Today’s blog post is very personal. Tonight is Relay for Life in my town. Many of my fans & followers know I participate in Relay, raise money & even do a Charity Mini session to help raise money towards Relay, but I’m not sure they know why. Why I do this. Why I spend the time. Why it means something to me.
When I was 9 years old my dad died of Colon Cancer. My girls have been raised knowing they have Grandpa John in Jacksonville & Grandpa John in heaven (yes, both grandpa’s were named John). This year was the first year I kinda told them what Relay is about because tonight they are walking a lap. Not sure how to tell them, I told them the truth.
Me: “Relay is an event that raises money to help fight Cancer.”
Cayden: “What’s Cancer?”
Me: “Cancer is a very bad disease that makes people very sick & sometimes people even die from it. Cancer is what caused Grandpa John to go to heaven.”
Cayden : (who is a bit dramatic, but does have a very sensitive heart) starts crying a little “I don’t like that. I miss Grandpa John.” Kylie then agreed that she too missed Grandpa John.
This is why I walk & raise money. This is why I absolutely LOVE getting photos of dads with their kids. These pictures are two of the things I treasure most in the world & 100% after getting my kids out would make sure I grabbed if our house was ever on fire. I cannot replace them. 
I realize most dads want nothing to do with family photos, rarely want to be there & only show up because their wives told them to. But we all need to see, how easily those images of use with our children can be all they have. All they treasure for the rest of their lives. But this is not about the importance of getting portraits done. It’s the importance of making memories with our children and of course, why fighting Cancer will ALWAYS be something I want. I will fight until no more children will have to learn that Cancer took their grandpa…or their daddy.
That’s why I Relay. Thank you those who read this. As it is a personal post. <3
Melody
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