Austin Cure Search Walk!

The walk yesterday was great! It was a rainy day, it has rained all night the night before and we weren't sure if it was even going to happen or not. It was raining lightly at the beginning and then died down. They didn't have us walk because they were concerned that it would start pouring and lightening, so we just had the ceremony. It was a beautiful ceremony though. They honored the precious children who lost their cancer battles by releasing white balloons into the sky. I couldn't help but ball as the families of those children, with tears in their eyes, released a balloon for their child. Then they honored the children who have had cancer or who are still fighting it. They each got a medal, Jaylie loved hers! There weren't very many children there, probably partly due to the rain, but they all held up the big Cure Search sign.

Our friends we knew from dental school, The Gardners, came up from San Antonio to walk with us. Their nephew, Drew, was diagnosed with a brain tumor shortly after Jaylie was. It was great to see them and we are thankful for their support of Drew and Jaylie and all the other kids! 

Jaylie with Brayden. They had so much fun together!

They announced later on that the Austin Cure Search had raised over $72,000 for childhood cancer research! Amazing! The kids need this, there needs to be a cure so desperately, and treatment that doesn't have such horrible late effects.  A huge thank you to all who donated, walked, signed up to walk etc! Thank you! It means so much to us! My friend Chelsea and her family and friends came but we weren't able to get a picture with them :(

Our family with Kindra and Kade. My Dad was taking the picture, I didn't get any of him unfortunately. 

Kendyll, my awesome friend, went to the Cure Search walk in Salt Lake City Utah yesterday also. So neat that it was on the same day. She went in honor of Jaylie and her and a friend both wore their Jaylie shirts. Some people we know who live in Utah saw the shirts and asked about Jaylie. One was Spencer and his Mom. He finished up his treatment right when Jaylie was diagonsed. Some friends of mine knew them and got me in contact with them. She was the first parent of a child with cancer that I communicated with. His story was the first childhood cancer story that I had ever heard of. I am grateful for them and hope to meet them in person someday :)  Some of our San Antonio friends have a niece with cancer and they were there too. Kendyll took pictures with these two families and sent them to me :)