Health & Fitness
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Looking Back, Feeling Gratitude, And Moving Forward
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melody Beattie Every night before going to sleep I think of the day’s happiest moments. My thankful moments. It could be anything from listening to my favorite songs in the car, hugging my son, to opening a Fed Ex package and finding the proof of my new book. I remember the good in every day. Doing this calms me and reminds me to be grateful. I’ve learned that the moments which give me greatest joy are the ones that bring an overwhelming sense of peace–peace knowing that love is within me and all around me. Just…
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Gasparilla 15K
Gasparilla 15K! The Gasparilla 15K is a special race to us because it was there, years ago, where Arielle first met her coach Adam Bleakney and his University of Illinois wheelchair racing team. Arielle was in middle school, new to wheelchair racing, and suddenly she was meeting elite athletes. Arielle become inspired, set her sights on attending the University of Illinois, and to one day train with Adam. She achieved that goal and now she’s practicing twice a day to prepare for the Los Angeles and Boston Marathons. Before The Race I picked Arielle up at the airport on Friday evening and we drove straight to Tampa. She was happy to leave behind the freezing weather in Illinois for a sunny…
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Scuba Diving in the Cayman Islands
Scuba Diving in the Cayman Islands I’m back! Well, I’m home but today’s post isn’t from me. It’s from someone very dear to my heart. Introducing my daughter Arielle Rausin and her new blog: The Adventures of Rain Dance REL Arielle had an opportunity to learn how to scuba dive thanks to the incredible organization Stay Focused! Check out her underwater pictures and her beautiful poem. I’m a proud mom! Thank you, Stay Focused for teaching my daughter to scuba dive and giving her an amazing time in the Cayman Islands. I’d also like to thank JenFu Cheng Photography for capturing and sharing the awesome photos of Arielle’s adventure. Love this…
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FacingDisability.com: A new way to cope with Spinal Cord Injury
I’d like to introduce Ms. Anne Hambleton and a brilliant new website called FacingDisability.com. I remember right after Arielle’s accident I felt completely lost. I didn’t know what a spinal cord injury was or how it was going to affect our lives. A resource like this would have been extremely helpful eight years ago. Please add this post to your favorites or share it on Facebook. The more people that know help is out there – the better. – KD Rausin A spinal cord injury affects the entire family. It can seem like no one understands their new situation and the path of recovery that lies ahead. That’s why the Hill…
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Wheelchair Road Racing
This year is a year of reflection for me because Arielle will leave for college in 26 short weeks. Some days I feel nothing and can easily utter the words, “Yep, she’s going to Illinois for college.” (Denial) Other days the weight on my heart is so heavy it feels as though the words are smothered with sadness and won’t come out. For the past six years Arielle has completed the Edison Festival of Light 5K. It’s one of the most popular races in our area. Thousands of people line the streets of Ft. Myers to cheer on the runners and then watch the parade. It has always been one…
