Pretty in Pink

We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails.  ~Author Unknown

And let me say we were a pirate crew last Sunday changing those sails. Tonya's fundraiser was this past weekend and there are no words - absolutely.no.words to explain the magnitude of it all. Tonya, my sister, was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in the summer of last year. When helping plan this event with Tonya's closest friends, I was hoping that we just wouldn't be embarrassed with the turnout.

Quite to the contrary, my friends. I really have no idea how many people were there because for four solid hours there were people coming and going, and at majority of the time it was standing room only. My random guess is 300-400 people. 

How do you decorate for a breast cancer fundraiser? You use pink - lots and lots of pink.

I cannot say enough about my sister's friends and especially her friend Erin who headed up this thing. She and her husband Fritz own a local brewery here in town caled Rahr & Sons and it was a great location for the event. We all gathered raffle items and I did the invitations, slide show and other miscellaneous things. But who are we kidding, Erin had her name all over this thing. One thing is for sure, girlfriend has friends in high places.

Like the Dallas Cowboys...

And Jason Whitten from the Dallas Cowboys, which sold for $1,200 during the auction by the way.

Oh and a signed guitar from some guy named Pat Green. That sucker sold for over $3,000. I can't even tell you how many items were donated for the raffle to help my sister. There were raffles, silent auctions and a live auction. I'm talking the real deal with real auctioneers. I'd never been part of something like that and it was so exciting to watch knowing that it was all going to help Tonya. 

And that's not even including the food that was all donated by local restarants. 

 

And this is just about how much guacamole I could polish off on my own.  

And the bands were amazing. Yes, I said bands as in the plural form. There were two bands that donated their time and had everyone rocking.

$15.00 got you in the door with complimentary beer, good food and good music...can't beat that!

I've never seen so much pink in my life. 

And who says real mean don't wear pink. I beg your pardon...

I might just have to go buy more pink because they look so good in it...especially with a pair of cowboy boots and riding a mechanical bull...compliments of his Uncle David.

But the best part of the whole afternoon was seeing the happiness that it brought Tonya knowing that for one day she could feel the love in that room and even from complete strangers that came out to support her and her family.

I can't believe that my kids made it during nap time and that there weren't any meltdowns.  My kids are NOT the type to crash anywhere. They need their beds but when you've partied like a rock star and Mr. Sandman calls your name, there's no way you can say no to that man.

Tonya's long term leave as a social worker runs out during the middle of this month and she will no longer be paid.  After 12 months of FMLA, she will have to buy into Cobra insurance which is insanely expensive. Overwhelming is an understatement of the pressure that this putting on her family and especially her self-employed husband, David. 

But I'm amazed to say that this fundraiser raised over $27,000. People amaze me, even more God amazes me. Thank you doesn't even seem to remotely express how we all feel about this. But I'll say it anyway. 

Thank you from both of us.

And we may not be able to change the wind, but we'll keep moving those sails.