On pride

I believe the children are our future

Teach them well and let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty they possess inside

Give them a sense of pride to make it easier

Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be.

I realize how cliche this may be, given the recent passing of Whitney Houston, but this particular verse from Greatest Love of All has been going through my head for the last few days.  When we last checked our P.O. Box, someone included a note to me that said "It's children like yours that give me hope for our future."  As a mom, that is perhaps that greatest compliment I have ever received.  

My husband and I don't feel as though we have done anything differently than any other parents.  We love our kids.  We teach them right from wrong.  We teach them that love, honesty, and kindness and the most important virtues one can possess. These children of ours, ages 5 and almost 4, have taken what we have taught them thus far and run with it.  Every word on this blog is truly from them.  Every expression of love is unprompted.  Every expression of desire to fix the world and rid the world of "the kind of sickness Gran has" is genuinely theirs.  We feel incredibly blessed to have these two.  They're good kids.  They're not without their days, as all young children have, but the sense of pride we have for them is overwhelming, especially since the planning for the Relay has begun. They have become an inspiration to others, and have been invited to participate in other local Relays.  They have a following of celebrities, athletes, top-level professionals, musicians, and regular people like ourselves.  People are inspired by them, and I hope that, one day, they realize just how amazing that is and how amazing Daddy and I think they are.

I think I had a good teacher growing up.  My mom taught me well.  My mom taught me the importance of inner beauty and what made me unique from others.  To this day she reminds me.  She told me, and still tells me, to be proud of who I am.  I hope that I can do the same for Nathanael and Savannah, and that they grow up knowing how special they are, no matter what they do, no matter what they become.  We'll always be proud of you, kiddos.  We love you more than all the stars in the sky.   

Up Close and Personal

Not with Robert Redford, unfortunately.  
I wanted the kids to have a little running dialogue on here, so while we were waiting for karate class to start, we sat in the car and played interviewer and interviewee.  Interviewees, to be precise.


Mom:  Who would like to talk about their favorite part of the blog?
Nathanael, making sure he was the first to answer: Me!
Savannah:  That's not fair!  Natty answered first!
Mom, who has a little bit had it with the week: It's fair because Natty answered first, Sav.  You can have a turn after him.
Savannah:  It's still not fair.
Mom, really REALLY wanting to go into a lecture about how life isn't fair but realizing it would be lost on a 3 year old: Natty will answer first, and then you can answer.  Enough said.
Okay, Natty.  You're up.  What's your favorite part about our blog?
Nathanael:  That's easy.  My Knock Out Cancer Challenge.
Mom:  Why?
Nathanael:  Because I've gotten some responses to it, and because I can see it anytime I want to on the blog.  And our blog makes us kind of famous. (at least he's honest)
Mom: Well that sounds like a good answer to me.  How about you, Savannah?  What's your favorite part about having a blog?
Savannah:  Making videos.
Mom:  Do you have a favorite video?
Savannah: The princess one.
Mom, realizing this is going to be like pulling teeth now:  Why do you like the princess one so much?
Savannah:  Because I did it myself (forget the fact that I had to feed her the lines for some of it) and it's MY challenge and not Natty's.
Mom:  It's fun to have something of your own, isn't it?
Savannah: Yes.  Like a horse I could ride all by myself.

I wasn't about to get into the horse discussion again.


Mom:  So guys, we've raised a lot of money so far.  Between what we have gotten donated directly to our team, and the fundraisers you two are coming up with, we've raised the most of all the teams who are walking in Geneva, and we still have 3 months to go until the walk!  How important do you think that money is?
Nathanael:  Well, the different fundraisers are fun, and counting the money we make from them is fun, but I know the real reason we're doing it.
Mom:  Why, buddy?
Nathanael:  Well, we're trying to help people who have the sickness like Gran (he doesn't like saying the word cancer very much), and I hope that some of the money goes to the hospital where Gran gets her medicine so that we're helping her get better.
Savannah: I hope ALL the money goes to Gran.
Mom:  Well, the money that we're raising will go to an organization that gives support to people with cancer and their families.  They also help people understand ways they can prevent different kinds of cancer by being healthy, and they do research to find ways to treat different cancers.  
Nathanael:  That's cool.  So we're helping them do all that?
Mom:  Yes sir.  That's where the money you're helping to raise will go to.


Mom: Okay, I have one more question for each of you.  Savannah first this time.
Savannah:  Good.
Mom:  Savvy, what does the word hope mean to you?
Savannah:  I hope Gran feels better.  I love her and I want her to  be able to visit us again and play with us!
Mom:  I think that's a great answer, kiddo.  How about you, Natty?  What does the word hope mean to you?
Nathanael:  It means wishing.  I wish Gran would feel better.  And I remember that we learned how daffodils represent hope, and we have lots of daffodils growing in our garden, so it's like our whole house is surrounded by hope.
Mom: It certainly is.  Okay, it's just about time to go into karate.  Is there anything you'd like to say to our readers?
Savannah:  Hi Gran!  Love, Savannah.   I love you!
Nathanael:  I don't know what to say.  Can I say "could you please donate?"
Mom:  Sure, if you want to.
Nathanael: Could you please think about donating?  We love our Gran!  I love you, Gran!  Knuckles!

Mom:  Know what?  I'm very proud of the both of you.
Nathanael:  For what?
Mom:  Because you're good kids with big hearts, and you're doing a good thing.
Nathanael:  Thanks, mama.  I'm proud of you, too.
Savannah:  Me too.
Mom:  Thanks, kiddos.  I love you.

They'll never really understand why I'm proud, but I have a feeling they'll never forget the good that they're doing.  I think this will stick with them for always.