Thursday, February 26, 2009

Great story at the Toy Society blog!

The Toy Society is a blog where people make toys and drop them in public places around the world to be found. The post on there today really touched my heart. It amazes me how often these toys seem to find just the right caretaker, but this one is extra special.

http://thetoysociety.blogspot.com/2009/02/found-drop-120.html
It begins . . .
"I am currently living at Ronald McDonald House Westmead whilst my 2 year old son has Chemotherapy to treat his Luekeamia. We live in Bellingen NSW and found out about Alex's cancer 3 days before Christmas. Since then there hasnt been alot to smile about."

Please click over and read the whole story if you want to feel uplifted today.

It really helped me. It's been a tough week with people in my house (including me) feeling yucky, and my marathon training has been really hard to get in, and hearing a story about a little boy who is one of the people I'm trying to help with my fundraising really made my day. If you can spare anything at all, please consider donating to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society so we can help more children like this sweet boy. http://pages.teamintraining.org/ks/rnr09/lteter

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Fun at Wal Mart

So, I don't like going to Wal Mart. Hate it, in fact. Avoid it if at all possible. Yet, somehow the last two weeks, I've ended up going there about 10:30 at night on a Friday for things I had to have before I got up the next morning at 5:30. (Have I mentioned that training for a marathon makes you get up much earlier than you would ever consider doing otherwise? Well, it's done that for me anyway.)

So I'm standing in line to check out, because there's always a line at least three people deep, of course. (One reason to avoid Wal Mart.) Now, who can resist peeking at the items your fellow nighttime shopper is purchasing? I'm boring. The first time, I had a ream of paper and a giant box of envelopes (to print fund raising letters for said marathon.) The second time, I had a clock radio (helpful for getting up at 5:30 when your old one has become possessed and won't turn off) and a couple running shirts that were on clearance. What did my fellow shoppers have? The first time, it was condoms, personal hygiene wipes, and ice cream. Sounds like she's having a fun Friday night, right? The second time, it was a pregnancy test. I'm pretty sure it was a different woman, probably not having as much fun.

If I went back there tomorrow night, do you think the person behind me would be buying diapers?

Monday, February 09, 2009

Helloooooo! (hellooo, helloo)

Hi, out there in blogland! I've been a bit absent, huh?

I haven't been knitting all that much (which is odd.) I have been stitching some (which is a little odd, too.) But mostly, I've been running, watching my niece, and going to bed earlier than I used to.

Speaking of running, I'm going to be running a marathon and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The following is my fundraising plea. :)



Dear family and friends,

I have lost my marbles, and I’m going to run 26.2 miles around San Diego to find them! May 31st, 2009 my sister Keri and I, along with other Team in Training members, will be running the Rock n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego, California. This will be my first marathon, a huge undertaking, and I need your support to accomplish my goals.

I’m not going to make you run with me, but you can still help. Team in Training (TNT) supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) in finding a cure for blood cancers. I have a goal of raising $4,100 for LLS. I am running in honor of a 10-year-old boy named Michael. He’s battling Hodgkins Lymphoma, and I would love nothing more than for him to have many more years of picking on his younger sister, just as I have with Keri.

My father lost both of his parents to Leukemia. I never met my Grandpa Engle, and I don’t remember my Grandma Engle. She died when I was only 4 months old. Dad ran marathons in his youth; Keri and I want to make him proud and memorialize his parents.

I know times are tough, but families dealing with blood cancers have to be tough. 75% of all funds raised goes directly to research and patient services. Please make checks payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and e-mail me at bzzlarabzz@gmail.com for information on where to send it, or contribute online at my TNT site http://pages.teamintraining.org/ks/rnr09/lteter by March 1st. I can accept donations later than that date, but the earlier the better so I can better reach my goal! Remember your donation is 100% tax deductible, so please give generously to LLS, so we can all make it to the finish line.

Thank you for your support,


Lara

p.s. Please pass this along to anyone who you know that might want to help find a cure! Thanks, again.