RECOMMITMENT!!!

No, we're not being "committed", but mom & I did fill "officially" recommit to the Nike Women's Marathon (an official part of the process). This is SO exciting!! It's so REAL now! We're thrilled that our "Honey" (my grandmother) is going with us. For those of you who are "in the know", you know that mom, Honey, and I are very close! We're blessed to have each other & it wouldn't be the same without there in San Francisco as we cross that finish line! We're also BEYOND pumped that our dear sweet friend Sara Swanner Northwood & her darling sister-in-law Janet Swanner (our honoree Stephen Swanner Jr.'s mom) will be coming to San Francisco to cheer us on! We cannot begin to tell you how much this means!!

If you're on our growing mailing list, you'll be getting an update letter from us next week. Mom wrote it (my apologies for the length - ha!). There truly is so much that we want to share with you (our gratitude, appreciation, VERY IMPORTANT stats about leukemia).

I can't believe that 2 months from now, we'll be finished!

Let me close this with 2 HUGE thank yous: First - THANK YOU to Stephen Swanner Jr. for being our honoree and allowing us to share his story and fight with this horrible disease with each of you. You are our HERO and INSPIRATION!
Second - to each and everyone of our friends and supporters! We couldn't do this without your financial support, emotional support, encouragement and prayers!

Thank you , thank you, thank you!

I'm about to board my last flight to Michigan! I finally get to visit Harbor Springs. Mom has enjoyed some fabulous weather while training for Nike. (Our Oklahoma team has had to battle the nasty Oklahoma weather - heat & humidity!). I'm looking forward to walking with mi madre (and playing with my "sisters" Molly & Lily (yorkies).

Blessings, Jennifer

Oy with the heat already!

Wowzer - where did the heat come from? Mom is enjoying the 58 degree mornings in Harbor Springs - FABULOUS for training. While in Oklahoma...it's almost 80 by 6:30 in the morning. Oh well, to quote Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) from Vacation, "It's all part of the experience." I'm on the road again this week, so I get to try another hotel treadmill in the morning. Considering how small this town is, I'm just grateful they have a gym!

Yesterday we reached a huge milestone...81% of our fundraising goal!

We couldn't do it without all of our amazing friends & family. Thank you for helping us make a difference!!!

Only 6 miles?

This Saturday at training, we'll walk 6 miles. Last week it was 12. Monday at work, two of my marathon teammates (Shea & Patty) & I were commenting on the fact that we're "only walking 6 miles" this Saturday. Then we laughed & thought back to our first day - 2 miles. Then we thought about the first time we walked 6 miles - now we're up to 12. Who knew 6 miles would feel like a cake-walk?!
We met with our CEO this week to ask for a corporate sponsorship. As we discussed the "who, what, when, why, where" of the marathon & the cause, I realized how committed & passionate the 3 of us were about this. We talked about our honorees and how fortunate we feel to have our own good health. Some days during those long runs/walks we focus on our honorees and the struggles they went through (chemotheraphy, bone marrow transplants, etc). That kind of battle puts a little blister on your foot or a pulled muscle all into perspective.
Thanks to research, the survival rate of children diagnosed with leukemia & lymphoma has increased almost 30%!! The money we raise for this event (and other Team in Training events) goes toward research. LIFE SAVING RESEARCH!! Thank you to all of our dear friends & family for your financial support, emotional support, and prayers. We couldn't fight for a cure without you!!!