Embrace the Hill T-Shirts

For a while now and especially last year I've held this mantra, "Embrace the Hill" close. For me it's not just about running. Yes, admittedly I like to think hills are my "bread and butter." Yes, I'm proud of the fact that I don't shy away from them. But the idea of "Embracing the Hill" is more than just a phrase I repeat to myself to get up a tough incline. It is a mind-set that allows me to lean in to difficulty knowing that I'll come out on the other side stronger. In some ways it has it's root in the this verse from 1 Peter 1:6 & 7 "Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine." (The Message)

Life is filled with "hills:" seemingly insurmountable obstacles that catch us by surprise, lay waste to our resolve, threaten our hope and leave us feeling weak and powerless. That's what it felt like the night that our son Jack was born. He was born with a congenital birth defect, undetected by ultrasound, that sent us reeling. Ultimately, everything with Jack has been resolved and now all he bears is one (very large) scar on an otherwise healthy and normal body.

In the midst of that difficulty there really was no where to go but up. Up and over. So you lean into it. You embrace it. The difficulty becomes your new normal and you find joy there. And then you get to the top. You breath. And you're stronger for the journey. That's what "Embracing the Hill" is all about.

But these t-shirts aren't just about a mantra, they are about the children and families that receive care at The Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (the hospital where Jack received and still receives all his care). The profit from each t-shirt sold will be donated directly to CHaD. It's part of my grand scheme to try and surpass the $7000 I raised last year in connection with the CHaD Half Marathon. I am incredibly grateful to Jillian Tholen whose beautiful handiwork graces the front and back of the t-shirt, her creativity brought this saying to life.

The shirts are a vintage-style, super-soft blend of cotton, polyester and rayon. With "Embrace the Hill" on the front and "runfargirl.com" on the back neck. Shirts come in Purple, Heather Gray, Kelly Green and Vintage Navy. Sizes small to x-large. The shirts are a slim-fit, so if you prefer a roomier fit order a size up.