"Gratitude is the memory of the heart."

Ah, that Jean Baptiste Massieu guy had a way with words, didn't he?

I interrupt my pointless ramblings, shameless bragging, and incessant drooling over fictional characters to give a moment of thanks.

Meet my Grandma Lil.

Yes, that adorable curly-headed child is me. {blush}

This is one of my last memories of Grandma Lil before she began her almost-20-year-long battle with Alzheimer's. Anyone who's had a family member succumb to this disease knows how devastating it is. Truth be told, I think seeing my grandma lose herself and her memories is a big part of why I became obsessed with scrapbooking at such an early age.

A few years ago, my husband and I participated in the Gainesville Memory Walk to help raise money for the Alzheimer's Association and to honor Grandma Lil.

Click here to view these pictures larger

We didn't do too shabby for our first year, but when I had the opportunity to participate in the Latrobe Memory Walk this year, I knew I wanted to do better. A couple of emails and a Facebook post later, we have already almost doubled the money we raised last time - all in a matter of a few hours!

Little did I know how many friends' families were affected by Alzheimer's, too. Although it's the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States right now, it's still not talked about the way cancer or heart disease is. That's why this walk is so important and why I'm so thankful for the generous support of friends and family members. When I walk on September 19, I will now be walking not only for my grandma, but also for the grandparents and parents of so many.

And so to those of you who are cheering me on - whether emotionally, financially, or both - I give you my deepest thanks.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that if you would like to make a donation in memory of a loved one and/or support our walk, you can visit the Team Glantz donation page, or click the link in the top-left sidebar.

For more about Alzheimer's Disease and what you can do to help, visit the Alzheimer's Association.