First time for everything

Look, my very first posting. I'm not sure if anything I write will ever actually appear on my blog, remember I am still in training. This one will be more of a trial run. So here goes, I am going to try to insert a picture.

OK so somehow I inserted the picture above the text. I'll work on that, just not sure how to change it yet. Any way, this is where I am going with this picture. I was blessed last year by the opportunity to go to Memphis to the St. Jude Marathon. No, not as a runner but as a cheerleader for TEAMJAKE and all the other people out there running for a cure. My sister-in-law, Melissa, and I decided we wanted to head up there and see what it was all about. Man did we have a good time. We didn't know a soul there but had talked with Dawn from TEAMJAKE on the phone and through email. So, here we are in Memphis with no idea what we needed to do, we just knew we signed up for the very important job of cheering on the runners that Saturday morning. Of course we get lost, Melissa was not the best co-pilot. (Just kidding Melissa you did great with what you had to work with, namely me.) We call Dawn, she give us Melanie's cell phone number (Melanie is Jake's aunt), we call Melanie and instantly, I promise, the first time I talked to her it was like talking to an old friend. So she helps us find our way and gets us tickets to the Hero's Pasta Dinner. That was an unbelievable night for me. I know I can't describe it here. Look at all the gold TEAMJAKE shirts. Never mind, I can't figure out how to post another picture. Just imagine a lot and I mean a lot of gold TEAMJAKE shirts. I'll get that picture up one day. When Melissa and I got there we looked for those shirts. Yep, the first people we see are Melanie and Staci, Jake's mom. They made us feel like family. Let me tell you something about Jake's family, they are the sweetest, most caring people. Jake Raborn was a lucky little boy to have so much love shown to him during his sweet, short life here. And this family will make sure he is remembered with all they do. I for one, am going to help them.

I will tell you about the marathon in my next post because I want to figure out how to get those pictures on here. I know you will be back to read all about it.

By the way, I have signed up for the Memphis Grizzlies House 5K this year. My 16 year old son is going to be with me. Melissa will be there too with her 11 and 15 year old sons. I think we can handle it. But you better believe that I will be out there cheering on the other runners doing the half-marathon and marathon as soon as I have finished with the 5K. Any of you out there that wants to join in the fun this year? Well, I just happen to know how you can do just that, go to http://believeteamjake.com and sign up for an event or contact TEAMJAKE about being a cheerleader. While you are there check out the Jake Owen Raborn Foundation website and read about Jake at his caringbridge website.

I thought this would be a short post since it is my first one, guess I was wrong.

Charlene