NEVER A PERFECT DAY

NOPE. 

NEVER had one perfect day. 

EVER!!

Maybe today she won't have a temper tantrum.

Maybe today she won't try climbing on the oven. 

Maybe today she won't attempt eating dog food.

Maybe today she won't take her clothes off and run around naked.

Maybe today she won't try playing with the electrical sockets. (YES. They are "baby proofed" BUT that doesn't stop my little engineer.)

With so many maybes looming around and waiting to be answered there's one fact that remains true. On all these days of maybe -- she needs me. She needs me to teach her. She needs me to guide her. She needs me to show her right from wrong. She NEEDS ME, her mother.

Yeah. 

We have A LOT of maybe days.

But she still NEEDS me. 

EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

&& knowing that makes the maybe days perfect.

Imperfectly Yours,

Katie

TODDLER OR TEENAGER

She turned 16 months November 23rd!

 

She thinks she turned 16-years-old.

Tantrums? Oh yes. We started those. The ones where she dramatically throws her entire body into those flailing possessed-looking back-bends. They're super fun!!

I'm a marathoner momma and my child seems to test me more than any distance ever could. My patience runs low and I must put my mind in the right place because when those tantrums go nuclear I have to be prepared for the storm ahead.

My point? It's hard.

New moms? It's okay.

Veteran moms? GOD BLESS YOU!

Here's my other thing. Moms with more than one child, I don't know how you do it. I truly commend you! HOWEVER, please be kind and remember what it was like when you only had one child. Remember the fear of not knowing and remember the self-doubt you put upon yourself when you did not know what to do.

I say this because many times in passing or conversation I hear women say, "Oh sweetie you only have one child so you shouldn't complain. That's a walk in the park compared to my FIVE!" Momma with five children, you're right. It is a walk in the park, but having more than one child doesn't make someone more of a mother than a woman with one child. I say this graciously and from the bottom of my heart, being a mother is such a blessing in WHATEVER WAY you became a momma!! 

Mommas, whether you have one child or three children -- help one another!! Motherhood should not be a place to one up your lady friends, save that for Mario Brothers. The teenaged-toddler years are hard enough preparing us for the real teenage years later on.

Let's stop comparing our walks in motherhood and advise each other instead. Motherhood is a blessing, let's choose to do more in honoring that role.

Be a PEACE in the storms && SHARE your WISDOM.

Imperfectly Yours,

Katie 

CAJUN CUP 2016

Saturday, November 12th, I ran the Cajun Cup 10K here in Lafayette, LA with many runners I know. I ran with the amazing ladies I have the privilege to train as a running coach. These ladies dedicated their time and trust in me to prepare them for this race and it's an honor. I do all I can to prepare them and at the end of the day it is up to them to push through and finish the race, && they did.

 

I ran the race in under an hour and was a pretty big accomplishment for me. It was my first official race since having my daughter in July of 2015 and seeing her so interested in all the runners gave my heart all the happy feelings. She was there to see me off and cheer me through as I crossed the finish line. Sharing this lifestyle with her, instilling a healthy mindset within her, showing her how to have life full of quality -- that's what it is about.

 

Running means a lot to me because it has brought me out of many dark places and inspires me each and every day. I learn about myself, my dreams, my family, my goals, my strength, and so much more. Running helps evolve me and balance me. To run THE Boston Marathon is epic. I look up to Boston veterans and qualifiers with the utmost respect!!

So, in 2013 when the bombing occurred on the course of Boston my heart stopped for a moment. I literally couldn't breathe watching what was occurring and I knew no one there personally, but in some way or another I feel all runners are connected. I didn't skip a beat and as soon as my breathing began again I began putting together a "RUN FOR BOSTON" event for April 18th, 2013 at 7:15pm. We had over ONE THOUSAND people invited within the first few hours!!

Long story short we had the run, local media came out for coverage, we had about 60 people come out for the run and our hearts prayed with Boston that night. Just four days after such a horrific act had occurred runners were coming together for our running heroes. My heart breaks to this day thinking about what occurred. For the families that lost loved ones, children, I ache for those that lost so much.

Have faith when the world gives you every reason not to. Persevere, especially in the hard times, because perseverance in the presence of adversity creates change. When we keep going despite our circumstances and find the good EVEN in the bad that is the epicenter of being the calm in the storm. Choose to be the light in a world full of darkness -- ESPECIALLY when all you have left is your faith.

Be a piece of the masterPEACE of the change.

Imperfectly Yours,

Katie

THEIR DEATHS FUEL MY LIFE

From great pain comes a greater purpose && with great loss comes a greater legacy.

Prior to college I was living life on fire for God and chasing my dreams with a passion filled by Him. See, by the time I was 14-years-old two of my brothers had already passed away and honoring them fueled my existence, just to make them proud. 

My mind and heart were led off course when my step-sister passed away, at the time she was still carrying her third gorgeous daughter whom flys high with her mother in heaven, and my life was never the same. During that spring semester of my sophomore year of college I turned to a life of alcohol and partying that pushed away my loved ones leaving painful scars in the wake of my selfishness and I sabotaged my spiritual relationship for a temporal fix. I gained 60 pounds in a 6 month time frame and I was completely broken.

How was I worthy of a life when my siblings had lost theirs?! One of my brothers was 17 and died in a car wreck, another was 31 and died being morbidly obese and essentially being put to rest because of his cardiomyopathy, then my sister was so young with daughters whom were left without her. HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO GO ON?!? Yet, my Father God showed me mercy and grace by pulling me out of my self-inflicted pain, through running. At first I was running away from my problems of grief and loss, but my Father God showed me that the pain was my fuel. The pain has become my purpose in a way to show others that your life does NOT end with death. There is an eternal life to be sought after through a strength NOT our own, but HIS. "You make known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." [Psalm 16:11]

In February 2014, two years after I graduated college, I married my high school sweetheart. Evan has shown me an unconditional love that I haven't deserved at times, but that I cherish and honor more than ever before. That November, we found out I was pregnant and running was part of that full 40 week journey. At 20 weeks pregnant I ran a half marathon and found out I was having a girl at the very end. It was the perfect gender reveal for me and my spirit. (Side Note: Upon overcoming, a healthy lifestyle and with God's guidance I have lost all the extra "comfort" weight.)

My daughter has been someone whom has given me a drive that I did not know I could possess. Those little hands, her bright aquamarine eyes and her innocent happiness stir my heart. Living a life for God that she can one day admire and look up to as an example of a sinner saved by God's grace is an honor to tackle each day and strive to do humbly.

We almost lost our daughter October of this year, but God's joy in us is bigger than the depths of hell. "May the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY and PEACE as you TRUST IN HIM." [Romans 15:13] Satan seems to be at work stronger today, but my God is bigger and my faith is greater and HIS purpose is more prevalent than ever.

"RISE and GO; your faith has made you well." [Luke 17:19]

There is purpose from your pain && legacies from your losses.

Imperfectly Yours,

Katie

NEARLY LOST RUNNING BOSTON

Boston. 

THE Boston Marathon.

I, KATIE ANN EDDINGTON, AM RUNNING THE BOSTON MARATHON, MONDAY, APRIL 17th OF 2017!! 

Is this real life?!

 

But seriously y'all, I don't want to wake up. I don't want to be pinched out of this dream. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to run the Boston Marathon. Yet, nearly years ago, I had already built the wall and told myself I would never be able to and I tried to let go of that dream. I had convinced myself that I would never be worthy of such a race. What I didn't know was that God had bigger plans for me.

When we have our children we have this concept our dreams and desires no longer matter. We put them on the back burner and EVERYTHING revolves around our children. When I began playing into this mindset my world literally spun out of my control. I lost myself in my daughter and being the best mom I could ever be. Yet, as I was striving for what I conceived to be the "best mom ever" I was physically and emotionally silently killing myself. 

My husband saw the downward spiral and knew something needed to happen. For Christmas we had saved up money for us to buy a present for ourselves and by my birthday (which is on Valentine's Day) I still had not spent a dime. So, he told me to buy a treadmill.
He knows my love for running and also knew that I had not laced up my running shoes in 7 months now. I had given up on myself. My body, mind and spirit were slowly just wilting away and I lost sight of what my desires were. I replaced all I ever dreamed of with my daughter. Don't get me wrong, she is my whole world and has me wrapped around her little bitty fingers, but mommy didn't know who she was anymore. Except for being a mommy.

 

 

Finishing the Zydeco Half to find out I'm having a girl.

So running, as it has saved me before in life rose to the occasion and put the pep in my step. Running resume, for those who care, I have ran two full marathons (The Marine Corps in Washington DC in 2011 & Zydeco here in Lafayette, LA in 2014), two half marathons (Rock n Roll New Orleans in 2013 & Zydeco, again, in 2015 -- BUT -- being 20 weeks pregnant and finding out the gender of my daughter at the finish line), countless 10Ks and 5Ks as well. I had hidden my medals of all my accomplishments a few months after having my daughter. I tucked them away in a box and figured they would be good heirlooms one day. Yet, God knew the dust needed to be removed. He knew my story in life, my tests need to be spoken because my perseverance to overcome those tests is what will change the life of another.

Monday, October 24th of 2016, one week and one day after being on the floor and giving CPR to my daughter I got the phone call of a lifetime. I was chosen to be on the team of THE Kathrine Switzer. It will be 50 years ago in 2017 that Kathrine made the fearless step and ran Boston despite what the race director said. Kathrine was the first woman to run Boston and this coming April I will run that same course WITH HER!! I will stand on the starting line with the woman who started it all. I am a teammate of 261 Fearless and fearless I will be.

Our struggles are great, but our God is greater. 

Imperfectly Yours,

Katie