=: Run in the Color, Amber!

So as many of you know, I stayed in Lawrence last weekend, and it was a hard choice

to make because I missed my family so much. Even worse, I decided to check

an activity off my bucket list this weekend.

But over the week, I called and FaceTimed my family daily.

I missed my family so much <3

As I mentioned before, I decided to check something off my bucket list; I decided to do the Color Run

right here in Lawrence.

I've wanted to run a 5k for so long,

but most don't even know why. Am I a crazy person who is obsessed with running?

Possibly.

The real reason I wanted to run a 5k so bad stems from my mom's car wreck.

She used to love to exercise, but now, she can't. I know it kills her to see everyone else

running and exercising while she can't. So, I decided since I am perfectly able-bodied, and I love to run anyways, I wanted to run a 5k for my momma. Also after Grandma died, I decided I need to grasp every moment as tight as possible and live life to the fullest.

On Thursday, I called Mom and Dad and told them I was going to run in the Color Run.

They were so excited, and I think my dad was most excited to see that I wasn't just lazing around. ;)

On Friday night, my parents decided to come up and watch me run.

No one will ever understand how much it means to me to have them there.

I could see it in my mom's eyes; she wanted to do the Color Run too so did Dad.

Maybe we can do another one?

Most people just walk or half jog the Color Run, but I decided if I was going to do this, I was going 100%. I haven't ran for speed purposes since 8th grade, and I haven't been running daily or exercising daily either.

That being said, I still ran the whole 2.77 miles. It actually felt really good, and my legs didn't hurt as a bad as a I had anticipated. In fact, they felt fine yesterday (a little tired, but no pain), but this morning, they are taking their revenge on me, haha.

Now before I post pictures from the color run, I want to inform everyone about my decision.

But before I tell you everything, I have to give you a quick backstory.

As all of you hopefully know, my grandparents loved vacationing and traveling.

When I was around 4, I realized there are other places in the world besides the U.S. Grandma and I used to talk about places we would love to travel to. One place we were especially enthusiastic about was France. It wasn't just Paris; it was all of France with the chateaus, the scenery, and the culture.

We used to talk about how one day we would travel there together. Of course, this was before we knew about the cancer.

This was another promise that couldn't be fulfilled.

Once I started middle school, they told us we could take a foreign language, so I decided I wanted to take French. I stuck with it through high school. Now, I plan on dual majoring with English and French. My French teachers have always proposed study abroad, but up until Senior year, I didn't really listen that closely.

When I had my dawning realization this summer, I decided then and there that I'm going to study abroad no matter what. After class on Friday, I decided I was going to suck up my fears and set up an appointment with a study abroad advisor.

Hopefully, this summer I will be in Paris, and during a semester next year, I will be in Angers or the French Rivera.

Not only is this for me, but it's also for the one person who influence me to go after everything. She made me who I am, and I plan to live it to the fullest by taking her spirit with me to France.

Just like we planned.

Now onto the pictures of the Color Run!