"More sillyness...."

It is a common thing in our home to see EB walking around dressed up in random "costumes" - usually made by himself. Mismatched PJ's, cowboy boots, and lightsabers are fairly standard. Tobogan, cowboy boots, mittens, PJ's, a cape, and a bazooka was the most recent choice!

"Triathlon 2013"....

I am so proud of Jay for finishing his first Triathlon a few weeks ago!  He has done many races - 5K's, 10K's, half-marathons, full Marathons, and a Duathalon...., but he can now add to that list that he has done a Triathlon also. He trained so faithfully for this race, and I was more than proud of him for his commitment to the training. The kids and I, as well as my parents, supported him the morning of the race with loud cheers. I haven't missed a race yet, and am so thankful that I was able to be at this one also. This was the first time he has added swimming to a race - and it was an open swim in the middle of a lake. He was especially glad when that part was over! He was very confident with the biking and the running, but the swimming was new to him and he said it was easy to get disoriented in the lake, so he was thankful to get that part over with first! He was pleased with his finish time, and we were thrilled for him. He finished strong and after a few minutes, you would have never known he had just completed a triathlon.

Way to go Jay! 

Running across the finish line with Daddy! 

"Just goofing around....."

20 months

I could eat her up, brother's cup and everything!  

Backyard fun, and a very itchy back! 

He is taking a break from soccer this season due to his respiratory flareups, and has started Taekwando. He looks like a natural to me???  He really is doing so well and has caught on very quickly.  I know nothing about Taekwando, but am learning. I don't think you hold a lightsaber while doing it though :) 

Sillyness and sweetness before church. 

She was so proud to be wearing her mommy's dress!  

Got to have at least one silly one in a photo shoot! 

"Montgomery turns Teal......"

September 6  is now designated as "Gynecological Cancer Awareness Day" in the state of Alabama, thanks to a proclamation made by our Governor. I cannot overstate the importance and significance of this in our state. The date coincides with the month of September being "National Ovarian and GYN Cancer Awareness" month. This is an enormous step towards creating more awareness about gynecological cancers (which include ovarian, uterine, endometrial, cervical, vaginal, and vulvar). The support of our Governor and other governmental leaders has been phenomenal, and having a new National GYN Cancer Awareness day is intended to do just that...., to bring awareness to these frightening diseases, to bring attention to the impact of these cancers on the state of Alabama, and to express the need for more research and better early screening tests.  While there is absolutely nothing, apart from the healing balm of Jesus, that can soothe my broken heart and bring my sister back, I am beyond thankful that our State (and hopefully country), is taking these steps to bring attention and awareness to these diseases that are claiming far too many mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, cousins, nieces, Aunts, and friends. Elliot would be so pleased to know that her family and friends are fighting on her behalf, and on the current and future generation of women. I am fighting for my own mother now, for my daughter, for my 2 nieces, for my sister-in-law, for my mother-in-law, grandmothers, Aunts, cousins and their daughters, all of my friends and their daughters and other family members, and for myself.

The evening of September 6, I dressed my family in teal t-shirts with my sister's name printed across the front of them which read, "Supporting Awareness for Elliot". My toenails were painted teal. Truthfully, I am beginning to dislike the color teal because of what it stands for - but this is what awareness is all about. I swallowed hard. We loaded up the car with heavy hearts and drove downtown to the train station for a ceremony to kick-off National GYN Cancer Awareness month. We parked the car and immediately saw what appeared to be a "red carpet" runway leading up the steps inside of the train station where the ceremony was to be held. The kids were captivated by the host of shiny, silver stars placed randomly on the "red carpet" and concrete steps. Ellison was trying to pull them off the ground - I understood that - I wanted to pull them off the ground too and wished they weren't there. Elijah Brooks was searching for his Aunt Elliot's name, much like he searched for his new cubby on the 1st day of school, trying to find the letters that would make out a name that he could read. He found it, her star, her name, her legacy, her heroism - on a shiny, silver star on the concrete. He and Ellison sat on either side of the star for a picture, and oh how my heart ached to have Elliot's arms wrapped around both of them, smiling joyfully for a picture.  I confess that I had a moment of anger - it didn't last long - but I thought for a brief moment that all I have is a t-shirt with her name on it, my children sitting next to a silver star with her name on it, and a heart full of memories.  God gently reached down and pulled me up out of that moment, and replaced that anger with hope....., hope that we will, because of Christ, be reunited with her...., hope that we really are just 1 heartbeat away from her....., and hope that God is somehow going to redeem all of this one day and that many more lives will be saved because of the awareness that is now being created.  Some of the stars had survivors' names on them, and for that I was immensely grateful. I will never understand why Elliot was not a survivor of this disease, but she is more alive in Heaven than even the survivors are here on earth. I was thankful to see names of people that I know are in the midst of surviving these diseases because it gave me hope that maybe the list of people I mentioned above will have a greater chance of survival one day because of these efforts to raise awareness.  All of these thoughts and feelings came flooding into my heart in one brief moment of looking at shiny, silver stars on the concrete. Grief - it's mind boggling really.

The ceremony was so nice, so thoughtful and thought-provoking, so informative and educational. My children were the kids in the room so I was quite grateful that there was popcorn! It was so beautiful as I looked around and saw a room full of teal shirts, some bald heads, some heads with new hair growing, much like new life sprouting from the dirt, I saw husbands supporting their wives, friends supporting each other, doctors cheering on their patients and governmental officials reading proclamations. Everyone was there for one purpose, and we were all united in our desires. I never would have dreamed that this is where my life would take me, but it has, and now I have a choice as to what to do with the road I am on. I was not given a choice as to which road to take, but I am given a choice as to how I am going to walk. I choose to walk by faith, and not by sight...., faith in the ONE who loves me and has never failed me, faith in the ONE who promises to make beauty from ashes, and faith in the ONE who has ransomed my soul so that one day I can live in perfect harmony with Him, away from this sin-struck world. I am choosing to remember and honor my sister, and her courageous battle. I am choosing to remember, spread her light to the world, and continue her legacy. I believe my family has 2 choices in how we deal with the mortal blow that has struck us - we can either fight or flight.  We choose to fight.  Elliot is worth it.

Her star - Ovarian Cancer May 2012, age 36 

We grew to love and adore sweet Summer "sunshine" during her battle - Cervical Cancer October  2012, age 37

Helen also made her way quickly into our hearts, and my Mom was able to minister to her mother countless times - Vaginal Cancer, August 2013, age 34
Our hearts ache as we have watched these 3 young women, young wives, and young mothers fight so hard. They are all at peace in Heaven now, but how our hearts ache for them. 

These sweet guys were and amazing jazz band that blessed us so much

So thankful for popcorn and music!  He actually did quite remarkable sitting through this ceremony. We knew it would be a stretch to take both of them, but this has not only affected the adults, the children have already been affected and we wanted them to be a part of this with us - and they will be every year.  It's just that important.  Elijah Brooks said on the way home, "when I am a grown man, will I still go to ovarian cancer events"?  I told him that I certainly hoped he would continue to go and show his support because one day he would have a wife and possibly a daughter. I also told him that I hoped he would always want to honor and remember his Aunt who was a hero.  He said, "I will go to ovarian cancer things forever".  Sweet child of mine. 

Clapping to the music

The top of the Renaissance Hotel has been lit teal all month long..... 

and the RSA building (1st time ever this year)! 

The Capitol has teal lights also! 

Sprawled out on the Capitol steps - alittle past her bedtime! 

They both climbed the MANY steps up to the Capitol doors and wanted to knock - they do bring us so many smiles in the midst of such heartache. Such a mixed bag of blessing and pain. 

This picture shows the kids sitting on either side of their Aunt's star - but I just realized when I looked at this picture, that the name behind Ellison's left shoulder reads, "Kim Fehl".  Kim is a member of our church and is a SURVIVOR!