December 21, 2010: Get Packin'!

Heaveno!

The bags are being packed as I write!  Tomorrow morning we leave the rain for the snow!  It is still raining here with only a few moments of a break since last time I wrote you.  Apparently, it's getting a little out of hand out here... flooding, mud sliding, etc.  Not much fun.



Ali is super excited to see her two cousins who live in Spain.  She hasn't seen them since she was 1, and, well, she doesn't quite remember that... I know, I know, a little early.  I can't remember the last time my mom, my sister and I all spent Christmas together.  It was a long time ago, that's all I know.  I am so grateful we can make this trip happen.



I'm thinking we should webcast Bella's Birthday Bash.  Makes sense, right?  Wouldn't you like to tune into a happy occasion for a change?  How many of you would attend if we did that?

Please comment with I WOULD!



If you are local, and you would be interested in helping plan the event, we'll be putting together a local planning committee right after the first of the year.  Please email me at Timothy@thedivineplanet.com and give me your best email and cell phone numbers so we can contact you in Jan!



If you are not local, if you would please still:  1) send prayers for Tripp and Daylon specifically, and 2) forward the youtube video of my speech to everyone and anyone you know and 3) let us know if there are any foundations or philanthropists you know of that might be a fit for our fundraising campaign.  If we stay connected as the community I hope we still are, we can all use our unique abilities to move EB into the curable column of diseases TOGETHER.  Are you still here?



Last, I have to share that I had a cancer patient today who was really down and out about the holidays.  Folks, do any of you get stressed out around Christmas?  Is it the presents thing, or the spending time with family thing, or the travel thing, or the missing loved ones who are gone thing?  There are potentially a lot of things to get stressed about this season.  There are also potentially a lot of things to be grateful for this season.  The thing is, it really is just as easy to be grateful as it is to be stressed.  In addition, you can be both.  So, I humbly ask that you remember what you are grateful for, and forget why you are stressed.  That doesn't mean don't attend to the minutiae and lists and details and errands... just choose not to stress over them.  (Dis)stress and gratitude are both within your control.  Yes, my heart aches for Bella, and yes, I am grateful for so much more at the same time.  The world changed a little because of Bella in it.  That is what I am grateful for.



Is the world going to change because you are in it?  
The answer is in your hands.

God night.