I'm joining the fight

This laughing, vibrant, slightly drenched lady is Randi Hower Dye, my mother in law. This picture was taken in July 2005, and on March 17, 2006 she died from breast cancer. 

You can't see it in the picture, but at this point the cancer had spread through her body and she had to be pushed everywhere in a wheelchair. At our wedding in November she walked down the aisle, though, and sang for the last time in public. She was incredibly gracious, and I wish I'd had a chance to know her better. I think the best thing I can say about her is that she was my husband's best friend. Not many moms can claim that of their oldest sons. When she died she left behind 6 kids and a husband, and the youngest three were 8, 11, and 15. To me, this is the saddest part of all. 

So this year, in October, I'm going to walk in the Breast Cancer 3 Day in Washington DC, and I'm going to raise at least $2300, and to do that I need your help. Click on the button on the right hand side of my blog or go here to donate to the cause. And because I really really believe in what I'm doing, I'm going to give something back to you: when you make a donation of $25 or more, I'm going to send you a 5x7 print from my Etsy shop. I'm not making any money on these, but I want you to have a reminder tof how you've given. So when you're filling out the donation form, under "personal note to the participant" write in the name of the print that you want and I'll get that sent to you. It's a win/win situation: you get an awesome picture AND the knowledge that you've helped others. And if you want to pass this along to others, I'll be super grateful. 

Don't worry, dear bloggy friends, I'll keep you updated on the progress!