November 2. 

Today I would like to use this space to honor two amazing women that celebrate their birthdays on this 2nd day of November: my Mother, Jean Galloway; and my Ironman Life Partner, Scarlett May (although I suspect we are both not anywhere close to being ready to compete in an Ironman.) 

There was a time in my life when I fully believed that my Mom’s soul purpose in life was to ruin mine.  I did my best to make her life the true nightmare that raising any self respecting, rebellious teenage daughter should be.  I am grateful that she never gave up on me and that when it was painfully obvious I couldn’t attend the super cool state school that I had my heart set on without accumulating a mountain of student loan debt; she stepped in and got me lined up to attend a small, private liberal arts college that at the time was willing to give a Methodist Minister’s daughter an almost full ride for 4 ½ years.   When I landed a prestigious internship at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC my junior year of college; my Mother not only helped me find a place to live, but forced me to reach out to organizations to help fund my trip to make this dream possible.  She willingly boarded an airplane just weeks after 9/11 to travel to Pittsburg, PA to help me move to Kansas City. She’s spent countless hours at the finish lines of many marathons patiently waiting for me to finish.  She supports me, helps me to dream big and encourages me to go after those dreams.  I know that I would not be the woman I am today without her never ending love and support. Happy Birthday Mom, I Love You! 

Scarlett May is a true force of nature and the fiercest of women!  She loves passionately and will move heaven and earth for those who are fortunate enough to call her a friend.  Scarlett  works tirelessly to make the world a better place.  She’s raised two human beings that will most definitely make the world a better place.  Scarlett has encouraged me, supported me and taught me to embrace life with abandon.  To run with your eyes shut and an open heart, the importance of jumping in lakes at a moment’s notice, and that it’s okay to be a stressed out mess when raising a new puppy.  Scarlett’s ability to face a challenge with a certain joie de vivre inspires me to chase after my own dreams.  Thank you for being my fierce friend Scarlett May, Happy Birthday! 

I wish I had more elegant words to honor these two women. I am so grateful to have them both in my life; I know for certain that I am a better person thanks to them both. I can’t think of anything more to be grateful for today – My Mom and a dear friend.