All 69 flights

Good Morning all,

First, let me thank all of you who posted such supportive remarks following Joanna's "outing" of the nastiness that was sent to me. My BlackBerry was chiming all through the night with email notifications that someone had sent me a personal message.

Yes, I agree with you - there is no point in focusing on the negativity of a couple people. Also, I am pretty thick skinned, those hurtful comments don't weigh on my mind and do not take away the pride I feel for myself in completing Sunday's Stair Climb in Seattle. It was a huge personal accomplishment!

For those who asked how it went - it was fantastic!

69 floors, 1,311 stairs, and 788 feet of vertical elevation and a total of 5,400 climbers!

My "team" had 244 members and we raised over $30,000 (hopefully that will grow a bit as donations are not due until April 4th). Our team wore bright yellow shirts with the picture of 1 year old Caleb on the front. Caleb is currently battling Leukemia and will continue chemo treatments for the next 3 years.

As a whole the event has already raised $500,000. I felt incredibly lucky and proud to participate.

My only goal was to make it to the top, and I did, in 26 minutes and 14 seconds. Short of giving birth I have never been more amazed or more proud of what my body had accomplished! (The fastest time was under 8 minutes!)

There was plenty of alone time in that stairwell, (they spaced the climbers out from the beginning) so with each step I was reminded why I was there.

I definitely had a couple of "Dear Jesus" moments... as in "Dear Jesus, please help me make it to the top!"

As I walked up the last few flights of stairs I couldn't hold back the tears. Some were proud tears, some were thankful tears, and yes, some were sad tears. As I walked through the doorway Caleb's Mom Sara was standing there holding her precious little sleeping boy. It was a moment I'll never forget.

Again, thank you to those who have been supportive - I can't wait to improve my time next year!

If you missed my post on Saturday, it's titled "This weekend" - you can learn a bit more about why I was there. Click on the link for Caleb's story & you can see the amazing little boy!

One last thing before I go - I am hoping the the persons behind the nasty messages are reading these threads. Not because I need them to see the error in their ways, but because I'm hoping they will learn the important lesson here. We must always lead by example.

After all, you never know, a week, month, year, or even 10 years from now you may realize that I wasn't climbing all those stairs for my self. I was climbing them for your parent, child, sibling, best friend, or spouse. You never know when an illness like this will strike and possibly take your loved one away.

I was climbing for them. Climbing for you.

May you all continue to be blessed!

To laugh often and love much:
To win respect of intelligent people
And the affection of children;
To earn the approbation of honest critics
And endure the betrayal of false friends;To appreciate beauty;To find the best in others;
To give one's self;
To leave the world a little better,
Whether by a healthy child,
A garden patch,
Or redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm
And sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easierBecause you have lived...This is to have succeeded.

Ralph Waldo Emerson