It's meat and potatoes this week for us! After meatloaf and mash potatoes last night, I took our left over spuds and made Perkedel, crisp potato balls mixed with beef and onions, then fried. I had been wanting to try this recipe for awhile, stepping up a typical meal into something special, but the execution of the dish literally fell apart. My yummy mounds of potatoes dissolved into the oil at the slightest touch. So we did our best to eat crumbly potato balls with our spoons and made the most of a still delicious meal.
This summer I also set about tackling a task I'd been thinking about for some time: running a half marathon! The opportunity arose last spring to run as a fundraiser for clean water in Ethiopia through Team World Vision and Ethiopian Kids Community. I was given a 'recipe' for success in the form of training schedule and fundraising plan. The miles flew by and money started to trickle in, but then...things just fell apart on the execution.
See, the half marathon is a trail run. And I started training on the trails. Until I injured my achilles tendon, which led to tendonitis in my achilles and my knee, which takes about 6-8 weeks to heal with no running and physical therapy. Honestly, I was pretty devestated. I was so excited, ready to run, enjoying the process, and here I was stuck on the couch with the prospect of a chronic condition if I kept going. It took some reflecting for me to stop feeling sorry for myself and find a way to make the best of the situation.
I realized that I could still run, just not as far or over such rough terrain. This is not a option for young children in Ethiopia, often responsible for traveling several miles over rocky ground for the day's water.
I used my health insurance to visit the doctor, the orthopedic specialist, and the physical therapist for aide in my healing. This is not an option for many families without any medical resources or services, as they suffer from illness caused by unclean water.
I am not running the half marathon, but I AM running a 5K this with as much commitment in my heart as when I started. My goal is about bring awareness to others about an organization doing good work in the world, to those tireless women and children trudging to the well who can have an improved life.
As of now, I've raised enough money to bring clean water for life to 13 people in Ethiopia, a majestic country so special to our family. I hope to raise a little more. If you would like to contribute please check out my World Vision website to join in my effort to bring the life saving resources of water to this place I love and to people who so deserve it!
http://support.worldvision.org/site/TR/TeamWorldVision/General?px=1230591&pg=personal&fr_id=1780
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