BLAST Fun Fair....we need:

We are taking inventory and found a few things we need for BLAST

Please email info@BLASTnb.com if you can provide:

• Gently used to new stuffed animals for prizes
• Plastic Tee Ball stand
• 16 oz Coke or Towne Club bottles to be used for ring toss game
• Restaurant vouchers or other raffle items
• People to come join us at BLAST and have fun:)

BLAST Childhood Cancer Sept 21! Need your help

Thank you to all who sent encouraging words for the first day of school.  We made it through.   I have a great picture but for some reason cannot get it to post:(

Second day one kid overslept, one kid lost their schedule and one kid was organized and ready to go (I'm sure you can guess who did what!).

We are quickly approaching our 4th BLAST and need your help!. 

BLAST is on 9/21  at St John Neumann in Canton. 

Dinner and Family Fun Fair is from 5-8

Euchre tournament--first deal starts at 8:30. 

You can go to www.BLASTnb.com for details or checkout the FB event. 

We do know that our event is the same day as Canton Homecoming and we are offering a special dinner rate for homecoming attendees, as well as, transportation to the dance.

If you are reading this please think about what you can do in your neighborhood, at work, school, and sporting events to help raise awareness!   You could:

·         Post event fliers

·         Pass out GOLD ribbon awareness stickers

·         See if kid’s sports teams and clubs will wear gold ribbons or gold shoelaces

·         Sell awareness pins & pencils

·         Sell suckers (Cancer Sucks)

·         Circulate collection cans and take donations

·         Wear GOLD and let people know why you are wearing gold.

·         Volunteer to help at the event on 9/21

If everyone picked one thing on the list and then asked a friend to pick one thing, and they asked a friend to pick one thing and so on,  imagine the difference we could make!!

Please consider lending a hand or two:)

Hope to see YOU on 9/21!!

P.S.  We are still in need of a photographer, party bus for transportation to Canton homecoming dance, and raffle items.  If you know of someone who can help please email info@blastnb.com

     

Not ready...

I'm not ready....I'm never ready for school to start.  I love summer and the schedule-free days and having my kids around.  I dread the homework, cooler weather and shorter days.  I'm not ready.

Tomorrow my teens will wake up and get themselves ready for the bus and holler goodbye.  I will stand there with tears in my eyes as they move on in their life and I know I must let them--- they are just growing up.  I will cringe at the letting go as all parents must do.

I will sigh and try not to have an anxiety attack as once again the hole of sorrow left by Lisa attempts to swallow me.  As the clock ticks, I will try to count all the blessings Lisa had and not regret that she does not get to start third grade as she/we had all hoped.  I will try not to cry too hard that for the first time in 12 years I do not have a child to put on the grade school bus and then race on my bike to beat them to the school so I can greet them when they get off with smiles and a camera.

I will try to balance my thoughts and feelings so I can figure out a way to LIVE life fully.  Lisa having cancer was hard, living without Lisa is harder.  I will do my best to live and remind myself that there are many times in life we are not ready for what we are dealt but we must still move ahead because life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...it's learning to dance in the rain.

From one day to the next....

Hello all.

I know the blog has been pretty quiet.  Mike has done a few posts, I just cannot find it in me to "think" or "feel" so I just keep myself very busy and keeping watching one day turn into the next.  Every once in  a while I "test out a memory" only to find myself hurting and having to shut down my feelings quickly.

For those of you with Facebook pages, be sure to check out LoveYouLisa.  A family vacation in July turned into a photo opp for one of Lisa's babies and since then many of you who adopted one of Lisa's babies have been sharing pictures of their adventures.

While it doesn't change the fact that Lisa is gone and there is a HUGE hole, it does help me smile to know how much fun her babies are having.

Please keep thinking of us as each day is another day without Lisa and we are still trying to adjust.

Also, please mark your calendars.   With the help of my sister and other family members it looks like we will be hosting BLAST this year on Sept 21, 2013.  Perhaps we can reunite the babies;)

Please spread the word and if would like to help out, let us know.  We could use help with the website, fliers, organizing.

Trying to live life fully and moving forward:)

Travel and Treasure

By this time next month Maranda, Thomas, and Christina will have traveled to and from Montana, Minnesota, Muskegon, and be on their way to Topsail Island NC.
The trips to Montana and Muskegon are both week long camps for kids with siblings that have or have had cancer.  The Minnesota trip is one that will have them, and me, meetup with Linda who will be there for a work seminar.  Along the way we'll enjoy a water park, the Mall of America, and the company of our dear friends Heath and Amy and their family.  The trip to Topsail will be on the heels of the Muskegon trip.  Topsail is an annual event for us and a place to rejuvenate on the sandy, uncrowded beach of the Atlantic seashore where Blackbeard once frequented. We're guaranteed to find treasure this year as we will be in the company of most of my siblings and their broods, and a smattering of others as well.  In all I think we are up to about 35 of us going.  Look out Topsail.
Life without Lisa's physical presence has been almost unbearable.  We see her everywhere and in everything. Were it not for the treasure of family and friends I don't know how we would get through this. A big thank you to all. Be safe, have fun, and live life fully.
-Mike

A gift from Lisa on this 4th of July.

It’s been a while since our last post.  Since June 7th Maranda, Thomas, and Chrissy have wrapped up the school year, we all enjoyed a couple weeks at the cottage, Maranda finished drivers training, Chrissy celebrated her 14^th birthday, and Tom visited a friend in California for a week.  As we ready ourselves for the 4^th of July I’m compelled prod you all to be safe, thankful, and live in moment as Lisa taught us to.  As the saying goes, The past is history, the future is a mystery, but today is a gift – that’s why they call it “the present”.

Speaking of gifts, here’s a link to a video of Lisa reading this past December.  I want to thank Ms. Mattson for capturing this and sharing it with us.  

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/010d21b56a7f85cbc7597ec17b5f4d17/video/164378941

We've another birthday coming up quickly. Christina is turning 14, on June 20. Chrissy celebrated her 8th grade awards night on Thursday night – see photo with mom. The following appeal is a bit of a step outside of the norm for me so I apologize if it seems inappropriate to ask, but in consideration of Lisa’s passing and Tom’s Birthday last month, I’d ask you to go to Christina’s Facebook page and wish her a happy birthday. Or if you are so inclined send her a card. Christina is (or was) that “middle child” that often gets overlooked in the daily chaos. Maranda’s the oldest, Tom is the only boy, and Lisa was the baby. Christina was the middle of the three girls. She’s quiet, introspective, very intelligent, naturally athletic, and astonishingly pretty. She loves to read science fiction, likes to spend time with a single friend rather than hang in a large group, and she’s always agreeable to just go along and not rock the boat. I’m blessed to have her in my life and forever thankful. Love you Chrissy.

Dad