After soccer practice on Friday,
we headed out to the lake to meet up with the Russos.
This wasn't a boating/water sport type lake trip.
Instead this was to help support one of my very best friends Tracy.
Even if that meant simply picking up her son Noah
and taking him home with us for a sleepover
and then to soccer the next day
so that she wouldn't have to worry about him.
Tracy is an amazing woman.
All around.
She has a 5 wk old newborn baby
yet still managed to plan and throw the 1st Annual Arizona
They have done this annual event in Montana since 2008
and have now started it here in Arizona too.
Tracy's younger brother Matt was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma,
a rare children's cancer, in 2003
just two weeks before his high school graduation.
He and his family fought so hard for 8 years trying every medical
procedure that was available.
But as you know, there is no cure.
Matt never gave up the fight.
But there were no more options.
He returned to Heaven in 2010.
His last wish was to do everything possible to find a cure.
And that is where is angelic sister, Tracy, and his family stepped in.
Tracy has taken over the battle to raise funding for childhood cancer
and has made this cause her passion.
To learn more about her charity and Matt's story, visit their website:
I met Tracy in 1996
by hearing each other's boisterous laughter at the same thing
in a room full of other people who didn't find
the situation as humorous as we did.
We have been best friends ever since.
Although I only met Matt a couple times,
I lived their family battle through Tracy.
I felt the highs
and the lows.
I was more than willing to help with whatever I could to support her.
So we volunteered to take Noah for part of the weekend.
Anden was thrilled to say the least!
Friday night we arrived at their campsite for dinner and s'mores!
I brought along the leftover Easter Peeps for a fun spin on s'mores.
Delish to say the least.
Carmelized sugar coated melted marshmallows!
And the kids had fun "burning the bunnies"!
Eventually we loaded up and headed back home.
Anden was ecstatic about hosting his 1st sleepover.
I worried it was going to be a LONG night for me.
But luckily the kids were so wiped out from a busy week
that they basically crashed right out.
Well that is after sneaking downstairs 3 times for different requests.
But 15 mins after the last threat not to get out of bed again,
they were zonked out!
Taylee had a sleepover in my room.
She was plenty happy about that!
On Saturday after the soccer games,
we headed back out to the lake.
The Fishing Derby had already kicked off that morning.
So we arrived in time to nonstop play with the other kids
and help get set up for the barbecue, raffle, awards, etc.
Finally the fishermen came back in to measure their catches.
We had a barbecue, speeches, raffle and awards.
I have to say,
I was totally overcome with emotion.
Tracy's husband GJ has also had his family battle with childhood cancer.
His nephew Gabe is a 4 yr survivor now.
He's only 12.
He gave a little speech that he had prepared himself.
I think I cried through the whole thing.
Between how confident he was to speak publicly
and how proud he was for beating cancer
and then watching his parents sobbing watching him.
I was overload on emotions.
Then Tracy took over and explained why they started this event
and Matt's story.
She's like a sister to me.
And ever since becoming a Mom,
I've become extremely sensitive and emotional
about family in particular.
I was so proud of Tracy and what she had accomplished.
We did a balloon release.
Raffle Time
As an extra special touch to the event,
Tracy was able to acknowledge her newborn baby girl.
Early on in the pregnancy she and I had discussed baby names.
We both thought it would be cool to include Matt somehow.
Well the months flew by and they had the hardest time picking a name.
They were set on a name up until about couple weeks before she was born.
It just wasn't right.
Then a week before she was born she texts me late one night asking me my opinion.
Mattie Grace Russo.
I told her it was absolutely perfect and beautiful!
Uncle Mattie would be so proud.
The day Mattie was born,
I hurried and designed/printed this to take to the hospital.
I was lucky enough to bring her kids to meet their new sister.
Needless to say it was emotional.
After the ceremony concluded,
we loaded up and headed home.
Unfortunately my kids were beat from a long day in the sun!
I didn't get a chance to take a picture of Tracy's cute family.
So hopefully someone else did so I can add it to this post.
Do you think the kids were worn out?
The lake is only 15 mins from home!
The kids were OUT in 5 mins!
There were so many moments during this day when I was reminded
that there is much more important things in life
then making sure I can keep up with my crazy busy schedule,
making sure the house is clean,
making sure each event I'm in charge of is perfect,
making sure I stay on top of all of my work/church/mom obligations.
Because what really matters is that each day 7 children will die of cancer.
I can't even begin to imagine how devastating that would be.
Sweet little sensitive Taylee was very concerned about what "cancer"
was as she has never really heard that word
and they've never known anyone that has had it.
So during the ceremony,
I had to have a little talk with her that it's a really yucky
sickness that doctors don't have medicine to fix it
and that's why we're here to help raise money to give to the doctors.
She was so worried about all the kids that have this yucky sickness.
This was the first time ever that I've been to the lake
and didn't get in or near the water.
I could have cared less.
We were all there for a much more important reason.
Needless to say I thanked Heavenly Father for all my many blessings
and hugged my children a little tighter.
Because even though we don't have as much as we used to,
we have good health
and we have each other.
No comments:
Post a Comment