sooooooo..... who the heck bought all those shirts!?!

I have been swamped lately with Race for the Cure tshirts. It's been quite a large task, but I don't regret it at all.

I won't pretend that this list covers everyone. I know very well that it doesn't. Some people bought as many as four each; for friends, family, and co workers. Some of our shirt wearers are also in diapers... Some of our shirt wearers are men. One is a three year old little boy. We have a common thread we share; and in some cases, it's not Kristina. But we do all have admiration for her fight against this wretched disease. She has been inspiring, and I believe we can all say we feel like we are in this fight together. Aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. Breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in Hispanic women. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women. It effects us all. It does NOT define Kristina. When I think "who is Kristina" cancer doesn't come to mind. She is a mother. She is a child of The King. She is a daughter, and for me, she is one of the most valuable friends I have ever known. I will be glad when she can close this chapter; and when no one has to ask me ever again, "how's Kristina" because I know that very soon, Kristina will be JUST FINE. There were people that questioned a lot of the aspects of the shirts. There's nothing about them that is accidental. Kristina likes black. Pink is the signature breast cancer awareness color. She is very much a true fighter (I won't elaborate there :) therefore the gloves are very much "her" as well. Most people know I have a tattoo in honor of my father's battle against cancer, and more so, in honor of what a prayer led man he has been my entire life. I used the design of my tattoo on the front of her shirt because she is so prayer led as well. In the center of the "Jesus fish" there is a K. We draw K's on our hands on the days she has chemo to remind us to pray diligently throughout the day. I do this because I learned it from a friend of my dad's, Anissa Ross, who wears her Livestrong bracelet on my dad's chemo days. On the back, the gloves are suspended by another Jesus fish, and in the center, is my girl Kristina's name, written in a font as close to her signature as I could get. This signifies that she is surrounded by his love, and his power to heal, at all times. She is in the center of his grasp, and protected by his walls. He is what holds is all "up" in reality, and on the shirt. HE is her rock. I will never be able to truly express what it means to me that so many that do not know my friend have reached out and helped; knelt down and prayed; and offered up doing anything they could to help.

Kristina: You have not fought this fight in vain; you are truly heroic in the way you handle things, and you are nothing short of an excellent mother through it all.

I love you; and I can't guarantee much, but I can guarantee, I WILL BE THERE.

The official shirt list, which doesn't technically include everyone:
Dana Hines
Amy Chapman
Ashley Hawkins
Tammy Busch
Holly Rosegrant
Cara Pace
Beverly Davis
Leslie Cook
Tiffany Barnard
Tricia Harvey
Kim Welch
Autumn White
Rosjuane Stevens
Shelley Smith
Maury Draper
Jeanne Hipp
Lisa Freeman
Dana Aiken
Misti Atkins
Debra West
Tracie Doshier
Courtney Forrest
Tess Kilcrease
Lou Arnold
Mary Wood
Jamie Clark
Shana Grant
Mandy Morphis
Angela Hoover
Anissa Ross
Maxann Mizell
Holly Cox
Lindsey Mashburn
KT Morphis
Kristie Foster
Hayley Sledge
Jeremy Moore
Melanie Evans
Ben Higginbotham
Ben Daniel
Sarah Leonard
Kailyn Davis
Tonya Lane
Jenny Sipes
Brittany Adcock
Shae Kulbeth
Jamie Clark
Jennifer Forrest
Wendy Ray
Leonda Holtoff
Azurdee Andrade
Chad McGriff
Brandy Reaves
Andi Oltmann
Andrea Weaver
Monica Tippett
Ashlee Scott
Christy Johnson
Mandy Burton
Olivia Pace
Laura Ripley
Michael Burns
Jayme Lawson
Blake Burns
Robin Bond
Melissa Petty
Stephanie Bonsey
Bobby Wilkerson
Brandy Reaves
Stephanie Norris
Lindsay Hillyard
Mandy Rochelle
Pat Fleming
Shannon Fleming
Jade Barnes
Lynn Rice
Calie Murray
Becky Griffin
Charmin Skipper
Laurie Sivils
Meschelle Thompson
Debra Philley
Darren Rawls
Christy Hines
Melissa Chapman
Shana Wright
Ava Thomas
Ally Grace Thomas
Karen Donaldson
Lauren Weaver
Hannah Spandle
Maddie Spandle
Thomas Langston
Desiree Wooten
Katy Baldridge
Taylor Goodson
Hunter Mikles
Alyssa Baldridge
Crystal Martin
Laura Bullington
Barbara Weaver
Shannda Bailey
Laurie Baldridge