Overwhelmed, Amazed, Uplifted, Thoughtful, Sad....

These are just a FEW of the words I have in my heart as I begin to explain to you what my weekend has been like.

Mom & I were walkers in the 3-Day Susan G. Komen 60 mile walk for Breast Cancer. It was something we decided back in January that we wanted to do. I couldn't tell you why then, for myself, really...besides the obvious...my grandmother had breast cancer (was a survivor!), my aunt had several cancers, both of my grandfathers had cancer, my mother-in-law had colon cancer (is a survivor!), and the list goes on...

On the bus to Southfork at 4:45am Friday morning

On Day 3, I was fortunate to carry the Grandmother flag for 2 miles

But now that I've walked, now that I've experienced this event, now that I've cried, cheered, been cheered, clapped, laughed, cried a bit more, groaned while falling into a pink tent at night, limped with multiple blisters and hurt body parts, showered in a mobile unit, used portapotties for 3 days in a row (while always turning to try & flush...slow learner!), now that I've seen what we are truly up against with breast cancer, now that I've seen survivors brave the walk, friends pushing those currently undergoing treatment in their wheelchairs, friends & family of those who haven't survived...walking for them....it all hits home for me. I wanted to be a part of something few get the chance to do. I wanted to physically feel like I have helped or made a tiny difference in the world & I wanted to help others feel like they are making a difference in the world by giving them the chance to donate to this research. We feel so small sometimes, and really we are, when you think about it in the world's eyes...but we are HUGE in God's eyes. I know He was leading me to do this initially and I KNOW He took me through months of training (otherwise I wouldn't have to stuck with it! Me & exercise don't always agree :) ) and I KNOW He was there all weekend, blessing each & every person there. He took the $2232.00 that you helped me raise along with 3700 other walker's $2200 + (many raised well above their first goal!) and provided breast cancer research with 7.9million dollars just from this one weekend's walk. Can you believe that?

We walked because everyone deserves a lifetime...

*A lifetime of joy

*A lifetime of happiness

*A lifetime of love

*A lifetime of optimism

*A lifetime of kindness

and again...the list goes on....

We walked so one day, there will be a

WORLD WITHOUT BREAST CANCER!!!!

This was such a great sight at the end of Day 1, a total of 21.2 miles walked that day...but alas...the sign was wrong...we actually had 1.6 miles left to go, that was a hard 1.6 miles!!

I didn't make all 60 miles...and the first time I had to catch what they called a "Sweeper Van", during Day 2, I cried. I felt like a loser, it felt like the hardest thing I had to do all weekend. But, at the end of Day 3, after 43 miles walked through Parker, Murphy, Plano, Carrollton, & Addison, TX...I realized that just by walking, even if it had been 1 mile, it was more than many can or will ever be able to do. So I walked for them. I walked for you. I walked for our children...so maybe their future will be closer to being breast cancer free. I walked so maybe one day there won't have to be "walks" for breast cancer research because a cure will be found. I walked b/c my t-shirt had more "in memory of" names than it did "in honor of" names...so that will change in the future as we have more survivors and less deaths from breast cancer!

Is this not an amazing sight? They walked each day in their gear & boots.

I am forever grateful to & so proud of my mom, for dealing with me all weekend (I'm a horrible tentmate) & for walking the many miles she did w/her bum knee (go see the doctor!!), to the medics who bandaged our feet and legs, to the crew who always had smiles even when replacing toilet paper in the portapotties (VERY important job!), to the makers of Thermacare wraps and Tylenol PM, to the walkers who stopped to help eachother...who asked why you were walking...who gave a smile...who walked beside you to chat for a bit, to the CROWDS at the cheering stations handing out high-fives & sometimes candy to all as we walked by (thanks S & D for coming to cheer for me, you will NEVER know how much that meant to me), to the "walker stalkers" who drove around honking and playing music for us, to the policemen/women who halted traffic, to the crew at the crosswalks, to the men who walked and the men who cheered w/fake boobs & bras on (photos below) & yelled out "I like boobies" without shame, to the couple and the man w/the big pink cardboard breast cancer ribbon around his neck who were at EVERY cheering station and more to encourage us, and especially I am grateful to those of you who were able to donate to and/or pray for this walk.

All of us teary-eyed...my personal cheering section, complete with posters!

This pushed me the next 5 miles :)

Just one of the few medic visits on the route...not as bad as it seemed :)

One of the many fellow Frogs I met! This made me even more proud to be a Horned Frog

Just a few of the "cheerleaders" who met the walkers at 6:45am and when they returned at different times each day!

I pray I will be able to walk again next year...with a goal of 60 miles this time!! But I'll settle for 50 :) Please pray about joining us next year, you don't have to walk all 60 miles...you can walk 5 and be done but just being there, raising the money and supporting the cause is reason enough to think about it. It would make the walk that much more amazing with friends by our side (mom is considering working crew...although they have to be up every morning at 4am...yuck!). And raising the money is actually the easiest part about the walk, honestly. I promise it's one thing you will never regret. For those of you who worked at Lions Camp...it's like that again for 3 days...3 days of love, kindness, cheering, encouragement, tears, laughter...it's a weekend you will keep with you, that will change your attitude when it comes to the little things in life (they just melt away), it will put things into perspective for you.

Visit http://www.the3day.org/ for more information.

Registration: $90

Socks & Shoes: $155

Miles of training: Free

Finding a Cure: PRICELESS

3700 walkers and around 500 crew members lining up at SMU to walk into closing ceremonies....an awesome thing to see. Even more inspiring were the survivors who had pink shirts...a beautiful vision.

I will say, it was a different morning as I took J to school today. My outlook is quite different. Of course, no one at Wally World clapped for me as I crossed the parking lot (much to my chagrin, ha!) and not everyone smiled back as they did over the weekend...no one honked and waved in a GOOD way, so alas...I am back in the real world. But I now know that in the real world, there are many who are willing to share, to love, to spread joy, to give a shoulder or a clap even to strangers. And most importantly...I know that God is in control and even in the worst situations and troubles, He is there.

Love to you all...