Hot as They Come!

Wings over radiation any day! When given the option of listening to your favorite music while a laser pin points the exact spot to induce the radiation into your tumor,... or go for some super hot wings with a dill spear chaser, the choice is easy. "Extra pickles please," Hannah is known for requesting the extra dill spears every time we take a trip to our favorite wings spot, Wings Etc.

This is probably why she jumped so high when we listened to the voice message left by Darla, the manager of Wings Etc. at Benton Harbor, "We love your family and would love to host a signing here."

"We have a special gift for Hannah," Darla sat across from me today outlining plans for the book signing. I actually know what the "special" is but because I have a 12 year old who loves to read the blog, I'm not at liberty to say - only that it's really really cool! I wanted to leap across the table and give Darla a giant hug, but I fear that social boundaries might be over-stepped. So instead, I just sat there in my high bar seat and fought back the water welling up in my eyes. It just seems overwhelming to have such a tremendous support of people that I knew, but yet don't truly know.

Then Darla hit me with another overwhelming gift, "We would like to take part of the proceeds and donate them to a charity you wold like to name." So,... to recap the past five minutes of our meeting, Wings has a special gift for Hannah AND they would like to give a part of their proceeds to a charity we name. "We would handle all the marketing for the book signing with emails and posters as well," Darla was laying out the plan and I was trying to soak in the generosity of it all.

We concluded our meeting with a hand shake - which again, I was thinking I wanted to hug this wonderful lady who just offered to do SO much. As I walked to the car, I couldn't help but smile - the kind of smile you get after just winning a state championship (you just can't help yourself because there's no removing it).

We are signing books at Wings Etc. on September 17 from 5 to 9 PM. We hope you can make it.

Circle of Faith

"You have to meet Axel," is what I was told back in June during our last visit at the Mayo Clinic.

I had heard about Axel and that he was battling rhabdomyosarcoma (rab-doe-my-O-sar-co-ma). I knew that Hannah's cancer was termed non-rhabdo, but I had to go look up what the rhabdo part actually was: A fast-growing, highly malignant tumor which accounts for over half of the soft tissue sarcomas in children. It grows in soft tissue areas of the body and tumors can appear in many locations.

After meeting Axel and his mom in the hospital that day, I instantly became connected with his story. It amazes me still that while I don't know any more about a person than the time we may spend chatting in a hospital room or hallway, you connect on a level that escapes most people,... cancer has that power to connect. You know their worries, their fears, their struggle, and their strength in faith. In reading Axel's journal (written by his mom) this morning, he is moving into a hospice care situation. The fear flairs up in me and a pit grows in my stomach,.. for a boy that I met one day has touched me without even knowing it. His mom writes: Thursday, August 20th confirmed our worst fears of a recurrence of the rhabdomyosarcoma. Do not feel that your prayers have not worked, or not been answered, for indeed they have. God has been good to us. The last year and eight months have been truly wonderful including and despite Axel's medical inconveniences. It is just now apparent to us, that Axel, as the medical miracle, is not meant to be. Please give us some space, and a tiny bit more time.

Please keep Axel, a boy you've never met, in your prayers today.

Off to The Livery

This TUESDAY,... at The Livery,... it's follow the SIGNS time. As you cross the bridge from Saint Joe and head into downtown Benton Harbor you may notice something along the lines of there being no road! Not to panic,... if you can read and drive at the same time, you've got it made. If that seems to be difficult, bring a co-pilot. Heck, bring a co-pilot anyway! I suppose since your heading to a microbrewery the correct term would be called wingman or wingwoman. Wait, that doesn't sound accurate, "Hey,... Kim! You know how when two guys are going to a bar, one is called the wingman!"

"Yeah!"
"Well, what's it called when there a two girls?" a slight pause filled the air as I contemplated repeating the question at a louder level since she was all the way across the house.

Finally, her answer returned, "I have no idea!"

So there you have it. We have no idea of the social identity of one female friend to another when attending a microbrewery / bar.

Anyway,... as I was saying - just follow the signs posted LIVERY and you will go directly to it... wingperson or not.

Reviews are Rolling In

Time Out has wrapped up it's first book signing at Mammina's at Edgewater with overwhelming support from the Mammina staff and the community.

While we haven't reached the best seller list, our first intention is to share a story that readers can draw inspiration, hope, understanding, and even some insight into the world of childhood cancer from a family's perspective.

Like the blog where readers can make a connection through comments, readers of Time Out have been posting on my Face Book and sending in emails. The response is terrific. If you have found something you enjoyed about the book or care to share your thoughts on it, please email or jot down a note on Facebook.

For now, here are what others have to say:

I received the book today and I DON'T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN!!!! It is awesome!!!!!

I think you should send it to Oprah and Ellen Degeneras !!!! I am speechless!!!

Thank you so much!

When you think of a cancer story you automatically think it's going to be sad. BUT IT'S NOT! This is great! The humor mixed in with the story is wonderful and I find myself reading it out loud to others.

What an inspiring and exciting book... full of passion for life. Thank you for sharing your story with us! God Bless.

AWESOME BOOK!!! Read it cover to cover ... Didn't even stop to feed the family!

I finished reading it - what an inspirational story. I passed it on to a friend already. Does that mean I should pay you double?






This has been such an inspirational story that I needed to share it with a family member who's going through cancer and needs to read something so uplifting.

I have been reading Time Out today but I have to stop so much cause my glasses fog up. What a touching story.

Looking for a Sign

We've been consumed with 'business' lately. It seems that once you begin selling books, you become a small business. Along with being a small business comes the responsibility of knowing what is all needed for a small business. Reminds me a bit of that economic class I took one summer in college. It was painful then as it's painful now. The only difference is, I no longer have the luxury of screwing up the books and just writing it off to a B on my report card. Okay,.. B-,.... C (there, I finally broke).

"So, did you record your mileage?" Kim had just returned from a run to Office Depot to pick up a ledger, in order to better track our incoming and outgoing money. "No," she replied, as if I were hounding her on the importance of recording mileage for the sake of tax season - and I was, just for the record.

Business aside, I've received feedback from those who have finished the book, and,... it's the purpose more than the bottom line that matters. If this book can give hope through faith to those who are in their darkest of times, then it's been worth it. It's also a reminder of true grace every time I sign a book and then pass it on to Hannah. To be able to have her name right by mine on the book is such a blessing - I don't imagine too many fathers can say that they had a chance to hold a book signing with their daughter. What a miracle, what a gift!

If you were wondering what these photos have to do with my writing for today - there's absolutely nothing. It's rare that you see one, let alone three priests walking the beach, on a hot, 90 degree day. Three guys of God, enjoying the day and taking in the wonders. It doesn't get any better.

Beach Sitting