Sunday Sustenance

"You will make all kinds of mistakes; but as long as you are generous and true and also fierce you cannot hurt the world or even seriously distress her. The world was meant to be wooed and won by youth."

 - Winston Churchill

Team M&W - Update 2

I wanted to add some words my sister, Kristen, sent regarding the Great Strides Walk:

“What an amazing day we had walking in memory of Marisa and Wellesley!  I loved being a part of it.  It was neat that even one of Wellesley's friends was with us, and a family that Marisa was a nanny for.  I had the chance to meet one of Anne's (Marisa's mom) friends who came to show her support, and she told me that she regrets not knowing Marisa better, but how she loves to be around Anne and ‘soak up her light.’  I told her, that's exactly how we all felt about Marisa.

There was a definite sense of ‘emptiness’ while we all gathered again, this time, to walk in honor of Marisa & Wellesley.  But I know how thrilled Marisa would be to know we raised more than triple our original team goal and that we were doing it for her, except she wouldn't have wanted us to go to the trouble.  I think it's important to note that Scott's original fundraising goal was only $500, then he upped it to $1,000 thinking even that was a bit lofty.  Thanks to you all, he finished with over $3,000!  A big heartfelt thank you to all of you who donated, despite being strangers to the cause. 

This was a small way for us to honor her and acknowledge the impact she has had on each of our lives.  So THANK YOU for making that happen!”

Again, from the bottom of all of our hearts…  thank you.

Team Marisa & Wellesley - Update

First, from Scott:

"Sunday's Great Strides Walk drew about 1,000 people to Tempe Town Lake in Tempe, Arizona.  Many of the walkers wore shirts memorializing their lost loved ones, others still images reflecting the object of their current inspiration.  Team Marisa & Wellesley all wore turquoise bandanas to show our unification.  Our team numbered at about 30.

<  Scott, with our niece, Maddy, & sister, Kristen.

Marisa used to attend these walks as well, to show support and sense of community.  She would rile up the troops, get them all excited, commit to doing the walk, then 1/4 of the way in... she would duck out the side – she'd cough up some stuff and we'd either press forward again or skip right to the end.  I missed having her by my side this time... and me running to hers, panting (usually harder than she was, and I really never had an excuse!)  We raised a lot of money, and everyone was so generous and thoughtful to contribute through each of us as walkers for the team.  We exceeded our cumulative goal, and I want to thank everyone close and far, friend or stranger, for acknowledging through donations what she meant to the world and the people who were lucky enough to have known her personally.  Thank you, thank you."

I’m ecstatic to announce that Scott was able to raise (with your help) $3,071 (exceeding his $3,000 goal) and the entire team raised $6,532.10 (exceeding the team goal of $5,000)!!

Thank you for caring… for your amazing generosity and sweet support of this important cause.  Scott couldn’t have raised so much without you.  Thank you for helping me to honor Marisa, and her sister, Wellesley, in this way.  This means the world to me, my brother, and my family.  Thank you, thank you! 

 

Connor :: May 2011

…so far! 

(Because you know it will be November before I got around to posting these, if I waited!)

Connor attempts to entertain himself while we’re in the office… not usually very successfully!

Chillin’ on the back patio – May 17, 2011

Really looking forward to Uncle Scott’s visit in June!

Small…Medium…Large.  Connor (2yrs) & his buddies – G (3.5), A (4) – May 19, 2011        (Eyes & names obscured to help protect their privacy.)

Such a handsome boy! – May 19, 2011

 

Connor :: April 2011

Loves Daddy’s Mickey Mouse from childhood – April 4, 2011

“You will do what I want, Mommy!” – April 5, 2011

Naturally, he loves the Golden Arches’ chicken nuggets and french fries.  Dipped in ketchup, of course.  A rare treat for a really good boy. – April 11, 2011

Kinda like Ross.

Connor loves these ratty, lens-less glasses… especially during mealtimes.  Brian likes to call him, “Mr. Peabody”.

April 21, 2011

Connor loves the “bouncy cars” at the mall.  Connor doesn’t love the dousing of hand sanitizer he receives afterwards. – April 22, 2011

POCKETS! – April 25, 2011

We enrolled Connor in a pre-preschool class at the Park District (6 weeks of a 1-hr class per week).  He loves going to “school”.

 

Connor :: March 2011

Joe Cool, loves to wear sunglasses! – March 21, 2011

Sweet profile, but he sure needed a haircut… – March 21, 2011

Any chance he gets… his pants are on the ground.

Those Sunday ads… make him one happy kid! – March 28, 2011

 

Connor :: February 2011

“I’m a lumberjack, and I’m OK…” – February 10, 2011

February 12, 2011

Checking e-mails with Daddy – February 22, 2011

Connor :: January 2011

The next several posts are my attempt to get a little caught up…  attempt being the key word!  Mostly pictures, with just a few words.  And, mostly for the grandparentals.  :)

First Play-Dough experience – January 4, 2011

LOVES his little green car!

Connor LOVES the Sunday ads.  If we let him, they’d be strewn about the house every day of the week.  He enjoys looking at the pictures but his favorite things to point out are the logos for products.  He’s a brand savant – no joke. 

January 18, 2011

Sunday Sustenance

“Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.”

- Rick Warren

Last chance!

Over 16,400 downloads of the Team Marisa & Wellesley Printables to date!  WOW!

Scott only has $298 left to reach his goal of raising $3,000 for the Great Strides Walk to benefit cystic fibrosis.

At last check, Team Marisa & Wellesley was #4 on the list of top fundraising teams for Sunday’s Walk.  Number 4! 

Just 2 more days until the walk… just 2 more days to donate… just 2 more days to download this series of printables.

I’ve read that having cystic fibrosis is like breathing through a straw.  All.the.time.  I can’t even imagine what that must feel like (it’s bad enough being congested with a sinus infection)… and yet, so many of us take breathing easily for granted.  For a cystic fibrosis patient, their reality is struggling for each and every breath!

Marisa’s been gone just over 6 weeks now… and her sister, 10 years.  I know their family and close friends would love to imagine a world without cystic fibrosis.  A world where Marisa and Wellesley were still with us.

Marisa Johnson from Scott on Vimeo.

If you haven’t donated to Team Marisa & Wellesley yet, and would like to help make a difference in finding a cure for cystic fibrosis, please click on the button to the right.  Remember, no amount is too small!  

Thanks so much for your support – your kind words and very generous donations… it means more than you know!