One of the Best Weekends of My Life
Some weekends I clean my house, shop for groceries, and do laundry. Other weekends are busy with events. And then there are weekends like this one—weekends that remind you why you do what you do. This weekend reminded me why I’ve spent my life teaching, moving, and being intentional with our GAP kids.
Yesterday, after playing ultimate frisbee with my GAP students, I told them that this past weekend was one of the best of my life.
I told them why… now let me tell you.
Maybe you saw my posts on social media (obstacle course, 10km/5km race), so you already have an idea.
This weekend was the GAP teens’ first-ever time running a real race, and the younger kids’ first real obstacle course. And honestly—they totally crushed it. Every single student I took competed at a level of excellence that made me incredibly proud. They placed first in their age bracket or release group, and others placed 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th.
Ever since I first arrived in Thailand in 2011, I’ve been teaching. At one point, I taught math, science, and English—and I dreaded all of it. But the one thing I’ve never dreaded, never struggled with, is teaching P.E., health, or creative arts.
I’ve taught sports and fitness for the better part of my adult life, and it’s almost always the best part of my day or week. There were seasons when I wasn’t physically able to teach—early pregnancy and postpartum, when babies demanded all my time—but other than that, I’ve been consistent. It’s very much my thing. And if it wasn’t mine, it’s always been someone else’s gig on staff.
GAP has a culture of fitness and sports. We’ve intentionally built both an organization and a home environment that value well-rounded physical education. Making sure kids spend time outdoors in the sun after long days at a desk is imperative for good health, and we’ve made that a core value.
At GAP, sport class is mandatory five days a week—outside in the field, running on the road, or inside the church when the weather is bad. From 4:30–5:30, we play, we sweat, and we work in teams to build better relationships with our bodies and with one another. We work hard, we play hard, and we are raising able-bodied, strong-minded kids.
This weekend proved to me that everything we’ve been doing for years has paid off. Our kids have speed, endurance, and stamina that rival their peers. I could not have been beaming any brighter—I’m incredibly grateful to be their teacher and immensely proud of them.
Over the past months, I’ve also been forming new habits of my own. I wrote about this in September—and that I was nervous at the start…
This is what I wrote….
What’s a habit you’ve been meaning to start — but haven’t yet?
In this past month I decided to put an effort into turning my desires into my reality — I've been taking action on things I’ve always told myself I wanted to do, but never prioritized.
Probably the most important habit I'm forming is writing consistently.
Writing: In this regular newsletter — I'm trying to steward the calling God gave me for writing. Over 16 years ago God told me to write to express what He's shown me, in doing so, I would bring Him glory.
Learning Thai: Honoring the opportunity God has given me to live in another country by working harder to communicate with those around me.
Strength training: I’ve always loved fitness and have been the "exercise teacher" at GAP for years. However, strength training with weights? That's always intimidated me. I decided that wasn't a very good excuse and went out and got a gym membership and trainer — it's been fun!
How to keep momentum on a new habit you're forming?
✅ Do it tired.
I have started writing while Sirichai is napping during the day or the kids are sleeping at night. Instead of scrolling on my phone or chilling out, I actually have to commit to writing! Once you make it a habit, you'll look forward to achieving your goals and building your skills!
✅ Do it together.
Learning Thai with a friend has made all the difference. Starting something new can be incredibly frustrating if you feel like you aren't making progress (and to me that's what language learning feels like), but having someone alongside you helps keep things fun! We’ve been laughing a lot, which makes the learning so much better!
✅ Do it scared.
I was nervous before my first gym session. I didn’t know what I was doing. But once I showed up, the fear shrank. After all, fear is just a shadow!
I once read In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and learned that all fears—except two—are learned: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. Everything else can be unlearned.
So… what fear can you unlearn today?
Over the past months, I’ve been consistently writing again. Picking up my pencil (or rather, dusting off my keyboard) and putting the many thoughts in my head down on paper has been a practice that has proved rewarding. I’ve been blessed by the many encouraging messages I’ve received in response to putting my stories, thoughts, and ideas out there for you all to read.
Alongside that, I’ve been training with my trainer, New, and I can honestly say that I now love strength training. Training with him has taught me proper technique, form, and programming—and how to actually see results. As my own strength and skills have increased, I’ve become a better teacher to our GAP students and have watched them improve as well. It’s given me fresh ideas, new goals, and pushed me to teach differently. I’m deeply thankful for everything I’ve learned from him.
My cousin Jillian—who’s been a trainer since we were teenagers—laughed at me shortly after I started. I called her to tell her how great I felt, declaring that I feel as good as I do when I do cardio…and she basically said, “You know I told you so… you’re the one who said you didn’t want to do it.”
I can’t believe I waited until my mid-thirties to start. I never knew how mentally strong you could feel when you become physically strong. There’s a real mind–body connection that happens after lifting something heavy—something that just says, “I can do it.” I now realize how much I’m capable of, and how much more I could be if I keep going.
So let’s talk about that other goal of mine: learning to speak more Thai…
During this weekend’s obstacle course race, I ran the course multiple times—probably five—cheering for the kids in full sun. I was hot and tired, knowing I’d be waking up at 4 a.m. the next morning to take our students to their 5km and 10km races—and to run my very first 10km race.
But when Zz ran up to tell me the parents were going to race the course, I couldn’t resist. My competitive side always wins over my practical side (resting before the race would have been the smart choice).
I lined up with my sister Ellie. Then I noticed a few kids on the start line with us. I thought they were just excited about their parents racing and weren’t following directions. So when Zz tugged on my shirt and said, “I’m running too, Mom,” I told her no—just cheer for Mommy from the side—to her great disappointment. What I didn’t realize was that an announcement had been made and parents were actually running with their kids.
The bell rang and we took off. Ellie—the most competitive person I know outside of my own mother—darted off barefoot in dirt in front of me. Knowing she wins just about everything she starts, I chased her down and left her in my shadow, huffing and puffing across the course.
Halfway through, with no one catching me, I heard Judah—who had been cheering—say, “Uh… maybe you have an advantage since you don’t have your kids with you?”
It didn’t matter. Ellie was hot on my tail.
I finished first. Ellie finished second. All around us, friends were racing alongside their kids—lifting them over walls, assisting them with rope ladders, crawling through tunnels, and crossing the finish line together…
Living in a foreign country—although it’s very much my home—comes with its fair share of embarrassing moments. There goes the tall white girl……
And I think… I think it’s time I pick back up that goal of learning to speak and understand Thai.
Later, I was chatting with a friend from Virginia who came to visit. We talked about how the fitness-teacher thing runs in the family—how my mom taught fitness classes to our group of homeschooled kids at the YMCA. Then we talked about my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Tom cycling across the USA (twice?) and all over Europe, and my Uncle Jim hiking large portions of the Appalachian Trail. We even nicknamed my Grandpa “The Energizer Bunny.”
My family—we just love fitness. We love moving. Any way we can.
When I told the kids it was one of the best weekends of my life, it wasn’t because I got to run in a race. It was because I saw years of consistency pay off as I cheered for them. I saw the joy on their faces as they achieved their goals, had fun doing it, and realized just how strong they are. This weekend was epic, and I meant it when I said it was one of the best of my life.
