Day 3!

We actually got to "sleep in" on day 3. We didn't have to get up until 6 or so. :)

I had to get up, shower and pack since I couldn't stay awake the night before. We drove our car to the start of day 3 and parked it there so it wouldn't be so far out. Delia and I had been texting so that we could make sure and walk together. This day was harder. We were all a bit sore and all needed to go at different paces. Which worked out well since Anika and Jules could hang together and Delia and I could hang together.

The day started out VERY chilly. We had on layers and gloves! The first mile or so was pretty up hill but our reward was a FABULOUS cheering station to start off the day! Everyone was so NICE. We had candy, packages of gum, Kleenex, Bloody Mary's...it was AWESOME! We also had some stores to use nice indoor plumbing in! The first Pit was at Oglethorpe University...VERY PRETTY CAMPUS! Delia and I stopped off right before and took a picture in a pumpkin patch :)


For some reason day 3 seemed very spread out pit stop wise, but since we were in the city we had lots of places to stop.

Like say Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice Latte. We walked through some fancy shopping centers, passed some beautiful churches and through lots of impromptu cheering stations. People were all around cheering us on to the finish!


One of the best cheerleaders by far the entire weekend was a guy from Alabama named Cash. He had on Bama gear all weekend and every time we were around him he would give us hugs, high fives and he would tell us we were beautiful and he loved us. His wife was walking and he was there all three days all along the route! ROLL TIDE CASH! Thank you for always being there with a smile and a hug! You and your wife always have a place to stay in Austin!

All along the way we stopped and enjoyed ourselves. Took pictures, talked to people, just had a good time doing the walk and getting to know each other!

I also had the chance to meet a fellow blogger that I have been following for awhile now. I am so glad it worked out! Tina, it was GREAT to meet you!

The last cheering station was through this shopping center call Atlantic Station. IT WAS AMAZING! There were cute kids, girl scouts, dogs, but by far the most touching moment to me was a woman in a pink survivor shirt that had done the walk before. Standing on the side of the road wearing a hat to protect her bald head. I stopped to hug her and she was crying. She told me she wanted to be walking and I simply told her it was going to be ok, we were walking for her. I won't ever forget that moment. It is forever ingrained.

After the cheering stating we had about a mile to lunch on the Georgia Tech campus...good thing there was a mimosa stop! :)


At lunch the 4 of us sat under a tree and had the best hummus! we had fun dancing and laughing! There were less that 5 miles to go at that point! And the next pit stop was Jenn! As we walked through the campus the pictures might or might not have gotten sillier...but we are OK with that!


We crossed back over into downtown Atlanta and the rest of the walk was through the city. At pit stop 4 we had less than 2 to go...we walked by the Capitol and stopped for a photo op and an update on facebook. Our last part of the walk took us into Turner Field and Jules the lifelong Braves fan was in HEAVEN! We had done it! Together we had made it and I am proud to say...without blisters or major injury!



You can never explain or put into words what it feels like to complete the journey. You get there and you are just emotional! The people cheering for you, thanking you, hugging you, dancing with you...it is all surreal!

By far out of the 4 I have done, Atlanta had the largest closing ceremonies crowd. There were people as far as you could see! It was AWESOME! And even in all that we found Marilyn, Jenn, Cash and Lee to give them all hugs and tell them thank you again for making this such an amazing journey.

I told you from the start who we walked for and this weekend the list grows. We will wipe out this disease! But in the meantime...I will keep putting one foot in front of the other and doing everything that I can to help get us there!

We walk for:
LeeAllan-we pray for you EVERYDAY!
Dawn
Elizabeth
Louise-Paula
Arthanise
Nancy
Dianne
Laurie
Delia's Mom


On top of walking for a great GREAT cause, I got to spend time with 2 great friends, finally meet another, and the best surprise of all...making a new friend! Thank you Jules, Anika, Jenn and Delia for making this walk so much fun! You are truly amazing women and I am SO lucky to know you all!

Not only did those women make this walk amazing...but the friends and family that texted and facebooked me throughout the weekend to cheer me on...THANK YOU! You have NO idea how much it means and how great it is to feel the love!

A special shout out to Jane...I love you girl! And every step we took...was FOR YOU and YOUR MOM!

Day 2

So I know I am behind, but let me tell you, I was POOPED at the end of day 2. I feel asleep on the way to dinner and after dinner. It was all I could do to get undressed to fall into bed!

Day 2 started out early. We had to get up, get dressed and drive to camp. There was a nice man at camp that took pity on us and let us park our car on site. THANK YOU NICE MAN!

My "Yankees" were VERY happy to see biscuits! Breakfast was nice and warm and the very first thing we saw once we sat down at a table...a picture of me that the 3-day staff had taken of me the day before in my birthday get up. We cheered, well I did at least!

After breakfast we stood in line to board the buses to be dropped off where we were going to start the day. We sang and danced the wait away...it was fun!

On the bus Anika and I started talking to the people behind us about the weather at previous walks and the Chicago walk. They were nice folks! After we got off the bus we were stretching waiting for them to let us start and I saw a girl wearing Auburn gear and we laughed about it being college day...well it happened to be the girl that was behind us on the bus. Her name was Delia, she was from Savannah and she was there alone. So we walked together. Delia's mom passed away from breast cancer when she was in high school and more recently (3 weeks ago) Delia's dad had passed away. We walked and chatted the morning away and before I knew it we were fast friends!


That day we had GREAT cheering stations along the way! We had an 8th Grade Rock Band playing for us along the route. Dogs GALORE! Candy GALORE! Love GALORE! Pink GALORE!

As we got to lunch it seemed like the weather got cooler and the hills got steeper but we kept pushing along!





Our friend Jenn was working Pit 4 so we always had that to look forward to near the end of everyday. She always put a smile on our face. Oh and the cute boy at medical might have helped widen out the smile a bit more! :)




Once we got back to camp Jules and I went to medical to get rubbed down. Jules legs was bothering her and my shin splint was creeping back up. Lee, the lady that rubbed me down...AWESOME! I bet she rubbed my legs for a good 45 minutes. Once I left the nice coziness of the indoors...I was SHIVERING! It had gotten quite cool outside! Anika got rubbed down in the Energizer tent and we headed back to our hotel to get some warm clothes!

We drove around for a bit and finally settled on a diner and got food in our bellies! We made a quick stop at Target and headed back to the room. I was asleep within 30 minutes!

I did however wakeup to the best news...The Aggies beat Tech...Gig 'Em Aggies!

Whoops...

It was an AMAZING 3-Day experience...and I promise to be back soon with a huge pictorial update! But I needed sleep and now I need to hang out with my girls for our last full day of fun in Atlanta before we all head our separate ways!

Oh and at 9 tonight...we all have massages!

Have a WONDERFUL day...see you soon!

Atlanta 3-Day...Day 1

MAN...today has been AWESOME!! It all started with a bag of goodies. A birthday girl sash, a tiara, a birthday girl pin, gifts...AWESOME start! It was an early start though. We were up and out the door by 5:10. We got a ride to opening ceremonies from a walker stalker! They were really nice!

Once we got to camp the safety crew sang me Happy Birthday! Shortly after we meet a friend from WW land who is on the crew here. It was great to meet her and see her during the day! She has been great to us! (Hi Jenn!)

Opening ceremonies had a few sprinkles but it quickly passed and we got to enjoy the always emotional opening ceremonies! When we walked out we grabbed the Optimism flag. We got on the road and it was beautiful walking through the park of Lake Lanier. The lake was beautiful and full!

We were at the front of the pack which makes it better when get to the first pit. You get to grab food and a potty faster! We took a group photo with the flag and passed it on. As we were leaving camp the song Fight Like A Girl was on. That song is GREAT and it makes me very emotional! As we were heading out of the pit someone handed us the Challenges flag. He was really set on giving it to me so I took it, carried it for a bit, took a photo and handed it off.

The next town we made it to was Buford. Buford is a cute town and they had...a PUMPKIN PATCH! We of course had to stop and take pictures! Pit 2 came and went and we were all doing well!

The next town up was Sugar Hill...that by far was the best! We could hear excitement and cheers but we had NO idea what was in store for us. Sugar Hill elementary had some or all of their classes lined up on 2 city blocks to high five us, sing for us and cheer for us. IT WAS AWESOME! We jogged through high fiving all the cute kids! Thank you Sugar Hill!



Pit 3 was Candy Land...really cute!

Lunch was next...yummy black bean burgers, chap stick, ibuprofen, and COOKIES! Lorna Doone cookies...AWESOME!

Just as we headed out of camp it started to sprinkle and within a half a mile...we were in full on pouring down rain! That is what ponchos are for...and they work so well! The rain lasted on and off for the last 5ish miles of the day...I will TAKE IT!

So the route took us through Suwanee...there was a Starbucks...we know how I feel about that. Pumpkin Spice makes everything better and...there was a bathroom!

About 1/4 of a mile down the road from that was Pit 4 and our friend Jenn...it is the Energizer stop...full of energy! Pit five was about 2 miles from this and that is where they made us stop for the day and bussed us to camp. They had to move camp because of all the recent rains in the Atlanta area. Good thing because it poured the rest of the afternoon, but who cares...that is what ponchos are for!


Once we got to pit 5 we got on the bus and headed into camp. Where we signed up for massages, charged my cell phone, took a picture from the Bank of America booth, looked around the 3-Day store, picked up our mail and got our grub on!



Tradition at the 3-Day is the last walker comes into a standing ovation and then raises the flag. IT WAS A COOL SIGHT! I love that the last to come in is just as important as the first! That is how it should be!

I am having so much fun sharing this experience with Jules and Anika! They are doing great and we are having fun!

So you know there had to be a list somewhere...here are some things I am thankful for today:

The girls making this day so special for me!
My Tiara
My Sash
The Birthday Wishes ALL day on the walk!
Complete strangers singing happy birthday!
Birthday cards from friends sent to camp
Birthday package from Becky with freaking awesome loot waiting at the hotel!
Emails
Texts
Phone Calls
Phone Messages
FACEBOOK-I LOVE FACEBOOK!
The creepy safety guy that offered to give me birthday spankings!
My family, friends and fellow walkers...


This has been a great day and I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds...we are making it college football day! Texas A&M will be represented! As well as West Virginia and Princeton!

Thank you for EVERYTHING TODAY! I feel so loved and blessed!




For my Mema...cause I love her and miss her EVERYDAY!

HOTLANTA!

Yeah today has been so fun already and the fun REALLY starts tomorrow! You get a list for the sake of us getting to bed!

• 4 AM is TOO early when you go to bed at 1 AM.
•I have never cut it that close on getting to the airport! Once through security I got on the plane and we were in the air within 10 minutes.
• My dad ROCKS. Thanks for coming to get my car!
• It was POURING in Austin!
• The view from above the clouds with the sun coming up this morning was BREATHTAKING!
• I slept on the plane...with my mouth open! YEAH ME!
• I kinda like the Atlanta airport. I think it gets a bad wrap! The Atrium in the airport is perfect for writing blogs that make you tear up!
• There are tons of our troops that fly in and out of that airport and when they walk through, people stop what they are doing, stand up and clap for them. It gave me chills!
• I LOVE STARBUCKS!
• Jules is so much fun to hang out with! We had fun waiting for Anika to arrive!
• Anika finally got there…we are free!
• We have a very roomy rental…big enough for 3 rather large suitcases! (NO COMMENTS!)

• Jules brought her talking GPS…it is kind of nice!
• Our hotel has a great view!

• Every street is named Peachtree…good luck finding your way without the talking box!
• I got Magic Gloves from Target!
• The Dark Chocolate Coconut bars by Kashi…really yummy!
• Blue Fin Sushi…HIT THE SPOT! The White Tiger and the Payroll…AMAZING!

• Trip to Publix…they raved about it…I thought it was just like a grocery store!
• Talking box took us in circles to find ice cream!
• Pumpkin Ice Cream was had…shocking…I KNOW!
• We all got each other swag…it was some good stuff! Thanks ladies!


• New Iron-ons for the Camelbak!

• Bags are packed!

• Jules just rubbed down my tight calves…with PUMPKIN BODY BUTTER…bet you didn’t see that one coming! (I might be in love!)
• Facebook photos up…
• Time for bed!