The week was full with details of picking up shirts, putting together bags for all the participants, marking the course, picking up signs, excitement building, hundreds of texts between me and my team (Alyssa and Kevin), and very little sleep, as my mind could not shut down very well. Most nights I would lie awake making lists in my mind and I would wake up early, unable to contain my thoughts and excitement.
The day of the event, I was up at 3. The coffee on, I decided to take some moments to spend in prayer, dedicating the day and the event to God's glory. Then I pulled out pictures of mom and did a lot of remembering. Those were my moments....my time to be quiet and reflect and remember and pray before the chaos of the day kicked in. Those were moments I savored. I watched this video of my mom, almost feeling her there next to me. I missed her deeply, but I also felt such a peace in that as well. And an excitement, knowing that although she may roll her eyes at the attention, she would also love what we are doing. And as always, she would be my biggest cheerleader, no doubt.
Around 4:30, I began packing up last minute stuff in the car and at 5, the rest of the house began waking up. at 6, we were out the door. I did a quick stop in at dad's to say goodmorning and grab some last minute things, and share a good hug, then it was off to the park to watch the day unfold in special ways.
Volunteers met me and we began the event. The raffle table was set up, registration bags lined up and the time clock set up began. My husband began the set up of the sound.Many small details, many willing hands, many excited people. The finish line crew (AKA-Mike from the New Balance store of Dayton, one of my sponsors) showed up and set up our finish line, a fun component to our event. Soon the runners/walkers began showing up. Milling about, talking, doing their best to stay warm on a chilly October morning, the excitement was evident. At 9 am, all were lined up, prayer began the event and then the air horn went off....and the runners took off, and walkers also enjoyed the company of each other, all out for a good cause. Around the 18 minute mark, my first runner came in and slowly, they all trickled in, finishing the event. What a neat experience to be a part of! It was special to have so many people from all walks of life, and from different categories of my life-growing up, family, customers, church friends...be there to support this cause.
61 came out for it, but over 90 were registered, doubling our participants from last year. We raised more money this year than last. We didn't have any bad snafus, but we learned a lot and want to do some things better. A dream is growing-to see the 5K grow bigger each year, but also and even more so, to watch the scholarship in memory of mom grow. We are excited and ideas are growing. God is good. Below are pictures from the event. It is really tough to put all the words that fill my heart into tangible explanations here in this blog. I love doing this event. I love feeling a dream planted and watching it grow. I love having my family be a part of what we are doing. I love seeing what God can do. He says "Ask, and you shall receive, seek and you shall find. Knock, and the door will be opened" And we have taken that verse and applied it to this scholarship, in memory of mom, to bless another student, and we hope for generations to come....We asked, and we watched a student recieve, and pray to do this in all the years to come. We sought, and we found ways to put on this event. And we knocked, and are watching all kinds of doors open. Glory be to Him. And we are going to keep asking, seeking, knocking---to grow this legacy.
Our family
Alyssa and Tony
My planning team
Good buddies
The CareSource Customers, out to support
The start line
My son, finishing in 32 minutes
Jontae
Alyssa
More good buddies
