One Month from Today

By this time just one month from today, if everything goes according to plan, Mom and I will have completed the first 20 miles of the 3-Day. Right around now, we should be sitting down to enjoy the Friday Night Spaghetti Dinner hosted by Mueller's Pasta. Thank you in advance, Mueller's, because I do so love my pasta!

After all of these months of training and fundraising, it's hard in some ways to believe that the event is just one month from now. In other ways, when I contemplate all of the training that still lies ahead of us between now and then, then seems very far away!

And speaking of fundraising, I have a whole new round of thanks to share today. In just the past two days, Mom and I have been the lucky recipients of $500 in donations, and we are so thankful. A special thank you goes out to Kay, who is the mom of my friends Rob and Mary as well as the mother-in-law of my friend, Amy. I was touched to receive Kay's contribution today--I think that Amy may have passed the walk information along to her. What a wonderful surprise!

I also want to thank my friend, Mike, whom I've known for several years. Although Mike lives all the way out in Redding, California, Robbie and I have had the chance to see him three times over the summer, twice on the East Coast and once out in California. I am so appreciative of his contribution to the walk.

Thanks also to Josh and Naina, who are wonderful friends to me. A few years ago, Naina lost her aunt, Marianne, to breast cancer. Mom and I will keep Marianne in our thoughts as we walk our 60 miles next month. Knowing that we have Josh and Naina's support every step of the way will ease the challenge of walking those many long miles.

And there are still more thank yous to go . . .Caroline also has been a friend of mine for years, and like Josh and Naina, has been a regular donor to these breast cancer walks to which I'm addicted! I remember one year, Caroline thought that it was too late to donate to the walk. Because she wanted to help out, she offered to buy me a new pair of sneakers, since the ones I had were worn from so many miles of walking. I'm not sure I ever shared with her how much that meant to me, but I thought the offer was so generous and sweet. And today, she has been generous yet again, and Mom and I feel so lucky.

Finally, a big thank you goes out to Mom and Dad's neighbor, Pam. Although Pam and her family moved onto the street after I'd left for college, I've enjoyed getting to know them in the years since then on my trips back home. Mom mentioned the walk to her at a neighborhood dinner last Friday, and Pam was so kind to make a donation to the walk.

My heart is full of thanks, and I know that Mom's is, too. And so now, I'm happy to report that we are just $352.34 from our goal of $6000. Can you believe it? Because I'm me, and I'm emotional, especially when it comes to fighting breast cancer, just thinking about the tremendous generosity of our family and friends brings tears to my eyes. I think we may even surpass our goal!! Thank you, everyone!