Crawford Funeral Home

When Mom worked at Cashway she met Bill as a customer; she liked Bill a lot, and would say things like "When I die, you take me to Bill."

So, when she started getting really sick there was no question in our minds which funeral chapel in Watertown we would use. Given that our entire family had used White, Comes & Fox prior to this funeral, it was a little bit of really unfamiliar territory for us. Crawford exceeded any expections we had, and then did a little extra on top of it, they were wonderful. I can't sing them enough praise.

Picking things out for her, there was never any pressured sales, and it was all about what we wanted as a family. They went the extra mile when her casket didn't come in the way we ordered it - well actually the extra 100 miles (200 round trip) to get the right one from Sioux Falls the day of her viewing. We picked things we knew she would like, and that didn't completley break the bank.

And when picking her hearse, it was pretty exciting to find this bad boy in their garage...

She went out in style...

Thank you Crawford, for everything.

Okay is OK

After speaking with Shannon and Kathy AND MOM yesterday - she's recovering remarkably well.

We can't thank you enough for your thoughts and prayers - the support from you all is what gets us through the scary parts.

All our Love,
A

Monday = No Fun Day

Mom went into the doctor this afternoon because she was feeling under the weather.

She's been fighting of Pneumonia (again) and she has a ton of fluid on her body (again) but mostly around her heart (Boo)!

So, Dr. Horn said the dreaded words ... and off to Sioux Falls Hospital we go!

So, Mom's on her way to spend the night in Sioux Falls - Dr. McHale was hoping that they'd get to work on her right away tonight if she got down there fast enough.

I haven't heard anything - So I'm assuming that she's there and all checked in.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers as she heads in for her 3rd stay in the hospital with this.

Also, Please put on your calendar April 3rd - there are plans for a Benefit to help Mom pay off some of the hospital bills. There will be details to come, but I wanted to start getting the word out there!
♥ abby

Let the Fundraising Begin!

Dear Family and Friends,

Mom has had a great year, and continues to fight her Cancer; hard. Her Two year mark is on June 11th and with summer just around the corner and it’s almost time for the American Cancer Society’s Highline Relay for Life. You may remember hearing from me the past couple summers, as I became passionately involved in this event to honor my Mom by raising money and awareness to help make a difference in the fight against cancer. Thanks to all of your generous support our team The Hope Corps was able to raise $4,500 in 2010!!!

This year I am volunteering on the committee that plans the relay as well as participating as a team captian for the Hope Corps Team to participate in the 18 hour relay on June 11th. My fundraising goal of $1,000 for this year’s Relay is even greater than my goal last year, and I really need your help to meet this challenge.

Being 1,500 miles away from my Mom is hard, and my way to help is to Relay in her honor.
I fight for my Mom and with my Mom by raising money for the American Cancer Society!

I can’t reach my goal without you!
I am asking you to please consider a donation to help me reach my fundraising goal for Relay for Life. If you’re able to donate $1 or $100; every penny counts!
The online donation page can be found here
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY11GW?px=18759155&pg=personal&fr_id=33977

If you have a loved one who has or is fighting cancer, please send me thier name and what type of cancer - I would love nothing more than to light a luminaria on the track for their memory or honor.

Thank you so much for your continued love and support, You are the best!Love, Abby

Kelly & Kristi

Thank you.
I don't know what else to say other than, Thank you.
What a blessing you are in our lives!
Thank you for taking care of Mom the way you do... and thank you for keeping the smiles on your faces!
You two are wonderful and I was so happy to have been able to meet you!
:)

Going Strong

There's something beautiful about being home with your Momma.
I spent the first week of the year with her, and it was the best. week. ever.
I haven't had a chance to blog much - I haven't been real inspired.

I do have to say that I'm pretty happy there hasn't been much news over here. Posting news here can have good and bad connotations, so I'd rather not have to blog than be posting frequently.

Mom is doing well.
She's continuing Chemo in hopes that it will zap some of the Cancer inside of her body.
She's pretty tired most days, but has been working only 30 hours a week (as opposed to her 45+ she has been working). She's been living with Kathy & Todd, and it's helped her exponentially to be around people, and not have to worry about heating that damn trailer house ($244 this month and NO ONE WAS LIVING IN IT).


We had an excellent visit, and I'm working on a little piece about my visit with her to Chemo appointment, her nurses are a hoot!In more news... Missy Sinner took these fantastic photos of us while I was there.
Thank you Missy... from the bottom of our hearts... Thank you.

Merry Christmas

Thank you for your overwhelming love and support this year!

On behalf of my family I wish you the very best and Merry Christmas!

All our Love,

Abby

Bragging Rights

Last night at the Relay committee meeting I learned about our amazing success as a Relay Team in 2010!

The Hope Corps is #6 in the top #10 fundraising teams for Highline Relay for Life. There were 35 teams and we were #6!!! We raised $3,665!!!!

The Hope Corps has many amazing Members, but one in particular, raised $1,425 all by her lonesome... Lets give it up for Becky Marchitto who has earned her "Grand Club Tee shirt"

We will be honored at the 2011 Relay for Life Kick off party at Mt. Rainier High School Theater at 7pm. Because we rock like that.

However, we couldn't have done it with out you ... the supporters!
Thank you ... Thank you... THANK YOU!!!

Also, Mom is doing good. She's been taking the week off to heal up... and feeling better, Much better. She has also moved in with Kathy for the winter to keep on the mend!

Thanks again,

Love Me.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today and everyday we are thankful for your love and support in Mom's journey.

Thank you for your prayers, and good thoughts as we head into the new year.

All our Love,

Abby & Family

Oil Change!

Mom went in for her post-chemo check up today and her hemoglobin was low (still). The Doctor decided to order her up some blood to help her get some of her energy back! Kind of like getting an oil change for the body... right?

She'll be receiving it tomorrow morning and she told me it's a lot like checking into an outpatient procedure at the hospital.

She will probably nap during a large portion of the transfusion!

Keep her in your thoughts, prayers and good vibes that it helps with the punky feelings she's been having!

Thank you for all your support!

-a

Back to the Grindstone!

Mom’s back at home, back at work, and back at Chemo. She starts her first of three ‘maintenance’ chemo treatments today, and I know she was NOT looking forward to it one bit. She says she’s sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Keep the prayers coming! We’re going to beat this yet!
love, Abby

Bronze Team Fundraising Club

Okay, So I knew The Hope Corps was a good group of people, but tonight we recieved an award from the American Cancer Society which teams recieve when they raise at least $1,500 (With an average of $125 per team member).

We are a Bronze Team! The best part of this news is that we're a mere $85 dollars from reaching silver! If you have it in you to help us make our goal PLEASE, donate to our cause. Just click here to donate to our team, or click on any one of our profile's individually to donate to a teammate.

Our Very own Becky Marchitto is just $65 away from reaching "The Grand Club" which is a pretty awesome honor one recieved when they hit $1,000!

Just a little update from the meeting, I'm on cloud nine!

My Mom's coming tomorrow! Yay!

Statistics!

I just wanted to share a few Statistics of the Hope Corps for you...

There are 14 teammembers

We've (so far) Raised $2,415!

We've had 45 different people donate to our cause.

I'm so impressed.

Thanks Be To GOD!

Look at this... 2 Happy Dance posts with in weeks of each other! What a wonderful feeling!

Mom's Biopsies came back from the lab CANCER FREE!

She's going to do just a little bit more "Maintenance Chemotherapy" to keep things away, but that's not until after her trip to Seattle NEXT WEEK!

We've got a lot to be thankful for, and couldn't have done it with out your support!

Humbly, I thank you all.

Another big THANK YOU goes out to

Carol Ervin

for her donation to relay!

We're floating on cloud 9!!!

Have a Happy Weekend!

Survivors Wanted

If you've ever heard the words... "You Have Cancer" you're a Survivor!

Relay for Life is about many things, but most importantly it's about celebrating the lives of the people who have fought the battle against Cancer, both young and old.

My Mom is gearing up to proudly walk the survivor lap, wearing her purple shirt and walking around the track with others who have walked a similar path. She will be applauded as she walks, and I'm sure between Brenda, Kathy & Myself there won't be a dry eye on Team Hope Corps.

It's a touching moment... and we want to celebrate you!

If you're a survivor in the Highline/Burien/Seattle/Des Moines area Please, let me know... I would love to get you involved and celebrate you!

All my Love,

Abby

Thank you!

Another Thank you to go out to a few people...

Aileen Krohn

and

Kay & Scott Warnock

Thank you SO much for your support of Relay for Life & the ACS!

And my Mom :)!

We Hit Our GOAL!!!!!!!!!

The Hope Corps has officially raised $1,120 in the fight against cancer for the American Cancer Society! I'm so Proud.

In that same note, a Big thanks to
Mark & Tammy Ohnstad

for their donation today...

and

Ron Marchitto

for his donation today which put us over the top of our goal!

Wow... A million thanks... thanks... thanks :)

-a

Thank you Thank you Thank you

I really Love posting all these thank you notes for donations...

The Hope Corps is 88% of the way towards our goal, a special thanks to

Patsy Leon-Garvin

and

Krina & Mark Johnson

For their donations this week!

Keep it coming guys ... we're SO close!

-a

Here's the LINK for donating ... if you're interested :o)

Team Donation #2

We recieved another Team donation for the Hope Corps!

Thank you to

Mindy Sherwood-Lewis!

We're 80% of the way to our goal and 35 days left to make it happen!

Thank you for your support :)

The First Donation!

Our First Team Donation rolled in today from

Mike & Mary Steenberg!

Thanks so much for your support...

Only $255 to go till we hit our team goal!

Hooray!