HEROES.....

It's a rainy Saturday morning and I am blessed to be quietly reflecting and drinking my warm coffee.  I am thinking about friends and acquaintances and people who are heroes to me and why. 

Let's start with Kelsey - my young 11 year old friend who holds her birthday party each year and asks her friends to donate to my annual walk.  She has officially raised over $5,000 for my walk in the 3 years she has done this.  Her personal life story and her struggles makes most people's pale in comparison.  Her journey is tough, but she is tougher!  Check out the new addition to the Tough Warrior Princess website - Kelsey's Corner.  http://www.toughwarriorprincess.com/kelseys_corner.html

Then, there is a young girl who is turning 9 this weekend.   My friend Emma.  Her mom and grandmother are breast cancer survivors.  Emma is battling stage IV Neuroblastoma.  This has been going on for almost a year and Emma has faced beyond grueling treatments and is about to be admitted for another month of stem cell transplants.  The horror of what she has faced and is going through now is so far beyond words.  This girl is STRONG.  This girl is a hero.  Check out the article about her in the Newburyport news.  http://www.newburyportnews.com/lifestyle/x1647291855/A-world-of-friends
Consider becoming part of Emma's Penpal Adventure Around the World on Facebook.

Then, we have Emma's mom, Tina.  Talk about amazing beyond words...  A breast cancer survivor and Treasurer of the Tough Warrior Princess organization.  Tina teaches Emma how to fight and how to appreciate life and not let it get you down.  Tina continues to stay connected to her friends for love and support.  She attends Tough Warrior Princess meetings, contributes as if there is nothing else going on in her life, and continues to go on training walks with our team as life permits.  She also helps her mom fight a battle with breast cancer at the same time.  She is a constant ray of sunshine as she teaches us how to appreciate our lives in a quiet way. 

I am also watching a few of my dear friend's children graduate this year.  It is so strange to look back and know I have watched these kids since they were little.  I have watched their parents influence on their lives and am proud to call these parents my friends.  I have learned a lot watching them and hope to be as successful in my parenting.  I have had some great examples to follow. 

The Tough Warrior Princess organization continues to grow.  We got some coverage in our local paper and that has been a blessing in connecting us and our cause to our community.  http://www.newburyportnews.com/lifestyle/x234161534/Local-nonprofit-helps-families-fighting-cancer   We had our annual 'Dance Like a Princess' silent auction event this past month and are blessed with the success and support.  With even more expenses this year, our event raised a net of $17,000.  This $17,000 goes to two places - the Tough Warrior Princess portion of the funds goes to our mission of helping women and their families impacted by cancer of any type.  The other portion of the funds goes to the other part of our mission in raising funds for breast cancer research in hopes of finding a cure.  The funds are divided between the walkers on our team that are walking in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure. 

We are thankful for the support.  The businesses in our local communities and the support of friends and family far and wide make it possible. 

Stay tuned as we explore new opportunities to expand our mission of helping women with cancer. 
We are working on our first official newsletter and welcoming new members who want to help suppport our mission.  To learn more go to www.toughwarriorprincess.com

Back to Heroes -- Take a moment this weekend to quietly honor the heroes in your life.  I bet there are many!!

Blessings!

Patty Mellon

Happy New Year!

New Year's thoughts.. thought I might learn to cook in 2012.... No, just kidding. Not where my efforts belong and it sounds like torture. I have had the last week of the year off and due to Mike's recent ACL surgery on his knee there is no skiing for us, so we have been home. Most of the week I haven't felt great. The stomach bug has ripped through everyone I know, but I seem to have escaped the extreme of it. I just felt off for days on end. I spent those days cleaning closets and organizing in hopes of feeling more in control and organized in my life. I have had some time to be still and ponder and reflect and think about how to energize for 2012. I wish I could say I came up with something amazing, but really haven't. We think of the new year as a new start and it is and I'm looking forward to a new year ... but every day is a new start and a new opportunity.

For 2012, I plan to keep myself surrounded by those who enrich my life. The people and thoughts you surround yourself with, in my opinion, make a huge difference in your life. What are your plans for 2012? Put it out there - so we can all hold each other up!

The Tough Warrior Princesses have been on a break and need to re-focus and energize. It is definitely a cycle and knowing what to do next is a challenge. The line between the passion and the amount of work that it takes and knowing when to get out of people's faces is always in the thought process. There has been so much happiness and sadness this year for our group. Above all we have built a support system like none other. I look forward to our 2012 experience and doing all the things we need to walk 60 miles again as well as growing the Tough Warrior Princess non-profit and helping and supporting those in need.

Thank you for reading and supporting me! The connections I have made from this blog are astounding and I appreciate each and every one.

I wish you all the best 2012!!! Where hopefully we all take small steps to embrace our experiences and work to improve our lives and the lives of everyone around us.

Blessings,

Patty