teambuna

I cannot say that I took this picture, found this picture, or came up with this phrase on my own. I’ve been blessed to encounter a company that many dear friends are a part of, have shared this motto, this picture and make it their mission to go out and “change the world”. You may remember one particular pal of mine who is a driving force behind the company, “AIN’T LIFE GRAND INVESTMENTS“…

*Chris McDonald with his adorable daughter/sidekick & their trusty pup*

Chris and his team are known in our area for MUGSHOTS BURGERS AND GRILL and are now opening a new branch of their chain, GLORY BOUND GYRO CO. (I’m utterly defenseless against their hummus. It is my kryptonite! Yes, kiddos, we will be eating a lot of hummus, brace yourselves.)

THIS WEEKEND they are holding a soft opening to not only introduce their new digs, but “give back to their community” with their program “EAT GOOD, GIVE BACK”.

(SEE …or click on DETAILS BELOW AND CALL TODAY!)

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As I’ve mentioned before, TEAM BUNA, started when I was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer. I began this blog not only because I planned to write in a journal anyway because it was good for the soul, but felt called to share some of my entries in hopes that others might benefit from it. This has never been just about ME or my family. If it was, I wouldn’t be where I am. I mean that with every sense of my being.

Today marks one week before my LAST INFUSION! Next Tuesday, if my scans remain clear, I will sit in that infusion chair for the last time. I am overwhelmed by emotions of relief, joy, gratitude, and (to be totally honest) a bit of angst and sadness as I’ve grown so connected to the people there at MARY BIRD PERKINS CANCER CENTER and have come to know my life there as if I’m a soldier overseas about to come home. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude that I made it, that I get to live my life with my family, and feel a bit like a fish out of water to imagine my life as “normal” again.

So then WHAT?

WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL OF THOSE EMOTIONS??

PAY IT FORWARD, PRAY IT FORWARD… GIVE BACK…

I have notebook after notebook, scrap paper after scrap paper saved with a thousand brainstorms of what I want to do now to give back to the world and show my appreciation for the life that I get to live. THAT is how I will channel all of my feelings. THAT is what I will do. And THAT is how TEAM BUNA will continue.

I will keep changing my “Support the Team” page to include various groups, and pages that I can personally back so that WE (all of you, all of my family… anyone new to this blog) can keep TEAM BUNA (remember, “Buna”… pronounced “BOO-NUH”, means “good”), can keep the “good” in the world going!

Thanks for helping me keep it going.

You have given TEAM BUNA “life” as we know it.

(click the link below to see our current “Support the Team” update…& learn a bit about getting your tickets for and/or sponsoring one WOW event where I’m honored to Rock the Runway among 23 other cancer survivors at “YouNight“…’cuz that’s a whole other blog post in and of itself! Stay tuned!)

***SUPPORT THE TEAM/ SHOW SOME LOVIN’***

… You didn’t really think I’d tell you right at the beginning of the blog, just like that did ya? I gotta make ya sweat a little. (As if such a contest would make one perspire. Only I would do such a thing as my house turns to shambles each and every time I attempt to send out a blog this summer with all 5 kids home. Truly. I’ll send a blog out sometime of just pics of my unedited attempts of blogs I’ve wanted to send, and the pics of what’s the explosion of spills, crayon “artwork”, diaper disasters, and ~~arguments~~ discussions that siblings save just for my blogging moments that were oh so calm just before I sat down to write. Oy!)

Where was I?

The Contest. The Team Buna- Send In Your Pic Contest.

As a mama, my toughest part of this whole cancer business has been watching my kiddos deal with all this (and, of course, my hubbie, too). So I asked as many people as possible to join the team if they could, grab a shirt and send us a pic of them in it to help boost my family’s spirits and show them how many people were rooting for them. (Which, by the way, TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to purchase a shirt or sweatshirt. So grab one while they’re hot! And spread the word. : CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO ORDER) But why would I want all these pics for my kids and not as much for me? When one person is diagnosed with cancer, the whole family may as well feel diagnosed as well. So, as these pics came in, my intent was to surprise them with a big wall once I’d collected them… but I couldn’t help but show them as they came. They needed to see them. Every smiling face, whether familiar or not, warmed their hearts and gave them hope. Every little thing was gonna be alright.

This message hangs in the midst of all of your Team Buna shirt pics

and the wall…

(still working on a second wall for our pink bracelet pics!)

I know it’s a little hard to see, amd we’re still printing and adding pics (in case you don’t see yourse, my apologies, but, right now, with everyone home, I’m just trying get this out there vs. get things perfect. The more I try to be perfect, the more chances a kid catches on fire, in the background or I just plain miss an opportunity to play another round of hide and go seek

………………..

Well the kiddos have cast their votes and had a hard time deciding, since their were so many varieties of favorites. Therefore, we decided to feature some of the top runners, grouped by the many varieties and paths that Team Buna has taken. (Again, these are just a few, Thank you to so many of you who’ve sent your pics in. We are forever grateful and daily lifted up as we pass by the “wall-o-hope”!)

-1-

Team Buna Got Goofy

-2-

Team Buna Got Furry

-3-

Team Buna Got Adorable

-4-

Team Buna Travelled

-5-

Team Buna family stuck together

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But, the final winner sent in both of the following shots, of which the kids felt covered many of these categories and will receive the grand prize (“original artwork (cards) from the Team Buna/fam” and a gift that we’ll purchase from www.transformingbeauty.org).

Without further adieu…

(Both pups, just happened to be our dog’s parents)

AND

(The scenery is unreal… Award for furthest travelled for sure!)

Congratulations and Thank you for your constant support,

BECKY AND JIM ROTH!

WE LOVE YOU!!

…….

AND ONE MORE SURPRISE “AWARD”

I’d like to give a special thanks to the person behind the scenes, who put this whole Booster shirt thing together, got the design going, and even got my blog set up for me!!! She has been a dear friend of mine for quite some time. We went to the same college, taught together, experienced becoming mommies for the first time (Aaaand what the heck to do when your kid eats too many sweet potatoes and actually turns orange;… or if its ok to love but not like your kids sometimes when you’re totally sleep deprived, yet understand that you both think the other mom is got to be one of the best moms you’ve ever met! At least, that’s how I feel. Umm, right Mary? ) We’ve been there for each other when we lived close and have laughed ’til our bellies hurt and cried and listened while we’ve lived afar, whether or not it was just hormonal (and we both knew it, but had to vent without being questioned). She also just so happens to be the same gal that stopped everything to whisk me off to New York City for one of the fastest, most fashionable, laughable, unforgettable rendezvous mama-getaways.

And I would do the same for her in a heart beat.

Who is this “woman behind the curtain”?

You can meet her at her blog:

Sometimes Martha Always Mary

Now check out her beautiful family right here in one of my personal favorite Team Buna pics, as these shirts and this blog wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Mary.