Relay for Life...

This year Zachary and I participated in Relay for Life through the National Spanish Honor Society at his high school.  Relay for Life, you ask?  What's that?  It is a fundraiser that benefits cancer research through the American Cancer Society.  It is a way to give back on behalf of anyone who's ever been affected by cancer, be it a death to cancer or a survivor, it could be a close family member or just a good friend.  In one way or another, most of us have been affected by cancer at some time in our lives.  We have.  We lost our Memaw last year to cancer and other complications.  But there is some good news, we have an Aunt that survived breast cancer and lymphoma, and is still doing great!  Yet, until we participated in Relay for Life we never really knew nor saw just how many people are truly affected each year by cancer.  It was just astounding to see the latest cancer survivors take the first lap around the track and to watch all the people on the sidelines cheering them on!  The relay walking also takes place at night because it is showing that cancer never sleeps so we must continue to keep walking on through the night and continue the fight against cancer.  But even though it was for a noble cause we still had fun as you can see in the pictures.  Zachary stayed all night but I left him with his team mates and teacher, I wasn't brave enough to try it all night...maybe next year!  Yes, I said next year because I want my whole family to be involved next year and to help in the fight against cancer.  If the research even helps just one person, it would be worth it!  

Have wheels, will travel!

So many changes are happening in our lives every single day!  In just 2 days, both of my boys became even more independent than ever.  Yes, they mastered their own set of wheels!  Well...in a way, they did.  Zachary took the driving part of his driving test on Monday, October the 3^rd and just as we expected him to, he passed and is now a legally licensed driver.  It is a somewhat scary thought for me...knowing my son will be driving on the road by himself with all the crazy drivers out there!  Sounds like I will be praying even more and possibly acquiring more grey hairs, I would prefer the first over the latter!  Then on the very next day, Tuesday, October the 2^nd, Zane learned to ride his bike!!  It was rather interesting in how that came about too.  For the past year or so, we had been trying to help Zane learn to ride his bike with the training wheels and learn to balance using them.  But needless to say, it just didn’t happen!  He didn’t like the way he leaned on the training wheels and usually ended up falling over, getting upset, and then finally quitting until the next time.  Well, we were getting ready to go camping and I told him to try it again so that he could take it camping with us if he learned, but he didn’t want try it.  So, I asked him if he wanted me to take off the training wheels and I could try to help him ride it that way.  And to my surprise, he actually said yes!  Off came the wheels and I walked with Zane to the alley, on he got and I gave him a steadying push and he took off riding like he had been riding his whole life!!  My chin about hit the ground because I couldn't believe my eyes...and I think it surprised Zane as well.  Needless to say, the training wheels should have come off a long time ago...but better late than never!  As you can see, both of them are just as proud as they can be...and to be honest, so am I!!