Our June Mom of the Month

Lindsay & Family- Photo courtesy of Mason Dee Photography

Our Mom of the Month program offers us the opportunity to honor one of our dedicated Stroller Strides moms for her efforts to live a healthy lifestyle while getting to know her better at the same time. Our June Mom of the Month is Lindsay Blackburn (aka Graham's mom)!

Lindsay is a faithful class attendee (despite rehabbing a shoulder injury) and a sweet friend to all she encounters. She has also agreed to serve as a 3rd Playgroup Captain (serving alongside co-Captains Amy & Krista). Welcome aboard, Lindsay! We all look forward to the fun things you've got in store for the playgroup this summer and fall!

We asked Lindsay a few questions to get to know her better and this is what she said...
Hometown - One of the few people from Raleigh, NC! Never thought I would live in Raleigh after college, but my internship was here which led to my first job. After traveling with work a lot I grew to love and appreciate Raleigh and can't imagine living anywhere else.
Education - BSBA Accounting from Appalachian State University
Stroller Strides Member since - September 2011
Members of your Family - Husband of almost 7 years - Casey, Graham (2 years old), JD the cat, Tuscan and Moose the rabbits!
Current/previous Career - CPA, first in public accounting and later in industry. Neither was much fun!
What was your childhood ambition? President of the United States or CEO of a major corporation. Seriously.
What does motherhood mean to you? Motherhood is something I had always wanted and had to wait a while for, but it has been worth the wait. It is more rewarding and challenging than I could have ever imagined. I have a whole new respect for my parents since Graham is just like me as a child! Thank goodness they never left me somewhere because I now know just how tempting that may seem some days! Even on the worst day I can't imagine doing anything else. What is the furthest you have been from home? Hawaii and Europe, I think about equally far from here in opposite directions.
What has Stroller Strides done for you? I am wearing shorts again!! I can also run more than I ever thought I could and actually enjoy it. Stroller Strides is really the only way I can fit exercise into my day now and I love coming to class. It has done so much for Graham too. He was such a shy and clingy little guy before we started and it is a joy to see him make friends and come out of his shell a bit. I love having so many new friends to chat with each day. I was getting pretty lonely at home all day and didn't have many mom friends before joining Stroller Strides.
What is your favorite exercise? Anything for my arms, sometimes legs and never abs.
What is your proudest moment? It used to be passing the CPA exam on the first try, but now it is giving birth with no drugs!
What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Photography, crafts/building things, anything made with lots of sugar.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. I have two pet rabbits that have their own bedroom in my house! I am also a House Rabbit Society educator, am the head rabbit volunteer and educator at the SPCA and organize the house rabbit meetup group! Before Graham, I used to foster rabbits as well and would have up to 8 rabbits in my house at one time! And no it didn't smell. I fostered a mom and her 6 babies which was a lot of work, but an amazing experience. Casey calls me the crazy rabbit lady.
If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? When I asked him he sat for a long time thinking and came up with selflessness (giving), ingenuity (crafty), maternal instinct (good mom) and independent. I am pretty sure he was just trying to think of a big words. I added my interpretations in parenthesis after asking him to explain!