If you build it...they will come...

Well now that I've finished with last years experiences, here goes the beginning of the 2011 3 day experiences...

To start with, I knew before I walked in my first 3 day this year that my 2 teammates were not participating in 2011 with me.  In fact, until a few weeks after the DC walk, I thought I was going to sign up to join the crew.  I knew that my husband wasn't thrilled with all the times he had to watch the little guys while I trained, all the nights I spent working on fundraising, and all the things around the house I didn't get done because of all the hours I was putting in fundraising and training.  So I was going to take the year off from walking.  It wasn't until my husband and I were talking and he said, "but you know you'd rather walk again, wouldn't you?"  That I even really considered it.  Wow!  I knew he had said that watching the closing ceremony had an impact on him, but I never expected him to say that!  I almost asked him to put it in writing...

So how to begin by myself?

I know there are plenty of people that raised their minimums and trained and participated in the walk all by themselves (my amazing tentmate being one of them!  You go girl!!!), but I can't deny it makes me a little nervous.  I think of the harder training walks we did close to the Oct. 3 day event and wonder if I could keep on going by myself.  But I know myself a little better than I did before I started this journey last February, and realize how much stronger I am than I thought I was, and I think I can do it.  But all the same...

I would still like to have a team. I went with the old and famous Field of Dreams quote, "If you build it, they will come."  So I registered for the 2011 DC walk as the team captain of Me and The Girls again.  I am hoping that after the holidays and a little soul searching a few wonderful women from work who have expressed a serious interest in joining will decide to sign up for my team.  But don't get me wrong, I'm glad they didn't agree to do it right away, I'm very glad they decided to check into it and do some serious thinking about whether or not they can commit to this.  Having them tell me before they sign up that it would be too much for them right now is way better than having them decide this after we started...

I even checked into making this a work sponsored team.  At first I was told it was fine, and all I have to do is rename the team with my employer's name in it.  Then they realized it was supporting Susan G. Komen and not the American Cancer Society, and was told I cannot have an official employee team, they don't support the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  Bummer!  Back to quietly getting the support of my co-workers...  At least the boss that checked into it for me told me she would donate when the time came!  I didn't expect that!

So whether or not it will be Me and The Girls or just Me and MY Girls remains to be seen...

Either way, I decided to start my fundraising as early as possible this year, in the hopes that I won't feel as pressured as the months go by.  Especially if I am doing this on my own!  So I signed up for 2 days of setting up a table in front of Walmart this month, in hopes that the numbers game will pay off.  I figure, what month out of the year do more people go to Walmart than any other?  December!  So I ordered more of the bracelets I mentioned in a previous blog, and used my new sewing machine to make fleece pink ribbon scarves and headbands to sell in front of Walmart tomorrow morning and next Friday evening.  Of course I have my trusty pink collection jar as well, and my daughter to use her cuteness to collect donations.  And I will be sporting my pink tutu...  Now they are calling for rain ALL day tomorrow though, so I guess I will just have to wait and see whether or not we go out tomorrow morning.  Everyone say a prayer that the rain halts to at least a mist for a few hours in the morning...

I'll let you know how it turns out!