(Turning) 41 (on Day) 2 (walking) 20 (miles)

Day 2 -- my 41st birthday -- began, again, at 5:30 am.

Kim, Melissa & a few others stayed up, again, until 1 am.

Let's just say I felt every bit of the 41 years I was going to get to spend the day celebrating!  

 The beautiful flowers that Sarah & the boys sent me for my birthday

 Pink ribbon cookies compliments of Melissa

 Team Diamond Stone #9 team in fundraising 

Komen Atlanta 3 Day 

Woohoo!!!!

 The Coffee Kids is an Atlanta youth group that comes out every year with hot coffee, homemade bread with butter & honey.

They're always out on the route on Day 2 in the morning.

There's always a LINE to get their goodies! 

We love The Coffee Kids!

 Melissa hearts The Coffee Kids

 Dad & 2 boys waiting for their mom along the route

The little boy's sign says: "Mommy!  I love you.  I hope you are OK at the hotel.  I miss you."

Tears, I tell you.  Tears.  

 Mimosas at Mile 14

Can you say refill, please???

 My good buddy, Leah Diamond Stone, came to see me (and her mom!) on the route

 Cati, Tracy & Aimee -- all members of Team Diamond Stone -- are also Ford Warriors in Pink Models of Courage

Yeah, I know famous people.  

 Cati & Tracy

 Dalton & Joi

 Martha was ready for the ride home

 Our vicious team mascot, Madge, FINALLY made it in to town

 My thoughtful in-laws, Helen & Charles, sent me a Sweet Treat

I am so lucky!  

The day was breathtakingly beautiful!

Which included:  

An unbelievable cheering station at Lindbergh marta station (Um, mimosas during the walk?!).  So many kind folks came out to cheer us on!

An amazing lunch in Martha's condo along the route in Buckhead (which also included mimosas)

A Holy Shitake pizza from Mellow Mushroom for dinner

A surprise birthday cake

Team Diamond Stone's "Crippled Dance" (hobbled to the tune of "The Hustle")

Cheez-Its & string cheese at 2 of the pit stops 

No line at the port-o-potty's at Pit Stop 4

Candy Cane chapstick that makes your lips tingle

Dancing cross guards

Temporary tattoos

Boob jokes

And,

A man wheeling his mother down the route in a wheelchair.  She's a breast cancer survivor and he is doing the 3 day for her & with her.  By pushing her 60 miles in 3 days in a wheelchair.

Two feet covered in blisters, sore muscles and aches & pains in places I never knew I had.  Because that means I'm alive & well & able to walk for a cause.  I hurt tonight, but I'll get better.  Too many people I  know or have met or have heard about got sick because of breast cancer and NEVER got better.   

Fatigue from staying up way too late with friends who are like family.  I am pooped, but my stomach and cheeks hurt from laughing WAY too much.  My heart is overflowing when I'm around them.  They travel this spiritual journey with me every year and, because of that, I will always have a special connection with them.  I don't know what I did to get to know relationships like these, but I am eternally grateful and will never, ever take that gift for granted.

That's the best birthday present I got today.

xoxo,

Kim