Living the Dream: Running and Running and Running for Laynie....

Saturday was the 2nd annual Wings of Hope run in El Reno. Last year we had about 40 brave souls come out in the COLD COLD COLD weather and run in memory of Laynie. This year we almost doubled it. And there were more teams, and more people, and fog, and cool temperatures, and no one complained. Except me, because my glasses kept fogging up. Weird.

More people showed up after this photo, but this was the initial group. WOW. What a fun group. Let me just brag on some of these wonderful people.

Becky, Emmie (ladybugs) and Amy. I was happy that the ladybugs were back this year, and wore running shoes.... Amy won 6th in her age division (big group) and I was super proud of her, seeing how she went to the doctor for her foot the night before. (for.the.love.of aching.joints)

Cutest things ever.

New to the race this year were my cousins, Nina and Mindy Geschwind. True fact: Nina babysat Lacey when she was a baby. Lacey's first babysitter, and Mindy called her "My baby" (she was about 8). It was great having them there, even though Nina made me run way more than I thought I should. :)

Jana Harrell and I go Way back to Carl Albert Pom days, and it's not possible that her Lani is a senior getting ready to graduate...and Megan Roy came out to represent for the Roy family. (picture Lani, Megan, Jana)

Jana Won 3rd in her division, Lani 4th in hers with Megan right behind Lani in 5th) Good showing ladies!

This is my posse. People that sleep in my house. I sleep in theirs. You know you have those kind of people. My cousin Shannon, and her hubs Mike, kids, Megan and Austin, and of course, Hallie. We were thrilled that the weather was warmer this year and we didn't have to freeze our nubbins off like we did last year. Shannon and I opted for the mile this year, and she stupid ran it and made me look like the sissy I am. Austin dominated on the 5k taking 14th overall and 2nd in his division. Mike came in 4th in his division and Megan 9th in hers. Hallie came in 2nd in her division, and won for "longest legs". (not really, but she totally could have).

This was Lori and Leah's first year (we go way back in the cemetery days) and these 2 knuckleheads walked/ran/jogged with me in my mile. Leah forced me to run that last little bit so we would look like we were amazing (you know sprint to the finish) and all I did was pee my pants. Nothing like giving into peer pressure. Neat.

She's all arms in the air, and I'm just trying not to trip over the blue thing.

Amy Moeller Roberson ran her first 5K and WON overall and first in her division. She is a superstar. The chips malfunctioned and showed she came in 2nd, but, really, the girl ROCKED and WON! Her friend (can't think of her name) did great too. These girls represented Team Hope awesome!

Beverly Cope/Amanda Blackwood tribe were there full force and I have to brag about Alanna (front in braces). She RAN the 5k BY HERSELF, because we are all too old and out of shape to run with her, and finished in 39 minutes. 39 minutes. Did you hear me say 39 minutes?? The kid is a rockstar. Then she hula hooped and showed EVERYONE up and won that contest, and something else, too. She dominated the Wings to Fly this year. Did Team Hope proud. Alanna. Whoa. You're on my team anytime!!!

Love me some Dunks/Jacque Lindsay people. Megan ran and took 13th overall and 7th in her division. Linsday and EC (ella claire) cheered her on from the sidelines with dad and granny. Jacque is the maker of all tags Laynie, and because of her sewing skills and generous gifts, we figured out really quickly that Laynie LOVED taggies. Without Jacque we might have never known that. Very special people, this group.

You can barely find a run without Kelsey Wall dominating it, and she did Team Hope proud. She ran last year, in the freezing temps and won a shoe I believe for 1st place in the 15k. She won 2nd overall this year (dang that Edmond lady, that's all me, not Kelsey) in the 15k and 1st in her age division. This was Tanner's first year to be part of Team Hope, and he came in 3rd in his division. And if memory serves, he hasn't been running that long either...so GOOD JOB, Tanner.

These girls all go to our friend, Jessi's, church. Jennifer, Carma and Michele all ran the 15k and did marvelous!!! Thanks girls, for loving our baby.... Carma and Michele are blood donors, too.

Matt & Austin are in Lacey's lifegroup, and both ran last year. Matt braved the 15k this year and took 5th in his age group. 13th overall. Amazing. Austin has had a baby, and trained about 2 1/2 minutes for this run (lol to the greenhaw's, I know they can take it) and still ran a respectful 18th overall and 2nd in his age category. Our guys represented!!

Austin brought his own cheering squad, his wife Kellie, and daughter Blake. We walked the mile and Kellie's competitive nature took over and the children may have been a bit jarred in her trying to beat Lolly to the finish line. She could have lapped us, had she had the right stroller, that is certain. We certainly love the Greenhaw family. They mean so much to us. We are going to zip to Haiti with them in June, so it will be fun to go with friends.

Sam was no help in the cheering department. He pretty much slept through the whole thing. He did wake up long enough for us to get a picture, though. Sweet boy, 8 weeks old.

These two just never cease to crack me up. Lisa and Sherri are sisters and HUGE Laynie fans. Both from Shawnee, and they braved the cold last year, so this year was a HUGE improvement. Lisa couldn't believe she placed 2nd in her age division...(I thought she was a rock star to RUN the 5k, give me a break).. They shopped with Lacey the night before, and stayed at the same hotel with her, so that gave this mama a breath of relief that she was in good hands. :) Fun hands, too, they laughed their booties off. Good times. Love me some Shaw women.

Lacey's DZ sisters showed up (In Sarah Lucas's case) to run their first 5k. She did great, 6th in her age division, and I couldn't find Theresa's results, her chip must have malfunctioned...for the love. But she had on those fun toe shoe running shoes, so that made her have magic feet, I'm sure. And I remember her running by me on her last stretch and she look mighty fine to me. Good job girls!!!

I guess the two things at the race that got the most attention were 1) grammie and 2) Mike & Shannon's new puppy Mac. It was a close tie for first, with Mac winning by a nose. Gram supplied the cheering on "whistle" for racers coming in the final lap.

You all remember my blog about our friend Haley? These are the girls from her church that ran with her. This is how marvelous they looked AFTER running 5k. It's almost a crime. After I run a 5k, I have oxygen hooked to me, and am sweating so profusely, it looks like I might need a transfusion of gatorade. It's true.

And this is my team. They are special. That is all.

It was a foggy, fun, rainy, drizzly, pretty perfect day. If you don't count the hat hair that I had from the second I hit the fog and humidity. Who cares right? It's not a fashion show, it's a run.

Oh I want to tell you something else. These people were there, and you know how I love them.