Going, going, gone...

25 days...

That is how many days it will be until I see my darlin Mantha again. She is at her dads in my home town until school starts. While the time always flies because August is so busy in our household, it still is very lonely without her here! We always miss her much more than we expect to every summer! But we know she has a blast not having daily chores and a mom always at her heels!

Last year I took this picture the day she left. I didn't forget this year - well not totally. I remembered as I drove away. I thought about it a half dozen times before I dropped her off, that counts right?

Jadon will be on his own adventure for 6 days. He will spend a week with his cousin Lainey who is just two months and one day younger than he at my dads cabin. My dad is now of the belief that two kids is better than one - esp two cute almost 7 year olds. Of course my step mother will have many structured activities for the two youngsters, but boat rides, beach time and pretend play will be a plenty!

Too bad both kids will be gone on a very busy week for Jim and I. We really won't get a lot of "just us" time, but that is ok - we are used to it!

I took this picture of Jim and Jadon last weekend. Love it - had to share. I won't tell you what caused the shit eating grin on my husbands face, but suffice it to say it was at my expense!

I got an update from our Treasurer for Relay For Life, and right now we are well over $106K! We have until the 25th of this month to turn our money in and pay our bills. We will for sure net over $100K this year!!! That is down only $4k from last year, and in this economy, that totally ROCKS!!!

I have to share with you a few special moments at this year's Relay...

First, it had been a tough week for me. That Sunday was MckBrunch (which was so much fun!), but it was also the day I found a lump in my breast. I spent the whole week worrying. I had told only four people - my aunt who was diagnosed with breast cancer right before my mom died (and the aunt who adopted my first born 21 years ago); my husband; my friend Jeanne; my friend Kim. My doctors appointment yielded positive news - he was sure it was benign. But I still needed an MRI - which I had this past Friday.

What made this night so special was that I was no longer worried about cancer this time. I was confident in the initial diagnosis, and was happy to be alive. Going on 5 years as a survivor, taking that first confident step in the survivors walk with my aunt at my side was even more special this year. For anyone who has had Cancer, you know that 5 years is a huge mile marker. Knowing that this most recent scare was just that made it so much more to me.

Every year two teams go out of their way to support survivors. One hands out purple balloons for survivors to release, the other hands us long stemmed roses. This year Mitz and I waited until we got to where our family was standing - back at our campsite - to release our balloons. Just as we did so, someone else had released a "balloon to Heaven" in memory of someone who had lost their battle. Because we waited to release, ours were the only two purple in the sky at the time - met shortly after by the lonely white balloon. Together the three floated off. We did not see the white balloon right away, so when we looked back up to see if ours were still in sight, we both said in unison "mom sent a balloon down to meet ours" - and then proceeded to bawl like little school girls.

It was symbolic. We always know she is there with us. This time we felt it in so many ways.

Having my pally Kim there was very special to me as well. Kim has never been to a Relay event. She has purchased luminaries in her husbands memory, but she hadn't ever seen them lit. That night she experienced a lot of firsts that brought back very sad memories, and very happy new ones. She got to talk about Bill to others who had been caregivers, and she heard of stories of survival. Her husband and my mother died the same year, he in the spring, her in the fall, and are both buried at a very special cemetery in Minneapolis.

I know she says she was honored to be there, but I was honored to have her there! Kim and I met on our blogs, but became very fast real life, life long friends. While Jim and I worried we bored her to death because we did NOTHING besides eat and sleep - and watch tv - she says she had a blast - so pally, you are welcome anytime!

Jim and I are watching Gran Torino and he is getting tired of me hitting rewind so I had better change my focus! Is it my fault I don't multi task well at 11 at night? BWA!