Introducing...Melissa Brody!!!

*It formatted weird when I copy and pasted and I don't know how to change it...

Name: Melissa Brody

Hometown: ATL

Current City: ATL

College:Jo-Jah (University of Georgia)

Major: Biology and Ecology

Occupation (if applicable): Account Manager

Connection to the Queen: My best friend's Mommy!

One "Must Have" for the 3-Day: A heart to heart with a stranger and preventative blister bandages.

Favorite Quote: "It ain't over till it's over" Yogi Berra

Favorite Elementary School Memory: Being the first person in my 4th grade math class to earn enough money in my checkbook to be "Teacher for the Day." Also...I was awarded "Singer of the Month" during 5th grade chorus, clearly the word singer did not really mean someone who knew how to sing.

Favorite Craft project you've ever made or had given to you by someone: Hmm, I can't say craftiness is one of my strong suits, but once Abby and I made a paper mache pizza with a poem inscribed in the middle apologizing for our high school history class's wrongdoing. It was almost lunchtime, we were all hungry, and our class ordered a Papa John's pizza to be delivered to the classroom without our teacher's knowledge, as he left us alone for a solid 30 minutes. Upon the pizza's delivery with the Office Administrator standing by the deliveryman's side, Coach Kopkas (our teacher) immediately went balistic. We were shocked at his reaction, especially when he granted the entire class detention the following morning. Abby and I walked into detention with the apologetic paper mache pizza in hand and it couldn't have been received any better. He let us all leave early. The crafty pizza hangs on his classroom wall to this day.

Funny Story/Memory of the Queen: Queen Jean used to ask my mom, "Can't you just find Abby a nice, Jewish boy?"

Introducing....Kate Wright!!

Excited for snow in Boone, NC on a trip to visit Anna.

Catching the bouquet at Kate's wedding in November.

Name: Kate Wright (Miss Kate whenever referred/spoken to by Ms. Jean)

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Current City: Atlanta, Georgia

College: University of Georgia

Major: Special Education

Occupation: Kindergarten and 1st grade Special Education Teacher at Sope Creek Elementary

Connection to the Queen: Her daughter Abby's life long friend

One "must have" for the 3-Day: Best of Hanson playlist, on repeat

Favorite Quote: "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him " Colossians 3:17

Favorite Elementary School Memory: Man...hard to choose. Too many good ones. I'll have to go with the one where our principal took me and Abby out of school on a school day to go to Tanners for lunch. We told the waitress that we were twins (even though we look nothing a like) and that it was our birthday. We got a free piece of cake :)

Favorite Craft project you've ever made or had given to you by someone: My other life long friend Anna made my husband and I's guest book for our wedding...it is so beautiful. It sits on our coffee table so that I can see it every day.

Funny Story/Memory of the Queen: Again, very hard to choose. One day Ms. Jean was driving Abby, Nancy, and I somewhere. We were all under the age of 10. We were driving down the street when Abby said "Mom, STOP, there's a lady!" Ms. Jean slammed on the brakes because she thought Abby saw a lady in front of the car that she was about to hit. What Abby actually saw was a lady in the side view mirror running after Ms. Jean's minivan waving her arms frantically. Since Ms. Jean had come to a complete stop thinking that she was about to plow someone over, the woman had time to run up to the car. Ms. Jean, cautiously, rolled the window down about an inch. The woman pleaded for Ms.Jean to take her to some church to try and get money for her sick babies. After some thought, and 911 being pre-dialed into her cell phone, Ms. Jean decided to give the woman a ride. I myself was doing some pleading of my own as the woman walked to the other side of the minivan to get in for Ms. Jean to PAH-LEASE take me home! I was scared out of my mind and did not want this lady getting into the car. I thought for sure this was all just a ploy so that she could pull a weapon out on all of us. Tears streaming down my face, Ms. Jean in her quick thinking told Abby to climb to the back seat, take her sweatshirt off, have me lay my head in her lap, and cover it with her sweatshirt. We rode for about 15 minutes with this woman in the car until we reached the church she needed to go to. As I peeked out from under the sweatshirt right as we pulled into the parking lot- I to this day can see her face, with her gold teeth, looking back at me with some crooked smile and saying "I'm gonna get you". From that day on, Ms. Jean and I lovingly bickered back and forth on whether this woman actually said that or not every time the story was brought up. I stuck to my guns, and she to hers. Regardless, we both laughed hysterically every time. Love and deeply miss that lady.

Introducing.....Dennis Nathaniel Byrd II

Den's Birthday

In L.A. for some hilarious adventures with Den after Junior Year

Name: Dennis Byrd

Hometown: Spartanburg, SC

Current City: Kennesaw, GA

College: UGA

Major: Sociology

Occupation (if applicable): Business Development Leader (I sell Mushrooms!)

Connection to the Queen: Great friends with Abbs

One "Must Have" for the 3-Day: A cool pair of sunglasses. You have to look stylish, right?

Favorite Quote: "Bloop, bloop, bloop" ~NeNe Leakes from the Real Housewives of Atlanta

Favorite Elementary School Memory: In second grade I won the best readers award. That was the first time I realized that I was actually kind of smart!

Favorite Craft project you've ever made or had given to you by someone: In 6th grade I made a clay pot inspired by Egyptian art. Today it is hanging in the Smithsonian. And by Smithsonian, I mean it is in my mom's closet.

Funny Story/Memory of the Queen and/or one of her kids: I have had many hilarious moments with Abby, but I think the most memorable was taking pictures in the photo booth at our good friend Amy's wedding!

Introducing.....Blais Hickey!!

Here is the first installment of "Get to Know Queen Jean's Supreme Team!"

Nancy and Blais as Arthur and Buster (I think...?)

Name: Blais Hickey

Hometown: Atlanta

Current City: Chapel Hill, NC

College: UNC Chapel Hill

Major: Global Studies and Environmental Studies

Connection to the Queen: mother of my best friend

One "Must Have" for the 3-Day: crazy socks

Favorite Quote: "Celebrate we will for life is short but sweet for certain" -DMB

Favorite Elementary School Memory: Playing Gotcha at recess and beating Mr. Aglira!

Favorite Craft project you've ever made or had given to you by someone: A sign one of my teammates made for me before the state cross country meet

Funny Story/Memory of the Queen and/or one of her kids: I went to Disney with Nancy, Jean and Jeff. We were having lunch outside one day and Jean told me that she hates birds because they always pooped on her. I didn't believe her but, lo and behold, that afternoon when we were walking around the park, she got pooped on! I thought it was hilarious, but she definitely didn't.

A Note From Hart

What is the glue that holds Abby and I together?

Yes we have known each other for 12 years, we played volleyball together, we’ve been to Europe and flown back in first class together, our mothers are teachers and our dads are great cooks, we had almost every class together in high school, we have the privilege of having a last name that starts with an “H”, etc. etc.

But I think the real bond that will always link Abs and I is our feet.

I officially fell in love with Abby when I found out what size shoes she wore. I was no longer the only 12 year old with a shoe size almost equivalent to their age. In our gym uniforms, Abby and I looked like two capital letter L’s. Our tall, gangly bodies were securely fastened to the ground with size 11 anchors. We knew the embarrassment of being told that women’s shoes didn’t come in our size. We had felt the agony of being sent to the men’s shoe department. We had suffered the cold sting of not sharing shoes with tiny-footed friends. At last! A sole-mate!

And that’s what Abby has been to me. A friend with large tootsies and an even larger heart.
Deciding to walk with Abby in the 3 Day was probably the easiest decision I have ever made. When someone you love has to go through something you can’t even imagine and an opportunity rises for you to help out in the smallest way, you take it. And besides, I couldn’t let her be the only woman in men’s shoes out there! In October, I will be walking in memory of Ms. Jean but in honor of Abby because there is no greater testament to Ms. Jean’s life than her daughters.

A Note From Melissa

As a friend of Abby’s since Ms. Mignerey’s sixth grade Language Arts class, I think it is safe to say that we have been through thick and thin. When we made the discovery of our mutual Pittsburgh roots, it was BFFs at first sight. Record long phone conversations way past our bedtime, complaining about boys (or lack thereof), reluctantly becoming Bulldogs and actually wearing dresses to football games (what were we thinking?), obsessing over crushes, and being my personal caddie on the golf course are just a few of the key themes that define the Abb-Bro bond.

Through Abby and I’s friendship, J.J. (my crazy mom) and Ms. Jean also realized their unique Pittsburgh connection while performing their chauffeuring duties of dropping Abby and I off at each other’s houses for play dates, homework sessions, and birthday parties. My “Bahama Mama” and Abby’s “Madre” shared mutual friends, went to the same doctors and dentists, and knew so and so’s boyfriend, husband, or wife. Their lives must have crossed paths at some point during their childhood, but if not, at least they had endless material to gossip about. One Christmas Eve a few years ago, the Hetzel/Howe family invited my entire family over for our first Christmas Eve dinner. The Brody’s couldn’t refuse a meal cooked by Chef Jeff, so the whole clan (including Nannie Fee) settled in around the dining room table on Aberdeen Drive. My Nannie Fee, also a native Pitssburgher, was gossiping with my mom and Ms. Jean about some old friends they knew. Before I was able to swallow down a bite of deliciously marinated prime rib with polenta, Ms. Jean jumped out of her seat and screamed, “NO EFFING WAY! Ann Klein is going out with WHO?!?!? Harry Weinstein?!?!” I, of course, had no idea who she was talking about, but all I could think about was how effectively Ms. Jean just used the term “Effing.”

In my mind, Ms. Jean was the “Mom of all Moms.” She was the mom that knew how to give teenagers a good scare, probably finding it hilarious with her incredible, dry sense of humor that she knew how to manipulate her daughters (and their close friends) into being the most well-behaved kids a parent could ask for (my parents definitely owe Queen Jean big for this). She was the mom who demanded and confiscated the car keys of a friend the night we got back to Abby’s after prom. She was the mom who invariably called the parents if Abby was spending the night at a friend’s house just to be sure they were home. She was the mom who caught me walking to my car with my sleepover bag and pillow in hand the morning after sleeping at a boy’s house...she said she was garage sale-ing, her typical Saturday routine, but I still think she was on her Mom of all Moms lookout to make sure Abby wasn’t involved in any shenanigans.

I have been fortunate enough over the years of Abby and I’s friendship to interact with the Hetzel/Howe family in numerous capacities. A summer spent working at Mikes, a trip to the camp in Vermont, plenty of family dinners prepared by Chef Jeff and his sous chef, Ms. Jean, and just plain old “hang out sessions” at their house. They always made me feel a part of the family, and Ms. Jean quickly became my second mother. To me, there is no better way to send my love to Ms. Jean than participating in the 3 Day Walk. I know she is sending her love right back to me as she always has, but this is for you, Ms. Jean.

A Letter to a Very Important Element of The 3-Day Walk

Dear New Shoes,

Please help my feet survive training and walking. Preferably without blisters.

Love, Abby

When you really think about shoes, it's kind of amazing. Actually, it's fascinating. My Chacos have survived high school and helped me paint the exterior of a house, they have floated down the Broad in Athens (not purposefully, I might add....Katie Ap and I fell out of a canoe and I almost lost them), they have taken me to and from classes at UGA, they traveled to New Zealand, Fiji, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and France and they are still here. If only shoes could talk, they would have a lot of stories to tell.

2 weeks ago Nancy and I decided to take an adventure to Phidippides aka a "real" athletic shoe store. The one piece of advice I continue to receive for this 3-Day walk is to invest in some good, solid, properly fit sneakers. Nancy and I ventured through Sandy Springs and landed at this great store (they also give part of the proceeds to the 3-Day Walk....shameless plug!) where we received great service. As many of you know...I have giant feet. Well, I didn't know that when you are properly fit for a walking shoe, you are supposed to have a thumbnails length extra from your toe to the end of the shoe. Guess what size shoe that made me? No, not a women's 11.5 (which is still huge)...but a MENS 10. AHH! I am the next Big Foot. This really isn't a big deal except for this minor detail: style. Nancy got to try on pink shoes, shoes with a purple stripe, teal shoes, etc., etc. My options were blue, grey, and neon. I ended up going with neon. They really don't look bad and they were on sale, so it's a win win situation. But I did realize that I will be very, very limited in my athletic shoe selections in the near future.

Here they are:

I am starting to break the shoes in through some minor training. I am trying to make myself train so that 1) I won't die of exhaustion on the 60 mile walk and 2) as a general way for me to stay in shape. So far, my shoes are treating me well and I know they will be one of a couple good pairs of shoes for the walk.

Queen Jean's Supreme Team Update:

(new design by Nancy Jean Howe)

Our team continues to grow!!!! We are so excited to have so many wonderful team members and can't wait to hang out with all of them for 3 days straight in October.

As of 5/17/11, our team has raised......

$8,601

Simply amazing! And this isn't yet calculating all of the donations that have been mailed in through the mail. This is just the online total. Once I am finished with school (3 days, but who's counting...) and find myself with some spare time, those snail mail tallies will be added to our total making it grow to (around...) a whopping $14,000+!!!!!!!!!!.

Here is the online link to donate to our team in case you haven't gotten it yet:

http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2011/AtlantaEvent2011?team_id=182333&pg=team&fr_id=1610

We cannot even begin to thank all of you enough for your generous donations and thoughtful notes. We hope you continue to follow us along on this adventure.

All Hail the Queen,

Queen Jean's Supreme Team