Relay For Life 2011

In all honesty, I didn't know if I'd ever do RFL again due to the lack of response in the past 2 years and how little participation I had in my first 3 years of doing it.  But, God ALWAYS has His perfect timing!  I have also learned that when we take ME out of the equation, HE can work to His full potential!

So this year Pastor Todd approached me about doing relay and of course I jumped on the opportunity.  I have a passion for this, don't know why, but I do.  I didn't know how well it would turn out, especially since every week that he was ask who was willing to join the team and support us, everyone clapped and agreed.  But then to actually step forward, I didn't have many people sign up.  

At first I was looking at circumstances and everything that *I* was going to have to do alone.  But then as I turned to God for direction, guidance and ultimately strength, He told me, "This isn't about you Melissa.  Do it unto me and in support of everyone that has come to you with testimonies of what cancer has tried to do."  And as I reflected on that and opened my eyes to what I can be doing in support of my wonderful friends and my precious friend Janell's mom Debbie, I walked forward in faith.

The week of relay, I went to the meeting Wednesday evening.  I had 20+ people signed up to walk and $365 raised for our team.  My goal to reach by the end of the weekend was to raise $500 and have at least 24 people on my team to cover all 24 hours of the relay.

I am blessed and honored to say that I had 42 people join my team and OVER $1,000 RAISED!!!!!

I can't even tell you how humbled and brought to my knees I was!

I woke up Saturday morning and looked online to see we were up to $920.  I laid in my bed just feeling overwhelmed with emotion and crying.  I was literally brought to my knees and was praising God for what He did for this team and in support of so many people that have been effected by this horrible monster.  I finally got up, got ready and went on with my day.  

As the morning rolled in and my team showed up, it was amazing!  To see so many people come out and support this cause.  Then my Survivors.  I was left speechless!  Bob, Arlene, Breanna & Julie all represented a different aspect of what Cancer TRIED to do & failed.  Because, I serve a good God.  A God of healing, grace & mercy.  

This was truly an amazing day to remember.  Here are some random pics I snapped...

This is the opening ceremony with the representatives playing Taps 

 The Legacy Crew in our Legacy shirts and our purple survivors

 Julie, always gracefully late.  So I made her change right then and there =)

 Mrs. Kinney, Principle of Sundance Elementry, but a HUGE  roll model in my life.  She was one of the first people to encourage me into my career.  I do believe she is a 4 time cancer survivor!  WOW!!!

 Here come our survivors!  Bob, Breanna & Arlene

 Arlene being greeted by her #1 supporter and the man that has stood by her side, Ernie.

 Hey, it's Bob!

 Michele, Breanna & Rocky.  Cancer tried to take Breanna as a baby, but God has other ideas for her life!

 Yvonne, my spirit girl!  She did our Purple Lap this time  around...isn't she AWESOME!

Our team was given the left overs from the luncheon, so we were grubbing!!!

 

Lovin Jule and her mama in their supportive wear 

Then on our Team Spirit Lap, I had a crazy idea to have all of the men that were there representing Team Legacy to wear something to 'support' the cause.  All I have to say is...I have some amazingly supportive men in my life!!! 

One of our many Luminarias that were out on the track.

 Then the darkness fell.  You'd think everyone would pack up and go...BUT NOT IN MY TEAM!  Here's some chicas chit chatting it up.

Pastor Mick came out to support us and even brought the word with him.  That man, he NEVER leaves home without his bible.  He is amazing!!!

That would be my niecey-poo under there.  She sure does love her Tia, always here to support me!

Remember my Purple Glam girl!?!  Well here she is, my Glowing Lady and her friend to come light up the dark night =)

I must give props to some people I didn't get to get pics of...Nina Bisel, Maria & DJ did about 3 hours of walking and got us TONS of spirit points.  Their enthusiasm is contagious and you couldn't help but cheer them on as they went by.

My sweet friend Jodi Lugo, who has been on my team every year since starting this, with out fail.  And she always takes those hard midnight hours.  

My Sissy by law, she stepped up to watch my two littles so that I could burn the midnight oil and then get to church in the morning, soccer for my boy after that and then attempt a small cat nap.  

My mom & husband who prayed for me and lifted me up when I felt like this was all going to crumble and fail.

If I missed someone, please forgive me.  I had SO many people out supporting this team and even behind the scene stuff.

OH, Nick and Denise who came out Friday to help me set up, decorate, run around for me...YOU TWO ARE AWESOME!!!

Bob for taking all of my frantic calls and running for me also.

And sweet Denise Johnson.  He said he was there just for Bob, but I know somewhere in his heart he was there to suppport me too =)  Love you Denise!

Relay For Life 2012...TEAM LEGACY IS READY FOR YOU!!!  We are going to BRING IT!

Follow up to my 35 before 35

I was just reading through my posts looking for the one that I did about Glen Ivy.  Well, I found it and HAD to do a follow up!
So here is my list, and after the list in bold I'm going to list my follow up, if any =)

1) Go to Guatemala to meet/see my husband's family
2) Become a Director for Pampered Chef
3) Re-do my floors in my house, tile, wood floors and concrete~We actually lost our house to a foreclosure and God has moved us twice.  My new home now has WOOD FLOORS & TILE!  HAAA
4) Be a Football Mom~Well my oldest son, Anthony, started playing football last year.  He was on Freshman Football for the Beaumont Cougars.  Towards the end of the season, the coaches were so impressed with him that he was moved up to JV.  He is training now for this next season's season and will be playing for JV with a starting position and the coaches are talking about moving him up to Varsity.
5) Take a cruise with my Honey, ALONE!
6) Take a Disney Cruise with the family
7) Get out of debt, except for my house~still working on that =(
8) Get to a healthy weight and be more focused on me as a person & not a wife & mother~Well, I must say, I did start WW and lost 30lbs.  Yay, I know, but I'm not very Yay right now.  I've gained some weight, lost sight, got off track and gained.  But I'm back on track and doing it right this time.  Looking to God for my strength and a group of amazing Jesus Girlz.  With that, I know things will be different!
9) Revamp my wardrobe
10) Get a built in pool
11) Get my mom into her own place
12) Obtain Good health insurance
13) See a different president in office
14) Run a 5k~Retraining for that now.  I was up to a complete 5k before I stopped working out and now I have to start all over again :-/
15) See my marriage grow~All I can say is, I love my husband more today than ever!  He is my rock and I don't know what I would do without him.  I think my own insecurities have gotten in the way of alot of things.  But as I learn who I am in the Lord, things change. 
16) See my ministry that the Lord has for me flourish~I wish I would have noted where my ministry was at this point of time.  I've headed up nursery, walked along side the prayer chain leader, supported the youth ministry & couples ministry.  But God has taken me on a journey to lead women's bible study.  I'm now on my 3rd bible study and my group has grown from 6 people to 16!  I'm overwhelmed with humbleness that God would use this broken vessel to touch the lives of some amazing women.  Even some that I've looked up to.  This journey He has me on is amazing!
17) Become better at taking time with God, daily~Let's just say, this is a never ending battle, just like my weight!  It takes a daily conscious decision to make that time.  I'm not perfect, but I am getting better.
18) Stand with my friend, Jessica, at her wedding
19) Plan Jessica's wedding =) ~I would love to report that I've done the last two, but not yet.  God's still preparing her husband & her 
20) Spend more time with my extended family
21) Have another family reunion
22) Plan a family reunion for my other family
23) Learn to sew
24) Get a tattoo on my wrist~I did to that!  I got a cross with angel wings around it.  It's very special to me.  I got it done just before my cousin Robin passed away.  The wings were supposed to be butterfly wings to signify the change in my life, but my nephew did angel wings.  I look at it as my Angel (Robin) always with me.
25) Get a tattoo on my back
26) Go to Glen Ivy & get the FULL treatment~this is what started this whole follow up post.  I found them on facebook today and they are giving away a trip for Mother's Day.  I wanted to show them that I really do want to visit them.  To this day I haven't had the advantage of going.  Makes me sad, but one day I WILL cross this off my list!
27) Just go to Glen Ivy
28) Watch Anthony walk across the stage at graduation with MANY awards & honors~man, now that he's in HS, this one makes me so sad!  I'm so proud of my babies, but it makes me so sad to see them grow up so quickly.  Especially my baby boy!  He brings me so much pride & joy.
29) Get a weekly scheduled pedicure~YEAH RIGHT!  Who's got money for that anymore
30) Manicure weekly wouldn't be bad either
31) Go to the Grand Canyon again with the kids
32) Watch my church grow & expand~Let's just say God is bringing in some awesome people!  His works are filtering down and there are some great things happening!
33) Be a part of my church expanding & helping women obtain jobs
34) Watch a Broncos Game LIVE
35) Throw a Super Bowl Party~We will be planning it this year, hopefully our Broncos will be a participant.  We tried last year, but everyone fizzled out.



So, that's my update.  Weird how some things have happened!  But blessed by it all!