thank you

I received this in an email tonight, and it meant so much to me, I wanted to share it.

Looking back on the events leading up to Friday night and most importantly on the Relay itself I feel a sense of great accomplishment and gratitude for family and friends. So often an event in our lives brings people together or tears them apart. Charli Ann in her short life of 1 year, 11 months, 2 days and counting with us has changed the lives of those around her. I will forever remember her running and jumping into Amanda's arms at the finish line of the survivor lap. Her story has been told over and over since Friday night. One of the girls here was at a Softball game Friday night. A friend of hers was at the Relay and heard you talk. After leaving the relay she went to the softball field and told your story to everyone that was sitting within earshot. She was doing just as you talked about " The Power of 10". Countless people have talked to me today about your talk and how it affected them.

Your talk was just amazing Brenda and Charli was so cute. Thanks for sharing your story as painful as it is for you and Chad. You are an inspiration to us and to those who are fighting cancer.


I replied back to this person and said that I realized that up until now I have been so focused on the wrong things. Friday night as we made our last corner around the track and could see our great family gathered there to meet and greet I realized that we had our entire family there with us! Granted Jennifer, Justin, Conner, Randy, Kara, and Cohen were there is spirit..but everyone else we needed was there!! Those are the people who have been there, those are the people who have sacrificed, and those are the people who will forever have those sites and sounds etched in their minds. No longer do I long to have those "certain" people there who only disappoint by never delivering when we truly need them. At that exact moment I felt a downpour of peace that went to the tips of my toes. I have everything and everyone I need in my life. And I am the luckiest person ever to be in the center of such amazing people.

Thank you for loving my daughter and my husband the way that I do - thank you for giving us the true feeling of family and for proving that not only can love move mountains - but it can and will cure cancer, and it will happen in our lifetime.


PS - thank you to the Charli's Angel team for sending me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and sweets today!! I will post a picture later this week! It made my day for sure!! It was extremely thoughtful and proves once again how awesome YOU are :-) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!