Here's a super easy way to helpus raise money - buy flowers! Click on this link to purchase and 50% of your purchase will go to LLS: http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/i/t/437902/LGE21PKB7dUX

I sent out a challenge via letter and facebook for my friends and family to donate a dollar for every mile I'm scheduled to run in October. You guys are already responding and I'm so incredibly grateful! Thank you for believing in me. For knowing I can do this even more than I know myself. And for backing me on this crazy journey. Together we are going to help kick some blood cancer butt!

Our official training plan starts June but we start short runs together as a team tomorrow.

Also super exciting this season - I'm applying to be a run captain. That means I'm responsible for helping lead long runs, being super duper cheery and happy and encouraging everyone along the way, especially those who are struggling. I found I have a natural gift for this last season and even realized I don't feel the miles when I am being the team cheerleader, so I'm very very excited to be taking on this additional responsibility this season. GO TEAM!!!

Raegan's mom calls me "Snowball" - I started my first race with Team in Training in honor of Raegan but really with a goal of making her momma get out and run to have an outlet for her stress. It quickly escalated from 4 people to 25 people, then back to a manageable team size of 11. In one week we will run a half marathon in honor of Raegan, having raised over $21,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with the help of our friends and families!!! That's $21,000 closer to a cure for babies like Raegan!! I still get emotional when I think about it! Soon I'll iron my sparkly letters on my Team in Training jersey and prep for race day! and, thus, I planned for the story to end...

...but, alas, it doesn't end here! Things have once again snowballed out of my control! I made a deal in November with a fellow Marine Wife that I'd run the Marine Corps Marathon with her this year - it will be my first (I said "only" last night and Sam started laughing and said she imagines it will be the first of many - thus the nickname). Having secured a spot in the marathon, I had sworn off fundraising because it's just stressful and time consuming!! But then...my hubby got an amazing idea to run a shooting fundraiser at our favorite gun range. Last night was our first R4R Top Gun Shootout at Clayton's Hunting and Fishing in Horsham, PA. We made over $1,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!!! Since I'd already met my goal for the April race, I decided to go ahead and sign up with Team in Training for the Marathon! SO - I'm using the money from last night to jumpstart my fundraising and aiming for $2,900 this time!

Please join me in my crazy "snowballing" efforts to continue to make a difference for Leukemia & Lymphoma patients who need a cure. Ask me how you donate and get involved in this adventure with me. If you can't donate now, please remember that I can use your encouragement. 26.2 miles is a LONG way and I'm a little skittish about conquering that size of a goal. I keep remembering that if our goals don't scare us, they aren't big enough...so here I go - snowballing my way through my first Marine Corps Marathon!