My One and Only Shot

Today was the first day of school. Today was the last first day of school for Zach. Oh sure, he'll have first days each year of college but today was the last first day that I will be giving him a quick hug and sending him off to school from home sweet home.

He knew better than to argue when I pulled out my camera and I knew better than to push my luck by taking more than one picture. I had one shot and one shot only...literally. I forgot to charge my camera battery and was only able to take one picture before the battery died. It's not quite a smile but I'll take it. I can't say I blame him for being less than chipper - I guess I wouldn't be too thrilled if I had to tackle AP Physics first thing in the morning.



Lucky for me, Eric leaves for school a half hour later than his brother so I had time to quick-charge the battery. Unlike Zach, Eric is more than happy to oblige his mother when it comes to posing for pictures.

This is my 8th Grader - Student Council president and goofball extraordinaire.



It's not even 9:00 and I miss 'em already.

Wear Gold for Chidlhood Cancer Awareness Month!

My name is Candy and I ♥ bald kids.

We all know what the pink ribbon stands for but do you have any idea what color ribbon represents childhood cancer? It's GOLD. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and it would be a dream-come-true to see cars and shirts emblazoned with gold ribbons all over the world.

Yes, KIDS GET CANCER! Each year, more than 12,500 children are diagnosed with some form of cancer. That's nearly two classrooms full of kids EVERY DAY! Kinda makes your head spin, doesn't it?

How many of you have seen St. Jude programs on TV and changed the channel because they're "just too painful" to watch? You're certainly not alone. I've been working as a cancer-support volunteer for 7 years now and my own friends and family ask me how I can visit the websites of sick kids and send them mail every day. "Isn't it depressing?" "Don't you get upset?" Yes, it's depressing. Yeah, I absolutely get upset. I cry almost every day. But you know what? I smile a hell of a lot too. Following the journeys of these amazing kids has inspired me to be a better person. Just knowing that the care package I sent took a child's mind off their illness for a fraction of a second is a pretty incredible feeling. But I don't do it for me.

Most of us know (or know of) a child who has been stricken with cancer. Maybe it's the little girl down the street. Or that sweet boy who used to deliver your paper. Your friend's daughter. A fellow church member. Your boss' son. Your cousin. Your niece. Your grandson. Many of us have shed tears over the news of a young cancer warrior's passing, whether we knew and loved the child or simply read about him in the paper. Cancer has touched each and every one of our lives.

My point? Cancer is running rampant and NO family is immune. Cancer is not selective. Cancer doesn't care if your little boy is getting ready for his first day of kindergarten. Or if your daughter was just asked to prom by the coolest guy in school. Cancer is blind to the fact that you don't have health insurance or your your husband/wife just lost his/her job. Cancer doesn't ask permission before it uproots your life, threatens your marriage, devastates your finances, tortures your child...cancer just doesn't care.

PLEASE, I beg of you, do something to honor these young heroes this month. Donate blood. Wear a gold ribbon. Join the National Marrow Registry. Make a donation to cancer research. Spread awareness. Support a cancer organization. Run a 5k. Walk a 5k. Send a pizza to (or make dinner for) a family who is living with cancer. Offer to babysit the siblings of a sick child or take them out for a day of fun. Volunteer at your local Ronald McDonald House (cooking a meal, donating pantry items, etc.) Buy a t-shirt that raises funds for cancer. Sit down with your children and draw colorful pictures and drop them off at your local children's hospital. Buy a glass of lemonade at a lemonade stand that supports childhood cancer. Hold your own lemonade stand. Send a card. Hug a cancer mom. Make eye contact and smile at that bald in Target. Pray. Pray again. And when you're too tired to pray, pray a little more. (See links>>>>>)

Just do SOMETHING.

Doing Something = Big Smile. See?

40 Used to Seem So Old

As I draw nearer to that milestone of turning 40, I am reminded of days when I used to dread ever being that (ahem) old! Lately I've been attending birthday parties of high school friends who are also turning 40 this year and somehow it no longer seems so daunting. I figure if I can still stay awake past 9:00 and shake what my mama gave me without breaking a hip, I must be doing ok.

Last week I had the privilege of surprising my friend Andrea at her 40th celebration. I've known Ann since 6th grade but have only seen her a handful of times in the past few years, due to "life" getting in the way. Considering that we grew up directly around the block from each other (we used to cut thru my neighbor's woods to get to each others' houses), it's really sad that we hardly see each other anymore. Luckily Ann is one of those friends who makes it easy to pick up right where we left off. She's also one of those friends with whom I share a million memories with so we never run out of things to talk about. There's also no shortage of inside jokes when we get together. Number one being the boyfriend that we shared, who later became Ann's husband and is now her ex-husband. He just sent me a friend request on Facebook. I couldn't hit that "ignore" button fast enough...after giggling at his balding head of course.

Here's a picture of Ann and me on her birthday...


Not bad for two old ladies, eh?

A Friend Named Ellen

It's been a nostalgic week around here. Last week, I began a search for old family photos so I could share them with my cousins on Facebook. That sparked a week-long retrospective of my life. I don't know if it's because I'm turning 40 this year or because I've recently reconnected with some old friends and relatives. Maybe it's because certain places that bring up memories of my childhood are now gone...the school I went to for 12 years, the mall I hung out at every weekend with my friends, my childhood home. Actually, my parents' house is still standing and well taken care of but mom and dad are no longer there so the house might as well be gone.

My walk down memory lane also has me missing special people, even moreso than usual. Easter is just around the corner so it's understandable that I would be missing my mom a little more fiercely - the holidays were just her thing and they'll never be the same without her - but lately I've been thinking about other people from my past who are now gone.

My friend Ellen has creeped into my thoughts quite a bit. Ellen was one of my closest friends in grade school and she died tragically in 1996 during a scuba diving trip at Whitefish Pointe on Lake Superior. Ellen's funeral was the first time I had seen her in probably ten years or more. We lost touch after she went to an all-girls high school and I stayed at St. Agatha. Why is it that we let important people slip out of our lives?

Ellen was one of those sweet girls who never had a bad thing to say about anyone. She had a quiet, uplifting spirit and a gentle heart, much like her parents who were good Christian people with strong family values. They had five children and all of their names started with "E"...Evonne, Ellen, Eric, Erin and Eddie. I remember when Eddie was born; I was so excited but a little disappointed that he was a boy:) They were a close-knit family, much like my own, so I'm sure that's why I felt so at home with them.

Ellen and I spent the night at each other's houses often and I would go to her Saturday morning tennis practices. I had never known anyone who could play tennis so I remember sitting there, desperately wishing I could play as well as her...or play at all for that matter! Ellen's family was the first of our group to get cable TV and HBO and I begged my parents for months until they eventually caved. I also remember crying with Ellen when her beloved sheepdog Chauncey died and her father buried him under a bush in the yard.

It was also during sleepover at Ellen's that I learned the cruel truth about hasenpfeffer:) Her mom took all of us kids down to Eastern Market in Detroit with her mom to buy spring flowers and fresh produce. I remember being so excited for Ellen when her mom stopped at one stand and told her to choose a rabbit. I had always wanted a pet bunny so I couldn't wait to help Ellen care for hers! I was shocked when we returned to the booth at the end of the day [presumably to pick up Ellen's new pet], only to have the woman hand over a small package wrapped in white deli paper. I asked when we were going to get the rabbit and Ellen replied, "This is it. My mom's cooking hasenpfeffer for dinner tonight." I asked, "What is hasenpfeffer??" She replied, "Rabbit stew." WTF?! No way in hell was I eating dinner at their house that night!

Ellen, I don't know how we ever lost touch but I wish you were here so I could tell you how much I cherished your friendship and the good times we shared. I'm sorry the wedding day you were planning never came and that you were taken from us way too soon. You are truly missed and forever loved.



This photo was taken in one of those old photo booths (circa 1983?) in Kresge's at the above-mentioned mall that is now, as of two weeks ago, a pile of rubble. Ellen is the beautiful girl on the left and I'm the one sporting the Farrah Fawcett coiff on the right:)