The road

I am proud to report that Nan has gained 4 pounds in about two weeks!  This LBS road that Nan and I have been  traveling for sometime has been bumpy, twisty and quite often spiraling downhill. Today the road looks less dangerous.  There are helpful guardrails in place to guide her on this journey.  She has what it takes to make it, yet the road is long .  A very long road ahead of us.  But it is a journey we are willing to take because so much ground has already been covered and conquered.  It is all adventure ahead!  I'm sure it won't all be smooth sailing, but I am encouraged, for Nan has the desire to gain weight. She wants be able to run competitively again, but mostly to feel good.  God is faithful and we have learned a lot.  My prayer is for continued guidance for the days ahead.  With Spring around the corner, I am sure there are many sunny days ahead of us.

Sisters!  Nan and Cate when they are about  8 and 9 years old.
Best of friends.

Cate and Nan, 2013, still best of friends.  They have always been there for
each other, encouraging and praying for one another.

Getting to the finish line

She can run like the wind in the race to win.  She is swift of feet and smooth like a cat, her moves natural and sure.  But in the daily task of food, she loses her ground for when it is time to eat, she eats like a caged bird and the fat woman on the scales.  She is disciplined of mind, too disciplined, and she has tricked her stomach into letting her brain decide whether she is hungry or not.  When her stomach screams for food, her mind becomes angry, rejecting that feeling.  She cannot win this fight, this race for her health.  Or so her mind tells her, tricks her and uses her.  And when that happens the world is suddenly an ugly place and life is bad and food is bad and we are bad.  She wants to be healthy, to eat healthy.  Suddenly there is good food and bad food.  She eats only the good, in her mind.  Lettuce and veggies and beans and fruit.  Her mood swings like the pendulum of a clock, this way and that, causing anger. The regrets come later, after she has fed her body and life is good once more.  Ups and downs, highs and lows.  No constant mood or feeling. This is hypoglycemia at its worst.  I silently scream do not starve your body, do not listen to your mind, and I pray and hand her almonds or whatever snack I can get my hands on.

No more running from food.  The finish line is a long way off.

You will be victorious.  You are born to win.

October is cross country racing...

Why is October like December?  Jam packed with activities?   With Cate and Nan running cross country, it is even crazier this year.  Hart and I have enjoyed going to the races since running is a sport all of us love.  Last week there were two very exciting xc races!

I love the sunbeam in this picture of all the girls at the starting line of the race.  This race was supposed to be on Tuesday but due to the deluge of two days of rain it was postponed to Thursday, a nice sunny day.  It was held at Forsyth County Day School, our rivals (and a team we had never beaten).  Such a lovely campus.  But as I said our team had never won against them.  But all that changed when Cate crossed the finish line a second before a FCDS runner!  Nan was only 6 seconds behind them.  All of our girls did very well.  It was such an exciting race!

    

Then just the next day on Friday was their next race in Lexington at Union Grove.  Another sunny day!  This was a difficult course through a field of stubble, in the woods and across a rickety bridge and that loop was to be run 3 times.  How much fun was it to watch Nan come in first with the best time so far for that course! Cate did well too, coming in at third.  In fact all the girls on FHE girls' team placed in the top ten.

My girls are fast!!  They've  had so much fun running with their team this year.  There are only a few more races left.  The final one is October 20th.  I will keep you posted!

The battle continues

The battle is not yours. It is mine.  2 Chronicles 20:15


LBS.  What does it mean?  Low blood sugar to any other person just might mean you are hungry and you feel a little edgy.  I know I do at times.  But to some, it is a serious condition.  It causes severe emotional and physical symptoms in those who experience hypoglycemia.  And it is a condition that can be managed, if taken seriously by the one who has it and by their loved ones.
Nan, for the past month, since she began running Cross Country has had many severe LBS attacks.  Two weeks ago her dad and I were ready to send her to a counselor for help.  It seemed that nothing we said or did made a difference to her.  Her LBS was constant and her anger and disposition, unmanageable. She saw herself as a healthy, normal weight girl, but at 5'11" and 113 lbs. she was slowly starving herself.  Eating became an issue with her and food was bad in her eyes.  Through much prayer, many talks with us and her sisters, she allowed God to work in her heart and stomach.  So many foods, she claimed, made her stomach hurt.  I think she was just hungry and experiencing hunger pains that would never go away.  True she needs to stay away from sugar, dairy and gluten, but all other foods are ok for her to eat.
So we began a journey.  She allowed me to fix all of her foods the first week, snacks too.  She put up with my encouraging her to eat seconds, to make dessert, to enjoy every mouthful of food.  I had to remind her to eat every two hours, to never leave home without snacks, to plan ahead her meals, and that all foods are good for her (she only eats very healthy foods anyway.  What teenager gets excited about buying chia seeds?!).
I felt battle worn, but  it is a good thing that I am stubborn and lean on Jesus.  I told Nan over and over that I would never give up on her (the sad thing about LBS is once the anger mood is past and they have eaten, remorse sets in and guilt).  We told her that we are here for her, no matter what.  I told her she is a fighter, strong in mind and spirit.  With God, she cannot fail.
So today I can reprot Nan hasn't had LBS all week!  Thank you Jesus!  She ran XC on Saturday and placed  6th out of 177 girls, through the rain and mud, setting her best PR!  She did experience stomach discomfort before the race, but she persevered.  Way to go, Nan!

Here she comes to the finish line!

With her sister Cate, who finished fourth, just seconds ahead of Nan.  Both are fast girls!

The race

So much preparation goes into cross country race day.  They must eat the right foods, get plenty of water and sleep, stretch and prepare mentally.  Once the race begins they are out there drawing on their reserves and hopefully performing at their best.  It is most disappointing when you are watching and hoping for the best  when you can see that  she is suffering from low blood sugar-again.  What to do?  Nothing but hugs and a congratulations on a job finished, after all she did come in 5th!  Yet knowing she is upset with herself, makes me feel let down too. I know she can do better, but my goal is for her to feel better.

Before the race on Monday.  It was a beautiful sunny day

A rainy day

Well, so much for the sun!  Today it is pouring rain.  I know we need it and I'm glad because my hydrangea bush was looking pretty thirsty.  But yesterday was cloudy and drizzly too, yet  Cate, (daughter number 4) and Nan still ran their cross country race--getting their best time yet!  Rain and cloudy days...  

All of this brings me to Sunday, Nan's 16th birthday.  Guess what?  We awoke to rain.  Sigh.  Our plans for the day were to picnic and hike four miles to the top of Moore's Knob at Hanging Rock State Park.  Then return home to grill out lamb and turkey burgers.  Well Claire's, (daughter number two), husband thought it might clear up and we all voted to go.  Mary (daughter number three) and her fiance, Andrew joined us.  I'm so glad we did.  It was so much fun.

Before the hike.  Our family tradition is that the birthday person gets breakfast in bed.  Nan got GF waffles with raspberries, bacon and a dish of goat yogurt topped with berries.  For a special treat she had real maple syrup!  Yummy!

Nan and Mary enjoying our picnic.  We had rotisserie and fried chicken, cauliflower salad, mashed potatoes, green beans and chips and hummus. 

The hike.

We were in the clouds.

My Yorkie, Gigi, is amazing!  She hiked the entire way.

Back at home, after dinner.  Nan is pleased with her GF blueberry pie, instead of birthday cake. A fun day
of exercise, time with the family, good food and celebrating Nan's life.