I have more than one picture to share today and the last time I tried that here it didn't work so well. So, this time I will make my comments at the beginning and then paste the pictures together at the end of the post so you can see them all at one time and it won't mess up the text.
Today was a great day. It started off with Barbara and I sharing the rest of our Valentine's Day gifts with each other. I got Barbara a pair of White Topaz earrings, a set of kitchen towels that she has had her eye on for a while, and some bulbs for the Dahlia flower (they were also a Plant of Hope with proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen). She got me a set of NC State plastic cups and something that I am very excited about, a Paula Deen Hot Chocolate maker.
We then had brunch at the Eno River Eatery and drove to Mom and Dad's house so Mom and I could go to the NC State women's basketball game for Hoops 4 Hope. Once there we gave the family their Valentine's Day cards. Matthew, my brother, got 3 cards so he was very excited about that. I partook in a giant heart shaped brownie Mom had made, and then she and I were off to Raleigh.
Hoops 4 Hope is a very special event to me. The first one I attended last year was with my Mom as well and we had a great time. It is especially significant for 2 main reasons:
1) I am a die hard NC State fan and was also a huge fan of former NC State women's basketball coach Kay Yow. Her success as a coach at NC State was obviously the first thing I like her for but then her unbelievably courageous battle with cancer inspired me and left me in awe. When she passed away early last year I took a half day off from work and attended her funeral. To honor her that day I wore a white button up, the NC State tie my father wore when he was a student there, and a red NC State sweater vest with a pink ribbon attached. Of course it was sad but it was also an amazing service. She meant so much to so many people, myself included. I know I was just a fan who had never met Kay Yow but her impact on me is something I will never forget and I really wanted to be there to let her know that. The funeral was standing room only and it was held in a building that doubled as a gymnasium, I believe. That goes to show what her legacy is and always will be. She was a hell of a fighter and a hell of a coach and being alive while she was at her best and while she epitomized courage is something I am so grateful for
2) My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago and she had to undergo surgery to rid her body of the disease. Luckily it was caught early and the surgery was a success and she has been given a clean bill of health. I am very close to both of my parents and it was scary to see Mom go through this and wonder if it would get better or worse. Thankfully, compared to the fights of others against this terrible disease, Mom was able to get better quickly and without a long drawn out treatment. However she had cancer and that has always resonated with me. During Mom's fight I looked up to Kay Yow even more and fed off of her strength and love in God to help convince me that my Mom would be fine. I love you Mom and I am so proud of how you handled yourself during that ordeal and I am so glad I still have you. God bless each and every survivor of breast cancer, I am in awe of you. For those who have lost loved ones, take solace in knowing they fought the good fight and they did not pass in vain, that one day we can look to them and say 'we found a cure and you helped'. I also want to say that we know where they are they are happy and there is no suffering ;-D.
As I write this I am tearing up as I teared up twice at the game tonight. Mom took the floor with survivors at halftime and NC State unveiled 3 new banners honoring Coach Yow and her accomplishments. When I saw Mom there and thought about Coach Yow, I teared up with sadness and joy. The game itself was so thrilling and the large crowd was very much into it. The Pack won 66-64 and the game was in doubt until the last seconds. I truly believe Coach Yow gave a little nudge to help us win tonight and that made me smile. NC State's new coach Kellie Harper spoke to the crowd minutes after the game and she had us give ourselves a round of applause because she said the team couldn't have won without us. The positive energy and power of many is awesome, as evidenced tonight. Mom also bought me a Kay Yow 'Leader of the Pack' pink t-shirt tonight which I wore throughout the game with pride.
Without further ado, here are some pictures from today. One of my new hot chocolate maker and some of the game today. In a couple of the shots of mom with the survivors, Mom is in the middle but I have put a red oval around her so you can identify her more easily. Unfortunately my little camera only zooms so much so these are the closest I could get:
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