WEAR YOUR GLASS SLIPPERS AND ENJOY THE JOURNEY...

WE'RE ALL NERVOUS, RIGHT? I MEAN, I KNOW I'M THE ONLY ONE OF US SPEAKING TO 700 PEOPLE ON FRIDAY NIGHT (GULP) BUT, WE'RE ALL CLOSELY WATCHING WEATHER.COM AND TRYING TO GAGE THE WIND AND THE TIMING OF THE THUNDER STORMS THEY'RE PREDICTING. I HAVE TO ADMIT: I'M MORE NERVOUS TO SPEAK THAN I AM TO RUN. THERE I SAID IT. AND, THIS WEEK'S BEEN MORE BUSY THAN MOST: HUSTLING KIDS AROUND, FIGHTING A TERRIBLE COLD, SHUFFLING SCHEDULES TO DO PRESS INTERVIEWS (AGAIN,HELLO, OUT OF MY BOX!).

SO...I'VE BECOME RATHER SHORT-TEMPERED (AT TIMES) AND IMPATIENT WITH MY KIDDOS. THE TWO OLDER ARE ROLLING WITH IT, AND REALIZE THIS STRESS WILL ALL BE OVER SOON, AND VICTORY AWAITS US ALL.

BUT, FOR A TWO YEAR OLD, IT'S TOUGHER TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE HUB-BUB.

I HAD A CRAZY BUSY MORNING PLANNED. AND, DREW'S OUT OF TOWN AGAIN. BUT, BEFORE I COULD GET TO ANYTHING ON THE LIST, AND AFTER DROPPING KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL, HARPER AND I NEEDED TO STOP BY THE GROCERY STORE.

HARPER IS TWO. SHE LOVES ANYTHING "PINCESS" (PRINCESS, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T TALK 2 YR OLD). AND, WELL, SHE'S HER DADDY'S GIRL: SHE'S STUBBORN AND LOUD. :) SHE INSISTED ON WEARING THOSE GLASS SLIPPERS INTO THE STORE. AND, WALKING ALONE ACROSS THE PARKING LOT AND THROUGH THE STORE TO SHOW THEM OFF! AGAIN, DADDY! :) HELLO: MOM'S ON A STRICT, CALCULATED SCHEDULE HERE, HONEY!!!!

AT FIRST, I STARTED TO PICK HER UP. THIS WAS GOING TO TAKE FOR-EVER!! THERE'S NO TIME FOR PRINCESS SHOES THIS MORNING. THEN, I REALIZED: THIS IS SO DANG CUTE. SHE IS VOICING HER INDEPENDENCE. SHE'S PROUD OF THOSE SUCKERS. LET HER CLICK CLACK HER WAY THROUGH THAT STORE AND HOLD HER TINY HAND, MOM!! DO IT! THIS MOMENT WILL PASS TOO SOON.

AS WE MADE OUR WAY THROUGH THE STORE, SHE STOPPED TO CHIT CHAT WITH ALL HER ADMIRERS. AND, THOSE WHO DIDN'T STOP WERE WAVED TO, JUST LIKE A PRINCESS. I COULDN'T HELP BUT TO COMPARE OUR JOURNEY IN THE GLASS SLIPPERS TO THE JOURNEY OF OUR TRAINING AND THE TAPERING WEEK BEFORE THE MARATHON.

WE NEED TO SAVOR THIS WEEK. EMBRACE THE FACT THAT I, AND OTHERS WHO ARE DOING SO, GET TO HONOR SO MANY WHO CAN'T EVER OR WON'T RUN A MARATHON (IN MY CASE BC THEY'VE SUFFERED FROM A BRAIN ANEURYSM). I GET TO TELL THEIR STORIES. PEOPLE ARE ASKING TO HEAR. AND, THEY'RE LISTENING.

SO, WHATEVER YOUR WEEK LOOKS LIKE, HOWEVER BUSY YOU ARE--AND WE ALL ARE--SAVOR THIS WEEK. YOU'VE SPENT FOUR MONTHS TRAINING FOR THIS WEEKEND; YOU'RE SO READY.

THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT...

SO, WEAR THE DANG PRINCESS SHOES AND FLAUNT THEM AND DRINK IN EVERY OUNCE OF THIS WEEK. IT'LL BE OVER SOON, AND WE'LL BE SITTING PRETTY FROM HEAD TO TOE...WITH OUR PRINCESS SHOES AND OUR FINISHERS MEDAL DANGLING AROUND OUR NECKS.

ENJOY THE JOURNEY...

KATHLEEN
PRINCESS HARPER'S MOMMY