Oh, yeah. I'm sore....

Just my arms. But jeez, Louise!!!

Kait's home sick today, so she and I are a good pair. I think she's just got a cough, but I thought I'd give her a day off from school to get better.

Ouch!

Biggs got me a personal trainer for Christmas. Well, 10 sessions with the trainer up at our neighborhood gym. So last week I went for the first time. GREAT! We did my legs, abs, etc. My strong suit -- especially after walking a bajillion miles. (Well, maybe not my abs.) Got me back on the road to being in shape. I've walked, done weights or both six of the last seven days.

Man, was I proud of myself.

And then, today, I met with her again. Upper body. YIKES. I apparently have absolutely no upper-body strength. I am so out of balance!!! I felt like a total wimp and am already so incredibly sore.

The good news? My 10th workout with Charlotte is the week we go to Costa Rica. NINE more weeks to get in shape! I'll keep ya posted!!

Why I Walk -- Reason #98655

Did you know that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer?

When we were in Austin, there were about 15 of us that kind of ran together. We had a book group, all got pregnant about the same (too much wine at book group?) This group was an amazingly diverse group of women from random walks of life. Each one of them was brilliant on her own. But when they were together as a group it was an awesome thing to interact with all of them. When the guys graduated with their MBAs, we all moved off to build our homes and families.

A couple of years ago, one of the girls was diagnosed with breast cancer. In her early thirties. She fought it with a mastectomy and the toughest chemo. In 2006 she ran in the Race for the Cure to celebrate her victory. Then, in August or September of 2006, it came back, and it was in her bones and lungs. The hormone therapies she'd been on hadn't worked.

I got a card from her last week, and I want to share part of it with you....

"We have had a difficult year. I was extremely ill last spring, down a very little time, but fought my way back to a remission over the course of the summer and fall. We are now on our way to work with a healer in Costa Rica -- himself a 20-year survivor of terminal cancer -- who has helped me regain my strength. We are hopeful and feel very blessed to have found such an inspiring example of a body's capacity for renewal and health!"

This is why I walk. So we can find a cure for cancer. So Mommies can be Mommies. So women will have faith that they can be CURED. So Sonja and her two precious daughters will have a happy ending.

We made it!!!

So... How do you like the picture at the top of the page?? It's one of my favorites from the L.A. shoot. I know it's kind of big, but I don't know how to shrink it. So... we'll just let it go like it is! I'll try to swap out pictures every now and then to liven things up!!!

I guess that picture is Reason #56586 why you should walk in the 3-Day with us this year. Throughout the 3-Day and the trip to L.A., I had several comments on my great legs and cute little butt. Seriously. Me. That's right. Me. Before you fall off your chair in absolute disbelief, let me tell you the 3-Day does great things for your legs and butt! It does!!! I promise!!! You should try it!!!

So anyway... Now that I'm through bragging about how cute I look in a tennis skirt... We made it through a week of Biggs being out of the country. Woo-Hoo!!! He's been in the UK / Italy since last Saturday and comes home today. We are ready!!! He is so good about calling and talking to the girls when he's out of town. And when he's in another time zone he makes them figure out what time it is there. They love it. They really thought it was cool that he was waking up on Friday morning at the same time I was going to sleep on Thursday night.

Of course, my new suitcase that he took with him got totally destroyed on the trip from Italy back to the UK. So he had to file a claim on it. I'm not sure what the process is on that, but I'm hoping it doesn't take long to replace it.

And he's not going to have much time to get over jet-lag once he gets home. Softball try-outs and the draft are this next week. That means now that the sun is FINALLY back out in Houston, we've got to work with Abbie some this weekend. She's automatically on our team, since we're coaching. But she still has to go through the try-outs. Hopefully we can get in some hitting today and tomorrow.

Guess that's it. Gotta run clean a little more before he gets home!!!

We're in the Top 5!!!

Get this!!! Right now, Team Tiara is ranked #3 in donations among the Dallas teams!!!!

Our goal is to stay in the Top 10 ALL YEAR!!!

You can help by making a donation at:

http://08.the3day.org/goto/dlynbiggs

Click on "Join D'Lyn's Team" if you want to join us! The more walkers we have, the more money we'll raise!!!

Trip to Costa Rica

This is where we're staying. Can you believe it???

http://www.paradisusplayaconchal.travel/

We're going in March -- how cool is that???

Houston Team Tiara Launch Party!

Don’t you Deserve a Lifetime?

Team Tiara invites you to join us in celebrating Grandmothers, Moms, Sisters, Daughters, Aunts, Cousins and Friends.

In November, Team Tiara will walk 60 miles in three days to help find a cure for breast cancer.

Please join us as we celebrate the launch of our “season,” as we eagerly look forward to the blisters, the calluses, and the fact that this year we will be part of an event that will raise almost $100 million for breast cancer research, awareness, treatment and education.

We need you to be a part of our team. If you’re interested in walking, crewing, donating or praying for our team, we invite you to join us for an evening filled with the power of the pink ribbon.

We’ll also be showing the 3-Day commercials, starring our very own team members, Suzi Bruin and D’Lyn Biggs.

Put on the Pink! Break out your Tiara! Invite your friends!
(Real men wear Pink! Feel free to bring the man in your life!)

Saturday, February 16, 2008
7:00 p.m.

At the home of D’Lyn Biggs

To find out more about the Breast Cancer 3-Day, check out:
http://08.the3day.org/goto/teamtiara

Monday, Monday....

Here's what will probably be the last installment of cruise pix. I know.... We've been home for two weeks, it's about time, isn't it???

Here's Abs on the rock wall. Biggs got so excited about her climbing all the way up and ringing the bell that he forgot to take a picture of the actual bell-ringing, but here she is on the way up.

Here we all are on the last morning -- when we up and realized we had no family pictures from the trip. YIKES!!!




Abbie was an elephant in the Adventure Ocean circus...


Tiger Woods, watch out. This family rocks at miniature golf!


The girls performed in their first-ever talent show!

Aren't they cute????

And here is the Jake-induced backyard carnage that awaited us when we got home! Apparently, Jake got tired of waiting for us to put in a pool, so he decided to do it himself!

3-Day Commercial Now Online!

You can view all the 3-Day commercials and videos online at:

http://08.the3day.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Videos

I'm in the "Crazy Powerful" commercial. I'm the "Crazy Beautiful" girl. (What's up with that??)

Once you've watched the commercial, you can sign up at http://08.the3day.org/goto/teamtiara or donate at http://08.the3day.org/dlynbiggs

Big hugs!
- d.

Quick News!!!

Hey all!

Quick little update -- more when I can.

First, PRAISE GOD! Stephanie got to go home from the hospital this weekend! And no oxygen!!! "Great is Thy Faithfulness" has been going through my head over and over (well, that and some Hannah Montana song Kait has been singing) since Friday. God is so Faithful. What a miracle he has already brought -- just in her coming home. And I know he can work an even bigger miracle and heal her outright. I'm praying for that!!!

The Top-knotch crew in L.A. sent us our media packets this week. This is one of the pictures of Mary, Stephanie and I. Mary lost her Mom last summer as well. She's an Aggie.....

... Which leads me to my next topic!!! On Tuesday of this week I drove up to the Holy Land to meet with none other than Stephanie Jeter, up-and-coming staff writer with the Texas Aggie. In yet another example of how He takes care of the tiniest details, our Maker assigned our story to this Godly young woman. I can't wait to see what she writes about The Talent and the three Aggies who were a part of this incredible adventure.

On Thursday of this week, I interviewed for a REAL, LIVE JOB with the 3-Day!!! Craziness!!! This is a great opportunity to work with something I'm incredibly passionate about. I'm still trying decide if it's the best move for me right now. Will you please be praying about that? Is this really the best thing for our family right now?

On the topic of the 3-Day.... I'm trying to revamp how I do my fundraising this year. I looked at how much I spent on postage last year -- and it was a chunk!!! If I can do the majority of my fundraising via emails, that's more money I can donate! So.... here's the link: http://08.the3day.org/goto/dlynbiggs

Here's the link to join our team: http://08.the3day.org/goto/teamtiara

Please make your donation or join our team soon. I'll still do a mail-out to people I haven't heard from, but I'll wait until this summer to give you time to donate online. We have been so blessed to have tremendous support for this. Your donations are helping God work through the hands of countless researchers, oncologists, radiologists, etc. Thank you!

I've gotta run for now. More later. I just wanted to share those things with you this morning!!!

Many Blessings,

d.

Please pray for Stephanie

Suzi and I met up with some of the other "Talent" in Ft. Worth yesterday to see our sweet friend Stephanie in the hospital. She and her family are in need of your fervent prayers.

All of the chemo she has done has now done irreversible damage to her heart -- she's at 30 percent functioning on the right side. Yesterday, she signed a DNR. We were able to spend some time with Steph's family, but everyone was feeling the weight of this most recent diagnosis. They're all trying to be strong, but this is all so hard. CANCER SUCKS. It's so hard to watch her Daddy interact with her. She's his middle girl, the one who was always tough. The one who he took fishing and hunting. And he's trying so very hard to be strong for her right now. It just breaks my heart.

We didn't meet Steph's daughter, Jennifer. But we did get to see David. They told David what was going on while we were there last night. While they were telling him about her heart damage, we were in a prayer circle in the waiting room. It was good to be able to give them that -- to pray for them during that time.

We have GOT to find a cure. This is a story that is played out all over the world, far too many times a day. Everywhere you go, there are precious people fighting for their lives. Precious marriages and families and friendships being ripped apart by cancer's angry snare.

We've begun our 2008 fundraising for the 3-Day. You can donate online at http://08.the3day.org/goto/dlynbiggs.

Much love,

d.

Costa Rica Bound!

Check this out! Biggs company made "goal," so we're headed to Costa Rica in April! So cool!

More Cruise Pix!!

Okay! Here's your daily dose of cruise pictures! They're all out of order -- sorry! Hope you enjoy them anyway!
- d.

Kait's my Little Aggie -- all dressed up for Formal Night.



Feeding our dolphin -- Atena.

All Dressed up...
Sweet Kait.... Boy, does she love to have her face painted!

Between Honduras and Cozumel, we had REALLY high seas. The on-going joke was, "I think we hit a deer." But I think it was more like a water buffalo. EVERYONE seemed to be sea-sick -- except us!!!

Cozumel was wet and yucky, and we had to go buy Kait a sweatshirt to wear.

At the dolphin place...

These pix are from Roatan, Honduras. We were there about 3 1/2 years ago and LOVED it! We couldn't wait to go back! It's changed a lot, but it's still a beautiful place to visit.




The gas station...

When we were there before, there was nothing on this hilltop. Now, it's the coolest little bar...

New Year's Eve...

Princess Abbie

Formal night with Aunt M'Lys. She LOVED the black & red theme they had going!

The girls were in a pirate parade....

Whew...

More pix to come, I promise!!! These will have to do for now, though. I'm knee-deep in a deadline for Abbie's school yearbook. I'll get my head above water soon.

Great news! The commercials are showing nation-wide. I'm in the one that starts with "If walking 60 miles is crazy, I don't want to be normal." They've been spotted on the View, the Today Show, ABC Family, Lifetime, and during Fried Green Tomatoes. (Dori called from PA to let me know!) Keep your eyes peeled!
- d.

We're TV Stars and Other News!

GREAT NEWS!!!! Two of our 3-Day spots are running now!!!! I just heard that they played this morning during the Today show and the View. Suzi and I are in the one that starts, "If walking 60 miles is crazy, I don't want to be normal." We're right after the girl with the white and blue hat. You have to watch quick, or you'll miss us!!!! I'm the "Crazy Beautiful" girl. We're having a great time on our trip. The girls love it that Grandpa Weldon has a balcony in his room, and beg to go up there constantly to look out. They are really soaking up this time with him, M'Lys and A'Lise. We had a great New Years last night. Abbie is still wearing her Happy New Year headband this morning. The poor cruise director is probably about ready to jump off the ship -- due to a bout of very poor planning, there have been very few bowl games shown on the TVs that are scattered about. All the guys are pretty peeved about that. So they're all holed up in there rooms. Not a biggie for me -- more room by the pool!!! At least they did their homework and served black eyed peas for lunch. We're covered. Tomorrow we dock in Roatan, Honduras. We were there three years ago and loved it. It will be interesting to see how much of an effect the cruise industry has had. At that time, it was so rustic and very cool. Not sure that will be the case now. On Thursday, we're swimming with the dolphins in Cozumel. Abbie can't wait. I can't post pix on this computer, but rest assured I've got a ton I can post when we get home! Happy New Year to all of you!!! Much love, d.