We are back from Disney--- ! I will update as soon as we recover!
:)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Below is a link to the local news coverage from the Curesearch Walk. So many of our friends are represented here.... thank you for all your support!!!!

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9368029&nav=menu1434_3

Medals & Champions!

We have been non-stop for about 48 hours!!!
Grier did great during his surgery on Friday morning--- We arrived at CMC- one day surgery at 7:30-- I thought I was doing really well getting him out of the house and arriving on-time-- As soon as I walked in-- I saw Anne waiting for us!! I was glad to have her there talking to me and helping me entertain Grier--- actually I think he was doing the entertaining!! The morning seemed to go quickly but we did not get home until 1:30! We then moved on to getting the final CureSearch walk tasks done-- picking up doughnuts.. going by Smoothie King... and totaling team #'s!! Grier was feeling really well by the afternoon and he decided he needed to go to Target-- and he did just that and got his new matchbox car!

Saturday morning came too soon-- Grace had an early (8am) soccer game so we all were up by 6:45-- yes..this was a weekend! Jeff and Grace left for her game and the rest of the crew got ready to head over to the park-- And from that point on the day was a blur!!!
Freedom Park was full of people trying to raise awareness for Pediatric Cancer--- the weather held out for us during the morning --- Medals were given to the kids that were childhood cancer heroes-- Grier has not taken his medal off since Saturday morning--! The walk started and the sun came out and the weather was gorgeous--! Teams were there supporting each other and money was raised to find a cure--- and I said to someone I would love to see our grand total come to $ 100,000- Dream Big by Roger Day was played over and over again and then the total was announced-- The first MILESTONES CureSearch walk in Charlotte, NC-- raised over $101,000!!! Thanks to everyone that came out to walk, donated money, sponsored a marker, or helped me find contacts for DOUGHNUTS!! (I had to put that in , KRISTIE!!!) and came to walk from out of town ( Aunt Katherine, Aunt Linda, Anne and the Barnette crew.. Kristie, Ken and Grant!)-- The day was better than I ever thought it could be and Grier was so excited- I put a picture of Grier and his friend, Isabella on the blog-- They were so cute holding holds as the walked behind the banner to start the walk-- She is another NB warrior that goes to MSKCC and lives in Charlotte, NC!

Here is a link to see the pictures of the walk taken by the photographer-- copy and paste this!

www.treasuredeventsofcharlotte.com/kalendar/index.php?cat=2008/Nov/CURE%20SEARCH%20Inaugural%20Charlotte%20Walk%2011-15-08%20at%20Freedom%20Park&start=18

Today started just as early as Saturday-- Grace and her team were in a tournament and they had 2 games on Saturday --I did not get to see either :( They also had two games today and I was excited to watch the team play really hard together! ALL 3 U9 Charlotte United Girls teams did a fundraiser for Go Grier Go--- They wore special jerseys this weekend that were tie-dyed and had Go Grier Go on the back--- I put a picture of our team on the blog--- They looked great! Thanks to all 3 teams for supporting Grier and being a part of his team! The girls played really well and ended up winning the game. Grace and her team got a medal after they won the championship game! Grier had to tell Grace that she has a medal like his now!!!

As this weekend winds down I am again humbled by the good things people do for our family-- We do not take for granted anything and I know sometimes we do not thank everyone enough-- So-- THANK YOU for being a part of our growing team!!!

ps--I know some of you are wondering what we are going to do now--- well-- WE ARE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!! no-- I am not kidding :)

2 days to go--!

I have tried to flip this picture around but I can not for some reason so... just turn your head!!

The final countdown for the Milestones walk is on!!! 2 more days to go and I am pleased to say that the Go Grier Go team has grown to 135 people & we are still counting! We also have raised a huge amount of money for Pediatric Cancer Research!! As a group our total is almost $14,000!! I am so excited to say that right now... our Charlotte Milestones walk has raised $71,000!!! The best part is we will not know the final amount until Saturday because people will be bringing money with them !!! That is an amazing accomplishment for our community!! WAY TO GO -- GO GRIER GO & all the other 40 teams that are signed up for Saturday!
And Thanks to our newest sponsor-- Cox-Schepp for sponsoring the walk!!!!

I took this picture of Grier today while I was trying to write names of the children that are being honored at the walk-- He was making me laugh because he thought we should play twister on the banner!! And he was noticing first names that he could read -- kids that had the same names in his class!

Tomorrow will be quite a long day but I am going to be patient! I already did the pre-screening in the car while waiting for Grier at carpool so we are all set to get this port out tomorrow at 9:30! Grier has asked a ton of questions-- so many more than he would have asked a year ago-- and my simple answers are not as good as they once used to be!! He knows he is getting his port out and I tried to tell him-- Hey Grier, you get the white medicine-- and it did not seem to impress him as it has in the past-- He will not be happy that he can not "push it himself" and he is going to be really mad when he finds out that he has to wear a Gown!! So... since my simple answers do not work I have decided that bribing might and so far I think it will work!! We will be going to Target to the toy aisle!!! It will be worth the matchbox car he picks out!

IF you are planning to walk with us on Saturday-- please try to be there by 9am-- I would suggest parking on the Princeton Ave. side of the park or at Whittington Baseball field-- all activities will be at the Amphitheater -- Remember to wear a GGG shirt if you would like too-- If you have any $$ to turn in I will have an envelope for each of you!! And if you raised at least $46, $100, or $250 you will get a prize-- I will have a totals as of Friday at 5pm--- You will need to see me for a prize "ticket"
This day is RAIN or SHINE!
I will try to find a spot where we can all meet as a team-- just look for the GGG crowd!

See you Saturday if you plan to come or THANK YOU for support this cause!

I thought I would do a quick update on Grier-- he has been doing GREAT!!! He loved Halloween and has now moved on from his imaginary baseball/soccer team to his basketball team!!! Yes-- we did have to get him Chuck Taylor's for his "uniform"!

On the medical front it has been quiet for us-- tomorrow we will go see Dr. McMahon for his monthly check-up-- And next Friday (14th)-- his mediport will be taken out! Exciting in so many ways but scary in some ways too--- We have not had surgery in Charlotte in so long-- I am out of practice-- I am used to MSKCC so it will be an adjustment for us! I joked with a friend and said that I would bring my stroller and as soon as he blinked I was leaving the recovery room and walking home-- Hey-- that is what we did in NYC! I know that will not be the case and have been told to spend at least an hour in recovery-- maybe longer- ( Hey.. Susan can you go to outpatient and be our nurse that day??? :) PLEASE!!! I wish some of our NYC friends were as lucky as we have been for the last few months-- I am sick of reading about kids losing their battle with NB and those that are relapsing -- It has been non-stop lately -- It is really NOT fair--

We were given a gift that is priceless-- Angela Shea came to our house and went to the Park with us to do some family photographs-- First... let me say she was AWESOME to work with and if you need a children's photographer-- I would give her 10 stars!!! Here is the blog she does and you can see some of our pictures-- http://www.shea.typepad.com

And everyone who reads this blog ( which is NOT many any more) knows I only have a few more days to write about the CURESEARCH milestones walk on Saturday, Nov.15th-- Our GGG team is not at 100 yet--- and I am begging you to pre-register to make my life easier as a team captain on the morning of the walk-YOU MUST register everyone that will be walking-(it is $10 per walker) - I am going to be wearing a million hats that morning and I would love to have everyone that is going to walk with us register on-line-- If you can not walk in person-- join the team as a virtual walker-- send out a few emails-- set a goal of $10 and see the difference you make when everyone contributes a little bit! Also-- as the disorganized team captain that I am --- I did not print any special shirts for our team to wear-- IF you have a Go, Grier, Go shirt-- wear it! IF NOT-- Kerri may have a few so if you email me I can forward that to her-- And IF YOU DO NOT want to wear a GGG shirt-- that is OK too!
The walk is going to be fun-- only a couple of laps around Freedom Park lake-- music... Sir Purr, Lug- Nut, Molly Grantham, Starbucks, Smoothie King, Krispy Kreme.. Kids.. Families.. doctors.. nurses... friends... neighbors.. all coming together to show their support for finding a cure-

Thanks to the latest sponsor of the walk--- Commonwealth Animal Hospital!!! Thanks Jimmy !

I am sure I have forgotten something -- oh well-- maybe I will update more often!!