Today was absolutely exhilarating, especially for a certain little baby girl! We’ve been cooped up in the house all winter and have gradually started to get out again. The Flying Pig 5k run was the best yet!! Kate is one of my most treasured and trusted Nora caregivers. When she suggested this endeavor, I was immediately agreeable. Even though Nora seems to have taken well to the jogging stroller (the few times I had her out in it) I was a little anxious that THIS would be the time she wigged out. However, instead of focusing on my misgivings, we packed up and headed out, expecting great things! Gavin came along with me to cheer on his baby sister.

We met up quickly and easily with Kate, her husband John and Courtney just before the race started. Nora was charmed by the loud music from the DJ booth as we waited. Once they were given the go ahead, Gavin and I kissed Nornor for good luck and cheered them all on their way.

Off they went and on came my tears. I never would have dreamed this day possible at this time last year. Wikipedia defines the phrase “when pigs fly” as an adynaton—a figure of speech so hyperbolic that it describes an impossibility. The implication of such a phrase is that the circumstances in question (the adynaton, and the circumstances to which the adynaton are being applied) will never occur.

So, how ’bout that! (Kleenex, please…)

Nora was running today with a small fragment of an amazing team of runners known as Team Mitch. Most of Team Mitch will be running parts or all of the Flying Pig marathon on Sunday. Team Mitch was established in 2006 in memory of Mitch McLaughlin who passed away very suddenly at the age of 30 that February. He left behind a sea of mourners of which included his pregnant wife, (Kate’s sister) Maria and their then 2-year-old daughter, Ellie. Their son was born a month later and named Mitch after his Daddy. It has been nothing short of awe-inspiring to witness this community of people gather together in love to support one another and to honor Mitch’s memory and life. Amidst an unthinkable tragedy there is goodness, love, and even joy, proof of God’s presence. I was completely overwhelmed with gratitude when I was presented with my honorary Team Mitch t-shirt last year:

To see that they’ve now also included Nora was and is so completely generously beautiful! What’s even more beautiful is that Nora actually got to run with some of them today, in thanksgiving for her own life and in memory of a great, great man.

Gavin and I hurried on to a few different points of the course to cheer them on. I finally got my lips on her fat little cheeks at the finish line and ecstatically giggled at the medal around her little neck. Nora did AWESOME, made great time and great squeals of happiness along the way.

She certainly likes to jog and she likes to jog fast. I’d say that’s a good enough reason to start running if ever there was one. (That, and being chased by rabid tornadoes – which would have been my ONLY other reason to run.)

We wish all of Team Mitch the very best of luck tomorrow!

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
(Matthew 19:26 NIV)