Avon's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

About a week and a half ago I decided that I wanted to participate in a local breast cancer awareness walk.  The driving force behind this decision was my kids, especially Emmy.  For the past three weeks she has been asking Scott if I am going to die.  Neither him or I know what is causing her to suddenly ask this question when she has never asked it before.  Nevertheless it was obviously something she couldn't get out of her mind.

This is hands down is the worst part of this entire crummy situation.  I remember right after telling Scott they thought it was cancer that I wished we didn't have kids.  My mind was consumed with how this would forever change their childhood and wanting to protect them from it, from me, and not being able to do that.  Knowing that I was the one that was going to be causing them pain...it was and is devastating.  I hoped that by doing the walk my kids might be able to see other women out there alive and thriving.  Deep down I hoped there was going to be a group of young mom's with their kids walking and it would help alleviate some of the fears my three have that aren't always voiced to me.  

So I signed up and decided to create a team.  I call my little family Biedermann Crew (hence the name of the blog) so we stuck with that for the walk.  My kids were pretty excited and opted to do the walk versus the last day of their final swim meet for the extended season.  I put a link up on social media and said join if you want!  By race day we had over 30 people signed up for our team and many more that reached out to me to say they were walking with us in spirit because they were not going to be able to be there.  Below is a picture of our team on the day of the walk.

The picture shows what great support my children have with all the cousins and friends that made it out to walk with me.  This group of kids warm my heart so much.  Each of them was in breast cancer gear from socks and bracelets to dyed pink hair and scarves, it was wonderful to see.   If a picture speaks a thousand words then all that visible support was worth a million.  

My estimate is that there was around 300 people there.  Above is a snapshot of us as the walk started.  Below are pictures I took with my "teammates".  You see and hear the saying all the time after a cancer diagnosis, "NO ONE FIGHTS ALONE".  Man is that true!  It is definitely eye opening to see what people gather round to help you and who doesn't...thankfully my circle is large and at times too supportive!

My youngest sister Alexa and her two kids.  They went straight to church after so they were very fancy for the walk!  Below is my brother Dave, SIL Alli and their baby Carter.  He was born at the exact moment I was told the imagining was showing cancer.  It is a reminder that with every bit of bad news comes good.  He is precious.

This is Rob and Devin Fasani and their sweet family of girls with my cray kids mashed in.  Devin has been such a great friend to have made a few years back when we joined the Ripon Sea Lion swim team.  I treasure her friendship and that friendship our children have created.   Rob and her are such examples of strength both physical, spirit and emotional.

My youngest brother James. SIL Lu and their two boys Zander and Jaxson.   Zander is my fourth kid for sure.  The day I can hold him without needing a break again is going to be the best day!

Next is Janet.  My girl that I only got to know through Scotty's work.  I tell her all the time I wish we had come into each other's lives earlier!  I adore her, her wife, her parents, her boys, damn her whole family with my entire heart.  We anxiously await her arrival back to California every year because life is just better with more Roger and La Belle in it.

Misty.  Oh vey this is the first person outside of my family I told about my diagnosis.  The irony is we would never have met if it weren't for our children.  Best friend Brody ever made because I got this girl in my life.  She is my rock and I don't know what I would have done without her.

Ashi and Sindi Sheth are pretty much my older brother and sister.  They have been members of our family for over 20 years now.  Sindi has type 1 diabetes and couldn't walk with us but they came and parked chairs at the finish line to cheer us home.  Best non-family family members ever!

The Thurmon's: Kris, Tim, Niko, Jacob and Noah have been buds of ours since Reyna was in preschool.  We followed each other to elementary school after that and even got to share a few years having kids in the same class.  Tim was also my girls tball coach for two years.  This family is just FUN.  If you want someone to keep your spirits up, a constant cheerleader, just need a little bit of sunshine, this your family.  I am so glad I didn't lose them when we moved because it would break my heart. 

I guess I don't have a picture of the Navonators and me but I do have one of their family and then one of Kris and I.  We met when Brody and Oliver were just turning 1.  The boys became instant friends and really the rest is history.  Through the boys being in different sports, different schools, and different cities it has not weakened their friendship or ours. 

Then my parents.  It was not easy for them to do the walk but they made it the entire way for me!  

Last of all was my family.

It was a really emotional experience for me.  My feet are still red and swollen.  I am unable to put anything on them.  You can see in the full body shots that I did the entire event in my flip flops because of the foot issues.  Also because of how painful they are I walked at a ridiculously slow pace.  My mom was so worried she borrowed a wheelchair from a friend for me.  I am 37 years old and used to be the pretty damn fit, there was no way I was not going to finish this event on my own two feet.   And I did it.  I might have been hobbling the next few days but it was worth it!

Ultimately I did this to show my kids that we are not alone.  That there are so many people out there that are lifting us up.  This walk also helped to find the fun in this situation.  They had so much being silly with their buddies.  There was so much laughter and dancing that I think I was either smiling or crying the entire time.  

To those that donated to my team, thank you!  To those that walked beside me, thank you!  To those reading this because they are going through something like me hang in there sisters and surround yourself with people as great as the ones I wrote about in this post.  It makes such a big difference.

If you want to donate to my team please use this link Biedermann Crew