Hello Friends,

I just had to post again as I vacillate between giddy delight and emotional overwhelm. It feels like we’re all just holding our breath … unbelieving that it’s really almost here: MARCH 6^TH, and MARCH 11^th: Lulu’s last day of chemo and last surgery.

It’s been a special week. I was honored to have my children’s book The What If Book featured with our story for a fundraiser for Ridin’ For Research. It was SO powerful. The pages of the book served as a backdrop while video of our story was woven between moving narration. I was really choking back the ugly cry as pictures of Lulu came onto the two ginormous screens; reliving the story in bold face as it played out. We went on stage and passed out rainbow bracelets to everyone there which read: “Never stop wondering WHAT IF?” I can’t thank presenter Kim enough for her hard work on this event, her attention to detail and the research and respect she paid to our story, as well as Bo Johnson’s. Carol, the illustrator, and I did a book signing afterword and Lulu also signed each and every book, adding in a special bit of art with her signature. It was adorable and she stole the show as usual :-). I’m very proud to have been a part of it, and the event raised over $70,000 for cancer research!!!

Max kicked some major bootay at Forensics this week, finishing his first season with 5 blue ribbons in solo comedy, culminating in the Power Rounds where he went up against 7^th and 8^th graders to walk away with the overall first place trophy! I continue to be amazed with how well he’s done despite his sister’s illness. He’s quietly and deeply affected by it, while managing to be there to make her laugh when she needs it, and still an imperfect enough big brother to remind us all to appreciate some normalcy.

Lulu is literally checking off the days on her calendar, also giddy and sensitive. She’s vomited the last 2 days in a row from her chemo, and feels ‘floppy’ but also extremely excited to give the nasty chemo dragon a permanent goodbye. It’s a lot to digest for all of us. We’ve been running into the wind for 2.5 years, heads down, completely focused. The thought of that force of air being cut off and calm seems almost unfathomable. I expect a tidal wave of emotion may come from behind us to fill that stillness …

with love,

a.l.l. of us