Pinewood Derby

Few experiences in life bring as much excitement and anticipation as the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. A dad and a little boy working together to create the fastest and coolest car around.

Blair was very patient and, more importantly, hands off. Nathan did most all the designing, sawing, sanding, painting, hammering, and weighing.

The theme for the night was Red, White and Blue - Nathan's car fit it just perfectly!

And......The races begin.

His wasn't the fastest, but wasn't the slowest either. All in all, a successful first-time derby. Next year Nathan says he will go for a different shape and weights distributed differently.

Dinner at our House

I love family dinner time! Rachel always has a funny story about what happened during lunch at school and makes us laugh uncontrollably. I love seeing the kids interact with each other and bounce things off one another. I love that we learn about social studies and global issues, talk about math problems, study for quizzes and give input on whoever has the latest project. I love that, in spite of everything else family members could be doing, it is a time we try to keep sacred. Everyone enjoys it and it makes me feel like we all are connected again.

Tribute to Amy

Amy Blasinski loved to dance and sing. She loved dogs and her friends and family. She competed in Special Olympics and had a great sense of humor. She died while still a teenager. While I never knew her, her heart was given to Lauren 4 years ago today.

Barb and Ron are Amy's parents and incredible people. We wrote letters back and forth for many months, then first spoke on July 4th, 2006. They came to visit us when we still lived in New Jersey. Their home is here in Chicago. Amy's heart kept Lauren alive for almost 3 years and endured radiation and chemo and rejection and coronary artery disease. These 2 girls fought a hard fight!!

There are many people that come and go in our lives. We cross paths and learn from each other and are never the same. But this family has a greater capacity to love and give and care than any I have seen. I am so grateful to them for the gift of life and the gift of their friendship.

Happy Birthday Megan

Megan was born on Feb 4, 1997, 12 years ago. Wednesday was her birthday and it started off with crepes (batter made by mom, but cooked and flipped by dad as per her request) for breakfast. The first gift she opened was tickets to a DePaul women's basketball game that night.

Our evening schedules were packed for the next few nights, mostly with basketball activities, so it was Saturday before she finally was able to open gifts and have cake and ice cream. I spent some time this week reviewing pictures and thoughts of Megan's life. She gets up early, is very obedient, is thorough and organized, always prepared and a bit of a perfectionist. She is funny yet tough, a hard worker, helpful, and is a straight A student. Megan has her dad wrapped around her finger and loves to shoot hoops wherever and whenever she can. She plays clarinet in the school band and keyboard in the after-school jazz band. Megan always gives 100% effort in everything she does - an amazing young lady!

Bishop Holbrook

Have you ever had that one phone call that changes your life? You might not want to pick up when the stake executive secretary calls your house. As of November 30, Blair is now the bishop of our ward. He says he only has 5 years to help facilitate all the miracles that need to take place.

It is inspiring to watch him go about "doing good."

This was after a long Sunday of tithing settlement and visits.

Perhaps the stress is getting worse. This was his Sunday afternoon nap in between meetings last week.

The beauty of California

A few weekends ago, Blair and I took off for California. His good friend decided to get baptized and wanted him to do the honors. She, Diane, lives in Dublin in the ward of my college roommate, Amy, who happens to be the Relief Society President. Small world, huh? It was an amazing weekend including a short outing to San Francisco complete with a ride on the cable car and lunch at Fisherman's Wharf in the shadows of palm trees. We reconnected with some dear friends, relaxed, slept in, and drove with the car windows down.

While Chicago is a friendly place to live, the weather here is crummy. Especially in January. We left -10 degrees for 65 ish. I had forgotten what clean cars and green hills look like. I didn't remember sun actually giving off warmth either. The flowers smelled amazing and we walked around without coats. We put our feet in the ocean - all in all a fabulous weekend and very therapeutic.

LAUREN TURNS 16 YEARS OLD!!

Looking back on Lauren's life.... what a journey she has had.!!Summertime 1993 - Lauren was such a fun new baby. It was amazing to watch her grow and learn and change.
August 1994 - 19 months old. This is just a few days after Lauren's 1st transplant. It was a miracle to watch as her coloring, energy and personality improved within days of receiving a perfectly-working heart.

January 1996 - 3 years old - one of the last times she let mom choose her dresses for her.

1998 - 5 Years old and sweet as can be.

October 1999 - Never has a child been so excited to start 1st grade!! After a scary rejection episode in August of that year, Lauren had to be home-tutored the first few months. It was so disappointing. All of her immunosuppression meds had to be boosted, thus the chubby cheeks.

May 2000 - 7 years old and so excited to be a big sister to Nathan!

8 years old. Lauren did take ballet for a season. Every mother dreams of watching her girls in a dance recital. I did get to see one or two. Lauren just didn't have the endurance to be able to stick with it.

Jan 2005 - 6th Grade and feeling great. (12 years old)

Dec 2006 - The post-chemo hairdo. Lauren hates this picture, but I love how she is still smiling - that speaks volumes about her life.

14 years old - Jan 2007 - using a wig/hat combo to cover the bald head.

November 26, 2007 - shortly after midnight - just after getting the phone call about a heart, 3rd time around. She doesn't look like she has a terribly diseased and damaged heart, does she?

November 2007 - A few days post-transplant. Looking back, it is hard to believe all those wires and tubes ever got disconnected.

Spring 2008 - This is Lauren's transplant cardiologist, Dr. Pahl, the brains behind everything good that has happened to Lauren since we moved to Chicago in Jan 2007.

Now look at skinny Lauren with her beautiful straight long hair, free of steroids, driving us all out to dinner for her 16th birthday. I am so grateful to be her mom - she is such an example of faith and optimism and courage.