I haven’t been swimming for a minute, but I am still trying to get in daily workouts. I know I have plenty of weight to lose, but I am also dealing with physical issues now that could/should be telling me to slow down.

I also have 4 small children. Imani, my 9 year old is the least active of this group, “the babies,” and she is still holding onto her baby fat. I am committed to helping her avoid obesity, even if it kills me. I have made myself her personal trainer. We have spent the summer riding bikes, walk/running, and she’s been practicing various gymnastics moves. Today we tried tennis for the first time. Even though she barely hit the ball, she just didn’t want to stop playing. Imani has much more energy than when we started, stronger abs and toned arms and legs. She is starting to look like a tall, strong girl, rather than a chubby, listless one.

Joy, my 7 year old, is one of those high energy never tired kids. She can keep going, and going, and she will still be coming after you are worn out and have sat down. She has been in gymnastics class all summer, and is constantly practicing her chin-ups, bar moves and tumbling. She has turned from skinny/flabby to muscular this summer.

My 5 year old son is usually pretty poky. He takes a long time to do anything on his bike or on foot. He’s just not in that big of a hurry. I was very embarrassed to watch him finish dead last in every little race he had in basketball this winter. But I have noticed something about him: whereas he used to throw the basketball up towards the hoop, and then duck and cover, now he squats down to the ground, propels it upward, and more often than not, gets it in the hoop. And last week, something changed about his bike riding. Usually, I ride behind him on our family treks, and he is so slow I am almost falling down trying to stay behind him. But last week, when we went to the park with just Yanni and himself, I found myself getting breathless. She set a fast pace, and he kept up with her! I could only tell two differences: 1. his two middle sisters were missing, and 2. we had put air in his back tire. He’s been riding faster ever since! Must have been the back tire. Now he’s giving Joy a run for her money.

Chanya is 16 months old. She is a busy little thing. She started walking younger than any of my children (@ 10 months old), and is now running and half-jumping. She needs to play outside every day, so I try to get her to the playground every day. She has learned to climb up ladders (with assistance), and she loves the slide! A few times up the ladder, and I’m sweating and light-headed, asking her if maybe she wants the swing? But she keeps going. You know she’s having fun when she starts babbling and making duck noises.

And what do I have to show for it? I am hoping to expedite this whole miscarriage business, for one. It also looks like I’m finally losing a pound or two, after having stayed the same weight for months. But also, I have found it’s just nice to be outside, feeling the wind on your face and the sun on your skin. I just read something about time spent outside is about the vitamin D–which is scarce around these arctic parts.

Enjoy your summer. Enjoy your children. And if you can get a workout in the process, it’s a good thing.