It all began with a pair of shoes….
This year wasn’t my turn to do the Arizona Breast Cancer 3 day walk. It was Nono’s. The shoes were the ones who needed to get out and tell her story. My job was simple- to walk with my Noelle’s shoes and make them a part of our walk. Day 1 was perfect. I had been asked by the 3 day people to carry the Best Friends flag *with* Noelle’s shoes. They had heard of them and wanted her and them to be a part of opening day.
My girls, the Arizona Sole Sisters decided to talk turns walking with the shoes. Noelle was our virtual partner thru her shoes. While I was walking with them across my shoulder people asked why I had a 2nd pair of shoes. I then was able to point to my Noelle on my shirt and let them know they were hers and from there I would tell them about her and the ladies on my shirt. It was really sweet seeing some of my girls walking with the shoes.. Because in the beginning they didn’t know Noelle really but as they walked with her shoes they started bonding with them. Towards the end we were all almost fighting over them. They truly became part of us.
Waiting for the porta potty
Playing with us at a Pit Stop
At another Pit Stop called Hunting for a Cure
Hanging out with Johnny Depp and us. Tric has the shoes here
I talked about Noelle and her where she was in her treatments and her fear of bugs. People would smile and laugh. The bugs are a story I’ll have to share with you sometime. I would walk and talk about all the ladies you sent me pictures of. I told of Terry who taught Shayna to type, to Cyndee and dimples and blogs, and about Dave's incredible wife Ann who also is walking in the 3 day, to our Mary my aunt’s momma to Tammy’s Aunt Crayon to Stephanie’s friend Linda and all the ladies in my both of my brother in law’s family. This year the number of women on my shirt doubled from last year. So much sickness so many more reasons to walk. I walked and talked about every one of the ladies on my shirt to celebrate and honor these women's lives.
The course each day was different and offered many challenges. Day 1 is always easy for some reason. I think because we’re all so excited to be there and are all happy. Day 2 is called Denial Day. Many more miles, a lot more hills and valleys just like someone that’s been diagnosed with breast cancer. Day 2 you feel like will never end. Day 3 you’re semi excited again but now you are sore, or have blisters or both.
This is my friend Susan. I’ve known her since like 5th grade. I swear she always looks better then me. LOL I love her so much. Sue works in crew for the 3 day. She drives a Harley sweep van. 
We heart the “Mister” Man… because boy oh boy was it ever hot. He followed us around with his misting truck.. ahhhhhhhh that felt wonderful.
I have to tell you- I’m so proud of my girls. They trained thru the heat of summer, cooperated with me when we had fund raisers to do. They rarely grumbled or mumbled. One of our ladies is a breast cancer survivor her name is Randi. Randi got to carry Noelle’s shoes into the survivors circle for us. The moment we all saw her all of us bawled. We knew our mission was complete.
I did phenomenally well this year in regards to blisters and chaffing. Mike H mailed me some toe socks. Between the socks, the Body Glide along with Blister powder I only got 3 blisters. I mean I did so well I got a pedicure a couple days after the walk. For me that was victory. This year’s 3 day walk was so much fun for me… running into old friends, giving and getting lots of hugs and telling the stories about the ladies on my shirt.
I have so many people to thank it’s hard to know where to begin. My mom- such a trooper such an encourager. She went to everything we did and even did the training walks until we were hitting big numbers. During the summer she was up early and took charge when we started slowing down due the heat. My husband and my girls- holding down the fort while I was out walking or fund raising or emailing or ……my brother in law Bobby for making our brochures and flyers, to my sisters- Amy who helped with my fund raisers, Bec who got Pat Summit from University of Tennessee women’s basketball team to not only sign a basketball but also a shirt for me. People were amazed I had a shirt signed by Pat Summit. My little sister Rachel for all her texts and just words of encouragement to Red Rock who have me so many opportunities to earn money and to all my aid stations, packet stuffer ladies and Patti my Goo girl. You are amazing.
I know I wouldn’t of been able to do it without your support. During the walk so many of you were texting and being such encouragers. You made a difference.
And to my girls- you did it. You conquered those 60 miles. We had some rough times, and some funny times but the most wonderful thing is we truly became a team and became friends for life. The first Saturday after the walk I was sad that we didn’t have a walk to do. I miss you and love you all very much. I have so many happy memories of you.
One other incredible thing… Noelle our lady of honor made it to the closing ceremony. And SAW her shoes up in the survivors circle. And thru some miracle bumped into Randi the two had never met before. They hugged and cried together. Our dream is that one day Noelle will walk with us and carry someone else’s shoes. We want to hear that Noelle meets “Ned” No evidence of disease. I'd love for you to go meet Jen. If anyone can get anyone to lace up their shoes and walk it's her. Please check her out.
So my question is.. Who’s signed up for 2009?
Love you,
Debs
Friday, November 28, 2008
It Started With....
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Gettin' to be about that time..
Ok, I'm sitting down holding still for a couple of minutes so I thought I'd drop you all a line and let you know I'm still alive.. life is really rolling pretty fast at the moment. Girls with basketball, husband with new job, me working overtime, training and fund raising. We are busy bees!
27 Days!! Can you believe that?!? 27 days until I hit the 3 day road with Noelle's shoes. We're going to have a great time walking n talking, posing and taking pictures. Well... I'll be doing that while NoNo's shoes are resting comfortably on my shoulder. It's going to be a blast. I can't wait to see everyone. Right now Nono's shoes are vacation in San Francisco. They went and checked out Alcatraz.
First let me start by saying thank you!! Thank you for all of your support, your encouragement, your donations, for the kind words and everything you've done to help me with this. To my girls who walk with me on the weekends... you rock!! From events to those of you who attended the fund raisers and spent money to those of you who've helped me from doing triathlon aid stations to stuffing packets... it's happening because of all of you. You are making this happen. I'm so touched by you all and thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Training is going great... I have an incredible group of ladies that keep me company every weekend. I love them so much.
Still training at "My Lake"
Yes- you have to do 14 miles! 
Sorry Randi-
Frown Marianne Frown0 (resident Muffin Momma)
Look you made it halfway!! (we stopped a truck driving by to take our picture) LOL
You're suppose to be stretching!!
Hussle ladies!!
Ta Da!! Done!! And still friends. LOL
Speaking of the 3 day- did you know that YOU can be part of my "Support Squad"? Did you know that you can write me letters or be at the Opening Ceremony or be at one or all the cheering sections or come to the Closing Ceremony?
If you'd like to send a letter to me at the 3 day camp just mail your letter to: Breast Cancer 3-Day Camp Post Office
ATTN: Debbie Evans
Box 409
2040 S. Alma School Road, Suite 1
Chandler, AZ 85286-0987
**Your letter needs to be postmarked by November 4th**
Our Opening ceremony will be at Freestone Park in Gilbert Arizona early early early Friday morning. The cheering section locations I'll know about a couple weeks before the 3day walk. Those are such motivating and encouraging for us the walkers. It reminds us all of why we're doing what we're doing. Try to be at one if you can. Our closing ceremony is going to be at the Scottsdale Stadium on Sunday at 4:30 PM. It's such a moving and touching ceremony. I'd encourage you all to attend one if you ever get a chance.
I still have 2 more opportunities to earn more money to go towards my goal and to help the Breast Cancer 3 day.
1. Stuffing packets for the Soma Triathlon. The packets will contain registration information for each of the runners. We're doing this on Thursday the 23rd starting around 4:30-5:00 at the Red Rock office. It's a couple of hours of work that makes a really good chunk of money that will go towards the 3 Day.
2. The Soma triathlon- I am running an aid station. Need people to help pass out drinks, Gu, and cheer the runners on. It's really a blast and a win win for everyone. We encourage the runners, the runners get happy and come back then Red Rock loves us and pays our charity for our time. We not only are doing something positive for someone else we are also helping find a cure for breast cancer. The Soma takes place next Sunday at Tempe Town Lake at 6:30 AM. This is a half ironman. So the more the merrier.
Don't forget that time is clicking.. so if you said you were going to donate - now would be a great time to zip over to page and do so. And if you have already thank you thank you!! I'm getting closer to my goal of $4400.00. Nono's shoes are almost half way paid for. http://www.the3day.org/goto/DebEvans
I love you all. Thank you for being here for me..
Step by Step,
Debs
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The "Ta-Do" List
http://08.the3day.org/goto/DebEvans
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sighhhhhhhhhhhhh
Well today was a huge day in my girls lives especially my big one. Gosh I wish time would slow down some. I remember when they were little and the big deal was going to the park. Now today my big one started high school. I thought she'd be nervous but instead she was excited. I thought she'd want someone to be with her at orientation instead she already had figured out the school map and her combination to her locker. I remember the days of blowing bubbles and playing chase. Now it's basketball scrimmages and geometry.
The girls love their new schools... both of them do. I was worried that one or the other would have a hard day or feel alone. But they both found their old friends and formed their own posseys. Kiersten even found old friends from her first school. She actually is thrilled to be at this new school. Both so independent and brave. I know when I was younger I did NOT like changing schools. I am so proud of them and how they were able to so quickly adjust to this whole new adventure.
But today I wish I had some time bottled up when they were little. I miss those days today. I miss them being little and being able to put them both on my lap. It use to be we watched Barney.. now it's football and basketball. I just would like the time to slow down. I feel like I have an hour glass and the sand is quickly draining out. Some many things go thru my mind of things I still need to teach them.. things like checkbooks, and more cooking, or how to take stains out of laundry, stuff that we don't think about.. life stuff. Also right now to them the world is this great big wonderful place. And while they are growing bigger, it's starting to get harder for me to block the shots that the world can throw at them. I'm just beginning to realize that I still have alot to teach them.
Time needs to slow down.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Three Ways to be more productive
I generally think of myself as an extremely productive and difficult-to-distract person, but I’ve recently realized that I’m kidding myself. Sure, I get stuff done, but I procrastinate, waste time, and get distracted often. For all the complaining I do about needing more time in a day I should start by creating more time in a day by wasting less of it. I need to be able to fit 80 hours of life into a 40 hour week!
So here are the three specific things I’ve come up with to be more productive this week — I promise to report back next weekend and let you know how I did:
1. De-activate my “new mail” notifier. Checking email is my biggest time-waster at work, by a long shot. I justify it by thinking that since I work in medical field that does everything online and since most of the people I work with are in different locations, email is essential to my success in getting my job done. All that is true, but it doesn’t mean that I should always keep my email windows open and check new messages as soon as they come in, replying to many that don’t need an ASAP reply. I’ve tried simply limiting the number of times I check email and just closing my email programs, but that didn’t go far enough. So this week I am turning off all of my new email notifications. (Really, I am. Really.)
2. Set defined no-work time zones. One of the biggest downsides of being a super busy person is that I work on things when I get home too thus I can work all the time on something. Outside the few hours a day that I spend being a mommy, a wife I am usually attached to my computer, or my Blackberry working on something for someone somewhere. Some of this is necessary — but some of this is not. Knowing that I can do some of my stuff at sometimes makes me less disciplined during the day. I complain about not having enough time, but I think I might have too much time to work. This week I am setting specific start and end times to my work days, every day. (Yes, my dear husband, this means that I might actually look at you when we talk rather than nod in half-understanding as I type away.)
3. Start the day by getting 3 annoying things from my to-do list done. I think being productive has a lot to do with feeling productive. I know when I get something done that I’m dreading, I feel completely awesome and energized. So this week I am going to tap into my inner Energizer Bunny every morning and start the day by removing the dreaded, the time-consuming, the this-is-worse-than-the-dentist stuff from my to-do list. You know what a great stress relief it is to write something on your to-do list and cross it off? This is that, but spiked with an energy drink. Or so I think.
What are your best tips for being more productive?
