So close!

Donations continue to keep rolling in - I'm now only $353 away from reaching my goal! I have 20 days to collect all my money - roughly $18.50/day. In other news, my plane ticket is officially booked!! It seems really real now, doesn't it? I leave at 7:30 Thursday morning, May 13th and arrive in Guatemala City at 11:45 am. The team leader, Mark Scully, will be meeting us at the airport and we'll all be traveling together - we were supposed to book our flights to arrive around the same time frame. My departure flight leaves Guatemala City at 12:45 pm on Sunday, May 23rd and I arrive back in Charleston at 9:30 pm. I am so excited about this trip, and so incredibly happy that things are falling into place so nicely! Spread the word to your friends that I'm begging for money :)

An update on the running - went to my ChiRunning workshop, where I learned some depressing news. Apparently, I am a very aggressive "heel-striker," which is what is causing my shin splints. It's going to take a lot of work to re-train my body and mind to "relax my ankles" (how do you even do that?!?!) and land with a mid-foot strike, putting MUCH less pressure and impact on my shins. I am committed to making this happen, because I really do enjoy the running, but I've been so hesitant to get back out there recently because of the pain. I have 6.5 weeks until Nashville, and am planning to start this weekend at 4 miles and work my way back up on my long runs. Bridge run is coming up in 2 weeks and Boe is coming to town! So excited, and it lines up perfectly with my 6-mile run :)

This weekend I am going out to a Habitat build with the Clemson Young Alumni and the Clemson Women's Alumni Council on Johns Island - should be a great time! Update on Sunday! Thanks again for all the support! Oh, and keep JAM in your thoughts and prayers - he and a missionary group are on a trip to Nicaragua this week - returning on Saturday. I'm sure they're doing some great work down there!

XOXO (Gossip Girl came back yesterday - who's excited??)