With thankful hearts...

I have meant to write about this for so long now, and feel horribly that it has taken me this long to do...


Last month the students and faculty of Broken Bow, NE (where my sister, Rachelle, teaches) did some major fundraising to "honor" Charli and all the other children who need our help to find a cure for Neuroblastoma. They organized a Lunch for Life (L4L) event!! Amy Kozeal contacted the L4L group and had them create special "marketing" packs with Charli's picture and story, as well as facts about NB. Once they received these brown bags (like what you would make a "sack lunch" out of!!) their work began! They made cookies to put in each and every bag, what a GREAT treat! I think they did nearly 200 bags!! I do not know who all helped do this, but thank you - from the bottom of our hearts! Then, they handed these bags out to the faculty, staff, and students at Broken Bow. They raised over $1,200 doing this - can you believe it! People are so GOOD! All of this money was donated to Lunch for Life, an organization that is trying so hard to find a cure for neuroblastoma.


The Broken Bow newspaper even did an article about it after the fact. I still well up with tears at the simple thought of it all. I am not sure how to correctly describe the greatness of all of this to you - but I am going to try.


Imagine an entire community gathering around a child that they have never met. People not only donated their money, but also their time, energy, and spirit to this event. I have heard the phrase "words can not explain"...well now I know what that means! There is just simply no way that I can truly make you understand how amazingly awesome it is to have someone you don't know do something so amazing.


Below is a list (as of 12.17.07) of those who have donated to this cause in Charli's name. I must apologize because I know there are more who have donated, however about a month or so ago they redid their site and some names were lost in the transition. To those who are not listed I am very sorry. I know that Ron & Jody Sherwood were missed, and others I am sure - but I don't know who. Send me a note and I will add you to this list if nothing else...


Doug And Jeanette Birnie
Brad Holcomb
Brandon And Katherine Myer
Clete & Lisa Borchers
James And Leilani Jensen
Darin And Judith Nichols
Sandra Borg
Todd Jonas
Andrew And Trisha Paul
Linda And Kermit Bosshamer
Stephanie Jones
Krisitn Pawlowski
Robert And Cheryl Brown
Jonell And Kelvin Kluver
Mark Phillips
Amanda Jo Busselman
Lonnie And Suellen Koepke
Kay And Kenneth Pierce
Brad & Amanda Busselman
Mike And Amy Kozeal
Bob And Jody Preister
Nelson Catherine
Chris & Vicky Lafrancis
Patricia Reed
Kevin And Shannon Cooksley
Lawn Care And Hydraulics Jonas
Courtney Russell
Kirk Crawley
Al And Ruth Living Revocable Trust
Jerry And Diane Scott
Stuart And Cynthia Fox
Thomas And Janet Loughran
Megan Shevokas
Rachelle Haines
Daniel Moser
Amy And Jess Taylor
Hanes Haines
Bern And Janie Murphy
Donald Wolford
Mark Heaton


At the end of the day, our entire life is based around things like this. What can WE do to help others...what can WE do to make life better? Some people call me naive for thinking that this world is an amazing place, but I don't care. You cannot be in my shoes and not see the greatness we all live in. Life happens, and that means we have to learn to take the good with the bad - there is no other way around it. I will tell you this...recognizing and truly acknowledging the good, makes the bad a hell of a lot easier to deal with.


Merry Christmas everyone! This year has been so great - we have met so many wonderful people and have been apart of some amazing things. I only pray that 2008 can surpass 2007's greatness!!!