HOUSTON (Oct. 26) – Organizers of the Walk by Faith 5K Race/Walk are hoping the 10th edition of the event, held Nov. 11 at the University of Houston’s main campus, will be the best ever.

The race is the main fundraiser for Addi’s Faith Foundation, a Kingwood, Texas-based 501(c)(3) founded in 2007 by Tony and Amber Bender to honor their daughter Addison Faith Bender, who died of a cancerous brain tumor at age 2.

“We are thrilled to be celebrating our 10th walk,” said Amber Bender, Addi’s Faith’s Executive Director. “This event has become an annual tradition for many families who enjoy a fun-filled morning for a great cause. It’s definitely our biggest fundraiser, and over the years, this walk has generated almost $1 million. We hope to make this year’s race the biggest and best one yet. Our goal is to raise $250,000.”

Participants can register at www.WalkByFaith5K.org in one of five categories: timed adult/child 5K run/walk for $39, untimed adult 5K run/walk for $25, untimed child 5K run/walk for $15, a kids’ 1K Fun Run for $15 and a special “Sleepwalker” category for $50.

The Sleepwalker category is for those who live outside the Houston area or who can’t make it on race day or who simply want to donate.

Early registration ends Oct. 31 for the timed 5K event and the adult untimed event. It ends Nov. 10 for the children’s untimed race as well as the Fun Run.

The kids’ 1K Fun Run starts at 8 a.m. on Nov. 11, with the 5K start at 8:30 a.m.

“We’ll have the usual after party with awards, food, music, a kids’ zone with inflatables, face painting, spin art, games, etc.,” Bender said. “And the race is for all levels of participants, from competitive runners to walkers to kids of all ages.”

Participants who refer five people to the race will have their entry refunded. Also, the top individual fundraiser will receive special VIP access which includes: VIP tent with breakfast, coffee, and special snacks, VIP port-a-potty, up-close parking, and more.

The event is indeed a “Great Race for a Greater Cause.”

“Less than four percent of the National Cancer Institute budget is allocated towards pediatric research,” Bender said. “Four cents out of every dollar is simply not enough to make significant progress in the fight against childhood cancer. We want to ensure that children with cancer have a fighting chance and receive treatments that are less toxic and more effective. Childhood cancer looks different from adult cancers. It originates in different ways and therefore requires its own research.”

Major sponsors for the race are Shamrock Marine, Hines Furlong Line, Buffalo Marine Service, the University of Houston, Insperity, Christ the King church, Alspaugh’s Ace Hardware, Dormer Insurance Services, Allergy and ENT Services, The Tribune, Dr. Pepper and Panera Bread.
For more information on Addi’s Faith Foundation, visit https://addisfaithfoundation.org/.

 

HOUSTON (Oct. 25) – Addis’s Faith Foundation on Great Day Houston (KHOU 11)

By Melanie Feuk, Staff Writer Published 12:00 am CDT, Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Shana Koehler and Tee Bender sell T-shirts at the entrance of Kingwood High School so that people can wear them to show their support of pediatric cancer awareness during the Kingwood High School football game on Sept. 6.

Kingwood High School plans to “go gold” at the Mustangs’ first home football game at Turner Stadium scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 6.

September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and gold is the color assigned to pediatric cancer awareness. Mustangs fans are encouraged to trade Kingwood High’s traditional white and blue garb for gold during the Go Gold Game for Pediatric Cancer Awareness.

This inaugural event is coordinated in partnership with three local organizations — Addi’s Faith Foundation, Mothers Against Cancer and the L3 Foundation.

“We tried to do this last year, but then Harvey hit, so there were a lot of other things going on,” said Shana Koehler with Addi’s Faith Foundation. “But, we’re ready to go this year.”

Anyone who wishes to support the fight against childhood cancer and “go gold” may purchase “Gold Fight Win!” T-shirts at Kingwood High School during lunch hour, from 12 to 1 p.m., through Sept. 6. Volunteers will even have a shirt station in front of the main entrance.

“You don’t need to get out of your car — you can just drive up and buy a shirt,” Koehler said. “We also have a table in the cafeteria for the kids who want T-shirts.”

Shirts will also be available for purchase at the Kingwood Asplaugh’s from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 4, as well as at the football game. All shirt proceeds will benefit the Addi’s Faith Foundation, Mothers Against Cancer and the L3 Foundation in their fight against pediatric cancer.

Event organizers say their goal is to have a “sea of gold” at the game, as well as throughout the community during the entire month of September.

Koehler said the entire band and cheerleader squad plan to wear the gold shirts and the dance team intends to show their support by wearing gold ribbons.

“Imagine the hundreds of students wearing gold across the whole football field — it’s going to make a big statement,” Koehler said.

A video about pediatric cancer awareness will be shown at half-time with images and voices of children with cancer and people who support investing more into research and treatments for pediatric cancer.

“The focus is to spread awareness and get people to realize how little funding goes to pediatric cancer — they say 4 percent,” Koehler said. “We thought this would be a great way of getting teenagers aware of it and kind of branch out into another demographic.”

Another Go Gold Game is planned for the Sept. 14 Kingwood High School volleyball match.

“We are so appreciative of Kingwood High School for helping us,” Koehler said. “Student Council has been a huge help, the whole staff, coaches, the AV students helping us with the video; they were all eager to help with whatever we needed.”

Plans are also in the works to do Go Gold Games at Riverwood, Creekwood and Atascocita Middle Schools, Koehler said.

Event organizers intend to make this an annual occurrence and hope these events spread to even more Humble ISD schools.

For more information, visit www.goldfightwin.org.For more information, visit www.goldfightwin.org.

mfeuk@hcnonline.com

LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE

KINGWOOD, Texas (Aug. 23) – A unique partnership will be launched this month when Back Pew Brewing debuts a special beer in support of Addi’s Faith Foundation, a charity dedicated to ending childhood cancer.

“Addi’s Faith Kolsch” will debut to the public at the Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival on Aug. 31-Sept. 2 in Galveston, Texas. “Addi’s Faith Kolsch” will then be available in September in H-E-B and Kroger stores in the Houston area, as well as select restaurants and bars in the region.

Proceeds from the sales of “Addi’s Faith Kolsch” will be donated to Addi’s Faith Foundation.

“We’re pretty excited to have one of our local breweries here put out a craft beer for our foundation in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which is in September,” said Amber Bender, co-founder and executive director of Addi’s Faith Foundation. “That’s when we’re launching the beer. It’s going to be local to the Houston region, but the proceeds will support the fight against childhood cancer.”

Tony and Amber Bender began Addi’s Faith Foundation in 2008 after their young daughter, Addison Faith, died of cancer. To honor Addison’s memory, Back Pew Brewing used part of the foundation’s logo in the design of the “Addi’s Faith Kolsch” can.

“They’ve been very supportive in helping us incorporate what we’re trying to do in with that they do,” Amber Bender said.

“Addi’s Faith Kolsch” will be a limited-edition brew, but Bender hopes the partnership with the brewery will become an annual tradition, with different varieties each year.

A special first tasting of “Addi’s Faith Kolsch” will take place this week at Back Pew Brewing in Porter, Texas.

 

Tony Bender, a Rock Island High School graduate who lives in Texas, holds daughter Addison Faith Bender, who died of cancer in 2007. The Bender family now operates a nonprofit group dedicated to raising funds to fight childhood cancer. The group will sponsor the Addison Faith Bender Inaugural Walk By Faith Sept. 30 at Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley.

 

Amber and Tony Bender, two of the finest people you will ever meet, have forged a wonderful life in the Houston, Texas, suburb of Kingwood.

The two, who have hearts bigger than the state they live in, are tremendous parents and pillars of their community. Yet as dedicated as they are to their Texas home, a huge chunk of the Benders’ hearts will always be in Rock Island.

In 2007, Tony and Amber — childhood sweethearts and Rock Island High School graduates — suffered the unthinkable, losing their young daughter, Addison Faith Bender, to cancer.

Addi, as everyone called the button-cute toddler, passed away on Dec. 4, 2007, after a courageous 10-month battle. She was a month shy of her second birthday.

Tony and Amber vowed to make a difference in Addi’s name. They formed Addi’s Faith Foundation (AddisFaith.org), a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood cancer. Its purpose, the site says, is to raise funds for research into pediatric brain tumors, as well as provide financial assistance to families who are caring for a child with cancer.

Amber Bender has dedicated her career to overseeing Addi’s Faith as its executive director. That is, it must be noted, much more than a 40-hour-per-week undertaking.

In November 2017, Amber and Tony, along with their children, Trent, Riley and Olivia, and a dedicated cast of 3,000 runners and walkers, completed the ninth Walk by Faith 5K, held on the campus of the University of Houston. In April, the Benders hosted Addishack, a golf outing for over 100 golfers.

In a shade under 10 years, Addi’s Faith has raised $1.6 million to fund research and help families. In August 2017, the pediatric lab at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center was named the Addison Faith Bender Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Lab.

The Benders’ efforts to keep a community engaged and a public informed about ending childhood cancer is amazing by any standards.

Now Tony, Amber, Trent, Riley and Olivia are coming home to make a difference. They will host the Addison Faith Bender Inaugural Walk by Faith beginning at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Coal Valley’s Niabi Zoo. An informational gathering with Tony and Amber is set for 7 p.m. Friday, May 18, at Davenport’s Outing Club.

“We have always wanted to go on the road, come home and make a difference,’’ Amber Bender said. “Addi loved animals, especially monkeys. It shows in the logo we use. The perfect setting for a run/walk is Niabi Zoo and all that it represents. And to have an event where we grew up and still have family and friends makes it even better.’’

Humble to a fault, the Benders said Addi’s Faith Foundation is their way of giving back, of honoring their daughter and easing the many fears parents face when dealing with such a dreaded disease.

“The only thing worse than hearing those four dreadful words, ‘Your child has cancer,’ is then learning that there is no cure,” Amber Bender said. “When we learned that less than 4 percent of research funding is allocated toward pediatric cancers, we knew we needed to do something to change that.

“We think our children deserve better, so we created Addi’s Faith Foundation to step up and fight for these kids. We know there is a cure out there, and together we will find it.”

The gathering scheduled on May 18, Amber said, will be informal, allowing the Benders to share the foundation’s message, draw support, and catch up with friends and family.

“We have always had tremendous support from people back home,’’ Amber added. “We know we came from a great and caring community. The hope has always been an event at home, and this is a great first step.’’

Columnist John Marx can be reached at 309-757-8388 or jmarx@qconline.com.
Link to original publication

As main fundraiser approaches, Addi’s Faith Foundation already in action helping Houston family affected by Hurricane Harvey

HOUSTON (Nov. 2) — The stated goal of this year’s 9th annual Walk by Faith 5K, which takes place Nov. 12 on the campus of the University of Houston, is to take care of families dealing with a child with cancer who were also affected by Hurricane Harvey. To that end, Addi’s Faith Foundation co-founder Tony and Amber Bender have already changed the life of the Dwellingham family, who lost almost everything in the disaster and were struggling to get their 6-year-old son Kalieb to treatments for a cancerous brain tumor.

The Walk by Faith 5K Race/Walk is the main fundraiser for the Addi’s Faith Foundation, a Kingwood, Texas-based 501(c)(3) founded in 2007 by Tony and Amber Bender to honor their daughter Addison Faith Bender, who died of a cancerous brain tumor at age 2.

“When we heard about the Dwellinghams’ story we felt compelled to jump ahead of the game a little bit and get them a new car as soon as possible because it was such an urgent need,” Amber Bender said. “Kalieb was in the midst of his second round of treatment and the Dwillinghams had no practical way of getting him to the hospital every day.

“Thanks to our friends and longtime Addi’s Faith supporters at G&S Tire and Auto, we were able to get them back on the road and alleviate one of the big problems they were facing after the storm. We feel so honored to help the Dwellinghams. This is what we do, and we can’t do it without our supporters.”

The Dwellinghams had more than four feet of water in their home and their car, which was in the driveway, was flooded almost all the way to the roof of the vehicle. Addi’s Faith Foundation had the car towed to G&S Tire and Auto to see if it was repairable but when they got the diagnosis that the car was totaled, they decided to get the family a new car.

“Craig Berkowitz at G&S Tire and Auto jumped right in and got behind this project immediately,” Tony Bender said. “This is an obvious example of what we can do as an organization to not only help families dealing with the realities of having a child with a cancer diagnosis, but also how the contributions so many people and companies make to our foundation can make an immediate impact on a family in need.”

The Benders quickly pointed to next weekend’s Walk by Faith 5K Race/Walk as the group’s primary fundraiser and encouraged Houstonians to get involved.

More than 1,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s race. Registration is underway now at www.walkbyfaith5k.org. People unable to attend are encouraged to visit the website and make a donation.

Amber Bender says participants in their annual run/walk range from competitive runners to entire families and church groups covering the course as a team. This year the event will start with a 1K Kids Fun Run for children ages 3-10 to give even the smallest participants a chance to get involved.

“We’re praying this wonderful weather we’ve been enjoying holds out for our race,” Tony Bender said. “It’s a great event and I like to point out that all the 5K participants can be professionally chip-timed if they so desire. Plus, all participants receive a T-shirt, swag bag and access to the post-race celebration, which includes something fun for all ages.”

Generous sponsors have pledged support of all refreshments, a Kid’s Zone, festive music, raffle and various awards handed out to the top finishers in several age groups.

The cost is $25 for adults and $15 for kids (17 and under). Each participant who registers online can also create their own fundraising page to collect donations from family and friends. Anyone who refers 5 friends will have their registration fee refunded. Early registration ends Nov. 2, after which time the fees increase by $5. Race day registration will be available from 6:30-8 a.m. Please visit www.walkbyfaith5k.org.

The race day schedule begins with a 7:30 a.m. Worship Service, followed by the 1K Kids Fun Run at 8 a.m. The 5K Race/Walk will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the Awards Ceremony beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Major sponsors of this year’s Walk by Faith 5K include Shamrock Marine, Hines Furlong, The Shop/G&S, Jeffboat, Buffalo Marine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Insperity, Vital Allergy & Asthma, Alspaugh’s ACE Hardware, Coating Systems & Supply, Christ The King Lutheran Church, Gustafson Dental, Johnson DeLuca Kurisky & Gould P.C., Stewart Title, and Thrivent.

Click here for video of car presentation www.facebook.com/addisfaithfoundation.

Kids with cancer affected by Hurricane Harvey will be primary beneficiaries of 9th annual Walk by Faith 5K

HOUSTON (Oct. 8) — The focus for this year’s ninth annual Walk by Faith 5K Race/Walk will center on families dealing with childhood cancer that were directly affected by the fallout from Hurricane Harvey.

The Walk by Faith 5K Race/Walk is the main fundraiser for the Addi’s Faith Foundation, a Kingwood, Texas-based 501(c)(3) founded in 2007 by Tony and Amber Bender to honor their daughter Addison Faith Bender, who died of a cancerous brain tumor at age 2.

“Our city has been through so much and we know most charities have been stretched thin during what continues to be a long and tough recovery process,” Amber Bender said. “The families we support haven’t been spared, unfortunately, and many of them lost crucial and very expensive medicines because they didn’t have power for days and couldn’t keep them refrigerated or they were simply washed away by the flood waters. Others have lost their vehicles so they are struggling to keep medical appointments. It’s just been a very taxing time for them.

“Because of these very specific needs, we are earmarking the majority of this year’s proceeds to helping these specific families, so our wonderful participants will know everything they are doing at this year’s event will directly help people adversely affected by Hurricane Harvey. We are hopeful the incredible outpouring of love and support we saw in the days after Harvey hit will carry over to our event and make it a big success.”

More than 1,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s race, which will be held Sunday, Nov. 12, on the University of Houston’s main campus. Registration is underway now at www.walkbyfaith5k.org. People unable to attend are encouraged to visit the website and make a donation.

Bender says participants in their annual run/walk range from competitive runners to entire families and church groups covering the course en masse. This year the event will start with a 1K Kids Fun Run for children ages 3-10 to give even the smallest participants a chance to get involved.

“We want everyone to join in the fun,” Tony Bender said. “5K participants can be professionally chip-timed and all participants receive a T-shirt, swag bag, and access to the post-race celebration which includes something fun for all ages.”

Generous sponsors have pledged support of all refreshments, a Kid’s Zone, festive music, raffle and various awards handed out to the top finishers in several age groups.

“Last year we had 1,500 runners and raised $165,000,” Amber Bender said. “This year our goal is to have 2,000 runners and raise $200,000. To date, we’ve raised $850,000 through the Walk by Faith 5K Run/Walk. It’s so humbling.”

The cost is $25 for adults and $15 for kids (17 and under). Each participant who registers online can also create their own fundraising page to collect donations from family and friends. Anyone who refers 5 friends will have their registration fee refunded. Early registration ends Nov. 2, after which time the fees increase by $5. Race day registration will be available from 6:30-8 a.m. Please visit www.walkbyfaith5k.org.

The race day schedule begins with a 7:30 a.m. Worship Service, followed by the 1K Kids Fun Run at 8 a.m. The 5K Race/Walk will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the Awards Ceremony beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Major sponsors of this year’s Walk by Faith 5K include Shamrock Marine, Hines Furlong, The Shop/G&S, Jeffboat, Buffalo Marine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Insperity, Vital Allergy & Asthma, Alspaugh’s ACE Hardware, Coating Systems & Supply, Christ The King Lutheran Church, Gustafson Dental, Johnson DeLuca Kurisky & Gould P.C., Stewart Title, and Thrivent.

After personal battle with childhood cancer, Addi’s Faith Foundation owners support others facing disease, funds medical research

Addi’s Faith Foundation owners support others facing disease, fund medical research

By Tracy Maness
Community Impact Newspaper

After Addi passed away a couple of weeks short of her second birthday, her mother Amber Bender decided she wanted to help other families battling pediatric cancer.

Amber and Tony Bender founded Addi’s Faith Foundation in April 2007 and have since raised funds to provide financial assistance to families of children who have cancer and to fund research at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Houston Medical Center. Amber serves as executive director of the Kingwood-based organization.

Addison Faith Bender, known as Addi, was diagnosed with an atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor when she was 17 months old and did not leave the hospital for three months after her initial MRI.

“She had multiple brain surgeries and heavy, high-dose chemotherapy that was really, really harsh and made her very, very sick,” Amber said. “But [the cancer] was too aggressive, and it kept coming back.”

She said the family was fortunate that Tony’s employer was flexible and willing to work with them during their daughter’s illness. Meanwhile, Amber was a stay-at-home mom and was able to care for Addi.

Taking care of a child with cancer is an around-the-clock job, and often one parent has to quit his or her job, Amber said. At a time when a family’s financial demands have increased due to medical bills or from travel expenses to and from treatment, their income decreases.

Addi’s Faith allows parents with children diagnosed with cancer to apply for financial assistance online or by mail. Each month the organization’s review board meets, reviews the applications, checks their confirmation letters and sends out what funds it can to families in need.

“We send them a check, so they can use it for what they need.” Amber said. “Some people need the money for travel because they’re getting treatment across the country somewhere. Some people need it for their housing bills or because their car broke down.”

The foundation did just that for Tiffany Williamson when her son Ethan was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2014. As an 8-year-old at the time of his diagnosis, Ethan was an honoree for Addi’s Faith’s Walk By Faith 10K/5K Race. The nonprofit supported the Williamson family emotionally and financially as Ethan underwent treatment for about a year until he was declared cancer free in April 2015.

“They reached out to us shortly after Ethan was diagnosed and offered financial support, but more importantly they offered their heart,” Tiffany said. “Their openness to share Addi’s story, their devotion to God, their dedication to raising funds for research and awareness, and the knowing of what our family was facing—the combination was inspiring and gave us hope and touched us in a powerful way.”

The organization’s other main objective is to fund pediatric neuro-oncology research. Amber said most of the funding for the research of childhood cancers comes from organizations like hers in which parents have lost a child and decide to take action.

So far Addi’s Faith Foundation has given over $800,000 of the $1.5 million it has pledged to MD Anderson.

The pediatric neuro-oncology research lab there is named in Addi’s honor and is in Phase 2 of a clinical trial that uses cells that were removed from her tumor. The organization makes quarterly payments to the hospital so the research can continue without having to wait for more funding.

The foundation also provides scholarships to children who have survived brain tumors and supports an organization, Holley’s Hope, that provides grief support for parents whose children have died.

Amber said that although the scholarships are a small part of what the organization does, the scholarships offer some hope and encourage parents and children who are currently facing the disease.

WAYS TO HELP

• Addi’s Faith hosts several events to support families dealing with childhood cancer and cancer research.
• Visit www.addisfaithfoundation.org to learn more, donate online or sign up for the email newsletter.
• Send donation checks to 2410 Riverway Oak Drive, Kingwood.
• Attend Walk by Faith 10K/5K Race on Nov. 12 at the University of Houston.
• Attend the AddiShack Charity Golf Tournament held each spring.

2410 Riverway Oak Drive, Kingwood
281-785-4098
www.addisfaithfoundation.org

HOUSTON (May 29) — The latest effort in the 15-year history of championing Houston-area children’s charities had the Deacons of Deadwood Motorcycle Club donating $12,000 to Addi’s Faith, a Kingwood-based foundation dedicated to eradicating childhood cancer while simultaneously supporting families caring for a child in treatment.

The guys really have taken a personal interest in the mission of Addi’s Faith.

“The support we have received from the Deacons of Deadwood Motorcycle Club through the years has been a true blessing to us, the kids we serve, and the families who are dealing with a really tough time in their lives,” said Amber Bender, co-founder of Addi’s Faith. “These wonderful and giving men work tirelessly year-round at raising funds to help kids and we are proud to be one of their charities.

“Caring for a child with cancer is emotionally and financially draining and more and more parents come to us for help each year. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Deacons, we can offer assistance to many more families in their time of need.”

“It was wonderful to have Amber and her staff join us at our latest meeting,” said Geoff Seaman, club president. “Having lived through a tragedy herself, Amber knows first-hand what families have to deal with when they have a child battling cancer. Her own experiences have made her so passionate about helping others.

“The guys really have taken a personal interest in the mission of Addi’s Faith. We participate in their events each year and they are quick to help us when we need assistance with our fundraisers. It’s been a wonderful relationship, one we hope continues until a cure has been discovered.”

Inspired by a little girl’s courageous battle with brain cancer, Addi’s Faith Foundation is working to end childhood cancer. By funding critical pediatric research, AFF ensures advancements are made towards less toxic, yet more effective treatments. AFF also provides emotional and financial support to parents caring for a child with cancer. A 501(c)(3) charity, AFF has distributed more than $1 million since its inception in 2007.

…except it isn’t.  Today is the day forever seared into the very depths of my soul. The day I last held my baby girl as she gasped for breath in my arms. She had fought her battle; one that was not to be won here on earth. In her ridiculously short life, my daughter had already experienced more pain and suffering than most experience in a lifetime….and so have I. I don’t think she was in pain in those final moments (that was my second greatest wish anyway) but she sure did hang on. I told her repeatedly that it was ok to go. That I would see her again in Heaven and that Daddy and I would be alright. But for whatever reason, “it” took some time. I’ll spare you the final details (although I know there are a few of you who were by my side and will remember the details all too well).

THE DAY. TODAY. It’s been 8 years. Wait! What? That can’t be right. But it is. It’s been 8 years. Seems like a lifetime ago, but feels like yesterday. Some would say that you should be “over it” by now. (No really. “They” say it.) But I’m here to tell you that the death of your child is something that you will never, ever “get over”. Understand it? Not in this lifetime. Accept it? I guess. Wait, do I have another choice? No? Are you sure? Ok. Then, I have to accept it and move on. That’s the (please pardon my French here) bitch right there. The “moving on”. You do because you have to…not because you want to. And then, moment by moment, you just keep moving further and further from THE DAY. But your heart and soul is still stuck. Stuck in that moment in time when your baby took their final breath. And nothing. is. ever. the same again.

BUT…THE DAY. TODAY is the day that my brilliant, handsome 14 year old son will walk on his own two healthy legs into an amazing school where he is privileged to receive an excellent education. TODAY is the day that my sweet, gregarious 12 year old will laugh with his friends in one of the greatest countries on Earth. TODAY is the day that my sassy, adorable 6 year old will do cartwheels all the way home from Kindergarten. It may be THE DAY and as much as that hurts, TODAY still offers so many wonderful blessings and for that…TODAY, I can only be grateful.

I love you forever Sweet Pea!