Bubba's Belly

I am posting from Tybee Island, Georgia, right outside of Savannah. I'm spending a weekend with 14 of the most awesomest women... fellow military widows. So far, things have been going great. I feel like I've really gotten to just be myself, talk about whatever I want and no one is thinking I'm nuts or judging - in fact many have thought, felt, or did the things I sometimes wonder make me a little on the crazy side. Thank God for fellow widows and how much sanity, comfort, and most importantly friendship I feel from being around them. I'm taking a break from my widow adventures to blog about something really awesome real quick though.

I have met a widow this weekend, Nicki Bunting, who is doing great things. The first great thing, is she worked her butt off to hold the plane for me when I was literally RUNNING through the airport. Luckily I made it before take off, phew.

The second (ok, first time-line wise and priority wise, but hey my first personal encounter was her holding the plane mmk?) and most important thing she is doing is the creation and organization of her own charity. Nicki is the founder of Bubba's Belly Run. Nicki was 4 weeks pregnant when her husband, Cpt Brian "Bubba" Bunting, was killed on February 24, 2009. Nicki started Bubba's Belly Run in 2009 just a few months after Bubba was killed. Last year, the money earned from the run went to the American Widow Project (the awesome org that's sponsoring this fantastic event), Flat Daddies (life-size cardboard cutouts, great for deployments or families of the fallen) and Fisher House. This year, Nicki says the money will be going to American Widow Project, T.A.P.S (another awesome org for support of survivors of fallen service members) and A Soldier's Child Birthday Foundation (which sends birthday presents to children of the fallen).

I am posting today to ask you to check out these causes and consider donating or running in this fantastic cause. The run takes place on September 26 in Potomac Maryland. Nicki says you can also register and run from afar, you can run wherever you are and she'll send you a shirt! It is a 5K or a one mile fun run. She is also selling flags that are displayed along the race route. The goal is to sell one flag per service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Right now, the total count of service members killed is greater than 5,600. Buying a flag would be an awesome way to show your appreciation for the sacrifices each of these service members and their families made for freedom. Please consider checking out her site, this phenomenal widow designed this whole project herself and she's pretty "tits" so please at least stop by her site and definitely consider adding a dollar or two!!

Bubba's Belly Run

More update on my awesome widow weekend later!!