Prayers for Emilie please....

There is a woman. A mother, wife, friend and family member to many.

She's 40... and just put into home hospice.

She has a baby not much younger than Jemima. Another son 2 years older.

I've been following her story for a couple of years. She is good friends with a friend of mine.

I feel sick, helpless and would shave my hair today if it could guarantee Emilie one more Christmas with her family.

Dear Graham

Its been 6 months since you've been gone.

Hayden stays with Nanny most weekends to keep her company and gets very upset when its time to come back home again.

Aurora has grown so much and Jemima is almost walking.

We still miss you so much.

Our first Christmas without you is going to be hard. Your record breaking paper hat will record no more years on it. You won't be playing your "Last Christmas" record until we threaten to break it in two anymore.

I hope you're smiling down on the shave that I'm doing. I know that you'd be behind me 110% if you were still here. Even if you thought I was crazy, I know that I'd still have you in my corner.

Most of all, I want to thank you. Thank you for helping to raise one of this world's greatest men. He may annoy me from time to time and I may draw on him in permanent ink if he passes out from too much alcohol, but he truely is a wonderful and loving husband and father to my children.

Walk the line, Pa.... walk the line.

Another soul gone too soon.

Kerryn McCann passed away today.

One of my Oct07 mums is currently waiting for news on her mothers surgery.

When did cancer become so prevalent in today's society.

I hate death.

Shearing sentiments...

I have often been told that I am crazy for wanting to do this.

Well, I'm certifiably crazy, but this is totally unrelated to that.

It is scary the amount of people who are affected by cancer. There are two beautiful mummies that I got to know during my third pg, who have close family members with recent diagnosis.

I may not be able to give you a hug in person K and J, but this is my own small way of letting you know that I care about you and want to help.

xxx

Boys will be boys...

Hayden got one up on me today.

Monday is swim lesson day. We wear our swimming togs to the pool. I asked him to grab his clothes so that he had dry clothes to change into afterwards.

He didn't, so neither did I.

After his lesson, I wrapped the towel around him and told him to sit there and 'air dry' seeing as he didn't bring his clothes. I jumped into the pool for Jemima's lesson.

At the end of the lesson, one of the other mothers nudges me in Haydens direction and laughs.

There is my lil man, stretched out in the sun, towel over his face and his hands were *ahem* otherwise entertained.

Such a boy.

Out of the mouths of babes....

Living with a 4.5yo male is fun. He is a law unto himself.

He got out of bed with the decision that he didn't want to live here anymore. He wants to go and live at Nanny's.

There was no getting through to him that this was his home and we were his parents.

So I let him pack.

He comes out all ready and dressed for his new life at Nanny's.

Only one issue... how was he going to get there? He's not old enough to drive, he doesn't know how to call nanny on the telephone and he can't even get out of the house due to childproofing and locked screens. And seeing as he didn't live here anymore, Rory and I mentioned that we weren't obligated to do any of those things for him.

He then decided that staying here for a few more years wouldn't be so bad.

Out of the mouths of babes....

Hayden is in a confused state at the moment.

This morning, he stated "Pa died and went to heaven".

He now thinks that heaven is a big hospital that the doctors will fix Pa and send him back.

If only it was that easy.

We all miss you Pa.

Thank you !

I've already been receiving lots of positive feedback about this blog and what it stands for.

Thanks for taking an interest and helping me stay on track to reach the goal.

Details for sponsorship will be posted as soon as I know anything.

Had a random thought tonight.... I've put my name down to do a 4km run as part of a corporate triathlon in April 2009.... maybe i'll do a better time with the streamlined scalp!

May his memory live on...

Nope, not going to be a soppy post.... you'll get enough of those from me.

This is going to be about the funny things that Graham did.

Falling out of a tree, getting bogged in a drought, falling into a fire (ok, not funny at the time, but comedy is tragedy plus time) where just some of the hi-jinx he found himself in.

The one that brings a smile to my face is the time that he lost our son Hayden.

He may beg to differ on the humour in the situation, but its a classic Gwahm moment.

Graham was babysitting Hayden whilst Rory and I were both at work. Hayden would have been about 16 months at the time.

After doing some cleaning, Graham decided to put Hayden down for a nap. Great idea, however finding Hayden was the problem. He wasn't in any of the usual places that you would find a young child.

Graham's heart started sinking. He lived on acreage with a waterway flowing alongside. Not exactly child friendly. On the other side was a major roadway, again, not child friendly. Which way would Hayden have headed first?

He raced down to the stream... no Hayden
He then raced to the major road... no Hayden

Thought was "What if someone has taken him?"

Cue racing back to the house to call us/the police/anyone

Grabbing the phone and going to sit on the couch, his eyes noticed something. Sticking out from behind the couch were 2 little feet... about 16 months old and attached to a gently snoring cherub.

Someone needed a good liedown after that... and it wasn't Hayden

And so it begins....

My application has been sent for the 2009 "Shave for a cure". No backing out now.


Little bit of background:

I'm Elle. Married to Rory with 3 beautiful children: Hayden (4), Aurora (3) and Jemima (1). We live just outside of Brisbane, Australia and share our house with a menagerie of animals.

In March 2008, we were devestated to find out that Rory's father had been diagnosed with secondary lung cancer. Graham went into hospital on his wife's 60th birthday in late May and passed away less than 2 weeks afterwards.

I wish that Graham could still be alive to see me complete this shave for a cure.

I wish that Graham could still be alive to play with his grandchildren.

I wish that I can raise enough money to prevent another family from losing someone special too soon.

Please come along my journey with me.

I am nervous about doing this, but its hair. I have a choice to lose it..... millions don't.