I had to speak at the event that night and I don't really remember what I said, I never do! Which is unfortunately because I could be doing REALLY badly and I don't know it. I do remember that I spoke about this:
excerpt from blog post 3 years ago:
As I was laying there just aching I said to her "I don't know what I was thinking trying to walk a marathon." She replied with "Mom you didn't TRY to walk a marathon you DID walk a marathon and you were thinking about each person that you have written there on your legs."
And it was the truth, however, my mind was on my girl Friday night. I carried each person in my life that has battled or is currently battling cancer with me as I made those laps but my heart was heavy without my baby girl there. It was physically and emotionally exhausting! I was very grateful that Anita, Carolyn, Kendra, Angela, Matt, Mariah, Drake, Amanda, and a few others that I am forgetting stuck around to the very end and allowed me to finish my goal. I felt horrible after realizing they were ready to leave and were just waiting on me. Very grateful that Amanda drove home, and that I had a morning I could doze on and off, and spent the rest of my day with two of my favorite people! (I have lots of favorite people... but these two are simply part of the amazing group). Ed took Amanda and I out on the boat for a bit, then we had a nice little round of skip bo. It was relaxing, I needed relaxing!
There is other news, yesterday we traveled to Harborfest via the Melissa Ann with our friends Richard and Missy Moughan and three of the cutest kids you will ever meet. We were in the work boat races, coming in second to my very good buddy Jimmy John. De's Dad ran the race in her memory and came in first...
De's bracelet's came in this weekend and oddly I had just enough with me to hand out to everyone on our boat and Jimmy's yesterday... I was glad I did. It was nice to look over and see them having on her Give Live Hug reminders.
All in all I guess what I am saying is it was a good weekend filled with family and friends, moments of sadness, moments of gladness, moments of OH MAN MY FEET HURT... just a well rounded weekend. I miss my girl like you would not believe, she should have been at those events and not had us have to do them in her memory, but we did and so many people love and miss her.
Maybe the money raised at the Relay will help one more parent not feel this horrible lonely ache for their child.
Today's blog post was brought to you by exhaustion by the way so if it doesn't make much sense I am sorry!
Don't forget your Deanna Hug today!
Much love
De's Mommy