Do you dream BIG?

I am pretty sure I would classify my self as a dream big kind of person.... I don't want to do something little when the need is HUGE.  I tend to have people around me that share the same idea and drive because there are some days I just can't give 100% to anything.... and other days I get so much done it is unbelievable-  Lesa and worked well together on the last fundraiser in September.... 30 straight days of fundraising..... it was a lot of fun and a lot of work but well worth it in the end when we sent a check to cookies for kids cancer for over $15,000--- We can call September our warm up to the Dec. 4th Bake Sale @ Blackhawk & Birkdale ( Julie Sparks and her team did an awesome job with the Birkdale location... weather was so much worse for them)-- Lesa and I like to do this event with minimal to no expenses... because every dollar spent on fluff does not go into the hands of a researcher that is working on a promising clinical trial for children.  We are so pleased to announce that the hard work by all of you that volunteered in some way to help us have a successful bake sale has paid off. Our bake sale total is over $35,000-this TOTAL does NOT include the two matches-- We are thrilled and excited that we have raised this kind of dough with "some cookies"!!  All of this money will go to pediatric cancer research in hopes of finding better treatments and a cure... We could not have had this record breaking sale without each of you helping us -- THANK YOU!  We broke the record that Richmond, VA held from the bake sale they had on Sept. 11, 2010-- we love friendly competition like this especially since the real winner are the scientist that are working hard on ideas for children and they are just waiting for funding to get their ideas to the bedside.  Charlotte has had several bake sales for Cookies for Kids Cancer... this bake sale also beat the one at Taylor's Finish Line Festival as well as more than doubling the last year's bake sale at Reid's and Blackhawk.  WAY TO GO Charlotte and Birkdale--- This is quite a feat since we did this with no help from the media -- we actually got more money today from a mini bake sale & and live nativity scene in the Foxcroft Neighborhood. who would believe that we raised $35,000 from offering cookies for a donation??.... we also had a great group of raffle items and silent auction items BUT $35K??? Sometimes I just can't believe it.... but when I allow myself to dream big - I never doubted it would be huge-- We are already thinking about next year... WHY?? Because the need for funding is HUGE... and until we all make the commitment to children fighting cancer the need will remain HUGE.

ok-- enough of that soap box... good thing I wrote that days ago because after the recent events with friends I would not be so upbeat-- Neuroblastoma just sucks!!!  Grier has been doing really well-- we managed the BIG D side effect of chemo with lots of Imodium..and his counts have stayed in the good range... He had another finger prick today and the news was the same... good counts!  The other exciting... hmm, not sure exciting is the right word... but the NEWS from NYC is that Grier's blood test came back and he is HAMA negative again.  That is all we know... Since he is "due" for his scans in January this may add other options for the NB team... meaning besides this low-dose chemo that he has been on for the last six months and waiting for his immune system to kick in so he could qualify for the phase 1 vaccine trial... he could now do 3F8 (again)! Grier heard me ask Dr. McMahon if the vaccine would be better to try or should I push for 3F8?  He answers... I AM NOT DOING 3F8 again!!! He caught us both off -guard... and Dr. M just shook his head and said it is not right he evens knows what 3F8 is!  I said... oh, being 6 1/2 is going to be fun... and then I asked Grier, what is 3F8?  He said it was when he had to go in a room by himself and they lined up lights on him and SHUT the door and left him in there by himself ( can you tell he does not like to be by himself?)... whew!!.. he was not talking about 3F8.. but radiation!!! Not that it is any better he knows what that is but 3F8 is a lot worse! I asked more questions about what to pursue next... I even asked if we should look into CHOP ( children's hospital of Philly) to see if they have anything we should try... and the answer is good and bad... the good is Grier has had a positive response to chemo every time he has relapsed.  The bad is.. keeping him clean is the needle in the haystack we are looking for and the rest of the Neuroblastoma world.  He suggested we could do a bone marrow transplant now... but there is nothing proven that this would keep him clean.. and we would be burning lots of bridges doing that! So... we are still in a good/bad spot.... I know it could be worse..  We are going to enjoy the holidays and then get scans done and I am sure we will have a treatment plan.  January will be spent in NYC for scans... and who knows what else...I am going to email tomorrow and start the scheduling process.. I think I am close enough to Christmas that there is NO chance to have to leave town in December!!

3 more days and Christmas will be here... I am more than ready!!! After a slow start mainly due to the bake sale being my priority-- we are finally a little ready.  I did not decorate as much... I decided it was ok.... I can't do everything and as they say "something has to give"--- I am a master of that phrase now... I did throw together a photo card... mainly because Grace reminded me that I did not do a card last year... I think she missed it the most.  We got our tree last weekend in the rain... and put some of our ornaments on it.... when the kids were tired of hanging them I decided that it was a "perfect tree" and we were done! Grier will be a Shepard in the Children's Christmas Eve service... he has written his letter to Santa... and we will bake some cookies before Christmas Eve for Santa... well, maybe... might just go buy some :)  I can't wait to see them open presents on Christmas morning... I am sure I will get to see a reaction from Grier.... can't wait to share a picture!  ( NO... it is not a LIVE puppy!!-- I am crazy but not THAT crazy...)

My favorite gift this year was the HUGE donation we mailed to Cookies For Kids Cancer... It was a gift of Hope from the Charlotte/Huntersvile community... that needle in the haystack needs to be found... and knowing 100% of this donation is going to fund trials for children gives me hope... Merry Christmas Eve everyone....we wish you all Peace, HOPE and Health in the new year~