My youngest daughter is participating in the “Little Olympics” this week. On Monday, the coach reminded the students that they needed to drink lots of water this week so they would be well hydrated for the outdoor games on Friday. They wanted the young athletes to drink now and not wait until the last minute to drink water. When they are thirsty, they need to take a drink of water. This helps their performance and keeps them from getting sick in the heat.

When I was 19 years old, I moved from Nebraska to Edmond, Oklahoma to go to college at the University of Central Oklahoma. I left my entire family in Nebraska and was six hours away from the support system I had always had right at my fingertips. As the fifth child of six, I remember feeling excited for this new chapter and ready for a fresh canvas of my own where I wouldn’t constantly be known as “so and so’s younger sister” everywhere I went.