Turns out, I'm going to run in a diaper

You know, if I needed some actual and reasonable excuses why I shouldn't run more than three whole miles wearing an oversized, costume diaper tomorrow, I'd have them. For starters, I am thousands of dollars short of my goal. For another thing, tomorrow it is supposed to SNOW and also RAIN and also the high is supposed to be something like FORTY DEGREES and I am going to do this with no pants on?

If I was going to give up and not do this, those two reasons alone would do great things to assuage my guilt.

But you know what? This week I came home from a great weekend in Austin and the next night, with my husband away on a business trip, I was awoken by a policeman banging on my door to let me know that someone had slashed the tires of seven cars in our neighborhood – and that mine was one of them. You know what? That sucks. Never mind that our insurance deductible will likely cover the majority of it and we'll only be out a hundred bucks (although granted, it's still $100). We're nice people. We don't deserve to be attacked or have our property damaged or spend three whole days fixing a mess we didn't create. We don't deserve crap like that.

And I started thinking about how there are a lot of people out there who don't have a lot of control over their circumstances. Maybe they lost their jobs. Maybe they never had a great job to begin with, or an opportunity to go to college. Maybe they've got sick parents to care for or kids with demanding special needs. Maybe their house burned down. The point is, crappy, hard stuff happens to people who don't deserve it every day of the week. Sometimes you can't control your circumstances, and you just have to live with it. You pick up the pieces, you feel irritated and annoyed and angry sometimes, but you keep on living and doing the best with what you've got.

Yeah, someone slashed my tires. It sucked. But in the grand scheme of things, it's a small thing. And to someone who is living below the poverty line, unable to care for their family the way they'd like to, my luxury of being able to throw $100 at something that SOMEONE ELSE RUINED is mind boggling.

So tomorrow I'm going to put on a giant, comical diaper and I'm going to run three miles and then? I'm going to take that money that everyone so generously gave (THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU) and I'm going to buy diapers that will go to help people whose circumstances are limiting and often unfair. Because those babies don't deserve it, either. Thank you again to everyone who gave so generously – I promise to share some photos of the haul and hopefully, some of the people who will benefit so greatly from your kindness. Thanks again to Huggies Every Little Bottom program for giving me the opportunity to do this. It has been so much fun, and so REWARDING to be a part of something that will directly impact local families.

In other news, can you believe October is ALREADY OVER? Every year when colder weather rolls around, I mourn the loss of being able to see my kids' arms and legs. I know that sounds stupid, and it gets easier the older they get, but when they were BABIES and they were so SMUSHY and CUTE and I had to hide NINETY PERCENT OF THEIR LITTLE BODIES IN OUTERWEAR THE WHOLD DAY? That's why I love summer.

(GOODBYE, LEGS. I HAVE LOVED YOU.)

Disclosure: I have partnered with the Huggies® brand to help promote the Huggies® Every Little Bottom program. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program, which includes writing about it here. However, my opinions are entirely my own.

Comments

[Jessica]

I'm just always so thankful that we can pay - albeit sometimes with savings - to have things fixed. So even if insurance wouldn't have covered the tires, we could pay for those. Or for our home insurance deductible when a tree fell on our roof last month (true story). So I'm just happy that while others have a lot more than us, there are far many who have far less.

Have fun!!!!!

[HereWeGoAJen]

Especially when they are such cute little legs! Plus, long pants make kids look so much older...

You've done an awesome job on this diaper drive. :)

[Jessica]

I can't wait to see the pictures!

[Megan]

Oooh, I cried with this post. You're a great person, Emily.

[Elsha]

Smooshy baby legs are the best. And I can't wait to see pictures of this diaper run!

[Jen]

You are truly a wonderful lady. I love that you are still doing this even though technically you could totally get out of it. Good luck!! Can't wait to see pictures, you crazy nut :)

[Shauna]

You are awesome for doing this. Just think of all the people who you are going to be able to tell this about when you're rocking your diaper tomorrow! I'm sure they will be much more compelled to help out to this great cause seeing you in your conversation stater/diaper :)