whats next

now that we are home, the challenge becomes how do you cope from a distance?  for me that means (of course) throwing myself into the NEXT thing....its what i'm good at - finding a project to sink my teeth into and keeping busy....so those of you who are around, be prepared to be recruited....i originally started this blog, and tiff's fund as a PERSONAL way to come to terms with my feelings AND to help us try to create something positive out of this horrible sadness....

but now its changed a bit....i mean, the blog is still for me (and you, i hope) to work thru these issues - i cant tell you enough how much it has helped me to have this outlet AND the feedback - it's truly been a blessing to me.

i guess the challenge for me now is how to make a difference on a bigger scale....when lisa and i signed up for the avon walk, it was a personal choice, as it related to aunt bobbie (and kathy, for me)....this blog was a direct result of laura's battle.....the fund was directly tied to tiff.....but what i'm realizing is that all of these individual events are so tied to the MUCH larger fight that we need to take up against cancer!!  yes, all of the individual efforts are important, i realize that....but i guess it might be time for me to up my game a bit....

i hope you like that logo....and i really hope you will be seeing a lot of it....i've decided my new personal mission is going to be to take on this cause......that may not seem like such a big deal, but for me, i've always looked at things on a smaller and more immediate scale - i raise money for sports or events or school....and then i move on....what i'm going to try to figure out - thru our steel lillies fund - is how to create a sustainable long term SIGNIFICANT effort in this ongoing fight....

the strides that have been made in breast cancer research, in large part due to the komen and avon foundations has been amazing.....and we can do that as well....this is something we cant wait for SOMEONE ELSE to do.....WE have to be the people that make it happen....for sarcoma research, and for all of the "other" cancers out there that no one knows about or knows how to treat.

i know we can make a difference....or at least give it a good try.....it seems all of the arrows are pointing in that direction....DO BETTER....BE BETTER....MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE....BE THE SUNSHINE.....we can do all of those things if we just work together.....so let's see if i can put my motivation where my mouth is and try to shove this stupid disease back a step....i just cant handle one more person or one more family having to go thru this.....and rather than just be mad or frustrated, i'm going to choose to FIGHT!

and i'm going to keep after all of you to fight with me.....

we have a theme in our house that we try to live by....sometimes its much harder than others....but we always try to remind each other of it.....IF NOT NOW, WHEN?  because now is the only time we are guaranteed.....and its the only time that we know we can have an impact....so i'll put it out there for all of you as well.....we only get this one time around, and life is shorter than we think....so why not do the important things RIGHT NOW....even if the most important thing you have to do is kiss your kids or call your mom.....just dont wait.