The Perfect Favor

I have been to several weddings. And I have crossed a point in my work at which the number of weddings at which I have officiated exceeds the number I have attended simply as a guest. I have, by virtue of these, acquired my share of wedding favors.

I have also, several times, found an empty miniature bubble bottle lurking in a box long unpacked. I have found, in the bottom of long-neglected drawers, little plastic leaves, moons, and doves etched with the names of bride and groom. I have discovered that the durability and significance of wedding favors is far exceeded by the cost that goes into selecting and purchasing them.

At the reception for the couple that I most recently joined in matrimony, we guests found at our seats a small piece of parchment paper rolled up and tied with a simple orange ribbon. Upon unfurling the scroll I found this favor:

This favor has extra flavor for me, as the husband of a cancer survivor. But had the cause been feeding the hungry, providing clean water for underdeveloped villages, or supporting AIDS education in plagued areas, the favor would have been just as sweet. We enjoyed a fine meal, good dancing, and the warmth of two families celebrating the union of their own. The last thing I need is a small piece of plastic to be lost the next day in the whirlwind of my life. The world needs a bigger favor, too. This one, I think, will endure.

~ emrys

Exhaustion

Exhaustion set into our home by about 11 am on Saturday morning. We had been out all night for Relay for Life.  G-baby was a total trooper, sleeping in her fleece-covered-car-seat in our tent. Emrys and I had both dozed a bit at different points in the night but with an abundance of over activity in the two weeks prior leading up to an all-night event, naps were in order.  3-1/2 hours for Gwen and Emrys, 2 for me.  Followed by an early bedtime and by Sunday, we were close to feeling human again.  Although, I have no complaints about the extra dose of sleep I got this morning either!

Celebrating 3 Years of Good Health

November 2005 - End of Chemo & Radiation

Thanksgiving 2006 - Celebrating Family

October 2007 - Celebrating crops and being settled in a new home

October 2008 - Celebrating health and a new life... 

...and my first "real" haircut in 3 years.  The pony-tail is on its way to Locks of Love...

Have a great weekend!  Celebrate what you have...

~sjt

Help out the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

So this guy Nate, the writer of a blog that I read regularly has taken on the challenge to raise $3,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in one week. If he meets this goal he will be shaving his head live on the internet.

Nate & his family have an amazing story- his wife Trish has cystic fibrosis, they have a miracle baby (born super early but is doing great), Trish had a double lung transplant and now has a variety of lymphoma that came after the transplant, all in that order and all in the last 18 monts (except for the CF which she's had since childhood). And through their blog you see nothing but credit to the faithfulness of God and their love for each other and the importance of family. Anyway...at least check out their blog for the full story and great pictures, and check out this post for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraiser!

And for a stroll through the past, remember our "his/her baldy" picture from July 2005. Now I have so many curls I'm going to share - stay tuned later this fall as 11 inches of curls will be heading off to Locks of Love (I have to get through pony-tail/braid season first!)

~sara

So Much To Tell!

Spring has sprung in our neighborhood of the country and we've had a few very full few weeks - so it's time for an update!

First off - drumroll please - my 2.5 year PET scan was clear and I once again have a clean bill of health!!

To add icing to the cake of still being clear of cancer, Emrys and I both took part in our local Relay for Life event this past weekend which is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Most of you know that we live in a fairly economically depressed area (the 4bed/2bath & 31 acre house down the road from us is up for sale for $148K - want to be my neighbor?!). The economy of this area makes the accomplishments of the Relay for Life event that much more impressive in my book. The two teams from our little church raised $7229.43 to date! The event as a whole raised over $87,000! I'm so proud of our little area and our teams! The event isn't closed out yet and donations may still be made through the links to the right. While the money part was the main goal of the event, it was even more fun hearing stories of personal growth from folks on my team who did a phenomenal job and put in a lot of hard work. There are pictures below.

I'm also enjoying the nice weather and being out in the yard and gardening. I'm thoroughly enjoying the fact that the previous owner of our house put perennials everywhere and this year I'm getting to move them around where I want them and some of my flower beds are starting to look pretty good! I'm particularly a fan of Bleeding Heart which I moved so it could have it's own show and not have to share stage with Pink Rhodie. Pink Rhodie was kind of stealing the show! Daffodils are alomost done. Violas are just booming as is the Primrose. The sad part of spring was that Magnolia got frosted after it bloomed so right now all the flowers are brown and sad - these pictures are from before the frost. Anyway - enough about my flowers... here's some pictures - enjoy!
~sjt

Walking for a Cure

As most of you know Our Great Adventure, unexpectedly started off with my cancer diagnosis in 2005. Since then, we've traveled through chemo, radiation, around the world and into 2 ½ years of remission.

My remission has been heavily marked with support for groups like the Leukemia, Lymphoma Society and the American Cancer Society. In thankfulness for the work that these groups do to find cures, and in response to all those who Walked before I ever got sick in order to find cures, I Walk. In 2007, I walked a marathon, by myself mostly. While a great accomplishment and something that I’m so glad that I did, 2008 is about motivating others to join in the Walk to find cures.

I am captaining a team with the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. For those who don’t know, it is an all night event full of music and fun. On June 3, 2005 I started chemo and I also walked the Survivor Lap at the Durango Colorado Relay for Life. It was a fitting end to a rather scary day to know that there were other’s who had also Walked through that day in their life. Relay also holds a luminaria ceremony where luminaria decorated in honor or memory of those who have fought cancer are lit around the outline of the track and it’s amazing to see it and think that every bag that is lit represents someone’s loved one.

On May 9, 2008, a team of us will join over 30 other teams in Bainbridge, NY and join the Walk to find cures. I even got Emrys signed up to walk. He wasn’t up for the marathon. We invite you to support us as we Walk. Below are links to make a tax deductible donation to the American Cancer Society on behalf of either of us – or if you can’t decide you can just donate to our team. It all goes to the same place :)

Thanks in advance for your support!

Donate to Emrys
Donate to Sara
Donate to NPC Team

Sara & Emrys