Relay Recap

I don't even know where to start in telling the story of what we expierenced last night. There was a school track that was filled with love and hope for cancer patients everywhere. There were a lot less people there than we all anticipated, but It was good to hear that the grand total of money raised by the Federal Way Relay was $55,600!

Eric and I met up with Kerri and her house with our car packed down with a tent, and lots of water. Kerri brought along a deck umbrella, a cooler and snacks, we would have been a lot more sunburned, hungry, dehydrated and cranky with out Kerri!

From there, we got to Saghalie Middle School and found our way to the regisistration table. We got checked off the list, directed to our campsite and got our bracelets so they knew we belonged there. As if the matching battle tee shirts weren't enough.

We got our campsite all set up and I regretably have no pictures of our meager campsite(in comparison to others we were a little ill prepared, but hey we only had a month.). The relay began with a police escort around the track trailed by the surviors that were at the relay.

They were from the Federal Way Police Department.

Then, Came the Survivors, as they walked aroudnt the track we all clapped for them. It was pretty eye opening to see the variation on the ages, and types of people that Cancer affects.

After the suvivors they had the care - givers walk with them for a lap and then the rest of us were able to start walking. The first hour of the walk was accompanied by Soul Deep which is a local christian band. Not really a type of music I listen to often but they were pretty good. Following their entertainment we had a Dance instructor give a salsa and swing lesson from Arthur Murray's Dance studio. And later in the evening a demonstration from a Kung Fu place and the Federal Way Men's Choir which consisted of a bunch of really cute crusty old guys.

Most importantly though, there was a LOT of walking! Katherine showed up donning her very purple shirt, and we sent her to the restrooms to change into a battle shirt, because survivors wear purple and ... Kat is not a survivor! It was kind of comical!

Her and Eric walked a couple laps. The reason they call it RELAY is there should be one representative from your team on the track at all times. So we took a lot of turns walking together and hanging out at our camsite.

It was very hot out yesterday, I think we hit 90 degrees or better. Just as we didn't think we could take much more of the heat, Kerri and I were talking about how cool it would be if it just rained to cool us off, and then it began to POUR.

There were a few bad things about the rain; One, it didn't really cool us off it made us wet, and then became really humid and the air was really thick, and two... It did this to our luminiaria.

Kat and I put out the first three before the rain and then John and Kerri ended up buying some more to put out infront of our little camsite. Kat's are the first two in this picture for Judy Oleson (breast cancer, her Mother in law) and Courtney Walker (a friend of Kat's) and then mine for Mom!

We walked through the rain, and you can see the wetness on the track here, but there's John and Kerri walking for our team.

And then Kerri and I. I asked Eric to take a few pictures of me walking as well because I hardly ever have pictures of me doing things because I'm usually taking the pictures... so these three pics are the series we got out of that!

Thank you Hubbins! It was encouraging to hear from Mom via text a lot throughout the day. She was a constant source of encouragement for us.

And then Santa Claus showed up for the "Christmas in July" lap, which I might add that eventhough there were Lap themes, no one really paid any attention to it, and wore what they felt like.

And then the sunset over relay. Breathtaking.

And as the sun set the lit the luminiaria around the track so we had light to walk by. They also did a pictorial which I had submitted a picture of Mom (the one on the right of this blog). They did a nice little slide for every picture they recieved and it said their Name, and what type of cancer they had and how long they had been fighting or when they lost their battle. It was accompanyed with some beautiful music and that's when the tears came.

because, not only are the luminiara beautiful and fun to decorate and fun to walk by, but they also represent a life that has had their own battle with Cancer, and then the luminiaria become kind of scary, because there are so many.

And the committee members spelt out CURE & HOPE because thoes two words are synonomous with Relay.

Later in the night about an hour before we packed up for the night Nathan (John & Kerris' son) came out to bring us yummy food and walk for us so we could eat. We only stayed till Midnight, and then called it a day. We learned a lot and I have so many ideas rolling around in my head for next year I hardly know what to do with myself other than write it down, write it down, write it down!

So again I say, Our hearts are full of HOPE, full of hope for a cure, but also full of hope to see other people who fight hard. Last night I saw a picture of a guy in the pictorial who fought Lung cancer for 10 years, that's such an amazing feat! It's so comforting to be around people who are battling the same thing you are.

Mom keeps telling me that her goal is to walk in the surivor lap next year, and I can't wait to see it happen!

Speaking of amazing feats... here's my amazing feet... Blisters and all. Sorry, I know this is gross, but it's defintly part of what relay was for us.

Thank you all for your support and Love,

Next year will be even better!
All the Love in the Universe, Abby