3... The amount of Cancer Research UK activities taken part in during 2016
2... The amount of months they covered
24... The amount of hours for Relay for Life
39265... The amounts of steps taken during the relay
670.63... The amount of £ raised by team Surprise Me
3485.38... The amount of £ raised by team Happiness is Key
Uncounted... the amount of laughs shared, muscles pulled, miles walked, people missed, people remembered, tears shed.
It has been a long couple of months. Well, it's been a long few years! I apologise now for how photo-heavy this will be, but it all needs to be there.
Every year the money is raised so that once we hit a target, we get to dress Adam up. This year there were three events, therefore, three targets, and three opportunities.
We began with Race for Life 5km
Team Surprise me grows every year, and this year it included Tyler and Dude too, both wanting to take part for their own personal reasons.
First target was hit, and giant baby Adam was born, complete with angry eyebrows. We ran, we stumbled, and we made it through.
Then came Pretty Muddy 5km
This time it was just me and Stray taking part, but again, the target was hit, so we went with a St Trinian's theme.
There was an issue with the mud, so we finished fairly clean,but just as exhausted.
Finally was Relay
24 hours as a team ensuring there was always someone walking round the track. The reasoning being that cancer doesn't stop, so neither should we. There were various costumed laps for bonus points, and also Relay's Got Talent. We chose RGT for our final target. There was no discussion involved to know that as a family, The Time Warp was the only choice for what to perform. Naturally that required Adam's final outfit to be suitably Rocky Horror.
He gave it his all, complete with skinning his knees when committing to the power slide.
The team was many family members, including Bunny. We stumbled, we leapt, we got over caffeinated (seriously, unless you see hyper Dude as a disco zombie then you haven't lived), we laughed, and we cried.
Loved ones were remembered with candles.
Aillidh was remembered with Call Me Maybe.
It has been a painful couple of months. Each event means a step closer to cures, but each event makes the wounds that much more raw. The fears that much more great. It also however makes the love that much more strong. The love for those who are gone, and the love between us.
I am proud of my family. I am proud of my babies. I am proud of my Furball.