Friday, September 9, 2011

Life in Pictures

There is so much to share. I have been struggling with sitting before this screen. Needing to be present for so many different things, yet wanting to record every last bit.

This has been an amazing summer. Gregory has successfully (so far) discontinued his steroids and Rapamune. He is no longer on any immune suppressant medications. Crossing my fingers that we have a long, boring fall/winter. He is receiving IVIgG every four weeks. I have a feeling this may end up being every three weeks once cold/flu season hits. We will see.

Gregory ran through the sprinklers for the first time in three years:

August 2, 2011

Gregory went swimming for the first time in three years:

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Gregory's Make-A-Wish was granted:

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I met an amazing group of Yoga practitioners. We have partnered and are raising awareness and funds for childhood cancer for 46 Mommas / St Baldrick's with a yoga event in Spokane, WA.
Yoga People Care....About Childhood Cancer Yoga People Care About Childhood Cancer

I leave Tuesday, September 20th for Washington, DC. I'm going with a head full of hair and will return with a shiny bald noggin.

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I have photo documentation that Daddy does smile and is pretty stinkin' nice to look at!

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I made a dress for AnnMarie.

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Taking moments to catch up with family and getting myself on the other side of the camera:

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Still trying to catch Curtis in a moment when he will let me take his picture (This is what you get, kid!):

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Mostly? Plenty of this:

August 2, 2011

Tucked away in our little circle of security. Still head shy. Still not ready or able to 're-join' society. Don't know if I every will. I do know that whatever I do or wherever I go it will be with purpose, intent and meaning.

46 Mommas is a culmination of that idea. Not only will we be shaving, on stage, during rush hour at Union Station, Washington, DC, but we will be making visits to Capital Hill on Thursday the 22nd. We will be visiting with members of key committees that support and fund childhood cancer legislation. We will be visiting with members and staffers from the pediatric cancer caucus.

We will be filming a Let's CONQUER PSA with/for St Baldrick's.

We will be attending the Pediatric Cancer Caucus Summit on Friday the 23rd.

People Against Childhood Cancer (PAC2) is holding a collaborative workshop for the childhood cancer community on Thursday, September 22.

The childhood cancer community is BRINGING IT to DC. We will be turning the town GOLD! So very proud, honored and humbled to be a part of this week of events.

We still need you, though. "Many hands make light work." The 46 Mommas have issued a $10 Challenge. Via our FaceBook fan page:

"Take our 2-Weeks-to-go-$10-challenge! Help us get closer to our goal of $1Million for St. Baldrick's. If each 1 of our fans donates $10 we'll be $95,630 closer to helping fund lifelong cures! Can you skip 2 coffees this week? Pass on a trip to the movies? Or brown bag lunch? Donate the $10 you save to our event (or the Momma of your choice) to help CONQUER kids' cancer!"

To take this challenge, you can donate on my noggin here: http://www.46mommas.com/mindifinch/

To view what we have raised for our campaign, so far: http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/46mommas/

I want to thank each and every one of you who have donated, so far. While it may not seem like much, I know that you have opened your heart to a world no one really wants to know anything about. I thank you for the piece of your heart that you have offered to all kids. If you've been meaning to make a donation and can make one before the shave, it would help me get that much closer to my goal of $5,000.

If you would prefer to mail a donation in:
St Baldrick's Foundation
1333  S. Mayflower Avenue, Suite 400,
Monrovia, CA  91016

Donation form with my name and participant ID already completed.

While childhood cancer still looms very large in our life, Gregory has had an outstanding summer. EVERY child deserves outstanding summers. Lots and lots of them.

With love, love, love.......for YOU!
Mindi
~Momcologist

P.S.! Almost forgot! I turned the big Four-Tee on Sunday, September 4. Been looking forward to this Belly Button Day. Fiercely. What a better way to celebrate this amazing decade of life than with 46 Mommas Shave For The Brave.


Happy Birrrrthday to Youuuu,
Happy Birrrrthday to Youuuu,
Happy Birrrrthday Dear Mindi,
Happy Birrrrthday to Youuuu!

A few years back, not so long ago, heaven and earth erupted into a major celebration with the news of your impending adventure into this very time and space. You see, someone like Mindi Finch doesn't come along all that often. In fact, there's never been a single one like you, nor is there ever ANY possibility that another will come again. You're an Angel among us. Someone, whose eyes see what no others will EVER see, whose ears hear what no others will EVER hear, and whose perspective and feelings will NEVER, ever be duplicated. Without YOU, the Universe, and ALL THAT IS, would be sadly less than it is.

Quite simply:

You're the kind of person, Mindi,
Who's hard to forget,
A one-in-a-million
To the people you've met.
Your friends are as varied
As the places you go,
And they all want to tell you
In case you don't know:
That you make a big difference
In the lives that you touch,
By taking so little
And giving so much!

Mindi, you are so AWESOME! For your birthday, friends and angels from every corner of the Universe, including buddies you didn't know you had, will be with you to wish you the HAPPIEST of days and an exciting new year in time and space. You won't be alone!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mindi!

Mike Dooley
Orlando, Florida, USA

PS - Mindi, this is going to be YOUR year!!

© TUT ® 

1 comment:

Gina Jones said...

LOOK at those smiles...LOOK at that love...LOOK at that LIVING. This post makes my heart so, so happy. Thank you for sharing, my friend :)