Happy 15th Birthday

Today, Lisa would have turned 15 years old.  I miss her smiles, I miss her voice, I miss her giggles, I miss her babies.  I miss her.  I wonder what she would have been like at 15, surely she would have given up her babies.  She would be in high school.  Would she have played a team sport, been a cheerleader, in karate, take to the field with the band, steal the show on the stage?  We will never know.  I think about how much pain she must have been in at times yet still managed to smile and make us laugh on most days.  I remind myself often that any aches and pains I have or bad days are nothing compared to what she went through.  I wish so much to be able to see her, hear her, touch her hug her. I can't. She's gone. Forever.  Far too soon. She only celebrated 8 birthdays.  Others have joined her and it doesn't lessen the pain.  But, it does remind me of the importance of living in the moment and appreciating what I have before it is gone.  A video of Lisa to help fill the hole in my heart.  Hotdogs and corn on the cob on for dinner to celebrate like she would.

Six Years Today

It has been six years since Lisa left us.  In her honor, I participated in the St. Baldrick Shave-A-Thon today and shaved my head. 

Thank you to everyone who made a donation and came to the event.  The final numbers are still being tallied.  Preliminary numbers estimate that the event raised $84,000+ of which LoveYouLisa fans contributed $2,000+.   Words cannot express how grateful I am to all of you for honoring Lisa and raising funds for research so maybe, one day, others won't have to lose what we all did.

Being surrounded by family, friensds and other warriors makes this day a little more tolerable.  I'm reminded that I'm not alone in my loss and that Lisa made a difference. She provided us with so many life lessons at such a young age, I can't help but wonder what she could have done had she had more time on this earth.  I miss her so much and as I watch my other children grow up and become adults I can't help but mourn all the things we will never see Lisa do.   I imagine what she would be like at 14 and the word incorrigible comes to mind.  That girl would have been calling all the shots and running the household with a sassy little strut and big smile on her face.

After six years, it's still hard to believe she is gone.  Words for thought that I heard from a podcast the other day:  "We survivors don't move on.  We move forward. Life and death are not just moments that we can leave behind.  The people we loved and lost are still present for us.  Not in the way they were before but they are present in our memories and our decision making.  They made us the people we are today.  We don't move on, we move forward with them." https://www.ted.com/talks/nora_mcinerny_we_don_t_move_on_from_grief_we_move_forward_with_it/transcript?language=en#t-347355

12 more days! Please consider donating!

Thank you to all who donated and provided words of support. It looks like I’m shaving my head!   Debbie B. made the first donation and has first dibs of cutting cut off my pony-tail.  My niece Laura Bonhard and her new husband John made a very generous donation and get the first shave of my head.  There are 12 more days before the event.  Please consider donating to support childhood cancer research. https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/1035742/2019

Almost 6 years since she left us

May 19, 2019 marks the 6^th year since Lisa left us.  It is also the day of St. Baldrick's Shave-A-Thon….in Livonia…at Claddagh Irish Pub.

It seems like Lisa is sending a pretty strong message of what I should do to honor her that day.  She thought nothing of shaving her head, it was part of her getting ready for summer ritual. Only problem is I’m not Lisa and having a shaved head is not one of my best looks.  (Some have compared bald me to Mr. Bean and Beaker from the Muppets!)

But, it’s not about the hair, right?  It’s about Lisa and the other childhood cancer warriors. It’s about how they have bigger worries then hair.  It’s about childhood cancer research being extremely underfunded and finding ways to increase awareness, funding and research.  

So, I should do it, right?   In honor of Lisa, I should shave my head.  But I need your encouragement and support.   Every dollar makes a difference for the thousands of infants, children, teens, and young adults fighting childhood cancers Will you please consider donating to help me raise money for childhood cancer research?  All you need to do is click this link. 

If you’re able to join us at the event message me.  I will see if I can reserve spots for the group and get a set time for my shave!

 

PS. Someone mentioned offering added incentives to get people to donate.  Something like the first person to donate gets to cut off my pony-tail (which I will be donating to Michigan’s Children with Hairloss.) and the person who donates the largest amount gets to do the first shave.  What do you think? Any other ideas?  Let me know!