Hope.

 I haven't missed a Relay for Life since I was 16 years old. One half of my earthly life has been spent relaying. Enjoying the company of other people whose lives have been touched ravaged by cancer. I love everything about this past Saturday.  I live for the support and the hope. I love remembering my grandparents alongside so many other great men and women who have lost their battles-honoring their memories and sharing their stories. I love celebrating the lives of my brave parents, Paul, Ray, Liz, Mrs. Pfeifer, Mrs. Scholtz...so many people that I love and am thankful for every single day. I love praying for each lit bag I walk past. I love feeling the warmth and love of my friends and the the beauty of humanity. There are so few moments in this life anymore that you can really see how much love humans are capable of giving. Relay is one of  those moments for me. I love the entire day. Of course, I always end up crying, but I look forward to a good cry every now and then. It cleanses the soul.

Sign Nana & Pappy bought Nora

And then there is this year. It has changed everything. I have never had such an important reason to relay than I have this year.

 (Although, I have had many amazing reasons.)

 AHEM,

My favorite picture of all time.

Thanks to the strength of my little warrior and the kindness of my in-laws to stay with Adam and Nora in the hospital Saturday evening once treatment was over, I was able to make it to Cranberry with Heidi for a few hours of this year's Relay. I was able to feel the HOPE I so desperately needed to feel. It was very much the way the North Hills Relay used to be. It was full of life. It was full of hope. But most important-it was filled with people that have surrounded my little family with indescribable LOVE and HUMANITY the past 5 months.

Just a few of the people we pray for at Relay (minus my parents):

    

     

 

5 months. Nora has now had a broviac longer than she hasn't. She has now spent 26 nights in the hospital (so far). She has had 48 at-home nursing visits (we love Jen!) with lab draws and dressing changes. She has had 80+ doses of Bactrim and 85+ Neupogen injections. Our girl has spent more time as a patient than she has a non-patient. Through every single moment of this madness, she has been stronger than any of us could have hoped to be ourselves. For that, I will forever be grateful. For that, I will never stop fighting for anyone in Nora's shoes.

Signs at our Relay site

If our girl hasn't inspired you to be a better friend, neighbor, daughter, brother, parent or human being, I am not sure who or what else could. She has given me strength that has come from places I didn't know I had. She makes me want to be a better person in every single walk of my life. I hope and pray that both of my girls find that same strength in humanity as they get older. Even if it is not at a Relay for Life event, I pray they find it in this world. No matter how lost this world is right now.

Pappy & Heidi

 

We have never looked better! HAHA

 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. —  Romans 5:2-5

Ready to break out and head home after Round 7!