Dear Reader:

The theme for this year’s Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure was…More Than Pink…and it certainly was! It was sixteen shades of blues, grays, blacks, tans, green, yellows and white. Sixteen family members and close friends who showed up to honor a cause close to my heart…a red heart that keep beating because of my love for everyone yesterday wearing all the different shades that love symbolizes.

*Excuse me…we also had brown….brown for two little dogs, Pip and Atticus, who also came to support the cause with pink bows in their hair! (18 in all!)

Let me back up a day to Friday…Doodle, Lassie and I left Summerville to head to Daniel Island to get settled in Walsh and Mollie’s vacant condo…and there we were met with a lovely surprise! *Walsh had left pink roses, pumpkin muffins, and a sweet note welcoming us to the condo. He had to work yesterday so he couldn’t participate this year but making the condo available to us with pink roses to boot…set the tone for the race!

We soon left to find our tent and start decorating…I say “we” lightly…Lassie and I mostly observed and commented on Doodle’s great ideas on decor and designs. We all worked on trying to get as many names in of those submitted “In honor” or “In memory” as possible and try to remember others off the tops of our heads.)

Another beautiful color we saw early Saturday morning, as we walked to the stadium and our tent, was the sun breaking over the water…a beautiful sense of awe and thanksgiving filled us. We were alive on such a gorgeous day!

The sign  on our team was up and goodies in the form of chocolate cupcakes with fudge icing awaited us…I mean really…who could possibly turn down a 7:30 a.m. cupcake for breakfast? We couldn’t nor the ‘adult’ children and grandchildren who came later. How many chances in life do we have this rare opportunity?

It never fails, does it, that the ones who travel the furthest arrive the earliest! Mike and Honey Burrell, came all the way from Pinnacle Mountain in North Carolina. They picked up their daughter Tarshie in Summerville and came straight on!

Mike and Honey had walked the grueling three day 50 mile walk for MS for eleven years. And this year Honey said they would walk the Race for the Cure with our family!

Now what beautiful color can we possibly imagine that measures up to that gift of friendship? Extraordinary….but then so is the Burrell family!

I loved the back of Tarshie’s t-shirt!A strange coincidence…Tarshie had come hoping to see Wendy of Coach Wendy’s Team and they also had made the top five fundraisers and were located right next to our tent!

The day is really almost a haze for me….between arriving early and setting up for the race, going to the Survivor’s Ceremony, then team picture, and off to the races….it flew by.

Rutledge joined Mike, Honey, Tarshie and myself on our walk on Daniel Island…he came through like a champ…never complained…just kept walking/running.

After the festivities on Daniel Island we all went to Mandy and John’s for a wonderful sit-down breakfast fit for a king and queen….lots of (Race for the Cure) royalty! A Family shout-out to Mollie…Happy Birthday!

Every year for over five years I have met up with Brenda Hollenveck at the Survivors Ceremony. This year was no different. We missed our third trio member, Harriett Edwards, who was in Florida, but it is so reassuring and a relief to see annual anniversary friends again and again!

*A special shout-out for our team captain who keeps us abreast of opportunities, like the team tent, and takes care of picking up t-shirts for everyone. Captain Tommy and Legally Pink!

So until tomorrow…everyday is filled with love…just pick one color and let it radiate joy and happiness for being alive!

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*We did reach and succeed our goal…thanks to all of you and three wonderful beneficiaries who donated just at the right time Friday and Saturday. The donations continue through October…and then Legally Pink will have their final outcome to share. We are so happy!