stand in the rain.

i havent written in a while. im going to try and write more often, even if it is just a little. so, here we are again.
today is mothers day. mothers day is a very emotional day for me, as i know it is for many of you. every year on mothers day since grammer school, i have walked with my grandma, mom, and her 5 sisters in the y-me race against breast cacncer. the past several years we have walked in the southside walk (it branched off years ago because the advocates for the cause is so strong in the area, there was enough crowd to start a race closre to home). as you know i lost a great hero, my dad's mom to breast cancer, and every few years the walk hits closer and closer to home. next my mom's mom was diagnosed and later my mom's sister (who's cancer has just recently come back for the 3rd time, please keep her in your thoughts). seeing my aunts 6 kids walking for her is inspiring and so heartbreaking...especially bridget, the youngest, who is only 9.
today was absolutely miserable weather wise. we went to mass at 7am and went out to the route through the freezing rain that didnt let up at all throughout the 3 mile walk. my grandma has alot of health problems due to her cancer, but she walked. my aunt's white blood cell count has been too low for chemo until she was able to recieve her most recent chemo treatment 2 days ago. as you can imagine she was sick and tired. but she walked. i, was crabby about the cold and the rain and my very wet socks (stop whinning here, obviously i walked lol).
its funny how nearly every year in the past, mothers day has been just beautiful for these walks...no one really knew how to react with todays near monsoon. we didnt know if it would be as crowded...it was. i walked most of the walk sharing an umbrella with my cousin cate, my aunt's second oldest (who just recieved word that she is going to notre dame this fall...whooohooo!! GO IRISH!!). it was a great time. we laughed and chatted and tried desperately to avoid the small lakes that had appeared thanks to chicago's very poor drainage system and aging streets. we both had makeup running down our faces natural curls (that run in the family) that we both straighten sprang up wildly, and everyone carried about 15 extra pounds on them thanks to very figure flattering ponchos. lol.
i know the people who read this blog, so im not going to bother pointing out the obviously and dare i say, cliche symbolism of todays blog. but i reminded of the song...
"stand in the rain, stand your ground, stand up when its all crashing down..."
pretty perfect, huh?
i know that the breast cancer scare isnt really a "scare" for my family...more like a question of when and how you are going to deal with it. today was a great reality check for me. even though my aunt was sick from chemo which she now has to start all over again for the third time, SHE WALKED. everyone would have been falling over themselves to take her home and walk for her... but this is a big part of the pride that i take in my (extended) family and something i know that i share with them...you wouldnt even know she was sick again. and most people dont. because for her, the fight is the same whether it be in the public eye or in the intimacy of her family and close friends. no amount of pitty or attention is going to take cancer out of her life...it would only make her play the patient role. which she refuses to do. my cousins and uncle also refuse that role. and i love them for it.