My Love Has Returned

Gregg is back at home after a week in Spain! It's so good to have him here again. I don't mind the fact that he gets to travel in his work - he loves it - and what makes him happy, makes me happy, but I am thrilled when he returns safely to me.

I had a busy week while he was away. On Monday, went to my friend Reba's house to make a stepping stone for her sacred garden space, in memory of her daughter, Hannah. Though I didn't know Hannah, our families have been on a similar journey. Reba was kind enough to ask me to contribute a stone. She has a good number of them awaiting placement in her garden, and I can't wait to see how they will all look when the landscaping is finished. I used a butterfly outline, and placed the pieces of glass within it while holding in mind the following story:

The Unknown Shore by Bishop Brent
"A ship sails and I stand watching till she fades
on the horizon and someone at my side says
She is gone.
Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all.
She is just as large now as when I last saw her.
Her diminished size and total loss from my sight
is in me, not in her.
And just at that moment, when someone at my side
says she is gone, there are others
who are watching her coming over their horizon
and other voices take up a glad shout -
There she comes!
That is what dying is.
An horizon and just the limit of our sight.
Lift us up O Lord, that we may see further."

Wednesday, I went to Seattle to pick up 120 gallons (that's four 30-gallon tubs full) of fleece from the Guild Association. Some generous donor contributed this, and the kind people at the Guild office thought of our guild, and offered it to us. If you would like to make fleece blankets for the hospital, please let me know - you are welcome to share in this bounty!

I also took a walk in the sunshine at lovely Magnuson Park with a dear friend from high school days, who is back in town briefly (before heading up to Alaska for the summer - thank you for taking time to get together, Angela)! Afterward, I dropped off a batch of blankets and quilts at the hospital, and had visit with Julie, our beloved Childlife worker. Julie tells me that they plan to use my book in training their Childlife interns.

While at the hospital, I ran into one of the doctors who took care of Katie (Dr. Brogan). He told me that he had finished reading "Because of Katie," liked it, and wanted to share it with his staff. Another of the doctors told me that he has read it, and said that "it was well done." I also read an endorsement (on facebook) from a doctor who took care of Katie, and who has since moved to another part of the country.

A cousin who lives across the country, contacted me recently, saying that she had read and shared the book with the chief pediatrician of a hospital in her area. The pediatrician read the book, commented positively on it, and stated her intention to use it in training other doctors (thanks, BJ!). These reviews from doctors really encourage me to keep spreading the word and promoting the book. My dad continues to help me with this (thanks, Dad!). I appreciate all feedback, and feedback from medical professionals helps me to know that the book has potential to achieve its purpose. If you haven't ordered a copy, you can do so by clicking here

or using the links on my blog's sidebar. Please consider sharing a copy with your own doctor, or anyone you know who is in the medical profession. If you have already ordered a copy,

Thank you!

Feel free to leave feedback for me, as a review on the book's Amazon page (accessed by clicking on the ad above), in a comment here, or an email message.

During Gregg's week away, I worked on sanding and oiling our deck chairs. I have four more to go, but the two that I finished look much better, and ready for our spring and summer (which always includes days of rain). Here is a picture of the progress:  before

and after:

We've had many days of gorgeous weather, but they have been replaced by a streak of spring showers. On the bright side, beautiful flowers are blooming all around us, peeking through the lush greenery.

Lilac and

rhododendron, our state flower. This huge beauty is an annual feast for the eyes, which our neighborhood anticipates and enjoys. It has a "brother" cut from the same shrub, a few hundred feet down the street.

The Moyer Foundation 2010 Annual Giving Luncheon

The Moyer Foundation posted the following update on facebook Friday:

"Thank you for supporting the 2010 Annual Giving Luncheon- helping to raise more than $250,000 for children in distress in our community."

How wonderful, to read that!

The event was lovely, and very well done.

My mom and I arrived a bit early, and were welcomed at the "VIP reception" on the 35th floor of the Sheraton. We were kindly greeted by Foundation staff, and served hors d'oeuvres by the catering staff. There was a lovely buffet and champagne, but Mom and I agreed that alcohol was NOT in our best interests, under the circumstances.

A staff member came to invite me to pose for photographs with Jamie and Karen Moyer. I went with her. As we met for the first time, the Moyers couldn't have been more welcoming or gracious. Karen said something about me being "a rose between two thorns." She also told me that, if I had any trouble at all getting through my talk, I should look for her - she would be right nearby for support. Very kind. She was also wearing a fabulous outfit, with KILLER shoes...I mean to say.

I went back to the table where Mom was waiting, and we listened to a few words from a Board member, and from the Moyers. After that, it was time to go downstairs to find our lunch table. We were seated with people from the Hutch School, the group by whom I was invited to speak. David and Katie both attended the Hutch School - David for most of his 9th grade year while Katie was in the hospital, and Katie for the last month or two of the same (her 6th grade) school year. Both of the kids LOVED the Hutch School, and I was looking forward to speaking on their behalf, in support of their excellent program.

Let me back up: the Hutch School is supported, in part, by the Moyer Foundation.  I'm very familiar with the Hutch, but was not as familiar with the Moyer Foundation. After I accepted their invitation to speak, the executive director of the Moyer Foundation suggested that I come over to meet him and some of the staff, so that I could learn more about them, and they could get to know me a bit better.

I drove over to the Moyer Foundation office on Magnolia Bluff. It was inspiring; they are excited about what they do, and committed to doing it well. As we were getting acquainted, the executive director realized that our family had been helped by the Moyer Foundation's generosity much more than any of us had known. Since they support Ronald McDonald House, Childlife &Advanced Care at Seattle Children's Hospital, Hospice, the American Cancer Society's Camp GoodTimes West AND the Hutch School, he felt there was a lot more that I could say...yet still, just five minutes in which to say it, at the luncheon!

I went home and did some writing, and re-writing, and editing. I practiced, and edited some more. I read it aloud with Latte "heckling" me (rubbing up against my legs, purring and distracting). And then I was as ready as possible.

I am not a public speaker. I love to write, and tell stories, but delivering them on stage is daunting, and it's not getting any easier with practice. Smaller groups are better for me. This room, the Sheraton's "grand ballroom," had about 75 tables, set for 10 people. I'm not kidding - there were nearly 800 people in attendance. Huge video screens were placed around the room so that everyone could see the stage, from every place in the room.

It was a luncheon; just one hour. Very good for business people, and the staff kept it moving and on time. The Moyer Foundation volunteers and staff members were awesome, courteous and professional. Awards were given to the Volunteer of the Year, Youth Volunteer of the Year, the Humanitarian Award and the Corporate Partner Award. All were inspiring. Steve Raible (a local news broadcaster and MC of the event) spoke. A board member spoke; the executive director spoke. Karen & Jamie Moyer spoke. I kept counting my note cards, to be sure I hadn't lost one, while we ate lunch. I didn't eat much - I was concerned that I might end up with bit of parsley or green onion stuck between my teeth, and I was having fear fantasies about that - but I did eat some chicken, so that I wouldn't get up on stage and faint (another fear fantasy). Have I mentioned that I'm not a professional speaker?

A staff member came to get me. I stood by one of the enormous video screens, to the side of the stage, and leaned against the wall. My legs started to tremble. I bent one knee (an old trick learned in junior high school choir - thanks, Mr. Taylor!) and relaxed the other leg. Switched legs and prayed: "Jesus, help me. I just want to thank God and do a good job for the Moyer Foundation. Help me get through this. I don't want to cause a scene. Help me." I looked for the people at my table, and figured that at least one of them (my mom) would be praying with me.

My legs stopped trembling. I felt calm. The signal came for me to walk up on stage. I did it.

The lights were very bright. I saw myself, out of the corner of my eye, on the huge video screens. Bad idea! So I looked at my notes, and began to tell the story - the five-minute version - of our cancer journey, describing the Hutch School experience and the other blessings that the Moyer Foundation supports. I was aware of photos of Katie flashing on the video screens, but decided not to look. I had to focus on what I was saying, and try to look around the room, to make eye contact with the audience.

Toward the end, I found the Moyers. They had been seated right in front of me all along, but the lights were so bright that I couldn't see them. Karen was leaning on Jamie.

I finished. I stepped down from the stage. Steve Raible shook my hand. The Moyers came up and hugged me very warmly. Karen walked me back to my table, with her arm around me. She is just so kind.

Afterward, I was able to meet the Metcalfs, the parents of Erin Metcalf, who was the inspiration for Camp Erin. Camp Erin is a nationwide camp for grieving children that was created and funded by the Moyer Foundation. The Metcalfs were very gracious and understanding. I saw people from many of the departments that I had been able to mention: Seattle Children's Hospital's Foundation, Hematology/Oncology department, Childlife; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and others. I am so grateful that I was able to use words to paint a picture, to raise awareness and support for these wonderful entities and the people who staff them.

I can't write a huge check for my favorite causes, but if my words can move others to do so, it's worth dealing with my shaky legs and discomfort to help make that happen. I'm willing; I just need a little rest in between times! So I'm enjoying some quiet days now.

UPDATE on CONNECTION Magazine

UPDATE: Children's Hospital posted a link to the magazine! The ChildLife article begins on page 8, and our part is on page 11.

Here it is: Seattle Children's - Connection Magazine, Winter 2010
One of our dear East-Coast cousins, Barbara Jo (the mother of Larry, Ruth and Miriam) emailed me recently to tell me that she saw and enjoyed the article about ChildLife in the recent issue of Connection magazine.

Connection is one way that Seattle Children's Hospital shares news with its community, and David and I were interviewed for an article about ChildLife a few months ago. BJ's email reminded me to tell you about it.

One day, when I was taking a batch of quilts in to the Hem-Onc ChildLife department, a writer and photographer from Connection met Julie (the ChildLife worker who was the closest to Katie and David - pictured above) and me for a photo session to accompany the article.  They spoke with us about our relationship, and the quilts. They expressed their delight in the quilts,  so I got bold, and asked if they would mention Katie's Comforters Guild in the article or in the photo caption.

The article and photo appear in this issue, and I'm thankful that they did talk about the quilts, but sad that, for some reason, they did not mention the Guild. Nevertheless, the article beautifully and eloquently tells the story of what ChildLife is, and what they do for patients and families. I hope and pray that it will result in more funding for ChildLife, which is a VITAL department of the hospital.

If you would like a copy, you may call the hospital at 206.987.2153, or go online and ask at www.askus@seattlechildrens.org.