Fast forward...

Time flies when you're having fun?  Let's see:

• 2013 3-Day was great. I raised $2,783 and enjoyed an amazing experience with our (then) new team the BC Babes. We danced our way through 60 miles of beautiful weather. Check out the photos on Facebook
• 2014 was another great event -- I raised $2,473 and walked with the Babes, ending up as the top fundraising team in Michigan, with more than $100,000 in donations! More photos on Facebook.... 
• 2015 started as the usual 3-Day season -- Somehow, I raised $3,300 for the Michigan event and said it was my last walk. But then ... realizing I had $1,000 to put toward another walk, decided to walk in San Diego. Raised my $2,300 for that, and had an Ah-MAZING adventure - and there are some great photos for that one!

So ... I took 2016 off. Cheered at the Michigan event, but didn't walk.

Then started missing it.

So now, I'm registered for the 2017 San Diego 3-Day. Why San Diego? 

• The views are amazing. If I am going to toil through 60 miles, it might as well be beautiful!
• The stay will be inexpensive. Through the generosity of a few friends, I won't have much (if any) hotel expense. Flight is about it. 
• I loved the event. Last year, there were 2,600 walkers in San Diego, compared to around 500 in Michigan. That makes a HUGE different in the energy and the excitement, and makes 60 miles a lot easier.

I can't quite walk away from the event. I've got some issues still (I don't agree 100% with everything Komen does), but on balance, it's important to continue walking. To continue raising money. To continue ensuring women have the most advanced detection and treatment options. 

In the year I took "off," I had three friends get scary mammogram results (that I know of). I had two friend diagnosed and treated (that I know of). And every few days, I look at the office next to mine and miss Debbie, who died entirely too young. 

So there you have it. Thanks for hanging around for another whirl.  And thanks for donating -- I couldn't do this without you: http://www.the3day.org/goto/jcarbary 

It takes a village...

Well, maybe not a big village, but the 3-Day wouldn't be nearly as awesome as it is without the support of our family and friends. We've called on you to make a donation (there's still time... Donate today to Stef or Kraig!), and now with just eight weeks until the Michigan 3-Day, it's time for us to ask a very personal favor.... 

Send mail! 

Yup. Sending mail will make us so deliriously happy on the 3-Day. 

It's simple and easy ... Just send a note in an envelope (no packages are accepted) addressed to a walker, and when we get to camp on Day 1, it'll be waiting for us at the "post office" on site. After a really long day, it's amazing how impactful that simple note can be.

Send your mail to:

     Susan G. Komen 3-Day Camp Mail

     Attn: <name of walker>

     P.O. Box 208

     South Lyon, MI. 48178

That's it. Mail postmarked by August 6 will be delivered in time for the walk.

More spectator information (cheering station info coming soon) can be found: 

http://www.the3day.org/site/PageServer?pagename=learn_other_spect_MI_information

And of course, I can't sign off without another plea: Please take a minute to make a donation to Stef or Kraig.... We are still short of our goal to raise $6,900 among the three of us.

Stef's site: http://www.the3day.org/goto/stefsmith

Kraig's site: http://www.the3day.org/goto/kraigsmith

Milestones and markers

Today, we hit the 100-day countdown. In just 100 days, we'll embark on another 3-Day adventure, walking 60 miles over three days to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research, prevention and treatment.

It's sort of the official start of "3-Day season," and for those of you barraged with donation requests and fundraising event invitations for the past few weeks, you're probably thinking that's already long underway. Think of that period as "spring training" ... so if you haven't donated yet, it's time.

It's time to visit the3day.org and make a donation. It's easy to do:

• Navigate and find a participant to donate to: Visiting the3day.org takes you to the main 3-Day page. You can select "Donate" from the pink bar at the top and search for your participant. Putting in the name, you'll find the individual fundraising page for your walker, where you can make an online donation in a secure environment.

OR

• Visit a walker's personal fundraising page. You can go directly to the fundraising page for the walker when you have his/her personal URL: Stefanie Smith, Kraig Smith or Jennifer Carbary.

Now the fun part: Flip a coin. If it's heads, make your donation to Stef.  If it's tails, make your donation to Kraig. (And there was no science in that determination, but I'd love to hear some rationale for "heads/tails!")

I'm only $52 from goal, and I'm confident I'll get there over the next 100 days.  Stef and Kraig will hit goal too, but you can help them get there sooner by making a donation now. Get get them to goal, so they can focus on training and preparing for the event.

Off and running ...

OK, not really running. But this week, we're officially off and walking! It's "Week 24" ... the official start of our 3-Day Training Season. (To my fellow grammar nerds, those first caps are intentional... this IS a proper noun, you know.)

For most of the world, 24 weeks means six months. Which is a really, really long time. But for me (and my fellow 24-weekers), this time will fly by. We start following the recommended training schedule provided by the Komen folks (12 miles this week), but it also means that it's really time to get things moving. For us, this includes:

Fundraising!  Our fundraising efforts have begun...

• I dropped my donation letters last week, to ask all of my friends and family for their personal support by way of a direct donation to my 3-Day account. (If you didn't get a letter, it's just because I don't have your address, lucky you. But you can still show your support by donating online, today!)
• Brackets for Boobies launch in the next two weeks... Our annual March Madness fundraiser is a great time -- a chance to have some fun during the NCAA tournament, a chance to win some money, and a great fundraiser for the 3-Day. (Last year's winner took home $350, and we raised $350 for the 3-Day at the same time!)
• We're bringing back Tickled Pink at GoComedy this spring. We had a blast last year -- the evening included an improv show at GoComedy in Ferndale, pizza, prizes and more. We bought the house again, so we have to sell 100 tickets... watch for details coming soon.
• We're planning for another Garage Sale at Stef and Kraig's house. We did it two years ago and found it to be a really good fundraiser. It's a ton of work, but well worth it. If you have anything around the house that you've been looking to get rid of, give us a holler -- we'll come pick it up! 

So, it's off and running ... or at least walking quickly.  Next step: Hoping for spring to get here so we can actually walk outside!

I should be working. (Or, "This sucks.")

Yes, I should be working right now. Instead, I'm writing a hastily pulled together post to vent. I think I jinxed myself last week when I posted about how I was so fortunate that no one in my immediate circle has been affected by breast cancer. Strike that. A dear co-worker (my "right hand" and an incredibly amazing woman) got a call this afternoon that she has breast cancer.

I can't even imagine. Being in my office, working away (and unlike me, she was really working I'm sure), when the phone rings. "Hi there... biopsy positive ... lumpectomy ... schedule things... we'll be in touch."

There are no words. No words for when you answer that call. No words for the co-workers who hear you sobbing in the office next door. No words for when you have to tell your husband and two pre-teen daughters that life is about to be turned upside down and inside out.

Actually, the only two words that come to mind are "this sucks." Classy, eh?

So all I can do is send positive vibes (contrary to the two-word sentiment above) and hope for the best. If you have a moment, spare a positive vibe for my friend Debbie. She needs them right now.

It's the most wonderful time of the year ....

I know... Christmas is over. But in my little pink bubble, it is one of the most wonderful times of the year... It's 3-Day Pre-Season. OK, there's no such thing. But really... With the downer of closing out Christmas and New Year's, with a half foot of now-grey/yucky snow on the ground, grey skies and sick germs all around, the start of 3-Day season is a welcome distraction.

It started right after Christmas on a rather somber note. Bridget Spence, a blogger and 3-Day advocate I have been following, wrote a post to essentially say goodbye and ask that we not forget her. She was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer at age 21, six months after a clinician told her she was too young to worry about a lump. Throughout years of treatments and clinical trials, she has been a tireless advocate for breast cancer awareness, including speaking at a Komen leadership conference in 2012. (I strongly encourage you to watch her speech on YouTube. It's only 11 minutes and so worth it. If I ever need a reminder why I walk, this is it.)

By now, you're wondering why that's part of a good thing.

What happened after Bridget wrote her post to say goodbye? An amazing, tremendous, uplifting and inspirational thing happened. What happened is exactly what Bridget asked when she said, "Please, don't forget about me." Within days, thousands of people spoke up and said "We could never forget you." Today, there are more than 200 comments on her blog. Numerous posts on other sites. And most amazingly, nearly 1,000 people (that I know of) are participating in "A Pearl to Bridget," a grassroots effort to make sure Bridget knows how many people she has impacted. I won't go into all the details; you can read more about the project on Coral Levang's blog or on Facebook (not sure if the link will work). Needless to say, I've sent a pearl. Two actually. Just because.

So that launched the 3-Day Preseason for 2013. All that uplifting "pink family" stuff.  It continued this week seeing the new 3-Day commercials on TV (check out the great "join us" video ... and consider yourself invited!). Then an acquaintance from work signed up to walk. And I got an email from the Komen folks that because of my repeat walks, I'm part of the "Commitment Club" (really just means I get free towel service on event... yahoo!). And I'm working on my donation letters (yours is coming!). And I'm really, really looking forward to getting together with our new teammates for dinner and maybe even some winter walks (we joined a new team this year... yay for new friends!).

So it is one of the most wonderful times of the year. My world is turning a lighter shade of pink, which is a fresh relief after looking at dingy grey skies and dirty snow.

We did it!

The weather was beautiful. The company was awesome. The cheering was plentiful. The cause was great.

This year's 3-Day for the Cure was perfect.

Going in to this year's event, I wondered if it would feel like a let down after last year. I had a great first year experience, and wasn't sure if my expectations would be too high to be realistic.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

This year's walk experience was so different than last year. If I had to give it a one-word description, I think I'd pick FUN.

Our walking company this year was just amazing. We started out with the four of us (Stef, Kraig, Greg, me) and after lunch, ran into Sandra and Kathryn, friends of ours from training walks with the BC Babes. We then found Cheryl (a solo walker who we trained with a few times). And throughout the weekend, we ran into Missy and Pam (walkers from another team).  (You can see photos of the event on Facebook, in my public photo album.)

Top row (left to right) - Greg, Sandra, Stef, Kraig, Pam
Bottom row (left to right) - Missy, Kathryn, Cheryl, Me

 That's probably a boring way of saying: We walked with some amazing people! We laughed a lot. We sang. We danced. We teased. Walking with this group of people at various points throughout the three days made the miles go by so much more easily. And when we were hurting, there was someone right next to you to push you through.

Walking 60 miles is really hard. (I started to write my litany of aches, pains and complaints, but erased it -- that's just not how the 3-Day should be remembered or thought of. Or as Sandra would say, "That's not how we roll.") But when you've got great company, great weather, great cheerleaders and a great cause, the "fun factor" trumps the challenges.

So thank you to each of you for making this experience so amazing... from my walking pals to our home-base cheerleaders (mom, you were amazing!), to our family (thanks Keith for handling all the home/kid duty) and those who sent camp mail or encouraging words on Facebook/Twitter posts. Thank you.

And now, let's resume regular programming. For a little while at least. We've already registered for 2013 (we'll be walking with the BC Babes, our training pals) and we're plotting out our strategy for fun. Are you ready?

This is it ...

It's sort of like Christmas ... it's here, it's finally here! After months of fundraising and months of training, it's finally here!

My grand total, going in to "3-Day Eve" is $2,615. I got a surprise donation last night from a colleague at work, who saw I was walking and had been affected by breast cancer in his family. That unexpected donation amplified my experience this week -- I asked on Facebook for names of people I could walk for -- the fighters, the survivors, those remembered.  I was completely unprepared for the response.

I don't know which it was, the number of people who had someone to add to the list, or the people who asked for someone to be added when I had no idea they were personally impacted. It underscored how pervasive breast cancer is, and really was a stark reminder of why I walk. I shed more than a few tears that night, and I'm sure it's just the beginning.

At the same time though, there are so many happy moments in this walk experience. I'm really excited to walk with new friends we've met this past year, and excited to meet folks I've only chatted with through Twitter or Facebook. The weather looks like it's going to be OK (I'm hedging there, only because I don't want to jinx anything!!), the route is going to be interesting, and the company is going to be spectacular.

So come along with me on this amazing 3-Day journey: Follow along on Facebook, watch us on Twitter (#the3day), or stop along the route to honk and cheer on a walker. It's an incredible experience, and we hope to share it with you!

10 days and counting!

Just 10 days until the Michigan 2012 3-Day for the Cure. That's not enough time to panic that I haven't trained enough (I have) and too much time to panic that I'll forget to pack something (I'll live). It's also the point in time that I start my obsessive check-the-10-day-forecast-every-10-minutes behavior. Like I can control the weather. Or my obsessive nature.

Having "watched" the Boston and Cleveland 3-Day events through Facebook and Twitter (follow #the3day -- it's quite active during a walk!), I am really getting excited about everything that is to come (in just 10 days). And there are a number of ways you can participate with us:

• Come to a cheering station! The rough estimation of our route is posted and cheering stations are listed for all three days. There's nothing like the experience of a cheering station -- the walkers love it, the cheerers (is that a word?) love it, the community loves it. You don't need to bring anything, other than a smiling face. (Well, you might want to bring some water for yourself, but that's up to you!) Even if we don't see you, or you can only stop by for a little while, it's huge. Cheer for each walker as if it was one of us! (Quick side story: Last year, a friend wanted to bring her daughters to a cheering station, but it wasn't going to be a time that Stef and I would see her. I was bummed we would miss her and the girls, but felt such pride that someone cared enough to go out and cheer on someone else.)
• Look for us along the route! A very sketchy route is posted online, and it'll give you an idea of where we'll be through the three days. If you see some folks in pink along your daily travels, honk wildly and cheer out your window! 
• Follow along and be a virtual "walker stalker" -- On Twitter, walkers and supporters are quite active using the hashtag #the3day. You can also follow @the3day - they post quite a bit from the event. (I'm @jencarbary)  On Facebook, we'll post photos and commentary when we can -- enjoy!

 OK. Off to check the weather. So far, so good.

Time to rally ...

Somehow, time flew by. We're just under four weeks and counting, until the 2012 Michigan 3-Day for the Cure. That's 28 days. Less than a month. Yikes.

This weekend was our "big" back-to-back training weekend -- we walked 18 miles on Saturday and 15 miles on Sunday. This training experience really gives us a good idea of where we're at and helps prepare you mentally and physically for three grueling days. (Example: I ended up with two huge blisters in a spot where I normally have a callous. Time to figure out how to get those to heal, quickly, and become callouses!) Overall, we had fun -- we hooked up with the "BC Babes," a large team on the east side, and walking with them both days. They're a great group to walk with, and I'm looking forward to seeing them on the walk.

The other big landmark that comes at this 4-week mark is all of the event information that gets released:

• Camp mail -- One way to show your support is to send walkers "camp mail." After we're done walking Day 1, we come back to camp, get our tent set up, take a shower and eat dinner. We'll then stop by the "Post Office" to see if there's any camp mail. Last year, going through that mail was one of the most amazing experiences on the walk. It's a connection back to the "real" world, a reminder of all the people who supported us through this experience, and a motivator to keep going, even though every muscle in your body screams "stop!" Visit our "event information" page for more details on how to send camp mail.
• Cheering stations -- I had no idea what to expect from cheering stations last year. The first one we rolled up on blew me away. To walk down the sidewalk and have people cheer you on was incredible. I didn't know any of them, and they didn't know me. But it didn't matter: They wanted to encourage and motivate us, and it worked. (Of course, I had to keep my sunglasses on so everyone couldn't see me bawling!)  Check our event information page to get the details on cheering stations... and please know, if you can't be at a cheering station when we'll be there (we tend to walk quickly), please just go -- cheer another walker on as if it were one of us. They'll appreciate it more than you could ever imagine. (Quick side story: The first year when Stef walked, we went to a cheering station. We hung back and waited for her to come by, then walked up to the road, cheered for her, hung out with her for a few, and then left. I look back now and am so regretful that it's all we did. I felt goofy cheering for people I didn't know. Now, I can't say it emphatically enough: Please, please, please, don't feel goofy. Don't just wait for "your" walker and leave. When I go through a cheering station, those are someone else's loved ones cheering me on. And they make me cry every time. I see each of you in every one of them, so please, give another walker that same experience!)
• Social media updates -- As a sponsor of the 3-Day, Bank of America is offering something new this year: A "Smart Card" that we can pick up at Opening Ceremonies. The card will be linked to my Facebook page, and will automatically post where I'm at, at 'key' points along the route. Fun to try, so we'll see how it goes.  I'll also be posting on Facebook and Twitter through the weekend (have to figure out how to synchronize it all beforehand), so you can follow along.

So there you have it. I thought we were busy with fundraising, but now it seems even busier (if that's possible). Four weeks. Plenty of time to pack. To finish training. To get prepared.  Eeek.

Save the date! Event info is live...

Today we hit the single-digit countdown -- just 9 weeks until the Michigan 3-Day for the Cure (that's Aug. 17, 18 and 19 if you're keeping track). And with that, the highly anticipated milestone: <insert dramatic drumroll here>  The release of travel information.

Huh?

It's not like I have to travel to get to the 3-Day.

But it's a huge milestone! It's the confirmation of rumors we've been hearing (or starting) for weeks now.

So, what do we know?

• Opening ceremony will be at Oakland Mall in Troy on Friday, Aug. 17. At first, I was a little surprised. But really, all they need is a huge parking lot for the decorations and 'stuff' that goes with the ceremony. (I looked for photos from 2011 and couldn't find any ... I'll try to better this year!) And if it's happening on the west side of the mall, we'll be right along I-75, which would be great for visibility!
• Camp is most likely in Livonia again, this time at Greenmead Historical Park. Not far from last year, but somewhere new to explore.
• Closing ceremony is on Sunday, Aug. 19 at Ford Headquarters in Dearborn. Great location, thanks to Ford for their support!

Although the spectator information won't be released for a few weeks yet (it was out mid-July last year), please consider attending the opening or closing ceremonies. I know opening is at the crack of dawn, but it's a great way to see what it's all about and cheer on walkers as they're getting out on the route. And closing ceremony, well, that's a life changer.

Finally, a quick plug: Send us camp mail! There's nothing like getting mail at camp after day 1. You're hot (we hope), you're tired (for sure) and you're maybe not sure what the heck you got into. Coming back to camp and stopping at the 'post office' to pick up your mail is incredible. I laughed. I cried. I can't even tell you how grateful I was for all of the mail from family, friends and even random acquaintances, all of whom took the time to send a quick note of support, congratulations or encouragement. For the price of a stamp, you can make someone's day.

Send mail (no packages or boxes), postmarked by August 7 to:

Susan G. Komen 3-Day
ATTN: Jennifer Carbary
PO Box 729
South Lyon, MI 48178

There you have it. Nine weeks left. Keep an eye out here for updates on cheering stations, times for ceremonies and all that fun stuff!

Those little reminders....

Every so often, we get a poignant reminder of exactly why we walk. In the past two days, it happened twice. And with a big fundraiser scheduled tonight, the timing was almost unbelievable.

First up: Home Depot
Stef & Kraig stopped at Home Depot to pick up canvas belt  thingy-ma-bobs for our fundraiser tonight ... something to put our raffle money in, instead of fanny packs. They got up to the registers, and were flagged over to an empty one by a cashier.

The cashier asked if they were doing a fundraiser (buying six of these things must be a dead giveaway!). Stef explained that we were doing a fundraiser for the 3-Day for the Cure, a walk for breast cancer. The woman then told Stef that her sister recently died of breast cancer, leaving behind a 16-year-old daughter, who is now living with her 16-year-old cousin and uncle. And oh, by the way, that 16-year-old cousin's mom died of breast cancer too.

And today, we met Jacqueline.

Stef, Kraig and I did a 10-mile training walk today. There's a five-mile loop right around the neighborhood, but we needed to get in a little more to make it an even 10 miles. So we walked through the neighborhood a little. We got to the corner of my street and Stef says, "eh, that's good." Nah. I said we could probably get the full 10 miles in, if we went around the corner and down the next street. We're slogging along (that last mile is a beast) when we passed an older woman who was gardening.

She saw the three of us walking, wearing our bright pink shirts. She smiled and said, "Cancer walk?" We smiled and Stef said we were training for the 3-Day for the Cure. We walked past her a little, and she said, "I was just diagnosed with breast cancer this week."

We put the brakes on. Seriously? We just randomly walked down a street, and came across a woman who was just diagnosed with breast cancer. The amazing part was her attitude. She got a little teary when she started telling us, but she was so confident. "I'm going to beat this," she said. "I'm not going to let it kill me. I'll die of a heart attack instead."

We'll try to keep walking by Jacqueline's house, to see how she's doing. We may never see her again, but she'll be in our thoughts and prayers as we're training, and as we're walking. She's a fighter. I don't know if she'll win her fight. But I know without a doubt, that she is the reason we are walking: So someone's grandma doesn't have to hear those words, "you have breast cancer."

Five in Five? Bring it!

I love trinkets. And challenges. I'm a bit competitive, in case you hadn't noticed. So when I got the email today from the Komen folks, challenging 3-Day walkers to get five donations in the next five days ... I'm all over that.

So how about it, my friends and family? How about it, my college and high school friends? How about it, colleagues? 

Surely there are five of you out there who would be willing to make a donation between now and 11:59 CST on May 21? Any donation at all. And easily done online through my 3-Day fundraising page.

What's the reward? A spiffy beaded thingy-ma-jig (pictured at right) that I'll get on the walk. Woo hoo.

Seriously though, the reward is huge. Immeasurable really. The reward is being part of an effort to end breast cancer. Being a part of the largest non-governmental funder of breast cancer research. Being part of something big. Something bold. Remember: I'm walking 60 miles in three days. Can you make a donation to support that?

A wee bit like childbirth?

I've decided the 3-Day experience is a little bit like childbirth ... you sort of forget stuff. Conveniently.

Like the 'hotspots' after a long training walk. Or the feeling of, "I need a protein bar or I'm going to pass out," during a walk. Or waking up with sore body parts that aren't normally sore (the balls of my feet?).

With just 15 weeks to go (100 days tomorrow!), training is picking up a lot. We walked 8 miles on Sunday at Stony Creek Metropark (an awesome 3-Day training spot, since it's a six-mile loop), and got in a quick 5 tonight. But it's that point where five miles is "quick" .... a big change from just a few weeks ago.

We have 24 miles to get in this week, and I'm grateful for every one of those miles. Because it's those miles that are going to help build up the callouses on the balls of my feet. It's those miles, and the 24 miles next week, that will help toughen the inside of my heels, which are a little tender today.

That was a hard thing to remember on Monday, when I woke up a little stiff... the training isn't just to make sure I can actually walk 60 miles in three days. It's to make sure that my body is ready to walk it, and my mind is ready to enjoy it. That's why we set a goal to train 585 miles over 24 weeks -- so that we have the callouses to make it through 60 miles in three days.

So goodbye pedicures. And hello training... I forgot how hard you were!

Chugging right along

This week marked the start of our 16-week countdown ... for 'normal' folks, 16 weeks is a long time. Heck, that's four months.  For the 3-Day walker, that's about the time you start to realize you've got some work to do! Fortunately, "Team Toucans" is well on its way...

Fundraising: We passed the $10,000 mark in our team fundraising efforts! As of now, we're at $10,350, which is 75% toward our overall goal. And Julie & Jenn reached their fundraising minimum.  We made a serious dent in our fundraising with the Tiger's game Opening Weekend, when we raised $1,000 by staffing a concessions stand with 13 of our friends and family. And coming up, we're hosting "Tickled Pink," a night at Go Comedy to see their improv show, "Allstar Showdown." We still have tickets available! We bought out the house, so there are only 100 tickets to be had. Right now, we have about 20 or so left, so if you're interested, let one of us know!

Training: Here's where we're chugging right along. I'm at 109 miles logged so far ... a little below this time last year, but at 85% of the recommended training miles to this point, I'm OK with that. We're getting close to the weather breaking for good, so I'm hopeful that life will slow down just a tad to allow me to walk a little more. Actually, just waiting for it to get warmer (and lighter) in the mornings would be helpful ... getting in Thursday night walks (average 5 miles) is difficult with the kids' schedules.

And with that, we're chugging right along. We're making progress with fundraising and training. And counting the weeks. Just 16 weeks.......

The best things come in small packages

And today, that's "Zac and Jake."  Two young boys I've never met.

I got a call from a friend on Friday morning. She was watching her young nephews (Zac & Jake, who I think are like 8 and 10), and they were watching television together. A commercial came on for the 3-Day for the Cure, and she told them she knew someone who was walking in the 60-mile event. They asked a few questions (What's it for? She's really going to walk 60 miles?) and went on with their day.

The next morning, before they left for school, the boys came out to Carol with an envelope. "This is for your friend, Auntie. We want to help her."

Inside that envelope (marked "Auntie's friend") was a note from Zac and Jake, along with several one-dollar bills and a pile of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Zac and Jake made a donation to the 3-Day for the Cure, for a grand total of $8.64.

Their thoughtfulness just blows me away.

Thank you, Zac and Jake, for the reminder that it's not how much you donate to a good cause... every single donation makes a difference, and giving what you can is what makes a difference.

And thank you, to Zac and Jake's mom and dad. For raising two thoughtful, generous and kind boys. May they continue to surprise and delight those they meet throughout their lives...

Yay Team!

Kraig made a great discovery the other day ... on our 3-Day participant page, there's a list of "Top Teams" in terms of fundraising.

Look closely ... on the far left side ... look at the list of teams .... see it? zoom a little ...

It's Save the Toucans!

That's right ... with $7,281 raised for the Michigan 3-Day for the Cure, our team is on the Top 10 list for the event right now! We're at 53% of our goal (raising $13,800), and among the top 10 in Michigan ...

Coming from a team of two from last year to having six people this year has been a ton of fun. It's really different, but it's the little things like this that are just so exciting.

I don't know how long we'll stay on the list -- there are teams with dozens of people that walk in the 3-Day -- but we're there right now. And that's exciting. I'm so proud to be part of a great group of people who are doing wonderful things and really making a difference in the effort to fight breast cancer.

One down, 23 to go ...

I realize that in the "real world," 24 weeks equates to six months, which is half a year. Which is a long time. In my pink bubble, however, 24 weeks starts the countdown ... and it flies by.

Some background: Having a "successful" 3-Day event (which means no blisters, no injuries, no whining) requires training. When Julie & Jenn were considering whether to walk this year, we talked about what sort of commitment it was. I couldn't say it enough: The fundraising isn't hard. It's not easy, but it's not hard. But the training ... that's hard. And yet I think it's the single most important piece of having a good experience.

The training isn't hard because of the actual, physical walking. That's probably the easy part. Training is hard because it's a lot of time. You have to make the time to walk four days a week. And some weeks, that's hours of walking. It's hard to adjust an already busy schedule to fit in walking, and it can be stressful. For example, "walking days" are Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Emma has gymnastics on Thursday, which makes it nearly impossible to walk on Thursday night (it's only a 45-minute class, which isn't enough time to get to the gym and back, and it's not enough time to walk the neighborhood by the gym). Yet it isn't warm enough in the morning yet to go out early. Argh, you get the idea.

But the training is also where I found joy in the 3-Day. I loved having the structure that forced me to exercise. I loved walking with Stef and chatting along the way. I loved getting outside and seeing the bunnies and deer. I loved meeting new people on training walks and learning more about them and why they walk. I loved training.

So this past week, when the email popped into my inbox to let me know that my "Personal Trainer" was ready to go, it made me smile. Getting my Daily Mile account all set up made me smile (you can see my tally of training miles on the right side of the blog). And gearing up to go walk this week made me smile.

Now if we can just get it to be a little less windy, walking outside will make me smile.

And that was a really long way of explaining: One down, 23 to go.

Yay for Euchre, pizza, friends and fun!

Some of the Toucans: Kraig, Stef, Greg & Jen

Our first "Team Toucan" fundraiser, a euchre tournament, was a huge success, and from what we heard, a lot of fun. We raised more than $1,400 for the 3-Day for the Cure, and importantly, had a great evening hanging out with friends and family who are so supportive of what we're trying to do.

The evening wouldn't have been possible without the wonderful space we had -- the clubhouse was donated by a local apartment complex. As I said that night, you have to follow the bouncing ball: Keith's mom suggested the space after hosting a baby shower there with Keith's cousin, Crystal, who is married to Don. Don's deceased brother's widow's husband's daughter runs the clubhouse. Doesn't matter how you get there, as long as you get there: Thank you, Don, Crystal, Kay & Debbie!

A quick but heartfelt thanks to Jet's Pizza and Buscemi's for donating the pizzas. (And to Brian & Nicole for arranging some of that for us!)

Finally, thank you so much to everyone who came to play! From our family to our camping friends, to school/neighborhood pals to long-time friends, they turned out in full force, even with friends and family of their own. We met several new people, and had a great time that night.

As Stefanie said, Thank you for opening your hearts, and your wallets, to something so dear to us. We do the walking, but we couldn't do it without you.

xoxo

And the panic sets in ...

Not for the first time, I'm sure, but the panic has set in.

We have our first 'official' team fundraiser this weekend, our Euchre Tournament, with 50 players registered. And so, I panic. Will everyone show up? Will they arrive on time? Will we have all our material? I know it'll all work out just fine ... we had a blast last year, and by all measures we should have a great time this year. The forecast looks fine (we had a snowstorm last year), the RSVP count is relatively firm (there's still room if you want to get in!), and the location is perfect (a donated clubhouse).

And Monday starts our 24-week training period. I cannot believe it's here already. I just don't feel ready yet. I'm super swamped at work. I haven't been very good about getting to the gym the past two weeks. (OK, three, if I have to be honest.) And the weather's still pretty iffy most days. On the other hand, the structured regimen of the training schedule will "force" me to get to the gym instead of making up a lame excuse. And the first month's pretty tame, with a lot of 3-mile walks, which are really easy to do on the treadmill. And the weather's truly been amazing this winter, so maybe I can get outside for a brief jaunt.

Oh yeah, and we're walking with a team this year.. there are six of us, four of whom have never walked. Do they have the info they need? Are they doing ok with their training? What am I missing? I have to keep in mind that although they haven't walked before, Stef's husband has been through the walk twice with her, so he's totally aware of what he's getting in to. And our other three teammates are incredibly intelligent, self-sufficient and motivated people... they'll do just great. They're already kicking butt in fundraising!

So I guess I've talked myself out of complete panic. Now it's just partial panic. . .