Day XIV

I hope Jack is ready.

We have some very important business to take care of – and whether he likes it or not, we’re going be walking – a lot.

Auntie and I lost our minds for a minute and decided to sign up for a 60-mile walk from Wisconsin to Chicago.

Yup, I said 60 miles.

Walking... with my legs… on purpose.

Together we have to raise $4,200 in pledge money – all going toward breast cancer research.

We are doing it with my friends and their sisters. It’s going to be a girl’s weekend in September with sweat (for sure blood) and maybe a few tears. I hear it changes your life.

Jack is my coach. He’s my motivation. He’s also going to be my buddy on the roads ahead.

It’s not like we have a healthy family history. I just had to fill out all the forms for Jack’s doctor and practically everything they asked me about for the family medical history form I checked:

Cancer? CHECK. (breast, lung, skin, colon)
Diabetes? CHECK.
Heart disease? CHECK.
Osteoporsis? CHECK.
High blood pressure? CHECK.

And that’s just my family. I don’t even know for Husband’s side.

It’s not like I have lived the healthiest lifestyle up to this point… roller coast weight struggles, smoking, poor sleeping habits, mediocre nutrition.

It’s not like I ever sweat on purpose.

The walk is pretty inspirational. It’s filled with survivors, family of survivors, children of mother’s who didn’t make it, grandchildren of women who didn’t make it.

It really accomplishes two things – money toward the research my generation needs to beat what has killed so many in generations past; and a reason to get in shape, therefore cutting my chances of suffering through a horrific disease.

It’s not like I haven’t already been touched by cancer.

Friends, co-workers, my grandmother. It’s everywhere. It kills all ages.

I couldn’t imagine not to seeing my Jackie grow up; to meet his children; his children’s children.

We signed up on the anniversary of Gramma’s death. She was only 67 when she passed.

I miss my Gramma everyday. I think about how much she’d love to see her great-grandson. She’d laugh at his antics and eat up every inch of him.

She fought so hard to be around.

I think about how much Jack would love her soft hands, her willingness to play games for hours, her unendless supply of minty gum and her hugs.

So get ready Jack.

Get those Stride Rites tied up. Put the fisherman hat on tight. Let’s coat you in some 65 level sunblock.

We’ve got a job to do.

We’ll walk for Gramma.

We’ll walk for those who can’t.

We’ll walk for me.

We’ll walk for you and all the future babies.

We’ll walk because we can.