Color For Tessa- Thank You Cache Valley!!

This is a double post- I already posted it on my cancer journey blog but it is not something to be kept separate from my family life.  It was a day I'll never forget and I hope my kids and family will always remember the love we felt on this day.

Saturday the 28th of April was absolutely one of the best days of my life!  My USU Ambassador friends threw a fundraising party for me and my family in Cache Valley and it was AMAZING!  My friends contacted me to let me know they wanted to do the event on my family's behalf and just needed my permission.  It was incredible how everything came together with only a month of preparation!  

The event was called "Color For Tessa" and was so creative and had such a great feeling about it.  It started with a "Splash of Color 5K" and 1 mile kid's run where people were splashed with powdered color during and after the race.  SO FUN!!  Afterward, race participants and anybody who wanted to were invited to a "COLOR Festival" that included music, food, a silent auction, raffle prizes, games for the kids, and pony and train rides, as well as the baby animals at the American West Heritage Center.  In the evening there was a "COLORS Concert" put on by the band COLORS!!  I couldn't believe all of the fun things planned and put together on such short notice!

Can you believe all of these runners?!  The turnout was amazing!

Aunt Taro took most of these great pics and really helped out with the kids throughout the day.

Starting the race with the air horn

Evan ran a good 100 yards of the mile before Taryl had to carry him :)

Mid-race Color Station

Finish Line!!  1 mile in just under 20 minutes!!  Good job Evan!!

I arrived at the AWHC at 8am and didn't sit down until I was in the car leaving the party at 3pm!  I had one of the best times of my life!!  It was like a combination family, high school, and college reunion!  I saw so many old friends and family I hadn't seen in years.  Plus I met a lot of new friends too!

Hess Family

The first and third place runners of the kid's race!  Sophie on the left was first, and she was absolutely the most tender-hearted little 4th grader I've ever met!  When it was time to leave the festival she started sobbing saying she "just felt so bad" and wanted to come see me at my parents house!  It was so touching.  She said she got first place to help me get better and then went and ran next to the adult runners finishing the 5K to push them a little harder.  SO sweet!  I'll never forget this sweet little girl!

Adam's cousins and friends with Mykelle and Evan

Can you just hear Mykelle's evil laugh??

Not in the face!!

The kids seemed so surprised they were allowed to throw powder on other people and even MOMMY
without getting into trouble!

What a beauty huh?

High school friends!

Taryl gave me a colorful tacky BFF gift the night before the big day :)

I don't know how to thank everyone appropriately, but I and my family are incredibly grateful to everyone that helped make the day a success.  The feeling of love and peace I felt all day was overwhelming and something I will never forget.  It will help me get through the tough days coming up when I recall this special day.

Colors did an improv rap where they took words to include from the audience.  They had to rap the words toothpaste, ninja, epic, true aggie, and Tessa. They did great! Thanks guys!

I am so very grateful to the people who organized this even and all of the individuals who donated auction and raffle gifts, time, money and talents.  There were many businesses that donated gifts and services that were wonderful!!  And the Colors band coming together for a concert for ME!!  So cool!  Cache Valley is a community I'm proud to claim and call my own.  Thank you so much for all that was done and continues to be done on my behalf.  I am and will be forever grateful to all who made Color for Tessa so wonderful and hope to to pay forward the love and goodness shown to me.  Thank you!