Relay for Life

Yes, this was over a month ago, but I am always playing catch up on this blog, so I guess you could say I'm keeping with tradition!

Relay for Life was awesome! We ended up having such a good time! I think a few of us were skeptical until a week before the event if we would really have a good time or not.

The event starts with a dinner for the "Surviors" (a survivor is anyone who has had or currently has cancer). Matt's parent's and grandparents attended that. After the dinner they had the "Opening Ceremonies." It wasn't anything huge, but it was definitely touching. They had a "Survior" speak. His name is Duv and he is currently battling stage IV colon cancer. He's in his 30's and has 2 young kids. He started out telling us about some of the things he has done to keep his treatment light hearted...like painting his rear end with the glow in the dark stuff from a glow stick when he had to go in for radiation treatment. He has the best attitude! He ended with telling about waking up one night miserable from the effects of his treatment. His 3 year old daughter was in bed with him and his wife. He all of a sudden heard his daughter laugh in her sleep. She did it a few more times, and he realized why he was going through all of his treatments, it was to be there for his daughter, and to have more moments like this with her. He was very inspirational!

After that, they did the "Survior's Lap" All of the cancer survivors in attendance walked this lap while everyone else stood around the track and cheered them on! Duv walked with Matt's mom and grandpa....which I think was especially meaningful to Matt's mom!

Chick-Fil-A provided free sandwiches for dinner..yu-um! "Eat Mor Chikin"

We had some awesome people on our team! Matt's cousin walked 26 miles by time the whole 2 day event was done! His brother, brother-in-law, aunt, and uncle all had at least 20 miles! His brother and brother-in-law stayed on the track the whole night! This was nice of them, because I certaintly can't stay up all night and function the next day.

(They are holding their strings of "lap beads" everytime you made a lap around the track, you took a bead and put it on your string!)

When it got dark they had the "Luminaria Ceremony" It was a time to remember those who have battled cancer. You could buy a bag for $2(the money goes to the American Cancer Society) and decorate it in memory of someone who has had or has cancer, or someone who lost their battle to cancer. They light all the bags up around the track and they are the light during the night. Here are some that I found motivational or moving....

There was a contest during the night were we had to make costumes out of 2 rolls of toilet paper and a sheet of tin foil...so Matt was our model! Doesn't he look tough?? He was actually 1 of 2 winners!

We had such a great time hanging out with Matt's family for the whole event! We are excited to do it again next year, and we are going to get prepared more than a week before the event!