Relay for Life

This weekend I had the opportunity to be a part of something wonderful. The annual Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society. This is the first year that I've had any involvement what-so-ever and now I wish I'd participated. I wasn't an actual participant this year, although I would have if my husband hadn't had to work this weekend, but I helped my company team set up the area designated for us and stayed for some of the events that took place throughout the night and the next day. The opening ceremony was very nice. There was a speaker who spoke of his mother and how last year they were walking in support for her. She ended up passing away shortly after the relay, so he told this year that they were there to remember her and her fight. It was very moving and brought me to tears. He went on to say that he'd gotten a tattoo of a butterfly in her honor and that when he did he had to explain to the tattooist why this big burly guy was there to get a tattoo of a butterfly!!! The next two speakers were pastors from a couple different Yamhill Co. church's. One offered a prayer in Spanish and the other a prayer in English. Both very nice and asked for help in our quest for a cure. The event hoped to raise close to $100,000 for the weekend, as of Friday afternoon it was up to over $70,000! I'm interested in seeing how much was raised and if we were close to the goal!






Connie, Ushio's own cancer survivor

Party time!!

Today I went to a graduation party for my next oldest cousin. There's 5 of us, me being the oldest of all of them. She'll be graduating next Tuesday!! Yeah for her!! The slideshow that was played actually made me cry too. I know, a slideshow?! It wasn't the pictures themselves that made me cry, it was the combination of the pictures and the music she chose to go with them. In that slideshow, one of my aunts favorite pictures, was "L" asleep in our blue chair with my daughter in her arms fast asleep as well. They were really tuckered out that day.

I remember the first time I met her in person. I was 12 at the time, she was only 6 weeks old. I traveled with our grandparents from Oregon to Minnesota to go see my aunt and uncle and to meet her. It was my first trip away from home without Mom and Dad. There was a little homesickness involved, but I won't go there. The trip itself was memorable. I still see the many different places that we stopped on the way there and back to Oregon. What I remember the most though, was this cute little girl who LOVED to cry almost every time I held her!! Yes, I will not let her forget it either!!!! I was convinced she hated me. I was 12!! The next time I saw her in person was when she was 2. Her family flew home for Christmas and I went with Grandma & Grandpa to the airport to pick them up. She was a little shy at first, but she didn't cry!!! She even consented to hold my hand as we walked through the airport. We were good buddies.

Now, she's grown up and about to embark on a new path in life. College. She claims she'll be around a lot to babysit my kids (the college she's going to is here in my hometown) when I need her to......yeah, I'm thinking she's going to be too busy.  I guess we'll see what happens! :)