had been there and come out successfully on the other side.

When I began this blog a few months ago, I was looking to see if a forum existed for pregnant teens to get the support they need, and I stumbled upon the blog of a 17 year old girl who had recently found out she was pregnant. She was in the process of deciding what the next steps were going to be for her and her unborn child. I reached out to her and Ashley and I have been communicating since. I have been able to answer some questions she has had as well as just be an additional support person for her if she needs anything. That is certainly something  I would’ve liked to have had when I was going through my pregnancy at 16. Ashley keeps her blog updated regularly. You should check it out…she is an incredible young woman with a great head on her shoulders, making extremely tough decisions that will affect both her and her unborn daughter forever. Sort of like what I was doing at that age. I never did find that forum I was looking for, but instead found a bright young woman whom I am proud to call a friend.

A New Friend is a post from: Becoming Kelly

Achievements is a post from: Becoming Kelly