The looong story

It is interesting to me why people come in to our lives and how they shake things up and change who we are. The Mental in the Mountains/Colorado Relay/Jeanine/Christy/Hair We R story is the perfect example of just how that works. And how everything comes full circle.

Just a quick thought here: It has been a long couple of years and my time line may not be perfect, but I'm trying to remembe ra sbest I can. SO, if you know th estory and see mistakes... I apologize now.
So, I'll start way back in February of 2005 when I met Molly in the parking lot of WWA where my oldest son Jarrod goes to school. I was waiting in the Hair We R Mobile, waiting for Jarrod to get out of school. Molly noticed the name and phone number on the back window and inquired about a haircut. As we discussed appointment times she told me about her Grandson, RJ who was new to our school. His Mom, Molly's daugter Christy was in Denver, from Wyoming having a hysterectomy followed by treatment for Ovarian Cancer. We talked for a long time, as we were very early for pick up. I soon realized RJ was the new boy in Jarrod's class, and they had already become fast friends. Christy was going to be in Denver for an extended period of time for treatment and when it was time for her to leave the hospital in Denver she was going to an extended stay hotel. I remember being so profoundly touched by Molly that day. The burden on my heart was so heavy. I didn't know how but I knew some way we had to help them. Little did I know how my life would change the moment I met Molly.

I went home that day and told Jeff about my new friend. I told him the story and told him how burdened I felt to do SOMETHING. That night we decided they would stay with us, in our basement apartment. One itty bitty problem: We didn't have a basement apartment. We had concrete and 2x4s and a big storage area.

The next day I told Molly we wanted to open our home to them, but we needed a few weeks, to get the 1300sqft in order. We started emailing family and friends asking for help. Within a few days folks from school, church and the salon were offering assistance. Even the city helped by expediting the paperwork.
18 days after I offered the space to Molly, there was a 1300 sq ft basement, complete with a kitchen, 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. I can't begin to tell you how many hours I spent day and night praying for God to allow it all to work. He was faithful, and that is the only way we were successful. I could go on and on with stories of answered prayer. Prayer for the right people, and supplies and timing. I will just say, God is faithful and loving and all knowing.
So, around the first part of March Christy and RJ moved in. Her older son, Lalo and husband, John stayed in Wyoming where John had a job that provided much needed insurance.

In the following months, we all grew closer. Jayson and Jack in particular fell in love with Molly and with Christy. Molly became Gran Molly. She also became one of my dearest friends. She still is. We love her and I can't imagine not having her in my life. Christy was a trooper. Never a negative word. She always had a smile on her face and she loved the boys. Including my three. Christy completed treatment without a lot of illness. After school ended, she and RJ moved back to Wyoming where she recovered and regained strength.

After Christy and RJ left our house was so empty. We had 1300 sq ft of house that was empty. I had been telling Jeff that I wanted to run a marathon before I turned 30. In October I decided I was running the Chicago Marathon in 2006. It was a few months after the big 3-0, but it was close enough. After all I had never ran so much as a mile in my life. So we bought a treadmill and parked it in the basement in front of the tv. I trained faithfully for many months.

By September /October of 2005 Molly had purchased a town home here in Denver and settled in to be closer to Christy in Wyoming and her son's family here in Denver. Christy started feeling a little under the weather at that time and learned her cancer had returned. She decided to begin treatment at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Chicago. I flew to Chicago with her for one of her first treatments just after Thanksgiving of 2005. Chemotherapy is an awful treatment. Although Christy was a champ, there were so many others there that were so ill. Still, there was a lot of hope. I really got to know Christy better on that trip. While she was staying with us, she was so quiet and reserved, which was just her nature, but when you are in a hotel room with someone 24 hours a day, there reaches a point where you just open up. That trip to Zion Illinois changed my life and the way I looked at life.
Christy continued treatment in Chicago, flying from Wyoming. There were several occasions that she ended up in the hospital in Denver with fluid on her lungs or various other problems but still she stayed strong.

In the late spring, one of the girls from our second salon Anglz was looking for a place to stay while their house was being completed. Jeff and I felt so blessed to have this amazing space in our basement that we offered it to Wendy and her family. They stayed for several months. That meant the treadmill I was using for training had to be moved. Which worked out great. I replaced the treadmill with the most amazing running partner. Wendy and I were paced perfectly. We began spending our nights running and training. Wendy also registered for the Chicago marathon. Over the summer Wendy moved to her new home, but the training continued, and in October we both traveled to Chicago and ran the Chicago marathon, together we raised over $3500 for charity!

Over the course of the year from October 2005 to October 2006, running consumed me. It was all I could talk about. All I could think about and all I wanted to do. As a mother of three I found release, and it didn't involve cocktail hour. I worked with a group of women that believed I was certifiable. They would only run if chased and only then if it were life or death. I asked over and over again for running buddies and never once got a bite.

Christy and her family eventually were transferred to Denver and moved here for RJ to start second grade. They bought a home and settled in. Her treatments continued, and her fight continued. Our quiet friendship also continued. I tried to be available when needed and again made more than one hospital visit. Christy was becoming more and more ill. She lost weight and the cancer moved from one part of her body to another.

2007 brought a whole new group of running buddies. Wendy and I in Chicago had inspired a few friends and my husband. We had a team of 7 registered to run the the 2007 Chicago marathon on the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital Team. Broken ankles, car accidents, and other injuries left one runner to run the marathon.

The summer of 07, brought a whole slew of visitors to the Eller basement. Basketball teams, youth groups and exchange students.

In July Christy went to Florida to visit her Dad. Her health was bad and getting worse and even though no one actually said it, I knew the outcome wasn't going to be good. I hadn't spoken with Christy for well over a month, but I talked to Molly frequently and knew what the deal was. Eventually Molly went to Florida and towards the end of July called me to tell me that the end was close. Christy had elected to go to a Hospice Center. Molly said she didn't really have a lot of close friends over the past several years, but she would like it if I came. So I hopped a flight to Florida. I spent 3 days at the Hospice Center with Christy and Molly. The day after I left Christy's family moved her to her dad's home where she passed to the heavens a day later. I feel honored to have been there to help Christy transition out of this world and into her waiting reward. It was a blessing to me, to see her through that part of her. I felt like a had been on her journey from early on and I was supposed to be there for the end. What a beautiful thing to be part of. It was life changing for me.

I came home and had the itch to do something. I started looking for races, and I started looking for runners. It didn't take me long to find both.

Amy, is a stylist at Hair We R. She was part of the salon crew when I ran Chicago in '06. She had been there for all of the training and she thought I was crazy. But, oh how your view can change: In September 2006 Amy had gastric bypass surgery and quickly began to shed pounds. She took on a healthier life style and in October 2007 when I stumbled across the Colorado Relay, she jumped in with both feet, or at least with one and momentum took her the rest of the way. We began recruiting our running team, and in October registered Mental in the Mountains as an official team of the Colorado Relay. Our team consists of 12 women. Myself, Amy, a 10 year Hair We R veteran, minus 190 pounds, DeeDee and Yvonne, Hair We R stylists, Pegi, a Hair We R gal, and WWA mom, Pegi and her husband also helped complete our basement, Victoria, school Secretary at WWA, Jessika, WWA mom, Wendy, Anglz gal, basement roommate and running buddy, Danielle part of our new Hair Team, Janessa, Yvonne's niece, and Lisa, Jeff's physical therapist from the broken ankle of 2007 and her friend Erica.

In October Molly began taking RJ and Lalo to Judi's House, a grief Center in Denver, started by former Bronco Brian Griese in memory of his mother Judi.

And suddenly it all came full circle.

Molly began taking the boys to Judi's House at the same time we registered for the Colorado Relay, Put on by Outward Bound and benefiting Judi's House. Suddenly, it all made sense. I was supposed to run this relay... for Christy and for RJ and for Lalo. Every one of the girls on my team fits the puzzle. They all have something to give and they all have something to learn.

You know the saying about people coming into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime? Every single person on this Mental in the Mountains team is supposed to be on this team. We are all a part of something so much bigger than ourselves.

So.... to end a really long story: As our team heads off next month for the relay, we do it in memory of Christy Dobbins and every single dollar we raise in in her honor!