Ribbon Day

First let me just start off by saying how much I truly appreciate you all supporting my daughter’s efforts to get me to shave my head. Thanks…no really, thanks….now knock it off!!!!

Our friend Kay treated Peyton to a hair pretty today, the cutest little white bow with two tiny roses on it and she encouraged Peyton to pick a big showy one. However, Peyton’s take on it is “I have little hair, I need little bows!”

We went down to the Children’s Cancer Center this morning for our Little Tales fix. The first thing that happened was that the reps from the Badge Bowl came out to announce the family that would be the beneficiaries of this year’s charity game! Our friend Brooke Martin is a leukemia patient, her family has struggled over the past year with many of the issues that face a family with a health crisis. But mom Tiffany is so sweet and they have never complained, they are always smiling and it was just awesome to see their shock and amazement at being picked. My prayers are for a hugely successful event that will rock this family’s world.

Brooke at Flight Camp

Just for those who might have forgotten what Badge Bowl is: Tampa PD and Tampa Fire Fighters have a charity flag football game. They pick a family in the Tampa area who are dealing with childhood cancer and they give 2/3 of the proceeds of the money raised to that family. The other 1/3 goes to the Foundation of Courage. Last year’s Badge Bowl benefited our friend Jimmy, the one who got the mini extreme makeover that provided them with a new trailer, all new furniture and a huge helping hand in getting back on their feet. I just can’t wait to be a part of Badge Bowl this year, it’s going to be an extraordinary night.

I invite you all to come out and be a part of the fun. It’s on Dec 15th, at Wharton High School and it’s sure to touch your hearts and to be a great night.

After we got over the excitement of the Badge Bowl announcement, it was time for a more somber job.

We sat in the room where we’ve talked and laughed and cried with Lisa Deal for many months. We’ve shared our lives and our children’s struggles. Today, we sat and put together ribbons that will be worn tomorrow as she and her husband Shawn and their son Matthew say goodbye to their beloved Hannah. It was so hard to do. With every ribbon I put together I just thought of her sweet smile, the way her eyes lit up the day we put in her garden, the joy she just radiated throughout her too short life. I wish I’d taken a picture of the bows, they came out very pretty. We made special ones that were red and pink with tiny ladybug on them, as ladybugs will always be a part of who Hannah was. We made gold/pink and gold/red ribbons for all the other guests who will be there tomorrow to wear in her honor as red and pink were her favorite colors.

I was blessed to receive an email from a teacher who reads Peyton’s site and she shared that she had her students pray for these sweet kids. In honor of Hannah, they are all going to either wear red shirts or somehow incorporate pink into their uniforms. I would ask that you just take a moment tomorrow and say a prayer for Hannah’s family, maybe just take a moment of silence in your day to stop and think of the many blessings that you have and to thank God for His special grace.

I have to share with you that in making the ribbons, I found out something very important about myself.

I am dangerous with a hot glue gun.

These things should absolutely require a license and training. I can’t tell you how many times I glued a ribbon or a button to my skin. It hurt. A lot. Really a lot with the burning of the skin! So when I say a little piece of me is in every ribbon I put together, I mean that in the most literal way possible, I think there are probably little burnt pieces of my fingers on every ribbon.

f.r.o.G….fully relying on God
–Anissa

ps…We also wanted to just ask for prayer for a new friend Tim Lee. He is the man who is participating in the IronMan competition in Kona, Hawaii this Saturday. Again…2 miles swimming, 124 miles biking, 26 miles running….I don’t get it, but I fully admire it. He’s doing this in honor of a lost cancer child, Taylor Arrington and the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Let’s just pray for strength of both his body and heart as he undertakes this amazing event.

I once got a leg cramp on the way to the mailbox. I just don’t get it.

If anyone would like to send Tim a message of support, just send it through the Contact Me link and I’ll send it on to him!