On the road again, October 8, 2011 with the pooch for the Light The Night Walk in Des Moines. I was thankful that this time #1 I got to take my dog with me for the day rather than having my best friend come to my house to let him out and him spending the day alone, and #2 I got to SLEEP IN past 7am. Being up early ALL the time and never getting to sleep in when you have a 9-5 career job can take its toll on ya. I got to take my time getting ready and I didn't have to be dressed up! Just my walking shoes, sweats, a comfy shirt, and the pooch. The weather was perfect, upper 70s and Snoopy was more than happy to hop in the car with his mama. :)
I have to be honest, I did not expect so many people. I also did not expect that it was going to be soooooo windy! Snoopy didn't expect us to be at a table right by the band or that there was going to be balloons popping left and right. He is good with crowds, just not good with extreme loud noise. I had to get up and leave my table due to the fact that Snoopy just couldn't take it and the sun was right in our face, lol So we walked around, meeted and greeted, and stood in our line so that we could grab a balloon. Red is for supporter, white is for survivor and gold was for walking in memory of. I was okay when I got my balloon. Snoopy was not, he was literally digging his toenails into the ground with his tail between his legs. I ended up having to take him to the car. Good thing it was starting to get dark out and the night was getting cooler so he wouldn't be hot. I am also thankful I got a close space to the stage so that when it was time to go I could just get to him...
I saw a table where people were writing with markers on a banner and writing on a sticker badge telling if they were walking for or in memory of. I have to be honest here, I think that was one of the hardest things I had to do besides planning the funeral for daddy... Writing his name on the "I'm walking in memory of..." Then I wrote on the banner that I loved him and I missed him so much. After that it was just kind of hard for me. It was like I was in a daze... I think it was actually real. This was my first walk in memory of my daddy and here I was walking around with this sticker that confirmed it. They ran out of gold balloons, maybe that just says something. But there were a lot of white and red which says something too. We have come a long way. People are surviving...
Before the walk started there were people that were going on stage to speak. The walk chair, the honorary patient, and awards for man and woman of the year that raised the most money individually. The man of the year, I think this just set the tone and it broke my heart to hear him speak. About 3 weeks prior to the walk, his two year old had fell off a slide at a park and they go to the doc. They found out he had leukemia. His voice was cracking and I could tell that he was holding back the tears... His son came on stage and he grabs him and hugs him the hardest hug you could imagine. His hair was already a thing of the past. My heart ached for them and tears started to roll down my face. I remember how I hugged my dad in front of my great uncle's house when he told me he had leukemia and I had started to cry. I was trying my best to hold back and I was asked to take the stage to tell my story of my dad. I immediately started to break down crying and had to apologize and pause. I did finish my story and I thanked the crowd for coming out. I know there were over a 1000 people there. It was emotional. As I got off stage there were people including the executive director that hugged me and gave me words of encouragement. Melanie Brown, she is such a comforting and wonderful person. She says to me, "the beautiful thing is, all these people walking here tonight understand exactly how you feel" I don't think she could have said it any better.
We start the walk and all these people are in front of me. I am now alone with my balloon lit in the night. I felt a part of something but at the same time I just did not want to walk alone and really wished that snoopy could have walked but his anxiety got to be too much, and that I can relate to as well... Out of nowhere this lady comes up to me and says, Thank you for sharing and I was hoping to catch up with you. It was like God felt my loneliness and made sure that I was not alone. She was probably old enough to be my mom and she says to me, I feel like you were telling my story. This was her first walk as well and she lost her dad to leukemia when she was 19. I couldn't believe the similarities and all of a sudden I felt like someone really did understand. She walked the whole walk with me with her daughter and grandkids. At the end of the walk she gave me a big hug and I gave her my card after taking pics with her and her family. A weight was lifted. God took care of me just like he always does... It was like she was a guardian angel that came out of nowhere. At the end everyone was letting go of their lighted balloons into the night air. I took the weight off of mine, said a prayer and told my daddy I loved him and watched it go out in the night sky...
I got to the car and snoopy was ready for a potty break before hitting the road. We get back in the car and he gives me a doggie kiss on my cheek. He always knows my heart :)
Quad Cities Walk the following weekend, NOT SO PERFECT!! This time I knew better than to bring the dog, lol The wind was gusting and it was freeeeeezzzzzzzing!!! Not as many people in Des Moines, not even close, but I think we would have had a far better turnout had the weather not been so crazy. We even started a lil earlier since it was already dark and people were cold. Thanks to my friend Clarence, I was able to get a lot more stuff on camera to capture the night. I was even handed a glass/acrylic award with my name on it for being honorary walk chair. It was also amazing because I was able to turn in almost $200 thanks to the office I work for and my mom, and a lil help with donors around P&G supporting the cause. My best friend Noemi and her lil girl even came out despite this horrid weather we had. We walked and got pics. After the walk I let my balloon go. Not the same as the first go round. I was prepared and it was cold, enough to distract my emotions. The only emotion I was able to express was frustration. My car keys were not in my pockets or my crown case. OMG!!! Good thing, somebody knows somebody that knows somebody that owns a tow truck business and was able to get my keys out for me with no charge. THANKS CLARENCE!! LOL!!!
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