Another viewpoint and the hunt!

Wyoming 2009

Not that you haven't read enough about the 3Day on this blog, but if you would like another viewpoint (and much better written than mine, I might add!), go to Batgirl's blog Amuzing Grace. She has written 4 posts on it and they are fantastic!

Now, as promised a few weeks ago...I will share pictures from T's big Wyoming trip. I have heard only snippets of stories, mainly b/c it was a group of guys and I don't truly want all of the disgusting manly details (lol!). But they had an incredible time. They harassed eachother, ate all 14doz. cookies I sent (ok...apparently Batgirl's hubby did most of that part), hung out with T's dad and his nutty friends, fished a bit, apparently even impressed the rangers with their GINORMOUS tent (you can find the post on that here), and they had great weather. Only thing that didn't happen as planned...no one shot an elk. A few were seen, but not shot. But you know what? They still had a fantastic trip and taking a week off from work like that with friends just boosts your spirits, even if you're a guy :~) ha!

The tent...recognized by all around as the best tent they'd ever seen...atleast

that's what T told me!

My Man!!

Field mouse...apparently they enjoyed sleeping w/Jeff :~)

The gang

Day 3...A World Without Breast Cancer...

**I just realized from the last post that you are not getting the e-mails for the slideshows since I am posting them directly from photobucket. SO...if you missed Day 2 pictures, look at the post directly below this one. The Day 3 pictures will be right above this post, you might have to refresh the blog if you came here directly from your e-mail.**

Day 3...we finished! It was amazing, not only did we finish but from what mom said, we finished in the first 250 walkers or so. We couldn't believe it. That last mile was a LONG mile, but the Day 3 route was so much more interesting. We walked through some gorgeous older Park Cities neighborhoods, the West End, passed by the Grassy Knoll and the Sixth Floor Museum (which we had to tell Wendy what that was! She's been a Texan long enough so don't feel sorry for her! lol!), we laughed at the Grassy Knoll b/c they now have a huge bright yellow banner on it stating "GRASSY KNOLL"...a bit tacky, but I guess it helps people find it...hmmm.... We walked past the old red courthouse, we passed a homeless man on a bench who was enjoying parts of many 3Day walker's lunches they didn't eat and passed on to him - that made us feel encouraged, to be in such great company. We pit stopped at Pioneer Plaza, walked through Deep Ellum and then we saw it...FAIR PARK! Then we heard the cheers, then we saw the big pink blow up pillars, then we saw mom. I wonder how we actually "saw" any of this b/c the tears in our eyes were quickly coming :)

And the best part? Taking off our shoes for an hour, LOL! Walking on the grass w/out shoes felt so good :) Watching the group with a teammate in a wheelchair finish and help her walk those last few steps, seeing my son and husband in the crowd as we walked into the closing ceremony, watching the survivors walk into the closing ceremony, hearing that the DFW walk had raised over 7.2 million dollars...what more can be said. Except this...join us next year. Team Priceless is officially registered for 2010.

Day 2...Blisters Don't Need Chemo

Day 2...we woke up at 4:45am, ready to head out. Well, our minds were ready, our bodies were semi-ready :) Tina wasn't sure how she would do, I was preoccupied by a mishap with our hotel bill (that was fixed while we walked, thanks to our generous donor!) and Wendy was wondering why she hadn't bought larger shoes. Mom realized that crewing was not a "walk in the park" on her knees or feet either. BUT...we headed to the campsite and met mom at the gates after eating a quick breakfast.


We learned several things about the 3Day on Day 2:

1. If you can be at the gate when the walk route first opens, you can take more the rest of the day and not feel rushed to make it to the pit stops before they close (Day 1 we were towards the end leaving the opening ceremony and felt like we could never "catch up")

2. Your feet & knees will start to really feel it around lunchtime (they "fool" you the first few hours after waking up :~) ).

3. If you can make it through Day 2, Day 3 will seem that much more attainable, a "breeze" of sorts.

4. Medics are a good thing, they are there for a reason so use them!



We also learned that evening, once we were back in the hotel, that when we heard running water in what we thought was our bathroom...none of us were worried enough to actually get out of bed to go check on it. We figured whoever it was would finish and leave soon, ha! We also learned that a remote is not really necessary...especially when it's sitting across the room by the TV and you are all in bed finally eating dinner...and sore. You aren't as picky about the show that's on by that point.



Most importantly, we learned that having teammates was an amazing encouragement to get up and go each morning. We also learned that laughing with and at eachother really helps!

Day 1...Taking the Challenge

Well...I know I've made you wait a few days but now you can rest easy :) Pictures were delivered to my computer and slide shows have been created. However...we have so many fantastic photos that I have made small slide shows for each day of the walk! You've just seen Day 1's slide show!


The 3Day Breast Cancer Walk 2009...amazing, emotional, hard, exhausting, painful, energizing, lovely, phenomenal, funny, exciting, boobalicious (had to add that!), fantastic, tough, tiring, overwhelming, friends, laughs, joy, tears, sweat, blisters, bandaids, biofreeze, body glide, stretching, stretching and more stretching, inflammation, swelling, huge smiles, "Thank you", "no, Thank you", Simply the Breast (hee hee), foot massage, carbs, pink tents, just one more mile, awesome, beautiful, encouraging, inspirational...


It's all that and more. Even after a 2nd year for myself at this walk, I am still easily overcome with tears as I think of the lady who, as we walked by her, took off her head scarf and with tears in her eyes, thanked us...all 3,000 of us. I am still easily overcome with smiles as I think of the joy we had each afternoon when we walked those last few steps into camp and there was mom, waiting with a huge smile of her own and hugs for each of us. I am still easily overcome with sadness as I remember the man who walked with the "I'm honoring my mother" flag out of opening ceremony with tears streaming down his face because he misses her so much. I am still easily overcome with inspiration as I remember the man walking with this on his back "Walking for my wife, still in the fight". I am still easily overcome with both tears and smiles as I think of the survivors, hoisting up the flag at the end of the walk, letting us know that we are not only One Day Closer to a Cure but that we are walking for a purpose that is so much larger than each of us...A World without Breast Cancer.



I know a few people who don't particularly care for events like this that only focus on one type of cancer or cause and that's ok. If you haven't been affected by it, I understand that. But being at an event like this, contributing just a tiny part to the overall picture, seeing first-hand that we are all truly kind deep down, that we do care for others, regardless of the disease represented by the event, is worth the fight. It's worth the time. It's worth the training. It's worth the pain. It's worth waking up at 3:30am for. It's worth the walk. Because no matter what cancer or cause you focus on, it's all our enemy. It all affects everyone...male, female, child, adult, black, white...no matter what.


So my challenge for you: do something. Stand up and walk, work or pray for whatever cause is close to your heart. If it's American Cancer Society, do Relay For Life , if it's Prostate cancer...join up with Movember, if you're into triathalons look up Tri for a Cure in your area, if it's Alzheimers...Alzheimer's Memory Walk, maybe it's ALS, you can check out Walk to Defeat ALS...you get the idea. If it's Breast Cancer, join us next year in the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer 3Day. Donate just a few dollars towards a cure or volunteer a bit of time to work at an event rather than walk or run, cheer on those who are able to walk...just do something. Show the world that we really do care.

You've Been Treated!

Halloween 2009 was awesome...ok, well, I was recovering from strep (which J now has officially as of today :( !) but J had a fabulous time. We went door-to-door trick or treating for the first time since J was 3 I think. For a couple of years we had parties at our home for kids, then we drove around to a few houses for a couple more years...this year, he specifically asked to go door-to-door. So, our generous friends invited us along with them! We went through 2 neighborhoods and even behind the mask, J had a smile as big as the Joker's on his real face :)

Joining us were Radioactive Man, Joker, Minnie Mouse, 2 Nerds, Bumble Bee, GI Joe.

T and the gang


The moms :) (not at my best, but again...strep!)

The girls rode w/Mr. Steve and the boys rode w/us...J loved doing this more than anything :) and yes...we drove VERY slowly...you wouldn't believe how many people were out!

J had me print out some Joker cards to hand out to people who gave him candy. He wanted them to be "treated by the Joker" :)