Win a Pink iPod!!!!

I ran across this website/blog the other day!! Wow what amazing words, ideas, promotions, comments! I was so immpressed with this site, and more than anything I too wanted to do something like this. All those walking know just how hard it is to fundraise, we all know first hand that after a while asking the same people year after year for money, get's old and you always have to come up with new ways and ideas to fundraise. Well.....on this site, not only will you find many great things, but there giving away a PINK NANO....yep, a pink iPod Nano....now, I'm determined to win this, and I feel like I'm going to, only because I want it more than you do! But really, this is an amzing cause, I ask you all to head on over, read these words, post a comment and donate to a great cause! Donate to this team donate to mind, but donate, it's an amazing cause! http://our3day.com/ is the link!! Head on over, donate and you might win the June give-a-way!! Which I already did, but go on!! Check it out! -Ana"I choose “Life” as the category for this blog, because that’s really what it’s about. Not necessarily MY life, but others’ lives. There are a couple of things going on here. First, let me tell you about my Mom’s friend Donna at work. A couple of weeks ago, Donna’s husband started complaining about being tired and not feeling well. They assumed it was nothing and figured it would go away. Eventually, he started feeling worse, and having other more severe symptoms. They went to the ER, and after quite a few tests, it was determined that he has cancer…of the liver, the pancreas, it had even spread to his intestines. All of this from feeling tired and “not well”. It’s too far gone to treat, and he’s been given just a couple of months. Donna had told my Mom about her disbelief of the situation. Just a week or two ago, they had been sitting on the back porch planning the landscaping for their yard, and now he’s going to be gone in less than two months. The cancer is too advanced to treat. They won’t even try chemotherapy. Now, I am not telling you this to depress you. I’m telling you this because it woke me up a little. Despite the things that I have heard, seen, and read in the past couple of months since signing up for the Breast Cancer 3 Day, it never occured to me how quickly cancer can steal a life. I’ve heard of the treatments that these women endure and how hard it is on their bodies, but I had never considered those treatments not even being an option. What do you do when all you have is a little time, and then it’s done? How does a mom with small children explain to them that she might not see the end of their school year, their next birthday, or Christmas? Now I feel like I TRULY understand the need for early detection. What could the difference have been if this had been discovered two months ago?
Yesterday was the official kickoff for training walks for the 3 day in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Laurie and I went down to University Park, which is a beautiful old neighborhood near SMU. We joined about 150 other women who were there to kick off their training with a 4 mile walk. It was incredible to see the people that turned out. There were young women, middle age women, older women, husbands, brothers, survivors, supporters… We started our walk through the neighborhood at the New Balance store (they’re an official outfitter/sponsor for the walk) and wound through the gorgeous neighborhood. The sidewalks were well shaded by the old trees, and the houses were absolutely incredible. Along the way, neighbors and kids came out to wave to us and clap for us. Some even thanked us. The sidewalks had been decorated with encouraging phrases (like, “YOU ROCK!”), arrows, and pink ribbons. There was a “cheer station” where supporters were waiting to greet us with candy, give us stickers and cheer us on. There were cars that honked and waved as they drove by. At the finish line, we were greeted with even more cheering and high fives! I knew all along that this was a good cause, and that this was a wonderful thing to do. I guess I just hadn’t really felt it as much as I did yesterday. Being around all those other women, many of which have beat the disease, really drove this home for me. I can’t wait for the big event now. I can’t wait to meet more incredible people with amazing stories.
My feet are sore, and my legs a little achy today, but that’s nothing compaired to what some of the other women there have been through. I’m just grateful to be healty enough to be able to make this journey. Next year, there may be more survivors walking, because of what we are doing this year. THAT makes sixty miles soooooo worth while, despite the horror stories of blisters and swollen feet we’ve heard. I’ll take some blisters for the team! We really are going to make a difference, one that we will remember for rest of our lives.


Hundreds of women rallied prior to the DFW kickoff at New Balance.

This survivor tells her emotional story to the crowd.
This is why we walk!
We walked behind this team that wore angel costumes.
Families stood outside their homes to cheer and wave– one of the most emotional and touching parts of the day. Simply amazing.
Signs of encouragement were all along the route.
Stickers and candy were handed out at “cheer stations” along the path.
Cheers, high-fives and congratulations were waiting at the finish!

I cannot wait to share all of our milestones. This weekend starts the official 24 weeks of training leading up to the 3-Day in November. We have so many wonderful ideas and cannot wait to share them all with you. We appeciate all of your support!"