Days 196-197: Here’s to a world with less cancer & more birthdays.

On July 18, 2011June 20, 2012 By LindyIn charity, photography

I’m so proud of my Relay For Life team – almost everyone stayed from 7 p.m. Friday evening to 7 a.m. Saturday morning, taking turns walking the track and helping with fundraisers to fight back against cancer. If my calculations are correct, our team raised $4806 – just shy of our $5000 goal! (If you’d still like to support us with a donation, please visit http://main.acsevents.org/goto/dukes.) From the extreme heat; to the touching survivor lap; to ice cream, water balloons, s’mores, glow bracelets, and more; we definitely had an eventful night!

Teammate Aaron Ballew juggles water balloons as an admirer looks on.

Relay For Life – Northland Kansas City survivor lap.

This little girl, a cancer survivor, touched us all during the survivor lap.

The moon had a beautiful orange hue as it rose over the track.

An overall view of the Relay For Life – Northland Kansas City at night.

My cousin Ben’s luminaria lit in memory of my Aunt Jill.

Sue and Spencer rest on the high jump pad on the track.

Day 195: Fuel For Life

On July 15, 2011 By LindyIn photography

These are some of the many snacks we’ve prepared for our “Fuel Station” at Relay For Life. We’re selling trail mix, granola bars, Gatorade, and baked goods. By the way, our team name is Dukes of Hazzard, and the event is themed “Revin’ For a Cure,” so I think Fuel Station is the perfect name for our snack spot.

Day 194: The sun keeps us going

On July 14, 2011 By LindyIn photography

We inherited this house plant almost a year ago after Jerod’s aunt’s funeral, which was about a month after our friend Ryan’s funeral, which was a few weeks after Jerod’s grandpa’s funeral, which was just 2 weeks after my aunt’s funeral. It was a rough summer to say the least. Seeing the sunlight hit this funeral plant each day reminds me of all the good days, both behind us and ahead. Relay For Life may be hard tomorrow since it’s the first Relay after my aunt passed away from pancreatic cancer, but I know the sun in shining bright.

The sun shines bright on our green and yellow spotted house plant.

Day 193: The Pounding Rain

On July 13, 2011June 20, 2012 By LindyIn night photography, photography

Last night we had really strong thunderstorms. I huddled in the corner of my patio to take pictures of the pounding rain. Jerod claimed it was safe, even with my tripod, since I was back away from the storm. A few minutes later (back inside), we saw a huge bolt of lightning hit very close to the apartment. I’m not so sure I was safe after all, but what good photographer isn’t willing to take risks for a photo?

A night time storm in Kansas City, Missouri.

Day 192: Margarita Party!

On July 13, 2011 By LindyIn photography

Last night I was busy with Relay For Life bank night, where we turn in money and silent auction baskets and get all the final details of Relay, so I’m a little late posting Monday’s photo. This is one of 9 silent auction baskets we’re selling Friday night at the Northland Relay For Life at Oak Park High School. If you live in Kansas City and don’t have any plans, you should come out!

Margarita Party Basket for the Relay For Life silent auction.

Days 190-191: It’s all about the moon

On July 11, 2011July 11, 2011 By LindyIn photography

Okay, okay, maybe I shouldn’t have used the moon reference to tie the two photos together. All jokes aside, Saturday morning we ran the Get Your Rear in Gear 5k for the Colon Cancer Coalition in memory of a church friend Ryan Goddard, who passed away last year from colon cancer at just 29 years old. I also beat my previous 5k time with a new record of 28:50! Sunday was pretty uneventful, and I almost forgot to take a photo. (gasp!) After spending about 30 minutes outside in the heat & humidity trying to photograph a flying barn swallow, I settled on a photo of the moon instead.

Team shirts for Get Your Rear in Gear colon cancer 5k.

Day 189: The Little Flower That Could

On July 9, 2011 By LindyIn photography

Somehow this little flower managed to push up through the sidewalk in a completely random spot, just like George Strait’s song, “I Saw God Today.”

Saw a flower growing in the middle of the sidewalk,
pushing up through the concrete,
Like it was planted right there for me to see…

The flashing lights,
The honking horns,
All seem to fade away,
but in the shadow of the hospital,
at 5:08,
I saw God today.

Day 188: One Stitch. One Step. One Hope.

On July 8, 2011June 20, 2012 By LindyIn charity, photography

Just one week from today is Relay For Life, so you may see several Relay-related posts in the next few days. I have to show off this beautiful purple ribbon quilt that Jerod’s grandma hand-stitched just for Relay. It’s going to be one of the featured items in the live auction. If you want to bid on it, come out to Relay For Life of the Northland (Gladstone, MO) at Oak Park High School around 8 p.m. 😉

This quilt is named “One Stitch. One Step. One Hope.” and was designed and hand-stitched by Grandma Lea in memory of my Aunt Jill for Relay For Life.

Day 187: Baby Blueberry

On July 7, 2011June 20, 2012 By LindyIn baby, family, photography, portraits

The first photo of my 365 Day Photography Project was a little baby bump named Blueberry. Yesterday I finally got to meet Blueberry, who is now 3-month-old Leah. She was such a great model for family portraits with Mommy & Daddy! She already has 18 pairs of shoes, which is at least 3 times as many as Daddy.

Day 186: Dirty Jobs

On July 6, 2011 By LindyIn photography

For some odd reason, I’ve been waiting all year for the window washers to clean our building so I could take a picture of them. They haven’t been to my office yet, but they were so close yesterday! Since I’m afraid of heights, this is a job I have an appreciation for, because I could never do it.