First Day

Little Miss and E were happy to go to school this morning.  Let's see how long it will last.

 I asked him to take a picture without his beloved flat hat..bleck-Vic and I are not fans of the flat hat fad.

 But, he does look awfully cute ;)

 Little Miss doesn't like to look at the camera.

 

Unless you do something goofy.  

I was pretty excited about this one.

You learn something every day if you pay attention. - Ray LeBlond

We are all in this together...

If you have a Facebook account, chances are you have seen this heart-wrenching story. It's unfortunate that it takes a story like this to make others more aware of these types of things, but it's comforting to know that this little girl's tragic story is helping to save others.  

Initially I saw the post on Facebook and then I saw it on Instagram.  Having a child with nut allergies, I was glad to see other people getting the word out about the severity of this issue.  Food allergies, specifically nut allergies, are not a fad, not over-diagnosed no big deals.  They are the real deal and they can be life-threatening.  In E's case, he could go into anaphylactic shock; he has an epi-pen on hand at all times. As his mom, the story about this little girl just reinforces the constant worry, especially as a new school year begins.   

As we see in the story of 12 year old Natalie, there is no guarantee.  Natalie's parents did everything right, but were unable to save their little girl.  Who can even begin to understand the pain?

 I am often frustrated  by the ignorance and lack of compassion from other people regarding food allergies.  Many have wondered and even voiced why it should be their responsibility to worry about another child's allergies?  When I go to a restaurant and they respond with "It should be ok.", it's annoying.  Really?! "It should be ok?"  Well, I'm not ok with that response, it needs to be 100% ok or we are going somewhere else. This is not a joke people!  

Then we have others who want to debate about why the allergies exist in the first place.  I, too, am concerned about these issues, but they have nothing to do with keeping my son safe right now.  I don't know why there are so many kids diagnosed with food allergies, but he is one of them.  It's real, I've seen his reaction ONE time to peanut butter, and I would like that to be the only time I ever do.  

Finally, there are many other people, who are compassionate, but do not live with it and lack understanding and diligence.  Although my son's class goes home with notices each and every school year indicating that there are severe nut allergies in the classroom, every year at holiday time, he comes home with things that are not safe for him, sometimes even obvious things, like peanut butter cups. 

E is off to fourth grade tomorrow and, once again, I have that pit in my stomach like I do every year.  As he gets older, he is becoming more responsible with checking and asking about the safety of things, but we ALL need to be diligent. We have an unspoken responsibility as parents to look out for one another's children.  If you saw a little one running into traffic, I'm certain you would try to stop them.  

Please read those labels, not only of food items, but of soaps, sprays and lotions.  And even if you've bought something before and it was safe, check it again.  Manufacturers change, ingredients change.  Be diligent and help our kids stay safe.  We are all in this together.  

I'm now stepping off my soapbox (for now), thanks for listening.  And please, feel free to share, if you think it will help.  Happy September to all.  

"We cannot accomplish all that we need to do without working together."

Bill Richardson

Summer Stuff...

For the past few years, we've put together a summer list at the start of the summer.  I always think it will be a piece of cake to get everything on our list checked off, but, of course summer flies by, we do things we didn't originally have on the list and bam, just like that, it's the week before Labor Day.  I'm thinking maybe next year, we'll make a list of all the things we actually do as we do them instead of making a list ahead of time.  But really, what fun would that be?

One of the things that's been on our summer list for the past few years has been blueberry picking.  

Unfortunately, last year, the year of the Big C, we weren't able to make it, but this year made up for it.  We had such a great day at Boughs and Berries.  I could take hundreds of pictures there because it's so beautiful, so I apologize now for a photo heavy post. 

My dad made these containers and they were perfect for the kids.  The task of filling them was not so overwhelming because they were not too big and the kids could wear them around their necks.  Typically, Little Miss just picks a few blueberries and then dances in the fields, but this year she filled her container.  My dad is a clever one...thanks dad!

"When any lagged behind, the cry of "blueberries" was most effectual to bring them up. "
-Henry David Thoreau

Finishing this day...

There were some rough moments today and then I logged on instagram and someone posted this.  

"Finish each day and be done with it.  You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can.  Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered by your old nonsense."

-Emerson

I'm hoping tomorrow has less "blunders and absurdities" and more serene moments.  

More than a road race...

One of my sweet friends texted me the other night and in our conversation she gave me some words of encouragement and said how excited she was for me, that the 5k "means so much...not just a road race."  Although deep within me I knew this to be true, I think I stuffed the significance of it way back in my head.  I don't like to go there because often times it brings on emotions I just don't always feel like dealing with at the time.  However, I think it was so important that she did text those words to me so I could read them.  I actually went back and reread them several times as I really tried think about all that it meant for me...

I was knocked down (hard), and the mere thought of doing anything physical for an extended period of time exhausted me, both mentally and physically.  When I first started "running" after I finished my cleanse, I could not run from telephone pole to telephone pole without losing my breath.  It was hard for me to even fathom being able to run a 5k, but it was harder for me to let my body be knocked down by the unwelcomed intruder.  I've really never been one to "show off", but I am a little bossy, so there was no way I wasn't going to get back up after being knocked down. 

 Since being diagnosed with the Big C, it's been difficult for me to consider myself as being healthy.  I feel tainted...my clean bill of health was rudely vandalized.  

I've talked before about the Tamoxifen and the lovely side effects that come along with it; exercise counteracts those side effects.  

Those are just a few of the reasons I started to run, and today, as I ran and completed my first (ever) 5k, I realize that it really is so much more than a road race.  

After I hit the two mile mark, with music playing in my ears, I looked at the other runners around me and thought, "I wonder what their stories are".  I'm certain that for many of the participants in today's race, it may have been just a road race.  But for countless others, surely it was more than that.   As I started to create stories for each runner in my head, I looked up to see my family, jumping and cheering for me on the sidewalk.  They are it!  They are the MORE.  I "run" for me, but I also "run" for them.  The Big C can feel like it shakes the ground viciously below your feet, but when you get back up, and fight back harder than you've ever fought in your life, it's a feeling of victory.  

Today I ran a 5k with Shannon by side the whole way, in many ways representing the crew I've had by my side through my entire Big C journey.  We ran together the entire way and crossed the finish line at the same time.  This was a good reminder that I am never alone in this journey we call life.  I have an abundance of love and support from my family and friends and I am truly grateful for all of them.  

And, how about the fact that my first 5k was the Butterfly 5k?  This 5k benefits a foundation for a little girl whose life was short, but whose significance and legacy continue to thrive.

"In running it doesn't matter whether you come in first...in the middle of the pack...or last...You can say, 'I have finished.'  There is a lot of satisfaction in that." -Fred Lebow

Insta-Friday

 1, 2. trip to the Children's Museum 3. No more railings

4. pretty sky 5. Mem picking raspberries 6. a day at the pool

7. Little Miss (princess) at the farm 8. Picking tomatoes 9. Crafting with washi tape

 1. Oh boy, I hate it when I do that (sorry I repeated a picture) 2. more crafts with Washi 3. Rain, rain go away
4. Happy Birthday Dad 5. E at the top 6. Sunflower Farm

7. Watching a Tinkerbell Movie 8, 9. Fun with chalk

 1. Little Miss learns how to ride, training wheel free 2. Fun with cousins 3. New wall

4. Picking beans 5. Kids' choice 6. attempt at catching a football

7. Potatoes that look like dogs 8. Cute cousins 9. Taking a ride with Ellie

 1, 2. Picking blueberries 3. Little Miss blue eyes 4. snake 5. more fun with cousins

1, 2, 3. time in Newport

4. little kids big flag 5. masks 6. not a good way to start a Monday

7. theatre camp 8. proud as a peacock 9. summer showers 

Today I'm linking up with Jeannett at Life Rearranged

Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.

Dorothea Lange

Have you seen this?

If you're on Facebook, chances are you have.  But, if you haven't, you may want to take a few minutes to watch it.    

"You can build your own things, you can build your own life that other people can live in. So build a life — don’t live one, build one.”-Ashton Kutcher