As of this week, my purpose for being crazy and doing a marathon has been finalized. I will be jalking to raise money for "Kylee's Kids". If you don't know the background story, here it is:
My cousin, Matt Boden, married an incredible woman named Kylee. She was a perfect fit into our family from the start, and it was like she was "always a Boden". Anyway, they had twins, Seth & Lydia, in 2004 a few months after we moved to Texas and when I was pregnant with James. She had another little gal, Sarai, a few years later, and then was pregnant with #4 at the start of this year. Unfortunately, she never had the opportunity to meet little Caleb. On March 17th, 2010, she had been having contractions and back pains, and then a massive headache hit. She took a shower and intended to take a nap, but she passed out. Matt called 911 and she was rushed to the hospital. She had had three seizures, and they decided to deliver Caleb. He was born and doing all right, but Kylee wasn't. By the end of the day, she had lost all brain function and had gone home to be with the Lord. So now, Matt is a single father of four kids, ages 6 to 5 months.
Then, an amazing minister, Arron Chambers, decided to do something amazing. Here's what he wrote:
"In my grief I decided to try to do what I could to help Matt and the kids so I talked with Matt, prayed about it, and — with Matt’s permission — Kylee’s Kids was born.
Kylee’s Kids is a fundraising effort that I’ve established to raise money for a one-time gift to Matt and his kids. On November 7, 2010 I’m fulfilling a personal goal and dream by doing an Ironman Distance race in Las Vegas called the Silverman. I’m doing the race as a fundraiser for Matt and Kylee’s Kids. Between now and race day my goal is to raise $5,000 for Matt and his four kids. I am underwriting this fundraising effort and EVERY SINGLE penny that is collected in this campaign will go directly to Matt and Kylee’s kids.*"
I told Arron that I thought it was so incredible that he was going to do that and it made me want to do something big for Matt, too (this was within a month, I think, of her death).
Okay, so fast-forward to July & Windy's "kingdom card". So, the Disney marathon is my "big" thing to raise money for Matt. I haven't gotten a website set yet, but I will soon, with lots of help from my techno-savvy hubby. I am also planning to pay for my entrance fee & expenses for doing the race so that Matt can have all the money I raise go straight to taking care of the kids.
So, as one of my students loved to say, "It's on like Donkey-Kong!" I'm at the end of my third week of training, and I have a very clear goals in mind: (1) Finish the Disney Marathon, & (2) Raise $1,000 to give to Matt when I finish the race. Praying for blessings in giving (would love to raise more if possible), blessings on his family & mine during this training time, and for an injury-free & healthy 20-some-odd weeks until the big race!
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