Let the Wild Rumpus Start

Join Me as I Walk

When I was fourteen years old, my Mom, Molly Fitzgerald Shotwell, was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. She was thirty seven years old.

Over the next seven years, she struggled with this disease. She fought every day for us. During that time, she had numerous biopsies, tests, a mastectomy, a reconstructive surgery, chemotherapy, and many other drugs. Then, a break, and she had a year and a half where the doctors said it was gone.

But it came back. When we discovered it again, three years after her first diagnosis, it was metastatic stage four breast cancer in the liver. More drugs, more pain. This time it changed us all. Something changed in each of us. They gave my Mom a year and a half to live.

She just wanted to see me graduate from high school. And she did. My Mom fought for four more years. She laughed, gardened, tore apart and rebuilt our house. She was the best. But seven years after being diagnosed, my Mom passed away peacefully in our home in August 2005.

This year I have decided to fight against cancer. I have decided to participate in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day For the Cure. It is a walk where thousands of men and women walk for 60 miles over the course of three days this August in Chicago. All of the proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation which helps community-based breast health programs and breast cancer research. The research funded focuses on decreasing breast cancer incidence and mortality in the next decade to help find a cure so that no one has to suffer.

This August I walk for my Mom. I walk for her seven years of fighting. But I also walk for her thirty seven years of life without cancer. I walk because she inspired me to be a better Mom and person. She inspired me to laugh and have fun. She gave me life. I walk because I miss her every day.

I also walk for me. Breast cancer is hereditary and there is a chance that I may have the gene. There is a chance that I could have breast cancer. I will fight now, walk now, so that I don't have to fight later. I walk now so I don't have to fight with chemotherapy, surgeries, and the pain. I walk now so my family doesn't have to feel what I did growing up. I walk so my son will always have me.

Over the next year, I will be fund-raising and training for the 60 miles we will walk. Each participant is asked to raise $2,300 for the Foundation. If you could please donate to this cause, I would greatly appreciate it. If every person donated what they can afford, it would be a great help. Payments can be made online at www.the3day.org or by check (made out to Susan G. Komen Foundation) and can also be stretched over a payment period. If you are interested, I would also love to walk with you. You can also email me if you’d like to join my team.

I will be writing about my experiences on a facebook group here, so you can check it out! I will write about my training, milestones, and stories in between. When I am finished, I will have many pictures and stories to share as well. When the walk is finished, I feel like I will be one step closer to being healthy, being safe, and always staying cancer free.

I truly appreciate your generosity.

Love to you all!
Mallory

15 Months Starts with a Bang

Liam has fallen in love.  With bananas.  He wants bananas bananas bananas all day long.  We have to hide them or that really will be the only thing he talks about all day long.  He loves bananas so much that we have found all of the bananas in all of our books and we pile them all up and find each one over and over again.  "NANAAA!"  he exclaims with the same unabashed enthusiasm. 

About an hour ago, Liam woke up from his nap.  (A short, one hour nap much to his Momma's chagrin.) I am recovering from a wisdom tooth surgery, wanted to take a nap as well, and was not pleased with this behavior.  So, back downstairs we both go... I am still rubbing my eyes and wondering if I should heat up some coffee when Liam brings his Mozart music box over.  (It's this music cube that plays all the instruments of different Mozart songs) I had turned it off during naptime and Liam was struggling to turn it back on.  He was getting more and more frustrated.  I was still rubbing my eyes and wasn't totally engaged with him and Liam, for the first time, looked up and me and said, "Please?" 

I dropped everything, turned it on, and hugged my boy.  It is so rewarding to be a Mom. 

Even if I miss my naps.  

 

Fourteen Months, Christmas, New Years, and a Whole Lotta Fun

And here, told in acts, is the story of our last month: 

Act One:    In Which John is Done With School and We Have Fun

Going to the Park

Helping Mommy with the Groceries

 

 

Running Away from Mommy as We Change into Pajamas

 

Showing off Big Baby Belly after He Got into the Chair All By Himself For the First Time

And Lastly, Destroying the Kitchen (Notice the Cabinet Door Hanging Off It's Hinges)

Act Two:  Where We Travel to Chicago for a Night, then continue to Grand Rapids

We stayed at the Embassy Suites with my Dad, and it has the coolest design.  Deep stripes and glass balconies pull you to the center, where you can stare down to the lobby below.  While some people may have developed a fear of heights, Liam took full advantage of it. 

 

 

Then Liam and John continued to Grand Rapids, while My Dad, Suzy and her kids and I stayed in town to see the musical In the Heights.  We shopped, walked up and down Michigan Avenue, and visited the Lego Store. 

 

 

Act Three:  In Which We Celebrate Christmas Eve, Drink Too Much and Set Things on Fire

 

Act Four:  In Which We Celebrate Christmas

Liam LOVED opening the presents and the boxes way more than the actual gifts.  This is an improvement from last year, however, since he slept through the morning while Mommy opened the gifts.

He loved the Christmas tree and would carefully take off the bottom ornaments, examine them, and place them back in their spot.  As the days went on, Liam was more used to the tree and then took off the ornaments and gave them to people.  

We spent the morning at John's parents house, the afternoon with my Mom's side of the family, and the evening with my Dad and Suzy.  

At my Dad's house, Liam learned valuable skills like putting things inside the VCR and feeding the dog. 

It was a really great day and we felt so good to be able to spend the time with our families.  We are so lucky that we could come back for it. 

 Act Five:  Where we Slow Down and Enjoy Our Vacation (well, slow down as much as a toddler can)

 

Our little boy came to Grand Rapids a baby, but left a toddler in all his running, climbing, talking, signing glory. 

Whether it's food or an action, Liam has strong preferences.  He started doing the "eat" sign to signify more, food, or really anything that he wanted.  One afternoon, he was doing the eat sign to show that he wanted Grandpa Powers' blackberry.  So, Grandpa shut it off and handed it to him.  Liam looked at it, noticed that the screen was black, paused for a second, and looked back at him doing the eat sign.  As if to say, 'You're kidding me, right? You think you can fool me?'  He'll also deposit a book, puzzle, or toy in your hands and make the sign. 

 

 

Doing "eat" sign to mean "turn the radio back on!"

Liam really developed his climbing skills and got into the armchairs and his very own rocking chair over and over again.  After he would get into them, he would rub his face into the corners getting his hair all fuzzy and big and then clap for himself.  It's so amazing to see him doing these things on his own and feeling so proud. 

We saw all of our friends, and got pictures of some:

And pictures of one, John Powers:

Dad and I also took Liam sledding.  I was more nervous than Liam, who took the big hill like a champ! 

We ended our vacation with a trip to my friend Audrey's parents cottage.  That was really a special trip and it was so great to relax and spend time with friends.  It was so amazing to see our children playing together.  There are pictures below, and you may want to turn down your volume for the video (excited children running!)

Finally, Act Six:  In Which We Return the Madison, Spend the Whole Week Unpacking and Finally Get Around to Blogging. 

To Be Continued...