Day 26… November 26
Today I am grateful for my oldest daughter Ally.
Ally is the third of our six children. Today is her birthday. 🙂 ❤
I am so grateful for the woman she has become.
If you have met Ally and you don’t know, it will probably come as no surprise that her favorite color is yellow. She is pure sunshine. With a 1000-watt smile and warm inviting personality, she is always ready to help someone else feel welcome and included.
Ally is a determined woman who is wiling to go after the things she wants to do in life.
Like all of her siblings she was a good soccer player, and probably still is. But in junior high and high school she found she was also good at running, distance running in particular.
The high school cross-country coach was excited to have her on the team. But when the track season came around Ally didn’t want to be “just a distance runner”. She wanted to try pole vault.
She was worried that the distance coach (also the cross country coach) would be mad at her but she still chose to pole vault. It was love!!
This was her senior year when she got a PR 11’9″. Yes I know the board say 11’3″ but it was 11’9″ 🙂
If you have met Ally and you don’t know, it will probably come as no surprise that her favorite color is yellow. She is pure sunshine. With a 1000-watt smile and warm inviting personality, she is always ready to help someone else feel welcome and included.
I’m Michelle. I am learning how to minimize my overwhelm, perfectionism, and people-pleasing and I am ready to help you do the same. I’m a certified Life Coach and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Come with me and learn how.
I am grateful that her love of God took her in a difficult, different direction. She decided to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for 18 months which abruptly ended her pole vaulting.
I am grateful that she was determined to follow her dream and keep moving forward. She could have quit when after being ranked at the top of the state her senior year she went to the state meet and received a “no height” meaning she didn’t clear any bars.
She continued on and went to compete first for Mesa Community College. She did well in her indoor season but due to weather and some scheduling issues, didn’t achieve what she would have liked in the outdoor season. That still didn’t stop her.
She had plans to come back stronger the next year. But her determination took her in another direction.
I am grateful that her love of God took her in a difficult, different direction. She decided to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for 18 months which abruptly ended her pole vaulting.
As she neared the end of her mission she decided to see if she could pole vault again. There were some challenges and set backs but she still didn’t give up on her desire. Two years after her last pole vault at Mesa Community College (after an appeal and some really hard work on her part) she was cleared by the NCAA to pole vault for Utah Valley University.
Still more challenges awaited with injuries and Covid cutting the 2020 season short for everyone but she stuck with it and pushed through. She even earned a school record height in her final season. She doesn’t think that she is that special but I still tease her and tell her I don’t personally know many other top 5 pole vaulters in the D1 Western Athletic Conference. Sadly, she is finished with that season of her life. But that comes with graduation.
I am grateful for her spirit of adventure, her fun-loving nature, and her desire to serve others. She loves being married, the beach, and Disneyland. She is fiercely protective of her family, especially her sister, always watching out for each of us. She loves her cousins like sisters (and brothers). She loves her friends like family.
I am grateful that she is continuing her education, working on her Master’s program in Exercise Science as a strength and conditioning coach for Nova Southeastern University.
There are so many qualities that she has that I am grateful for. She is a good example to me.
I could go on but she will be embarrassed by this much already.
I am grateful for her and for the things she teaches me about life, love, and determination. Love you Ally Cat.
What are you grateful for? “Contact Me” and send me a quick email. If you prefer, you can “Schedule a Conversation” for a free session to discuss what you want to work towards and how to get started.
The work is GRATITUDE, and I want to become a master!!
And as always…..Remember…..It’s ALL good!!
Michelle Keil Coaching 