So how did it go?

Well, it's Saturday, I'm blogging... and it doesn't end until Sunday. Does that give you any indication??

I'll start at the beginning, and you'll have to bear with me on every detail... you know I'm wordy, I get that from Sara, she invented me you know...

I was so nervous, hardly slept Thursday night. I was all packed... We get there (after we found the place & got out of traffic). I hopped out of the van, all I cared about was kissing Phyllis good-bye. Forgot my water bottle on the console of the van, and my dad couldn't turn around because of traffic. I panicked. What am i going to do...

So... I'm walking around trying not to cry (yeah, Sara, tell them how easy that is). I'm praying God, please bring someone to soothe me, I can't start this way...

Answered Prayer #1 I hear my name, it's Jan Schueler from my old church, she's a survivor and her daughter was walking too. Shew... calm...

Answered Prayer #2 I NEEDED a water bottle, none! in sight, I was telling someone how stupid I was... "Oh i have an extra one, you want it?" Now this was one of those two for one deals, if I took the water bottle I had, it would have been a pain to carry, heavy so I got a perfect size one...

Answered Prayer #3 I wanted to see someone from my team that I knew (I didn't know that many) and not even 30 seconds later, here comes Jan and her daughter, Jan just found out she has (it will soon be HAD) breast cancer, her surgery is Monday. I was so glad to see her. I had been praying all week for her.

Answered Prayer #4 I really wanted to walk with my tent mate, she is amazing, remember her? Bonnie. I IMMEDIATLY turned my head, in 1000s of people, whoop there she was! We walked the whole time together.

So the walk goes on and on, I turned my ankle about mile 5. Not too bad, just kept walking, no swelling... We eat lunch at mile 10.1 (over half way there!)... we're walking... about 10 minutes into it.... There goes Margie (you guys forgot to pray for my ankles, because i have one not even worth mentioning blister). I fell. Hard. 10.2 on the richter scale. But I kept walking... it swelled up a bit... golf ball size...

Answered Prayer #5 Ice cream, Bonnie and i were wishing for ice cream "any flavor". We turned the corner... ice cream parlor. I didn't even get passed the door in the sidewalk, I was right in there. Bonnie asked "what we're going to get ice cream, we're going to go to the Pit Stop with ice cream?" My reply "they can get their own". I said this ice cream is a gift from God, we're not passing it up. I had Peanut Butter Chocolate, she had Cherry Cordial... YUMMO!

Answered Prayer #6 We were tired, we didn't want to put our tents up. Romeo Football and Hockey teams were there to help with the tents!! Great job boys!!

I finished the walk, that last mile was a killer and my ankle hurt but I was determined to finish. I went to the medic, as soon as i got my shoe off, you could have played baseball with my ankle. HUGE. Iced it, Motrin. It hurt but I hobbled around. I was so worried that I couldn't walk today. What will people think, what if they are mad because I didn't make the whole 60 miles? Yikes, got myself all worked up. Took a shower (much needed) and felt better. Ate too...

I asked someone to send me a scripture, it was Duet 30:15-20. I have never read Duet because I "thought" it's the law. Ick. I don't like rules... But it was perfect there were some parts that hit me like a ton of bricks.

I had a new life bible because i didn't want to take my big one... and it was only $5 at FCS. I know not all the versions say the same thing, but you can read what I read.

15 "See, I have put in front of you today life and what is good, and death and what is bad. 16 I tell you today to love the Lord your God. Walk in His ways. Keep all His Laws and all that He has decided. Then you will live and become many. And the Lord your God will bring good to you in the land you are going in to take. 17 But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but leave to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I tell you today that you will die for sure. You will not live long in that land across the Jordan which you are about to take for your own. 19 I call heaven and earth to speak against you today. I have put in front of you life and death, the good and the curse. So choose life so you and your children after you may live. 20 Love the Lord your God and obey His voice. Hold on to Him. For He is your life, and by Him your days will be long. You will be allowed to live in the land the Lord promised to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

So here's the thing, this wasn't about walking. It was about bringing honor to the decision that God made to bring my mom home to Him. It was about a healing that I needed because the bandaid holding my pain in wasn't going to last much longer.

Today is Phyllis's first homecoming, and it broke my heart that I was going to miss it. And now I don't have to. I think someone pushed me to make sure I didn't miss a milestone. That when my daughter looks back, she'll have memories of her mom who got to be at everything she could be.

So let me tell you, I can't for one minute put into words how much your love and support has meant to me. I can tell you that my mom is looking down on you too, and she's smiling because the love she has for me, shown through you this whole time.

God is good, all the time.

I'll post pictures later