Adventures with Yaya: What a Week!

This week ended much happier than it began!!! I am so thankful for that! We started out the week with finding out that my uncle (mother's brother) passed away. He had been sick for a while and I know it was a blessing, in a way, but it is never easy to lose someone you love. He was the brother who my mother was probably the closest to and so that brought back the pain of losing her as well. One bright spot, for me at least, was knowing that they were reunited in heaven!

At his graveside my cousin Alan pointed out that he managed to get almost the whole family together. If you knew my family, you'd understand how difficult that is! To say that my family is unique and colorful is putting it mildly! I am really glad that we were all brought together because I believe it reminded many of us just how important family is to us. It also gave many of us the opportunity to get contact information on each other so that we can stay in better touch with one another. We all promised that we would. I don't know about the rest of them, but I do plan on keeping in better touch. It was weird because the gathering reminded me of all the gatherings I remembered in my childhood, except that now WE are the grown ups! Other than a few wrinkles we seemed the same to me! It's funny how memories work. At any rate, it was really good to get to see them again and like my cousin Chad said, "Let's get together again when we can wear blue jeans and we aren't burying anybody!" I like that idea!!!

Today is Saturday and I am happy to say that I am winding the week up with some of my favorite people! Katie, Beckham and I participated in the Susan G Komen Race For The Cure 5k. We walked with students and faculty from her school. Those of you who know me know that I am NOT ATHLETIC AT ALL!!! I am pretty proud of myself because I completed the course! I have never walked in a 5k before and had no idea what to expect. I don't think my husband really thought I would be able to do it and to tell the truth, I wasn't sure about it myself! As we got near the end of the race I really started to lose steam.

Just when I was wanting to give up I remembered what I had seen at the start of the race. People had the names of people they were walking for pinned to their shirts. Some were walking to celebrate survivors and other were walking to honor those who lost the fight. Two of the names people wore belonged to ladies who are very special to me. My aunt Dewanna and aunt Mary both survived the horrible disease. I wasn't able to find my aunt Mary's name but I did see my aunt Dewanna's on the back of some stranger. I thought about both of them as I gathered the energy it took to finish the race, the whole time thanking God for letting them stay down here with us for a while longer!

I can proudly report that I completed the race. Our time wasn't the best (1 hr 19 min) probably because I had to stop and potty about half way through. I gave thanks for a port o potty that was located along the route. It wasn't even a part of the course actually. It was there for some workmen who were roofing a house. I'm sorry, but at the time it did not matter to me (or the 20 folks ahead of me) I think it was an answered prayer cause I don't know what I would've done if it hadn't been there. Actually I do know what I would've done and I don't want to talk about it!

Anyway we did it! Beckham was a doll the whole time! I think I might need a little Yaya refresher course though, cause Katie asked me to grab a sippy cup before we left. I did what she said, but I didn't put anything in it! Needless to say Beckham started asking for "Meek" (milk) and all I could give him was an empty cup. Thankfully he didn't fuss too badly and we found him some water. *Note to self if Katie asks for a cup for the baby..... PUT SOMETHING IN IT!!!

Oh, and lastly, I have decided to participate in No Makeup November. One of my cousins did it last year and I think I was afraid to do it. I read about it again and talked about it with a couple of girlfriends and we've decided it is something that we want to do together. Lets RAVE about what Christ has done for us!!! I am going to try to add a link. (or should I say get KT to add a link for me! lol)

Here's the link.

Photos to follow!!!