Walk MS 2012

This past Saturday was the MS Walk in Emporia.  We have been preparing for this big event for the past few months.  Our team, "Go For Gloria", had 32 registered members there to walk together in support of my Mom.  It was a beautiful day that we got to spend with many family members and friends!

Here is my Mom, Phoebe, Sarah and myself right before we headed up to the Mall to gather with our team members for some fun.

As our team members arrived, my sister Lindsee and cousin Johannah, passed out orange and blue beads for them wear and painted orange and blue on their faces.

                              

Ready for the walk to begin... 

Some of our team members... Pictured left to right:  (top row area) Corky Reber, Mike Miller, Dorothy Bowers, Marcia Smith, Greg Smith, John Koonce, Judy and Ernie Grant, Charles and Wyonna Hastings, Jan and Dale Hastings, Cindy Kienholz, John Harclerode, (middle row area) Shirley McCloud, Regina Falcetto, Jeline Harclerode, Vicki Reber, Janie Koonce, Eric and Phoebe Hendrickson, (front row area) Eric Paul, Lindsee Hastings, Paul Hastings, Sarah Hendrickson, Gloria Hastings, Stacee Hendrickson, Johannah Hastings, and Cameron Kienholz.   Not Pictured: Matt Hastings, Mitch, Karen, and Taylor Moorman, Bryan, Jennifer, Cali, Nate Woerner, Loren and JeanenneWittmer, Kevin, Kathryn, and Brenden Kienholz

My Mom and Sarah got to hold the starting line ribbon and help cut it to begin the walk!  The scissors were too big for Sarah to work, so Uncle Charlie helped her a little.

After the walk there was pizza and snacks for everyone to eat while awards and raffle prizes were handed out.  Our team won an award and I won an individual award.  Our team raised just over $4000 and was the top fundraising team!  I raised approximately $1400 towards our team's total, and was the top individual fundraiser!  The total estimated that the entire walk raised was approximately $11,000!  This is the most that the MS Walk in Emporia has ever raised and doubles what was raised last year.  AMAZING!  Great job to everyone on our team and the other teams for all of the fundraising efforts

Other facts and fundraising stats from our team...

- We had at least 4 people who traveled over 5 hours to walk on our team and support my Mom.

- We had 2 people who traveled over 9 hours to walk on our team and support my Mom.

- We had 10 people on our team who raised $100 or more.  One of these people is only five years old.

- We had 3 people on our team who raised $500 or more.

After the walk my parents hosted our team at their house for a Walk MS party!  We had a lot of great food to eat and some backyard fun.  

Our Family... Eric and Lindsee, Mom and Dad, Matt, Eric, Phoebe, Sarah and I.

From my heart, I want to thank every one of you who donated your money and your time to our cause.  I know there are many things in the world today that you can choose to give of yourself to.  THANK YOU for "Joining the Movement" with me, and for helping me with something that is important to my family and all those affected by Multiple Sclerosis.

Easter Sunday

The girls all dressed for Easter Sunday... Sarah with a couple of things out of her Easter bucket from Daddy and Mommy.

Our family at church.

Eric and his little girls.  Sarah and Phoebe hunting eggs and candy at the church egg hunt before church.

Posing for a couple cute pictures with their Easter dresses on before changing into play clothes and getting really dirty at my cousin Josh's house.

There was fishing, tire swinging, frog hunting, wagon rides, Frisbee golf, a picnic lunch, yummy dessert, butterfly catching, and maybe a little kissing....

Six Hastings cousins ready for an Easter egg hunt...

 There were two planes crop dusting fields around Josh and Beki's house.  They flew right over us...very low ...many times!

 The annual game of Easter Wiffle Ball was held.  It was renamed Barn Ball by Eric because we played by the barn.  Several balls hit the barn, some rolled past the barn, and a couple went over the barn.

In the evening we roasted marshmallows.  Sarah and Phoebe liked eating theirs unroasted, just plain, straight out of the bag.

A Bunny And Fish

Recently the girls and I went to Emporia for a short visit.  While we were there we got to help relocate a baby bunny from my parent's yard to a local park.  Sarah and Dad gloved up, caught the cute little bunny and got ready to release him....

This little bunny really liked Sarah!  It let her pick it up and hold it for a very long time.  It did not wiggle and try to get away from her once!  In fact, it looked so comfortable in her hands and arms.

Phoebe liked watching the bunny, but only touched it once on the leg.

We had a hard time getting Sarah to put the bunny down in a safe spot.  She thought maybe she could just keep right on holding it.... When she did finally put it down near a tree in some tall grass she also had to cover it with some grass that she pulled up to help hide it.

The weather was beautiful.  We also spent time at a small pond doing a little fishing.  Sarah and Popee caught a few small Perch.