Cara + diabetes + running = amazingness

I have been wanting to write this post for a while but I really did not know how to attack it. 

So I guess I will start all the way at the beginning...at the very, very beginning.

My husband and I met 17 years ago at a cross country meet.  

I, an OK/average runner and he a very very talented runner.

Running was something that we both grew up doing and really enjoyed.

We got married and had a family...sorry no, that's not true!
We started a family, 2 babies first and THEN got married a little over 10 years ago.

Of course as every parent knows and maybe every parent does our love of running & dreams were then placed...or..."PASSED DOWN" to our children.

Kailyn our oldest, she CAN RUN, she is a great runner however she lacks the LOVE of running and therefore she does not...bummer!

Connor, well that guy is just NOT a runner and that is OK with us, we still love him!

Kylie, when she was younger I would not have said she was going to be a runner...far from it! However, as she gets older she is developing into a great runner, and she LOVES to run.

Kirstin and Cody the jury is still out...

but then there is Cara

The second she could walk/run I looked at my husband with the biggest smile and said "there is your runner".  The form that she has, the speed that she has, the endurance that she has...she is a natural and reminds me so much of her dad.

If she wants, I'm sure she will be an extremely talented runner.  

As she grew up we envision ourselves, the proud parents, cheering on our little racer as she is the first to cross the finish line.  With the crowd going wild and tears streaming down my face (yes I'm a little emotional) my heart filled with the utmost pride that all parents have for their kids.

Fast forward 3 years after Cara was born and we were in the hospital and Cara is being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

I remember it so clearly as I tried to deal with my grief and sadness, I just saw loss and everything that was not going to be because of diabetes.  I said to my husband

"well there goes your little runner" 

and 

"Of course, the one kid that is going to be our runner has diabetes, wonderful!  There goes that dream" 

However our newly met diabetes clinic nurses kept on saying 

"she can still do with diabetes anything any other child without diabetes can do"   

First thought..."ya right!" really, it was the first thing I thought but I smiled and nodded because I'm nice!

Fast forward another 3 years after "D-day", Cara is now 6 years old.  We have much more diabetes knowledge, much more understanding of diabetes, and there is nothing that is going to stop this dream of ours.
Cara IS still our little runner NO MATTER what...diabetes or NOT!

 Our dreams and excitement for Cara living out and following her natural talent and abilities are alive and well and nothing is going to stop this girl from being the STAR in whatever she decides to do (of course however we would love for it to be running)

    

and you want to know something?

There is something magical watching her run now, knowing what she is accomplishing, knowing what she is running with and against.  She is not just competing with all the other kids now she is also fighting diabetes all at the same time.

In a strange way diabetes has almost made her talent and her future accomplishments that much sweeter!
 I said to my husband after we watched her very first cross-country meet "I just wanted to hold up a sign while she ran saying  "She may have type 1 diabetes but she is still going to kick your ass" 
(yes I'm a little competitive)

This girl is going places and she is taking diabetes along for the ride...if it likes it or not!

we are so proud of her!!  

**warning before you watch this the video is ALL over the place because I don't just sit and watch I cheer and jump and yell and cry.  Second I have no idea what happened to some of the video it was clear when I was uploading and saving and now...not so much.**