My Mom

Written in Honor of and

In Memory of Judith Nichols

1948-2008

I think of my mom, well... often.  Sometimes at the wierdest times - like when my lemon meringue pie was too "wooshy" and I couldn't call her to ask her how to fix it.  I often think of her during TNT training walks, and at the Information Meeting I attended in Harrisburg last week, it felt good to share her story with a few of the attendees who didn't have a personal connection with blood cancers.  

Tonight I was "tweeting" and checking my twitter account for good news articles and funny stories (like my friend who has her 3 year old twins in an "extended" time out - I can relate!).... I came across an article called "Mom's Eulogy" by Leslie Morgan Steiner.  Although much of what she said about her mom didn't quite resonate with my memories of my mom, I felt I should share the closing statement with you:

My mother had her faults, certainly. She wasn’t always the mother I wanted. She wasn’t always there in precisely the ways I wanted or needed. 

But she was always there.

I hope that I will carry that feeling with me for the rest of my life – that in spirit this strong, brilliant, beautiful, iconoclastic woman is there to protect me and help me navigate the decisions, losses and joys of my life.

 
Miss you, Mom.

 

p.s. to read Leslie Morgan Steiner's eulogy to her mom, click here.

San Francisco here I come!!!!

This week I signed up for the Nike Women's Full Marathon - all 26.2 miles of it!  The event will be held in San Francisco on October 17, 2010 - so if you've got nothing else planned - come on out and catch us on the course and crossing the finish line!

Signing up for a marathon with Team in Training means two things to me - rededicating myself to the training regimen (to make sure I can make it across the finish!) and beginning to fundraise again.  With my two previous TNT events - 2008 Baltimore Under Armour Marathon and 2009 San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon - I have raised over $13,000 combined.  Needless to say I couldn't do it without you!!!  This time I have set a very agressive goal of $7,500.  And for those of you that know me really well, you know how competitive I am.  Both of these goals - completing my 3rd marathon and crossing over $20,000 total raised - are things I take seriously and will pursue over the next 6 months.

Hope to hear from you soon - check out my fundraising page, or look me up on Twitter or LinkedIn!