Our Crazy Lives: Relay for Life

As many of you know, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after Teagan was born. It was a very confusing and difficult time for my mom and for the rest of us as well. While she was undergoing radiation treatment it was a "play it by ear" situation with Teagan and my Mom; Mom does Teagan's day care. Every time we told her we would find someone else to watch Teagan, my Mom would just say, "no, it's OK, we'll see how next week goes." Well, during the course of my Mom's treatment, we never had to find anyone else to take care of Teagan. My mom is a SUPER TROOPER. My Mom and Dad made many friends at the cancer center and occasionally they took Teagan with them to Mom's treatments. The staff fell in love with my daughter (hard to believe isn't it). Story leaps forward to yesterday...The staff at the cancer center told my Mom about the Relay for Life and told her to come out, she's a survivor! Mom didn't know whether she was going to go or not until yesterday morning (the day of the event). Todd, Teagan and I agreed to meet Mom and Dad out there. Mom got a really cool gift bag with a survivor T-shirt, a survivor sash, 2 caregiver sashes, some candy, and coupons and other great schwag. The sashes were to be worn when they did the survivor victory lap...survivors and caregivers did the lap. Caregivers constituted those who helped the survivors get through the hardest part of having cancer and treatment. Dad and Teagan did the victory lap with my Mom. Yesterday was very special and very emotional. We saw children and teenagers and adults of all ages that have been affected by some sort of cancer...and there they all were rallying with other survivors, sharing a hope of a cure that someday will come. It was a day filled with hope and love and Todd and I are so thankful that we got to share in something so special with Teagan, my Mom and my Dad. Next year, we will have a team and next year there will be more hope for others!!! I'm all emotional even typing about it.

We got out to the Ranch at 11:00 but the festivities didn't start until 2:00 so Todd and Teagan chilled out where they could find some shade.

Mom and Dad, pre-smooch...

Dad was trying to help the volunteers get the banners to stay in the ground...they were waiting for a hammer, which ironically enough worked better than him trying to push them in the ground...