thanks for the mammories

This entry is going to be a little different than most of my others. I like to think that I'm diligent in documenting both the important and special moments in Ethan's life and our journey together yet, that said, I feel this is one of the most important entries I've made to date. As vital as the moments themselves are in someone's life, so are the people who fill their world with love, hope and inspiration. This is a post about a couple of those people.

Ethan wants to introduce you to his friend, Maria. She was my friend first but Ethan quickly claimed her as his friend, too. Maria has that effect on people as everyone she encounters is eager to call her their friend. Maria is not only a fabulous friend, but she is a wife to her husband and a loving mother to her two teenage children. Maria is someone special to so many people and Ethan wants to to let everyone know that those words are the truth! After all, he doesn't laugh and giggle when just anyone holds him for the first time.

Maria has been such a friend to us and so many that it is no wonder she has an army fighting on her behalf as she undergoes treatment for breast cancer. Maria's diagnosis last November came as such a shock to so many. Cancer is probably the dirtiest word in the English language and one that hits all too close to home for me and my family. With a tough-as-nails two-month old little boy by my side, we are here to cheer Maria on as she beats this. Maria has so many people on her team cheering her on as she beats this. We love you, Maria!

I met Maria long before Ethan was in the picture and when he was just a want in my overly redundant life. We worked together years ago at an animal hospital along with another special friend of ours, Jenna.


Jenna is not only cheering on our dear friend Maria as she receives treatment for breast cancer, but she is also cheering on her mom. Jenna's mom, too, is a breast cancer patient just like three million other women in this country. Did you know that every three minutes, another woman is diagnosed?


Jenna decided that just cheering from the sidelines wasn't enough and so she is making the journey of a lifetime from Florida to New York City in October to participate in Avon's Walk For Breast Cancer event. Over the span of 2 days, Jenna and her teammates (their group is adorably named Thanks For The Mammories) will be walking 39 miles to raise money for breast cancer patients who need it most, fund educational programs and accelerate research towards treatment and potential cures. If that wasn't amazing enough, Jenna and the rest of the Thanks For The Mammories team announced that as of this morning they were only $40 shy of raising $6,500 for breast cancer.

On behalf of his beautiful friend Maria, Ethan asks you to please visit Jenna's team's page to donate and help take a stand against breast cancer. Every last dollar helps a cause that affects us all as women, mothers, wives, daughters, sisters and friends. In honor of those you love who are in treatment, are survivors, are affected by breast cancer, please donate. Even a single dollar is more funding to search for a cure and help to provide treatment for someone who needs it.

To read more about Jenna and her teammates as they train and prepare for their big journey to New York to tackle breast cancer and to make a donation, please click the banner below.




"Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops...at all."
-Emily Dickinson