This past March, Alex and I went on a much needed vacation. This was our first time leaving the kids for more than 1 night and not just a short car ride away. As a wife I was so excited, but as a mom it petrified me. Not so much leaving them, because I knew they were in the best hands with my mom, but what if something happened to us?! What if the plane crashed or we got into a car accident or were both abducted… ok maybe that sounds a little crazy, but you catch my drift. A week or two before the trip I started to mildly panic. Was this the right thing to do when we had a 1.5 and 3 year old at home? We also had run into a tough financial situation and I was finding it hard to justify spending so much money on something so frivolous. We really needed this trip though. We had been working SO hard and were SO busy with the kids, we rarely had time for ourselves let alone one another. When I mentioned to my mom, sister and mother in law that we were thinking of cancelling the trip, they all insisted we went. My mom in fact put money in our bank account and said she wasn’t taking it back. She is the best mother on the planet, I know. I am insanely lucky. So… one day after my 35th birthday we boarded a plane headed to Charleston, SC.
The long weekend was amazing. It was just what we needed. But what I remember most about the trip was not something I expected at all…
One day after walking around a bit, we decided to stop for lunch. It was March Madness which we both really enjoy watching, so we were looking for a place that would be showing the games. We had walked by this one restaurant a couple times and noticed the big flat screens in the window, so we knew that was our spot. After a little while and a couple beers, I got antsy (which isn’t like me). I told Alex I was going to go poke around in the shops for a bit. Almost immediately after walking out of the restaurant, into the shopping area, I noticed a large crowd of people. It looked like they were building something. Intrigued, I walked up to the table and a nice lady greeted me. I remember she was holding an iPad and asked if I wanted to see a picture of her son. I of course said yes, and when she showed me her sweet boy Sam, I commented how he looked to be around my two kid’s ages. When I said “Aww he’s so cute”, her response was “yes he was”. That statement hit me like a ton of bricks. “Was”?! What happened to this precious little boy?! She went on to tell me her story about how her sweet first born, Sam, was diagnosed with DIPG, a terminal type of brain cancer, when he was just two years old. In his short life, he taught his parents so much. They decided to start a non-profit organization, With Purpose, in hopes of advancing treatment for kids with cancer. This was a fundraising event, and the reason they chose Lincoln Logs was because Sam loved to build. In fact, the day before he passed away he built a Lincoln Log fort. After making my donation and placing my Lincoln Log on the massive structure that was being built, I walked away trying my hardest to hold in my tears until I got outside. With shaky hands I called one of my best friends to try and talk it out because I was a mess. I was missing my babies at home and I just couldn’t imagine the heartbreak of losing a child. After quiet sobs on the streets of Charleston, I made my way back to Alex with puffy eyes. That moment was going to stick with me for a long time.
During this Christmas season, I can’t help but think of that family and other families that have gone through the same thing. As a present to myself and my family, I will be donating to With Purpose. Their website lists some staggering statistics on just how little funding from The National Cancer Institute, is designated to all forms of childhood cancer. If everyone gives a little bit, shares this, and those they share it with give a little bit, we can make a big difference. I just know there was a reason I went on that trip and I hope this blog, albeit small, can help me spread the word of this great organization and that adorable little angel, Sam.
Merry Christmas Everyone
