...until I make my feet and legs carry my body 13.1 miles in Chicago, IL.
I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little scared, but I'll be okay. Maybe scared isn't the right word, overwhelmed maybe? I don't know. I am positive I will start and finish, I just don't know how much time will be in between the start line and the finish line. Only time will tell...and well a couple of practice runs over the next few weeks.
It's my weekend off and I spent last night with my mom and step-dad celebrating my step-dad's birthday (and mine too) with a nice dinner out. I love it when I don't have to cook. It was a quick trip to San Diego, as I've had plumbing issues at home, but I also needed to restock my baking supplies so I can finish up my bake sale orders. Remember a couple of posts back I mentioned the bake sale? Well, I baked 6 dozen chocolate chip cookies and 3 dozen cinnamon raisin cookies last time. This weekend I will bake 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies and 5 dozen cinnamon raisin cookies! Yes, that's 17 dozen cookies! Special thanks to Dr. Dan, Rita, Julie, Nichole and Jen for supporting me in the second round of baking!
With the bake sale proceeds and direct donations to my fundraising page, I have raised over 50% of my goal for Project HOPEFUL, NFP! :)
OK, enough writing, time to get something done this weekend. Besides baking, I need to prep food for work next week and take care of some clutter in my house...it's going to be a long weekend...I may need to treat myself to a movie at some point as well.
Until next time...
Friday, August 9, 2013
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Life, loss, and beyond...
Five years ago, my life, my family's life, my sister's life, my niece and nephew's life, changed forever. I remember the day I found out, which was actually the next day, August 4, 2008, with great clarity, well, the beginning of the day anyway. It was one of the most exciting days of my life, the closing of my first home purchase. Okay, so I had a lot of help to buy the house, but, nonetheless, it was a crazy, great morning. I picked up the keys from my realtor and then left town as quick as I could, as I needed to drive to Joplin to take my Granny (mother's side) to the podiatrist. As I drove up I-44, I still remember exactly where my phone rang, and the sound of my dad's voice on the other end. In that moment, my heart sank, I knew something was wrong, but never in a million years would I have been prepared for what he was going to tell me. He asked where was I, when I said headed to Joplin, he asked me to pull over, he needed to tell me something. I did as he said, and he asked if I was somewhere safe, as safe as you can be on the side of the turnpike, I remember telling him. That's when he told me, we've lost Tory. I was speechless, immediately I asked if it was her heart, and then he said that she had drowned in Elk River. I was torn, as I needed to go to Joplin to help my Granny, but I desperately wanted to be with my dad and family as well. But, before I could even say anything, my dad told me, go to Joplin, take care of Granny and then come home. I said okay. I don't really remember the rest of the drive to my Granny's house though. I told my Granny the news and she was shocked as well. I took her to the podiatrist and back home, then I was on my way to my dad and stepmom's house.
You can still find the news report online.
My nephew was in school, my niece was on her way from college in Edmond. I remember my niece handled herself amazingly through everything. My nephew was his quiet reserved self as well. The rest of the week up to the funeral is now a blur. I must have gone back to Tulsa to get clothes and such, but I don't really remember exactly when I went home. I remember my dear friend Shelly was there to help me. I also remember when I returned from Tulsa to my parents', after getting clothes, that they had my sister's dog and two puppies. I remember that my cat was already at my parent's house, as I had just returned home from Houston that weekend after spending a week at a compounding course, and they had planned to keep him until I moved into the new house. I don't remember when our other sister arrived, but I remember we re-bonded after the funeral. I was never as close to Tash as I was Tory, but she is my sister and I love her dearly.
Had I lost my mother at the age my niece did, I doubt I would have handled it as well. My niece has always been pretty responsible. She's an awesome big sis to her little brother. I know there's not a day that goes by that she doesn't think about her momma (because there's not a day that I don't think about her at least once either). I only wish that my sister could be here to see the wonderful woman, wife, and mother, her firstborn has become. I wish my sister could be here to see the amazing young man her baby boy has become.
Over the last five years so much has happened. I graduated from pharmacy school and moved away from home yet again. I remember my sister had attended my white coat ceremony when I started pharmacy school in 2007. She was so proud of me. She used to joke that she needed a bumper sticker that said "Your kid may be on the honor roll, but my sister is in pharmacy school!" I went to the 2010 white coat ceremony of a friend and recalled the memory of my sister being there just few years earlier for me. It was a good, but hard day. One of the puppies left behind made her way into my heart as well. My little Ellie Mae was definitely not what I had in mind when I was dreaming of getting a dog for my new house. I wanted a medium to large dog, a dog that could protect me and my house. Well, as The Rolling Stones song goes...you can't always get what you want...but...you get what you need. I needed that little dog as much as she needed a home and I wouldn't trade her for anything.
My niece married a wonderful and loving man, and they now have an adorable almost one year old. My sister would have made an excellent grandmomma. My great nephew is pretty lucky though, he has plenty of aunts and great aunts to dote on him and tell him about his grandmomma that passed before he was a sparkle in his momma's eye. My nephew just recently married his best friend.
Life goes on, but we don't forget. I can talk about my sister and what happened without crying now, but she will always be in my heart and I will think of her often. I miss you, Victoria Marie Ross, you will always be my Tory.
In memory of Victoria (Tory) Marie Ross, October 8, 1968 - August 3, 2008
You can still find the news report online.
My nephew was in school, my niece was on her way from college in Edmond. I remember my niece handled herself amazingly through everything. My nephew was his quiet reserved self as well. The rest of the week up to the funeral is now a blur. I must have gone back to Tulsa to get clothes and such, but I don't really remember exactly when I went home. I remember my dear friend Shelly was there to help me. I also remember when I returned from Tulsa to my parents', after getting clothes, that they had my sister's dog and two puppies. I remember that my cat was already at my parent's house, as I had just returned home from Houston that weekend after spending a week at a compounding course, and they had planned to keep him until I moved into the new house. I don't remember when our other sister arrived, but I remember we re-bonded after the funeral. I was never as close to Tash as I was Tory, but she is my sister and I love her dearly.
Had I lost my mother at the age my niece did, I doubt I would have handled it as well. My niece has always been pretty responsible. She's an awesome big sis to her little brother. I know there's not a day that goes by that she doesn't think about her momma (because there's not a day that I don't think about her at least once either). I only wish that my sister could be here to see the wonderful woman, wife, and mother, her firstborn has become. I wish my sister could be here to see the amazing young man her baby boy has become.
Over the last five years so much has happened. I graduated from pharmacy school and moved away from home yet again. I remember my sister had attended my white coat ceremony when I started pharmacy school in 2007. She was so proud of me. She used to joke that she needed a bumper sticker that said "Your kid may be on the honor roll, but my sister is in pharmacy school!" I went to the 2010 white coat ceremony of a friend and recalled the memory of my sister being there just few years earlier for me. It was a good, but hard day. One of the puppies left behind made her way into my heart as well. My little Ellie Mae was definitely not what I had in mind when I was dreaming of getting a dog for my new house. I wanted a medium to large dog, a dog that could protect me and my house. Well, as The Rolling Stones song goes...you can't always get what you want...but...you get what you need. I needed that little dog as much as she needed a home and I wouldn't trade her for anything.
My niece married a wonderful and loving man, and they now have an adorable almost one year old. My sister would have made an excellent grandmomma. My great nephew is pretty lucky though, he has plenty of aunts and great aunts to dote on him and tell him about his grandmomma that passed before he was a sparkle in his momma's eye. My nephew just recently married his best friend.
Life goes on, but we don't forget. I can talk about my sister and what happened without crying now, but she will always be in my heart and I will think of her often. I miss you, Victoria Marie Ross, you will always be my Tory.
In memory of Victoria (Tory) Marie Ross, October 8, 1968 - August 3, 2008
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