Kicking off the Christmas Season

Well, our Christmas season has gotten off to a great start. The kids got their first Christmas gifts on Friday when we celebrated the season with my co-workers. My boss, better known as "Santa Sally" was most generous and the kids were thrilled with the gifts she got them. They spent most of Sat. morning playing their new DS games and doing the arts and crafts kits from Sally.

Saturday was the 55th annual McMaster Christmas party. We got to celebrate with the aunts, uncles, and cousins and Santa made his guest appearance. Lisa has really grown up this year. She sat patiently waiting for her name to be called and didn't threaten any other child whose gift might have been a baby doll. She was rewarded with two new baby dolls of her own once she took her spot on Santa's lap. She carried a doll under each arm for the next 48 hours.

Today we had a very special visit. Belle, Jasmine and Sleeping Beauty came to our house. Lisa's Aunt Mary had shared news of Lisa's relapse with another teacher---Laurie Zaker---at Allen Park HighSchool where they both teach. Ms. Zaker shared the information with her classes. The student's decided that something nice should be done for this little girl whom they never met. They and Ms. Zaker brainstormed about what they could do and came up with the idea of of having some princesses visit. They knew that a fellow-student and her friends had dressed up as princesses before for a fund raiser and arranged for them to play the princess role once again. Ms. Zaker organized the event and tonight, she, her daughter and three beautiful young ladies took time this evening to come visit and play with Lisa. They came dressed as princesses and bearing gifts that were bought with donations from Ms. Zaker's students. What a wonderful gesture of generosity, love and the real spirit of Christmas...a big thank you to Ms. Zaker and all her students!! I'm actually can't find the words to express what I'm feeling...that a group of high-school students would give so generously to a child they never met...this is the good that comes with cancer, this is what restores hope, this is what happens when people work together, this is a community that becomes closer to one another. I think the gift that moved me the most tonight was a big sheet of paper signed by all the students who donated towards the gifts for Lisa and/or said a prayer for her. It is a visual reminder of how many people are hoping and praying for Lisa. I see this and I think maybe, just maybe, God will hear all the prayers for her and will provide us a miracle that will cure her body of all cancer and allow her to live a long life one in which cancer is long-lost memory. I can't imagine this story ending any other way, but I know the odds are against us, so I try my best to enjoy every moment and avoid thinking about the treatments that will start soon. Things are bound to get worse, but right now they are pretty good, so NOW is the time to enjoy and celebrate the Christmas Season before it passes us by!