Nearing the Pregnancy Finish Line

I am writing from my hospital bed at the US Naval Hospital in Okinawa. I was admitted on June 8th because I went into preterm labor at 31 weeks. I will be here until I deliver. I'll update my page again once I deliver.

I'm feeling great! The closer I get to delivering, the more excited I get about a number of things. Meeting our babies is of course the most exciting part. In addition, I know it signals the beginning of a new fitness routine. When I had my son in 1999, I wasn't very active, but this time will be different. I have already set new goals to strive for - goals I'm excited to get to work on.

According to my doctor, I should be cleared in time to climb Mt. Fuji again this season. My husband and son are going up at the end of August. I plan to be there as long as I'm cleared to climb. That is going to be the first of many mini-goals I'll be using to hopefully propel myself toward the finish line at the Marine Corps Marathon in the fall of next year.

It's funny, I was looking at my legs a couple days ago. The swelling in my ankles and feet is gone. They are going to be back to running in no time at all. Only this time they'll be hoofing it behind a jogging stroller. I'll be ready to reclaim my body.

This process I'll be going through is all the more exciting because I've done it before. I'm looking forward to seeing the progress and making those milestones again, one dress size at a time. In the end, I know I'm going to be in the best shape of my life! History has shown me how good it feels to be healthy. I seem to glow inside and out when I'm taking care of my body.

The other part that I'm thrilled about is the example I'll be setting for my 9.5-year-old son, as well as my twins. I didn't show my son good fitness and nutrition habits when he was young. It took time to help him adjust his decision-making when it came to food. This time around I know we'll be making better decisions as a family and raising the twins with different habits.

For now, I'm focusing on getting through the next several weeks mostly bed-ridden. My goal here is to challenge and inspire the staff as they take care of me. I want to listen and uplift along the way, be a great patient, and minister to each person who walks through my door. I want to leave behind much more than my used hospital gown. I want to leave a mark.

I hope you all are making a difference in your own lives . . . and leaving your own positive mark on all those you encounter. This is one of the aspects of Spark People that makes it so successful and uplifting.

I wish you all the best in your nutrition, fitness, and making YOUR mark. :)