Goin' against the holiday grain...

Maybe it's having SP in the house, maybe it's just getting older...but I am tired of decorating for the holidays. I don't mean the basics, tree, wreath...I mean the extra little dust collectors that I truly don't need to put out. 

 Our Thanksgiving was wonderful. It was simple. It was the most enjoyable one T and I could remember having. Nana, Pop, Grandma, Grandad, KK, Kam and our friend Johnny all came for lunch. Our only decorations were on the table and the mantle (ok, so the big pretty ceramic pumpkin would have been out but I feel sure SP would have found a way to throw it) and for lunch we ate on our china. Most of the food was done the night before, everyone was comfortably dressed and there was so much laughter and smiling. No headaches, no tantrums (again...not counting the toddler). 

That's what I want for Christmas. I was reminded this past Sunday of what I'm truly Thankful for. And do you know what that is? You actually won't believe this one at first. I didn't. I was in bible study class (my Young Mom's class, oh yea!) and I was brought to tears, overwhelming tears as I scratched out my first "automatic" response to "what are you most thankful for" and wrote what God was speaking to my heart. I had to laugh it off at first and told my class I had recently cut my meds in 1/2 hence the overwhelming tears...but they are the most amazing ladies and saw through my ruse ;-) 

Ready for this one? 

James's cerebral palsy. Yes, you read that correctly. For so many years I've put him on the "if you could have anything for Christmas, anything at all...what would it be?" question for healing. For him to walk. run. whatever. But as I wrote that typical answer down also I had to scratch it out as well as I wrote "James's cerebral palsy" for the first question instead. You see, it's like God finally opened my eyes to how much in my life I would have missed out on, blessings from Him, reminders of His love, His grace, His goodness...if James had not been born as he is. I would not have people in church, MEN in church, tell me how much they love seeing James and getting to know him. How they pray for him. I capitalize MEN b/c usually, it's us women-folk who say things like that out loud. But in our case, it's also guys. They find James so funny, enjoyable and just a true encouragement to life. They see him as we do. They see him as God does. And now I finally understand. 

It's still hard, physically and emotionally for our family, I won't lie. But wow, the lives God has touched through this one boy, it's overwhelming. I can truthfully say now...I wouldn't change him for the world. He is amazing. I am thankful for him and for his disability.

And so this brings me full circle back to a simple holiday.  I want to keep this feeling in my heart and my head as we face the craziness of Christmas.  I want to keep my focus on my boys, on the blessings they are, as different as they are.  I want to enjoy my husband, because let's face it, he is one AWESOME man.  He loves us so much.  

We will put up a tree.  We have a wreath on the door and two poinsettias on the table.  I will put up the stockings and probably the little tree in James's room with his Looney Tunes ornaments.  Then we will just spend time watching Christmas movies together, enjoying each other, enjoying our families and sharing the love of Christ.  

Focus on your thankfulness and peace with going against the grain of society will fall into place.

It can be just that simple.
 

If It Saves a Sister...

Give me a Blister! (or 7 of them, more like it) 
The 3Day. You know it by now, if you follow this blog. It's an event that has captured my heart because it's full of people who have captured my heart. The ladies I walk for have captured my heart. 
It's my mission field for now and I am so thankful I was able to go out again for year 5!

Getting ready to catch the 5am shuttle on Friday morning with mom by our sides

Our crewmate from last year, Cathy!  Found her at opening ceremony :-)

I signed up 5 years ago for two reasons...one was non-selfish, the other completely selfish.  My non-selfish reason(s), my grandmother and my aunt.  My maternal grandmother, was a breast cancer survivor, for as long as I can remember she only had one breast due to mastectomy.  My maternal aunt, whom I was as close to as any niece could be, passed away in her early 50's from 3 kinds of cancer while I was in college.  While she didn't have breast cancer, I feel raising money for any cancer research helps them all.  My selfish reason...at the time, I felt like I needed something bigger in my life, I felt like I wasn't making any kind of impact except with my family (which I now realize is the biggest impact I can have, but I digress...).  So I signed up and I've been signing up ever since.

Honoring and remembering those who have battled breast cancer

This man walks every year...has walked almost 10 years...with is wife who is a survivor

My girls, doin' their walkin' thang.

This year our team consisted of 3...Sherry, Wendy, and myself.  Mom came to be our driver and cheerleader for 2 days which was wonderful!  She even tried to embarrass us with her crazy hot pink/black gothic creepy princess get-up after Day1 (we weren't fooled!).  She's awesome!!

Our gothic-creepy-hotpink-princess

Day 1 Done!

The much anticipated foot massage

By the time we started walking, as a team, we raised over $8,000 for breast cancer research and programs.  It is such a humbling feeling knowing we are able to contribute and help even one person fight this disease.  Without the funding, we wouldn't have an almost 90% over 5 year survival rate for those who catch their breast cancer in it's early stages.  That's amazing and it is getting better every year.  Of course cancer continues to spread every year as well...so the fight continues.

Our crew captain from last year, Carrie.  She was such a great encouragement to me this year.

Sherry walked for her aunt who has survived breast cancer.

"We are walking 60miles...remembering those we've lost, supporting those who are fighting, honoring those who survived, believing we can find a cure"

This lady has been out the last few years, I LOVE seeing her each year, such hope and joy on her face :-)  And her right boob, of course!

Our three days were full of laughter, pain, tears, humility, bandaids, (no medics again this year, woo hoo!!) and a ton more laughter.  Wendy and Sherry are hilarious, I love these ladies!  And it was so fun seeing our crewmates from last year each day, it's a bond you just don't find much in life. It was a fantastic weekend filled with the most amazing people in the world.  The comraderie along the route among strangers all walking towards the same goal is overwhelming. 

You know that whole "don't stick your tongue to a flagpole on a really cold day?" thing?  Well...the same thing goes for a popsicle that's been cooling on dry ice on an 85degree day in Dallas....oh yea.  We all talked funny for awhile after that.

Day 2...was the worst day 2 EVER in 5 years.  It was long (22.7 miles) and it was HOOOOTTTTT...85degrees in November.  Most walkers had heat rash and we all got blisters this year.  CRAZY...but the reasons we kept going?  Priceless.

True beauty...watching a survivor hobble in after walking 60 miles with tears in her eyes yet the biggest smile on her face. 

I was in tears as this survivor walked into Fair Park with a knee brace on, she could barely move, but she was so happy.

True devotion...a husband walking for his wife while she recovers from her chemotherapy.  True determination...a man in his service fatigues walking with his wife, all 60 miles.

True adoration...a grandaughter walking for her grandmother and being able to hug her while on the route because she is beating this illness.  

True joy...getting to eat dinner with my beautiful high school friend Lara who beat breast cancer last year before the walk (yet we forgot to take a picture this year!!).  True love...all of the names and faces printed or pinned on all of the shirts who are no longer with us but we walk for them so others might not have to fight this monster.

Yea, my TCU flip flops saved my feet and made the last 3 miles of Day 3 with me!

Ralph...78 years old.  Walks 10 miles or so a day everyday, decided he might could do this...and he did!  This picture was taken when he turned around to check on ME, the 41 year old, because I was walking a little slow ;-) 

DONE!!!

Sherry cracked us up!  As she walked into Fair Park, she stopped to do the Cupid Shuffle with the 3Day Spokeswoman, she is a machine!

I encourage you to check out this amazing event.  Or even check out the Avon 2 day walk.  Or the American Cancer Society Making Strides walk.  Each one of us has been affected by breast cancer in one way or another...ourselves, our family, our friends.  You don't have to be an athlete to do these things, you just have to have the heart, the will and the want to serve and help fight the battle!

Honoring the Survivors at closing with our shoes...all 1600 walkers, 350 crew, etc...

We Will Never Give Up