Always On The Run

I was lucky enough to help coach on Kiersten's Girls On The Run team again this year. The girls are so sweet, and a lot of fun to be around. For the service project year, we collected and donated preemie clothes to the Mercy NICU. The girls all made cards for the families that will be taking their babies home in the outfits. They were so nice to invite all of the girls to deliver the clothes, and boy were they all excited to get to leave school for a few hours on a Friday morning. 

The group of girls I drove were so much fun. They watched Little Rascals in the van on the way, and Kiersten told them all to watch for President Trump in the movie, but we didn't get far enough into it, haha. They did not want to get out of the car back at school, and wanted to keep watching. They especially loved the part when Alfalfa dresses up like a ballerina. 

The girls were perfectly behaved while we were there. 

They got to tell about the program and ask questions about the NICU. Some of the girls shared their stories of being in the NICU as babies, or visiting their siblings there. 

They all got a fun goodie bag as a thank you from the staff. One of the items was a pen with red ink that looked like a syringe. A few of the girls asked if it was real blood in there. 

We got up nice and early for the 5K downtown. 

We found parking very easily, and headed over to race village. 

It was fun to look for our friends, and browse all of the swag booths. 

Kiersten was so excited to spin this wheel, and then a little unimpressed when she landed on "10 squats" and the lady actually made her do them. She did get a prize out of it. 

She was happy to be given a free knapsack to stash all of her goodies as we walked around. 

She made a tutu at one of the booths, and paper wings at another. 

Our group had such a fun time waiting for the race to begin. Last year we had girls shivering and crying at the very back of the line. SO it was nice to be at the front this year. Kiersten insisted on standing right up front so she could be one of the people to break through the ribbon at the start line. 

Sillies!

Coaching GOTR is so much fun! 

All finished up! I offered to walk her around looking for buddies, but she wanted to get home.

Girls who wake up early on Saturday morning to run a 5K get rewarded with a milk shake.