July has been one for the books, and we’ve still have almost a week left in the month! If you would have asked me in January, when I randomly decided to start a #30by30 list and blog about it, where I’d be 7 months later I would have bet the farm on having lost interest. I’m the idea guy, the logistics person, and unless it’s for the benefit of someone else I’m not likely to complete the task – exhibit A: the never ending laundry pile. exhibit B: perfectly packed suitcase in the corner of our room. 

So here we are 7 months later: rockin’, rollin’, kickin’ ass and takin’ names. What he planned for our lives in this journey through ALS and blogging has been even more than we could have ever imagined. In case you missed it, Here’s the cliff notes version:

SunnyStrong Blog has gone global 

We celebrated our first 4th of July as puppy parents. 

July 5th I threw out the first pitch, the Sunny Slider, at ALS Awareness night at the Rangers game. Read more here. and almost 200 SunnyStrong crazies came out to cause a ruckus 

July 6th our sweet boy turned 1

July brought LOTS of Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, babies, reunions, and memories celebrated and created. 

Phil got his steps in

We Made the front page of the Hico News Review 

We Got a sweet shoutout from my favorite Mr. B

Spent a week in Punta Cana with my best friend and adopted family 

My baby love turned 1 and destroyed his smash cake 

Became a cover girl for FW Inc Magazine 

And Got smooched on by a fishy fella

ANNNND July still has 6 days left and our schedule is still going at full speed:

• more birthdays 
• more anniversaries 
• Kenneth’s Golden Birthday #30onthe30th
• Tarleton Night at the Rangers game 

I’m sure I’m forgetting something or someone so I’ll apologize now. July, you haven’t disappointed me – Let’s finish these last couple of days out strong. HUGE shoutout to everyone who made these dreams come true. Thank you for the love, the sweet words of encouragement, for sharing this journey with us, and for loving us through this disease. I’d like to ask for a quick favor: 

Christi Zimmerman, my goto for all questions concerning future pregnancy, marriage, and motherhood while battling a terminal disease, my friend, my sister in Christ, my fellow warrior against ALS diagnosed only one year before me went to Heaven on Tuesday. Please join Kenneth and I in prayer for her husband, son, and sweet daughter, Em Zim, who turns 1 this upcoming weekend. ALS is devastating and my heart aches for their loss. See why I loved her so much here.

And just like that, we’re smacked back into the reality of this disease and the families it destroys in its wake. Hug your loved ones every chance you get. 💜💜

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11