Yesterday was the day that Jack and I went down to the Cardinals stadium to meet Adrian and thank the people of WalMart for raising $1 Million for the Children’s Miracle Network.  I woke up in the morning feeling extremely nervous.  You would think that it wouldn’t bother me to talk in public anymore about Jack and our families journey and it really doesn’t.  This time was different because I was getting the opportunity to thank Adrian Wilson for being such a strong supporter of Jack and that is something I have never been able to do in a public manner.  Adrian always helps us with fundraisers and when Jack was first diagnosed, his family and friends did so much for us but never wanted to make a big fuss over it.  He said at the shave off in an interview when someone asked him about all the people who came out to see him at the event that the people weren’t there for him, that the people were there for Jack.  He said that he was there to show support and do what he could do help and that all the people came to do the exact same thing.  He said, “I have nothing to do with this, Jack did this.”  He is a very humble person and family comes first and I happen to like that!

Not only was I getting a chance to let 1,000 people know how much we appreciate the Wilson’s, but I was going to be able to let those 1,000 people know how much I appreciate them.  How thankful I am that they make it a priority to raise as much money as they can for the hospital.  That the funds that they raised make a huge difference and with this year already off to a good start, they will continue to be making positive changes at PCH.  Because of people like them, PCH has grown to be the 2nd largest children’s hospital in the country.  Because of people like them, PCH will be able to expand and build a bigger and better ER which they are so in need of.  So this time was different, I wasn’t sharing Jack’s story, I was giving thanks and I can tell you that is a bit emotional.

My mom is in town so she was able to come with Jack and I to the event and that was exciting because my Mom hasn’t been to anything yet that we have done post treatment.  We arrived at the stadium and walked through the back tunnel which was pretty cool!  Jack was pretty shy but he did like seeing the big stadium from the tunnel where the guys run through and thought the place was HUGE!  We met back in a room while the event got under way and we were able to spend time with Adrian, his wife, Alicia, Evon, and Garrett.  I can tell you that these people truly are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.  Usually when I see them we are at an event or just in passing and we don’t get to sit down and talk but this time we were able to and it was good.  Nothing in particular…just talking.  When they got ready to go out to stage and the nerves kicked up again and then I was kindly reminded by Adrian…”There are A LOT of people out there.”  Thanks.  Appreciate that.

We entered stage as they played “Firework” and of course my eyes welled up.  They didn’t know that song was one that we celebrate to when Jack has clear scans, but they thought it would be a good one to play for our entrance.  Adrian spoke to everyone and made a big announcement and then introduced Jack and I.  Jack walked with me to center stage and stood by me when I spoke…or trembled really!  He was still shy and just looked around at everyone holding on to my pants.  I didn’t have my “speech” down pat and was shaking through the whole thing and of course I cried, but I did it.  I was able to say thank you and that is what I was there to do.  It really wasn’t as bad as I am making it sound, it went well and when we were done we walked off and took pictures and then we were pretty much on our way.

It was a good day and I am happy we did it.  I don’t think I could ever turn down the opportunity to spread awareness of Neuroblastoma or do something to support PCH.  This is the place that saved our sons’ life and for that we will be forever thankful.

Before we left to head down to the stadium, I got a call from the radiology department to set up Jack’s next set of scans…already?!?!  Jack will be getting injected with the MIBG solution on the 15th of May with a CT and MIBG scan on the 16th.  We will be meeting with Dr Eshun on the morning of the 18th (happy birthday to me!) and hopefully celebrating that night!  When these scans come back clear, we won’t have to get another set until November!  We will be doing random urine tests in that 6 months just to keep our minds at ease during such a long time of not having scans.

We are heading out to the dentist this morning for both boys!  Jack has a normal cleaning but I am wondering what the dentist will say because even after all that work he had done a few months back, I am noticing that his teeth look like they are starting to get cavities again and we are very good about brushing so we will see.  Braden will be having his first checkup today and that should be interesting!  I am sure we will have to use bribery in some sort of fashion.

Get your bracelets today!!  For a minimum $5 donation, we will send you one of these bracelets that we all wear so you too can show your support!  They are bring green (Jack’s favorite color) with the letters being glow in the dark!  We have both medium (what I wear) and large sizes (what Zac wears) so please be sure to tell us which one you want!  Just click on the donate tab and make your donation today…when you do, be sure to note what size you want.  If you have any questions you can email me at lmorton@thejackmortonfoundation.org

Thank you!!!

I have started and stopped many posts over the last week and really don’t know where to begin or what to even say!  Our days used to be so full of new information, test results, new medical terms, or updates on the kids in general with doctors appointments and now they are filled with the ins and outs of being 2 and 4 and that’s about it!  I am not complaining at all, I just don’t have a whole lot to fill you all in on that isn’t just our day to day lives!

One thing that is important that I do want to start off talking about is the Children’s Miracle Network and PCH.  For those of you who don’t know, the Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals across North America. Each year, the 170 hospitals in the network provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind. Since its founding in 1983, Children’s Miracle Network has raised more than $2.7 billion in support of these hospitals.

This national charitable effort is unique in that 100 percent of the money raised will stay in the community to support the local children’s hospital, which means Phoenix Children’s Hospital receives all of the funds raised in the northern two-thirds of Arizona.  One of the networks big sponsors is Wal-Mart.  PCH is having a rally for WalMart to celebrate their record breaking $1 million campaign and kick off the new campaign year. PCH is so very appreciative of Walmart as they were the valley’s first $1 million campaign!

If you missed it, Adrian Wilson was on the news last week speaking about his involvement with PCH, The Children’s Medical Network, and of course…Jack!  As most of you know, Adrian has been a strong supporter of Jack and our family from the very beginning when he first heard of Jack being diagnosed with cancer.  I am sure a lot of you were at the “shave-off” event that we had two years ago where Adrian and Steve Breston came out and shaved heads to raise money for our foundation.  Adrian is going to be speaking at this event next week and Jack and I will be going with him to show our support and give our thanks to PCH, Children’s Miracle Network, and of course the many people of WalMart who have continued to raise so much money for the hospital.  We are very excited (and a tad nervous as this event is for 1,000 people!) and honored that we would be asked to go.  If you want to help make a difference, please text HAND to 50555.  This simple text will send a $5 donation to Phoenix Children’s.  Thank you so much ahead of time for your donation as it helps support all of the families and patients at PCH!

On to home news!

Jack is doing really well in school and it is really exciting really.  He is writing really well and learning how to sound out words to spell them on his own.  He has learned 10 site words this week (he recognizes them on site and knows what they say) and that is HUGE!  He is really loving being there and I think he will be more than ready for kindergarten and that is all thanks to his amazing teacher.  She has helped to really tansition Jack in to the “normal” life of a 4 year old with such ease.  He used to be so shy at school and frankly didn’t really want to listen at all because his world for the last 2 years has been just about him and when he said jump, we asked how high.  He wasn’t used to following directions and sitting with other kids his age and now he is totally different.  He is good at school and great at learning.  He is proud of himself and all that he has accomplished and that’s amazing all in itself.

Braden is doing great…running around and talking more and more each day.  He LOVES to constantly run and kick a ball and go up and down hills while doing so.  He has great coordination and I think we will be enrolling him in his first “sports” lessons shortly!  He isn’t interested at all in getting out of a diaper so that has been a struggle, but he will do it eventually!

I have been busy being a mom and a wife and trying my hardest to learn how to run this Foundation with great success.  A thank you letter came in the mail yesterday from another special someone from PCH and it really was such a suprise to get it.  I don’t know why I would be shocked to get a thank you note from her considering she is such a caring person, but I was shocked.  It made me feel like we are doing the right thing and although I am sure we will make mistakes along the way, we will learn from them and keep fighting for Jack and all the children that have been affected by Neuroblastoma.  We believe in it and we know you do too.

Zac is busy working but he is home as often as he can be.  His relationship with the boys keeps growing deeper and deeper and it’s so great to see.  He is a great daddy and the boys know this.  They light up when they see him and so does he.  He is being very supportive with all that we are doing and he knows how crazy it can be around here.  After we left the comedy event, he told Nikki and I how proud he was of us for how we pulled it all off (with the help of so many!) and how he can’t even really begin to imagine all the work that goes in to events like this.  Just wait until next year…it will be much bigger!!  I am thankful for having him and for having his support.  I am not sure how I would do this all without him!

Ok, for not having a lot to say, I have said a lot!  Good night and please don’t forget to text HAND to 50555

Jack went off to school today and celebrated St Patricks Day…just so you know, there wasn’t a leprechaun caught at school so he is really looking forward to seeing if he catches one tomorrow morning in his “trap”!  I picked him up and headed down to Braden’s cardiology appointment.  On my way there I realized it was my first time going to a doctors appointment (other than the pediatrician) by myself in a long time.  In the beginning I was fine with doing it all alone, but come transplant time for Jack, I felt as if I needed someone with me all the time at the doctors.  Silly, probably, but it was just another little milestone that we are passing…I am ok with doing this alone again if I have to…yes, this is a good thing in case you are wondering!

Jack, B, and I got there and Braden wasn’t thrilled about it at all!  He refused to get on the scale so I had to weigh myself and then hold him to get his weight.  Once in the room he didn’t want to do the EKG so we moved on to the echo which was also not his favorite!  I had him lying on me while I tried to distract him with every single object and snack that I could pack in my purse but that didn’t help all too much.  Needless to say, by the time we were done with the echo, we were both covered in that wonderful gel that they use for ultrasounds and I was totally sweating.  Back in to the room we went and soon Kristi (love her!) comes in with the great news that Braden has decided to grow his own tissue in his heart and close up his hole!  There is all new, fresh tissue there and a very, very small hole that doesn’t even go all the way through so guess what…no more cardiology appointments for the Big B!!  Very happy about this!!  One more thing crossed off the list for my miracle babies!!

Did I mention that it was also nap time that we were at the doctors??  In all honestly, the kids were great and they are running around now playing with new  Mario guys that they got so they are pretty happy.  Happy Friday to you all and happy soon to be birthday to my husband…he turns 23 (wink, wink) on Sunday…I know, we look so young, right?!

It has been awhile since I have done a post about something other than the event that we were putting on, and not that there is anything wrong with that, but I have been struggling with what I actually want to say.  I am sure you don’t really care to hear about our daily life activities so there hasn’t really been a need to write about much but, I feel like I have learned so much in the past few weeks that it would take an entire novel to get it all out.  So instead of telling you what I ate for breakfast, I will start with this…

The other day I was home playing with Jack and Braden and were were having a total tickle match.  This consists of Jack “tickling” which really feels more like scratches from a cat but you can’t help but laugh instead of howl in pain!  Braden runs at you with his little fingers yelling “tikle, tikle, tikle” and laughs so darn hard.  I had Braden on his back tickling his tummy while Jack was jumping on my back laughing so hard and I had a moment when I was smiling and just looked and listened.  I looked into Braden’s eyes…I mean, really looked and stared and to cry.  He is so happy.  So innocent.  So “not damaged” by the lack of precesnse that Zac and I had in his first year and a half of life.  I looked in to his eyes and felt as if the wind had been knocked out of me.  Believe me, I have looked at his big blue eyes many times in the past 2 years and soaked them up, but this time was different.  There is so much behind the eyes of a 2 year old.  So much to learn and so much wonder.  It is as if you can try to catch a gimpse of his future and wonder what those eyes will look like when they are 30.  In that 30 seconds I listened…just listened to Jack and his voice and his laugh.  I thought for that split second, “What in the hell would I do if I never heard that again?  Would I be in a nut house?  Would I be lying in bed?  What would I do if it was only me and Braden playing the tickle game and there wasn’t Jack jumping on my back?  I can’t believe it has been 2 years…only 2 years since the Devil knocked at our door and just listen to how great he is.”  I know…a bit intense for a 30 second span, but it is the truth.  If you are a parent, have you ever really looked in to your childs’ eyes…really looked?  Have you ever soaked up the laughter like it was the last time you would ever hear it?  I am not sure if this comes because I have had a glimpse of what it would be like if I never saw those eyes again or heard that laughter, but I know that I will never forget either one of them.

I got an email last night from someone who is so important in our lives.  I am sure some of you can pick up on who it is, but this person wrote me and told me that we are doing is “so much to spread awareness and that it is huge in his opinion.”  He told me that he was thankful to be invited to the event and he had such a great time.  His support means the world to us and his opinion means even more.  As I drove Jack to school this morning I replayed the email in my head.  I replayed Jack’s laughter and I thought about Braden’s eyes.  I have never been so sure of what I was brought here to do in my entire life.  Going through high school and college you are always asked, “What do you want to do?  What job do you want?  What do you want to be?”  I never really knew and now I know why.