What I miss most...

 

I was recently asked this question and thought, "wow, how do I answer that?", I miss everything. But then it hit me, it was something I shared a few times with my best friend, I miss the way she loved me. It was different. It's hard to explain. Maybe some of it is the sister bond. I'm not really sure, but she made me feel loved on such a different level. She probably made mom and Sean feel that way too, and each of her friends. We all had our own special relationship with her, but I realize that as much as I thought she hung the moon, so she thought of me. I realize just how much I depended on her when I always thought it was the other way around. That despite our 13-year difference, we were really close. So, though I miss everything about her (her voice/laugh/the way she said "SIS!" or "Sisterrrr", or "thissy"/her hug), the thing I miss the most is the way she loved me.

 

 



Another $10,000 ~ Thank you!

I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed over the years to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through my Team inTraining efforts. Since 2004, we've raised over $47,000! In 2012 $14,050 and this year $10,135. WOW!!

 

NOW, to do that, and more, in just ten weeks next year! Goal: $50,000++ in 10 weeks! I know we can do it!! That research grant will drive us!!

 

Don't forget ~ Save the Date! March 6 ~ May 17, 2014. 2014 LLS Woman of the Year Campaign!

 

 

 

October 16, 2013

Today is two years since Liz took her Angel wings. Two unbelievable years. Life will never be the same and yet it has to go on, and we have to continue living. We want to and we owe it not only to her, but to ourselves. She loved life; being alive; living, hence her motto, "Love My LIfe". But, some days are very hard. She was a gift from the moment her presence was realized. She was spoiled:) She was adored. We each one had a very special and unique relationship with her and her absence is felt to our core. Every day. Always and Forever Isabella... Love Mommy, Sissy, and Brudder.

Ugly Sweater Virtual 5K, 10K, or 13.1

One last event for 2013! I couldn't resist the Ugly Sweater idea. Register via the PayPal Button under the image to the right. Proceeds will benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

This is a December event, "officially", and "official" race day will be December 31, 2013 to allow you the entire month of December to get your miles in. Remember, it's a virtual event so you can run, walk, jog - whatever - anytime, any place, any distance!

This is a 3" die-cast medal with black glitter paint; it should be beautiful, or, um, I mean ugly/lol.

Don't delay in registering as I anticipate this one selling out! Medals will be ordered by Thanksgiving to ensure delivery mid-December. At that time, I will order a set quantity based on number of paid registrants. I will not re-order.

Remember, if you are viewing from a mobile device, scroll to the bottom and click "view web version", then you'll be able to see the register button.

As always, thank yo SO much for your support, and for making a difference in a future life.

LML...Shellee a.k.a. Sissy

 

 

Who do you run (walk, skip, hoola-hoop) for?

I love hoola-hooping :) So...who DO you run for? I have always been a walker and have done it for me/for exercise. But after Liz got sick, I signed up to do my first marathon with Team in Training and have done it for both of us since. It made me feel like I was doing something (raising money to find a cure) and pushing myself because if she could endure the bone marrow biopsies and chemo, I could surely walk 26.2 miles. I walked for her because she couldn't. Still today, that's my motivation. Maybe even more so because, well, because I can. I am blessed to be healthy and able to walk. Period. So I walk. She wanted to walk with me one day, even if just to complete a 5K together. We didn't get to do that. When I went through breast cancer and did the 2-day walk for that a year later, she was really sick (it was just a month before she took her angel wings), but she said when she was better, she was going to do one for me as I had always done for her. She always thought she'd get better. So, though it isn't what we had in mind when we talked of doing one together, I know she's with me...always.

Today I also walked for a little boy named Logan. I was connected with him through a Facebook group called I Run 4. Logan is 3 1/2 and was struck with Transverse Myelitis at the age of 5 months. He now lives with the residuals (in a walker) but getting stronger. He has such a happy disposition! He has a brother who is exactly one year older, born on the same day and both boys were adopted by a wonderful couple in Northern California. Yesterday, his mom posted a video for me of Logan in his walker, walking from driveway to driveway with his older brother "guiding him" :) She said it took about an hour and a half to make the round trip (they live a little out it looks like so the distance was more than your typical cookie cutter neighborhood driveway to driveway). He was so delighted to be out walking! It made me smile.

So...today, he was my inspiration. I walked for Logan.

2nd Annual Love My Life Virtual 5K

Registration is now open for the 2nd Annual Love My Life Virtual 5K ~ October 16th. It is unbelievable that we are coming up on two years since Liz took her angel wings. Though I host other virtuals throughout the year, none is more dear than this one. Each year I will try to incorporate a piece of Liz's life; something she loved, and always with the message she embodied, "Love My Life". She didn't love having cancer but having cancer made her appreciate every aspect of life, and she was darn sure going to live it! This year the medal depicts her love of a warm sunny day at the beach, and the nickname she adored hearing, "Lizard".

 

To register, click on the buy button to the right...

 

As always, this is to raise money to find a cure. Proceeds (all minus cost) this year will benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The Lymphoma Research Foundation.

 

Though this is a virtual event (which means you don't even have to move off your couch), I hope you'll get out and embrace life by doing any activity you enjoy, and for those of you local, I invite you to join me and Team Love My Life in Irvine for LRF's Lymphomathon (5k) on October 26th. This is the day I will be earning my Love My Life bling!

There is no cost to join/walk with us. Here's the website to join: http://www.lymphomathon.org/orangecounty2013/teamlovemylife4liz

The medals are 2.5" die-cast with color and all yellow is glitter :) The registration button is to the right. I will order medals in time for them to get to you by the 16th (U.S. anyway). Also, I just recently learned (thank you Cara/Running In Sanity) that if you are viewing from a mobile device, you can scroll to the bottom and click "view web version", then you'll be able to see the register button. Let me know if that works, I'm still using a crackberry/lol.

 

If you are joining us for the Lymphomathon on the 26th and want me to give your medal to you that day, after completing the 5K, please let me know when you register.

 

As always, thank you SO much for your support, and for making a difference in a future life.

 

LML...Shellee a.k.a. Sissy

 

 

Love My Life key chains!

What better way to keep that message close by than holding our keys! One is $8, each one after that is discounted by $2. Proceeds (after cost) will benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Megan's Wings, and the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

 



 

What is Megan's Wings? Check out their wonderful organization here: www.meganswings.org and join me for their 9th annual 5k in memory of their beautiful daughter, Megan, on Saturday, September 28th in Upland. Links to register are on their website.

 

Then... Join me and Team Love My Life in Irvine for LRF's Lymphomathon (5k)on October 26th. I will use that venue to walk my miles for Liz's Angel Date virtual 5k. Stay tuned for those medals coming soon :)

 

Here's the website to join the Team Love My Life: http://www.lymphomathon.org/orangecounty2013/teamlovemylife4liz

 

Lizard art by: Dani Smith, one of Liz's dearest friends <3

 

Last Chance Virtuals & Cookbooks

I still have a few medals left from my last three virtuals: Northern Lights 5k (10), Mad About a Cure (8), and Visions of a Cure (7). There's a picture and Paypal drop box located to the right, below the TNT widget. Medals will ship the Saturday following your order. I'll update numbers available as they change.

 

 

Also for sale are Cooking Up A Cure II Cookbooks featuring art by my sister, Liz. There are also two boxes of notecards still available. All proceeds benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The story behind the featured art is also to the lower right.

 

Stay tuned for the Love My Life virtual to commemorate her Angel date in October. Proceeds for that will benefit The Lymphoma Research Foundation and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

 

Thank you...Shellee

Honored Angel Update

Thanks to all who donated to help get Liz's name on our race day singlets! Between Honored Angel donations, round 3 of March Madness ~ Mad About a Cure, and my current virtual, Christmas in July ~ Visions of a Cure (still have 10 spots left), we were able to donate $1,000 to my latest Team in Training fund-raiser for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society...in Liz's name! Thank you. You are all making a difference in a future life. God Bless.

Honored Angel

Friends & Family,

Each event I do for Team in Training/LLS, I have Liz's name put on the back of our race day shirts. This is an Honored Angel donation. It costs $1,000. I've been able to do that in the past because of you; because you bought cookbooks, bears, notecards, and the virtual races. I just realized the deadline for this season is fast approaching (July 10th) and I'm only halfway there (not even quite half) so... I'm asking anyone who wants to and can, please make a donation ($5/$10) via Paypal (this also counts in my total funds raised so at the same time, you're making a difference in the fight against blood cancers!) See the donate button on the right below her blowing bubbles picture. Thank you!! XOXO...Sissy

Here's last season's race shirt:

Christmas in July Virtual! Visions of a Cure

Oh, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

WAIT… WHAT?
Christmas in July that is :)

LoveMyLife4Liz’s next virtual event …
 Visions of a Cure

Benefiting

TNT/The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

This a 3” die-cast cutout with color!

Cost: $25
Race Date: July 25th (of course:))
Pick your miles!!
5K, 10K, or 13.1

Personalized Race Bibs too!

Don’t know what a virtual race is? A virtual event is where you do the miles of your choosing (run, walk, skip, or do them in your mind from the comfort of your couch, but that’s not as much fun), when/where YOU want, and get a fabulous piece of BLING (that’s what we do them for isn’t it?), plus the warm fuzzy of knowing you are making a contribution in the fight against blood cancers!

Thank you…Shellee Jenkins

GO TEAM!

Round 3! 25 More Mad Medals On Order!!

Whoo's Still MAD About A Cure?

 

 

Thanks so much for your support!

 

SOLD OUT!

The March Madness ~ Whoo's Mad About A Cure virtual race is SOLD OUT. Please do not click the buy button unless I'm holding one for you. Feel free to leave your name or message me on FB or at lovemylife4liz@aol.com if you'd like to be on the waiting list should someone I'm holding one for decide they couldn't do it. You are also welcome to leave your name in case I get enough to order more. I'd have to have 25 to order more. If you'd like to make a donation anyway, please click on the link to the right that goes straight to my fund-raising page (and thank you!). Whoo's :) on the holding one for you list: Rose, Becca, Sheri, Shannon, Kristen, Tonya, and Cristina. Thanks again to everyone for your support! You're saving lives...

LML...Shellee

March Madness ~ Whoo's Mad About A CURE?

It’s Time for MARCH MADNESS!

Let’s get MAD about Finding a Cure!!

 

Benefitting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society/TNT

Registration is now open for LoveMyLife4Liz’s next Virtual Race!

Race Date: Anytime between March 19^th – April 8th

Pick your miles!!

5K, 10K, or 13.1

 What is it? A virtual event is where you do the miles, of your choosing, when/where YOU want (or don’t do them), and still get a fabulous piece of BLING (that’s what we do them for isn’t it?), and your registration fee goes to fight cancer!

Cost is $25/All proceeds (less cost of medal and shipping) go to

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Where: ANYWHERE you want! Use your training miles, run, walk, skip, or do them in your mind from the comfort of your couch if you like (though that's not as much fun...)

 

Important Info! Medals will ship the last weekend of March.

Thank you…Shellee Jenkins

GO TEAM!

$300 for TNT/LLS from the Northern Lights (virtual) 5K & Cub Run! There are still medals available :)

I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has registered for my Northern Lights (virtual) 5K & Cub Run! You made it possible to donate $300 to TNT/LLS! The turnout wasn't quite what I hoped for, or as good as my first one, but there are so many out there now. I still have 15 5K medals available if anyone is still interested in getting some adorable bling for their training miles and at the same time, making a difference in a future life! You can order a medal by clicking on the drop-down box to the right and clicking on the "add to cart" button.


Northern Lights (virtual) 5K & Cub Run This link takes you to my TNT/LLS fund-raising page if you'd like to check out how I'm doing. GO TEAM!

Oh yes, I guess I do run, and here's why...

Recently, someone posted  (on Facebook) why they ran and asked the rest of us to add why we ran. I wanted to say something, but couldn't quite narrow down my "why", plus, up until recently, I didn't run, I walked. Does that count? I think so, but still with all the running blogs I read, I felt odd saying, "I Run...". However, recently, by accident (seriously), I did start running, except my "running" is more like a slow shuffle-jog/lol. I kind of liked it, so, after recovering from over-doing it that first time (OMG, I could barely walk for a week!), I decided to start interval training. So, I guess I can answer that question now :)

I w/run for hope, for life, for Liz, for my health, for the cause, for a cure, because I can; I w/run to raise awareness and money for research so that someday, somehow, we can stop the evil villain we call cancer.

 

I've never kept track of my miles, but I think for 2013, I'll do just that...