Cross Runner's Heart

     Why University of Michigan?  Well, just so you all know, I will always be a Buckeye at heart.  Yes, I did grow up in North West Ohio where there are some deep-rooted Ohio State Buckeye fans .  We were not far from the boundary line of the "state up north."  In a way, I am the "black sheep" of my family.  It seems everyone who headed to college, went to The Ohio State University.  Many of my family members also continued an agricultural pathway while attending Ohio State.   Me? --->  1) I went to a smaller NCAA Division I school in Ohio.  2) I studied something pretty different than most in the family.     So how did the University of Michigan first impact me?   Growing up, a common saying in my community was "my two favorite teams are Ohio State  and  anyone who beats Michigan."  With that mentality, I was out to beat any of the Michigan runners when I represented Ohio at the 1999  Mid-East Cross Country Championships .  However, I suppose my fir

     There is no one I would rather share my life with than Jana. We come from different backgrounds but share many similarities in our upbringing. We blend many gifts that God has given us and turn them into strengths. While our journey has had unexpected challenges, I feel grounded in our wedding vows and by being equally yoked as believers in Christ.      Our dating began at a library of all places. Two academically minded individuals with many ambitions. I was just embarking on a long road of studying medicine and Jana was in her second year of college. I'm so glad we were able to be so connected despite being so far away in the early years. The farthest? Early on in our relationship, Jana decided to study at the University of Sydney in Australia for a semester while I was back in Youngstown, Ohio. I would be getting ready for bed when she was eating lunch--it was logistically challenging to find time to talk but we made it work the best we could.       When I was

     When we learned about Noah's Heart , there were a lot of emotions.  One emotion was being afraid.  Afraid of what might happen if something goes terribly wrong.  The survival rates for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome or HLHS  are unsettling and because "palliative surgeries" are somewhat new, the long term prognosis is a bit uncertain.  As a person who likes control and predictability, my emotion of being afraid has at times been very uncontrolled .        As many of you know from the previous post Lead Me , Jana and I met Matt Hammitt  ironically the same day as our first cardiology appointment and fetal echocardiogram (ultrasound of baby's heart in the womb).  Leading up to the delivery of their son who also was born with the rare HLHS condition, Matt wrote his song All of Me.  Like Matt, I was afraid to love "something that could break" and also wondered how I could move on if I outlived my own child.  I also have a feeling of being so close to so

The sa me day of our first cardiology appointment for Noah's Heart, we were attending an event at our church called “Living Room Reset”.  It is put on by Kirk Cameron. Remember him as the actor in the TV show Growing Pains?  He is a strong Christian man and also star in the movie Fireproof.   (A good movie by the way… our hometown pastor had us watch it during our premarital counseling)  In short, the Living Room Reset event was Kirk Cameron bringing all his own living room furniture on stage and having a heartfelt discussion on what truly matters for parents.  The featured musician was Matt Hammitt .  He was the lead singer of Sanctus Real.  I’ve heard of this group but didn’t really know much about the band members.  I learned later that he is a North West Ohio boy too.  Went to Toledo Christian.  I used to run track against that team.  Great guys.   There was a point in the event that night when Kirk interviews Matt on stage and tells a story of how he and his wife were s

Memorial plaque at my high school track      There are a couple of quotes that I like. One is written on a plaque by a flagpole at my high school track that serves as a memorial for my cousin who passed away tragically in a car accident during her senior year. The plaque reads " Whatever path I choose tomorrow, I hope I can make a difference". She made a difference to me.      My older cousin, Monica, encouraged me to sign up for my first 5k race. To my surprise, I actually did pretty well. After the race, she gave me her blue ribbon as a reward for completing my first race. At the time, I wasn’t aware the blue ribbon was actually something she received for her summer 4-H project. It was a nice gesture. Later, at my high school senior commencement, I was awarded a memorial scholarship that honored my cousin. I was deeply honored and moved at being the recipient of this award. Her legacy has both empowered and reminded me to choose paths that will make a difference for tho