Birthday Blessings

This morning my Dad and I began the day bright and early with a 5K.  And can I just say that it was quit the experience! Daddy-Daughter bonding and challenging to finish the race.  There were a couple reasons why we embarked on this adventure for today: 1. I needed an excuse to workout before the wedding (if you know me, you're laughing inside right now) and 2. I am keeping with a new birthday tradition.  Beginning my freshman year of college I began this tradition that on my birthday I would do something selfless and give back what I am blessed with.  Here is what I have done so far:

Freshman year I donated a bunch of my

"gently loved" stuffed animals to 

AI Dupont Children's Hospital. 

I wish I could have seen the faces on

those children when they got them!

website: http://www.nemours.org/locations/nemours-dupont.html

Sophomore year I went on a missions trip with the BBC Softball team

for 10 days.  While there we worked with SCORE international

doing some work in the community, visited orphanages, went to

villages and put together VBS for the children and even played

a game of softball against a girl's team! This is a sweet girl, Megan,

who was at one of the orphanages.

SCORE's website: http://www.scoreintl.org/#all

Junior Year I went on a 3 week missions trip to Durban, Kokstad, 

and Hammanskraal South Africa where I had the opportunity

to help two churches, visit orphanages, and spend time at Bethesda

Children's Home. The final week here was when Ryan and I 

began our courtship. This is Ryan and I at the Bethesda Children's Home.

Kokstad FBC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Baptist-Church-Kokstad/249037981899567

Bethesda Children's Home website: http://bethesda-home.org/

Senior year I ran the 5K with my Dad.  This 5K was hosted by my 

mom's alma mater, Rowan University, and was put on to 

raise awareness about child abuse.  There were several 

factors that went into choosing this race: 1. fighting child

abuse, 2. on my birthday, and 3. everyone is dressed like

super heroes! What could be better?! This is the 

before-and-after picture of Daddy and I at the race.

(It doesn't look like it but yes, we ran the entire thing :) )

CASA's website: http://www.casaofcgs.org/

I wonder what will stumble onto my path for next year's birthday??

What we are doing now: Tomorrow afternoon Ryan and Chris (a trusty groomsman) will be making the travel over to the East Coast.  So begins Wedding Week! The ball has begun rolling and people begin coming so soon! I cannot wait to see everyone together in one place!

~soon-to-be Mrs. Duffy