My new friend, Tammy! Yes, we share the same name!! :)

  Her sister went to college with me!!! Meeting new Christian friends is such a reminder of just how wonderful Heaven is going to be!!!!

This is the back of our team's shirt! 

The Wall of Hope spread down Freedom Plaza and was filled with stories of amazing people who are fighting brain cancer or who have fought the fight courageously and now gone Home...Above is Nick's picture from the Wall of Hope. It was so emotional to stand in the crowd of people and see Nick's picture and name on a wall filled with so many other people's loved ones.

It was humbling to know just how "not alone" we are in this world of grief and pain.

These are two of my online friends who have lost children to brain tumors..it was such an honor to meet them in person.

My college friend, Laurie, and I before the race.

We were 'clowning' around before the race..can you see our red noses?

That's a story all by itself.  So thankful for all of my new friends!

  Laurie's mom passed away 16 years ago from cancer, and ever since then she has had a special connection with butterflies like our family does with pennies.  It was so neat when she realized that one of her friends had unknowingly worn sunglasses with, of all things, butterflies on each side!  Laurie felt her mom's presence in a very special way throughout the whole race!!!!!!!!!! I just love how God is so creative in giving us just what we need! My dear friend, Carla, came all the way from Kentucky with me to share this weekend!  She was Nick's homebound teacher and my mentor for my teaching internship!  Not only that she is a special Sunday school sister of mine, so I was very thankful to share this emotional weekend with her!  She loved Nick so much, and he loved her right back!

At the end of the race, Carla and I were trying so hard not to cry.

Popsicles waited for all of us at the end of the race!  I think Laurie is going to eat Christine's!!

Nick's favorite team was the Ohio State Buckeyes, so I had to take a picture of this team's shirt!!!!!!!!!!! Not sure how well we could "keep up" with a crowd of 11,000 entries, we decided to fall in line behind "Team Turtle."  They seemed safe.

I love this picture of Laurie ending the race being cheered on by one of her friends from her church!  Isn't life just like this race?!?!?  We all need encouragers, friends, goals, inspiration, things to laugh about, community,.........and the list goes on and on!

HEBREWS 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.