Tri Valley vs Crooksville....Coat, Hat and Gloves Weather!

It's finally football weather!!

I had issues with my camera most of the night, so not as many pics. My batteries were going dead! Lots of former dawgs at the game last night...bad time for a bad battery!

The field looked great as did the DAWGS!!! Record setting game points and a third of them came from the puppies!

Heading to New Lex next Friday Night!


Our view pre game. The field looks great!




We saw this familiar face sitting several rows down from us!


Childhood neighbor and friend, Janet Ludwig Archer back to watch niece Samantha as Homecoming Attendant. Janet hasn't changed a bit!! She is so much fun to talk to!


King Cam and mom Mindy



Brad Longaberger and son came back to watch the dawgs at home!



It was a great game for the DAWGS! It's good to be back home after 2 games on the road!


I couldn't zoom on the scoreboard but the score was 41-0 at half. Time for the puppies!



I tried to get a pic of Logan on the sideline but got the back of Bob & Ida instead!


More old scotties... Dave Hanby catching up with Kirsten.


Tay and Kellan surprised us...driving in from Kent State to watch Logan's last High School homecoming game. They had to drive right back .... both were scheduled to work Saturday morning.


Ida's baby boy, Landon, celebrated his 14th birthday on this record setting night for the dawgs. We won 62-0. Bring on New Lex!! Happy Birthday Landon!

Tri Valley vs Sheridan (last week's game)

I'm a week behind in my football games! And boy what a difference a week makes...in the weather!!!

We arrived at Sheridan HS at 2:30...just in time to see the students dismissing and getting on their buses and we were not the first ones there! We were second in line...or should I say Mike was second in line. It was in the low 90's and sticky humid and I was in the air conditioned car! (knitting, reading, listening to music, taking a little nap) I took pictures of the line and I did do my time around 4:30. The gate opened at 5:30 and the Visitor's section was small, old wooden bleachers, exactly as we were told! And the sun was spotlighting our bleachers! But when that sun went down it was cooler and we had a beautiful sunset.

So here are some pics of the formerly undefeated teams....

Mike standing in line with another Dawg....I think it is Jeff Miller...his family joined him later!




Here come the TV tailgators! This was my view from the air conditioned car!



Okay...time to do the line! What a fun group! And so nice...everyone was offering me their chairs. That is the reason I am doing so great....wonderful support from family and friends and a little help from above!!



The line is growing. We were told it went back and turned along the building and was a mile long.


We got to see the team arrive. Just what this line full of Dawg fans needed!!! Lots of horns and noise makers going off as the boys departed the bus! Woof!! Woof!!


I told Mike that I take all these pics and nobody ever sees ME! So we turned the camera around for this extreme close up!!! My cute, spikey hair did not survive the humidity but my football earrings look great!



Mike went over to get us some water and Gatorade. He is such a celebrity! He got "shout outs" all the way back to our seats!



Mike got this pic of nephew Logan kicking a punt.



Our little Missy is TV cheerleader advisor. Here she is with her girls. She looks like one of the girls!



Cousin Caitlin Hindel is one of the cheerleaders! Mike was making a deal with her for a TV t- shirt! He caught one! Thanks Cait!!


This was a lump in the throat moment...Logan was captain of the game with Cam and Adam! We have watched these boys grow up.


We were so proud...


It was hard to get a pic of the crowd. The bleachers were narrow and no aisles so once you were in your seat, it was best to stay there!!! Mike stood up and held the camera over the crowd to get this one. Fans packed the stands and lined the fence. The sound was deafening when we cheered!!!!



I love this pic of the pre game huddle and look at that sunset...two things to cheer about!!!


Just as the game was beginning this helicoptor flew over and landed behind our bleachers. Out came our local CBS station out of Columbus with a big camera man and Andrea Camburn!! She is so tiny in person!


Mike took this picture of the team on the field after we won the game 35 - 6! We wanted to get the scoreboard but it was turned off as soon as the final whistle blew!! Go Dawgs!

Light the Night Walk .... Cancer fund raiser

Here are a few pictures from our Light the Night Walk at the Ohio University Zanesville campus. It's hard to put into words the feelings you get when you participate in this walk. Maybe it's because it is done in the night and in the glow of the lighted balloons...I'm not sure but it inspires me! I was really emotional this year! Who knew when we walked this walk for the first time last year that I would be affected by cancer this year! And Miss G has been so much help & support to me! I hope I can do the same for others!

Thanks to Ginger and her team for all their organizing efforts this year. The team t-shirts were fun! And we loved the glow necklaces! It gets better every year! I think we made $85,000 this year (which I think is $10-15,000 more than last year!)

I encourage everyone to take part next year! Mike had to work until 6:30 but drove from Newark to walk with us. He was surprised by the the hundreds of people and amazed at the feelings you get when you walk! You just have to be there!! I love being with a "rookie" walker!

Enjoy the pictures and thank you to those who sponsored me and my family! We'll be walking again in September 2008!





Madison and Grace were so proud of our team sign! It was especially cool to see in the dark as each of the stars glowed!





Our reason for walking...Aunt Ginger....with neices Madison & Grace, nephew Andrew, sis in law Valerie and Me! Ginger inspired everyone around her!



Our tent area was full of fun and fellowship!



Everyone chillin and eatin and talkin...



We saw old friends and neighbors everywhere!



Mike arrived 20 minutes before the walk began! He was a "rookie" walker!



There are lots of clowns making balloon shapes! Grace picked a balloon hat! They also had a wonderful kids area this year!!



Andrew walked with me....I was gulping back tears! Mike joined us after taking lots of pictures!



Madison and Grace with their back up banner carriers! They were so proud! We can't wait til next year!

Thank you Val

Honey thank you for the birthday comment. I love you too. You made your old dad cry.
I love you Val,
Dad

It's all about MIKE....

Today is my favorite guy's birthday! He has spent the morning with me in the lab getting tests done....then a fun trip to Walmart and the Dollar Store! He is now getting a load of wood...(yes...in this heat)....then heading into work on nightshift. I love this man!

He has requested pork chops and baked sweet potatoes for dinner and he is getting them. We have decided to wait on the birthday cake (his mom's secret icing cake) for Saturday when the whole family can enjoy it with us!

Just a little mention of me....I am still feeling GREAT and am not worried at all about my test results! I have cleaned and moved around the family room and playrooms and decorated the inside for Fall and Halloween....not quite as much as when the daycare children are here but enough to make it fun. Heading into the kitchen this afternoon....

I had some sleeping problems over the weekend....I couldn't get any! My mind was on overload with all the people who have helped me and things I wanted to say and write to them and the miracle of it all. Mike came down at 5am and caught me emailing Val and Luann. He came over and asked me if I was okay and all I could do was cry....happy tears!

I wish there was some way to thank you all for the way I am feeling today....NORMAL!! It feels like another birth....(my third)...#1, June 28, l955...#2, my Born Again day (PTL) and #3,last Monday when the stint and cancer were both gone from my body. I feel at peace with it all no matter what the future holds. I say bring on anything....I have beat cancer! And I'll do it again if I have too...whatever it takes!

Enough about me today....IT'S ALL ABOUT MIKE!!
Happy Birthday to my hero and #1 angel on earth. I love you!
Leslie

Friday Night Football & Friday Night Lights

It's finally here...the Tri Valley / Sheridan showdown! We are leaving early to be assured tickets and a seat! Go Dawgs! I tried to download the cutest picture of Cortney and Conner Crabtree in their Tri Valley outfits and face paint but it didn't go through! I'll try again later...

If you are home tonight or have recorders, please watch Friday Night Lights. It is a wonderful tv show. If you didn't watch it last year and you get an opportunity to see those shows...watch them and catch up! It is based on the movie, which I never saw but I LOVE this show!!

I don't know what it was up against last year but I couldn't believe it didn't get great ratings! It has moved from Wednesdays to Friday nights this year. I'm a big fan and cheerleader for this great show! Can you tell!

Go Indians! Great game last night...beat those Yankees!

Good luck to the Buckeyes and the Browns this weekend!

Oh yes...I am still feeling great! Mike is so funny...he always asks how I am doing with such hesitation...just waiting for that spasm or pain...it's not happin'!

Thank you for the prayers!

My friend has now completed 3 treatments at the clinic and has had some headaches, which she is tolerating like the champion she is! She also has a new 10 pound grandson! She is heading over there to meet him then back to the clinic for the last 2 treatments.

Thank you for praying for her! Keep it up! We are praying for complete healing!!

I'll blog more tomorrow!! I have to get on my Dawg gear!!
Woof! Woof!
love to all...
Leslie

Post stint...day 2 and Prayer Request

I slept very well....kept dropping off during Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor.

It's the oddest thing to not walk stooped over. I have had these spasms since June 21st...some days worse than others.

I am at Matt and Val's today watching the kids. They are off school for the County Fair....back in session tomorrow. We are picking up our morning mess then heading to Wal Mart!!! I cannot tell you how excited I am to go to Wal Mart. My recent trips have been short and usually painful. I am also excited to go to the mall and on long walks!

Prayer request.....I have a good friend who is starting treatments today at Cleveland Clinic for polymyositis. It's a new treatment that has taken a while to get insurance approval. The approval call finally came yesterday and she actually began the treatments this morning at 9:30am! Praise The Lord!

You might recognize her name...Luann...she posted on my blog throughtout my journey and never mentioned that she was fighting a battle herself! I was amazed and humbled when I found out. She has been fighting for 18 months! She also has an incredible family and husband and I'm sure they have been a loving, support team. While she is at the Clinic she will have a new grandchild born. Thankfully, there will be a break between treatments this weekend when she can go to Columbus and meet her new grandbaby.

Just pray for Luann, her family, her wonderful doctors and this treatment. As with Mike and I, she has to be at the Clinic for 5 treatments but she will not be admitted. She and her husband and dog (don't you love that!) will be in their rv close to Cleveland. She said her dog likes being walked on grass rather than concrete. Now, there's a woman who loves her dog!

She is a special person and she loves the Lord! I feel so blessed this week and I know the power of prayer warriors! I'm going to pass mine forward.....

God bless you Luann and give you peace and comfort during these treatments....He loves you! (I do too!)