Remembering and Celebrating

Today is the one year anniversary of my mom’s passing.  I could be depressed and could sit around all day being sad.  Would my mom want that?  Absolutely not!  Instead I am celebrating her life.  She was a beautiful lady with a huge heart.  She loved her family and she loved life.  Like most grandparents, her grandchildren gave her the most joy.  She was addicted to shopping.  She could shop like no other!  Her other passion was knitting.  She learned to knit as a young girl and was very talented.  She would knit a blanket or sweater for anyone she knew that was having a baby.  I’ve kept and stored all of the sweaters and blankets that she made for my kids so that they can pass them on to their own children some day.

This past weekend my daughter, some friends and I participated in a 5k for melanoma research and awareness in the DFW area.  It was the perfect day for this.  The turnout was spectacular.  The event allowed us to focus our attention on helping others rather than just being sad.  Trust me, there was plenty of sad too…  Knowing that you are contributing to such a meaningful cause really does help in the grieving process.

These were the shirts from the event.

Mackenzie with our angel’s picture along the 5k route.

My friends crossing the finish line.  The one on the left is currently battling melanoma.

Doctors spoke about the research being done and their hopes for a place for families to go when given this diagnosis.

A single white balloon was released for each of the angels that were being honored.  Serious tearjerker for me!

Thanks for taking the time to read my story.  Now, remember to get your skin checked by a dermatologist annually.  Melanoma is treatable if found early.  Wear your sunscreen, even on cloudy days.  And lastly, take the time to smell the roses.  Life is short.  Every day is a gift!  xoxo