Saturday, June 30, 2018

Saturday, June 30, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2007. Mattie was five years old and visiting his favorite theme park... Legoland. That summer Mattie not only enjoyed seeing all the Legos but he absolutely LOVED going on all the roller coasters. Not just once but MANY times. Fortunately Peter likes roller coasters, because there was no way I could have gone on those rides with him. I was the designated family photographer instead. 


Quote of the day: There is no greater joy nor greater reward than to make a fundamental difference in someone's life. ~ Mary Rose Mcgeady

The day started with my dad not feeling well. With all the stress of the move and all the activity involved with that, he pinched a nerve in his back. So the first order was to contact his physician and get him the appropriate medication to manage this condition. In the midst of this, as you can see the pile by the front door is growing. Boxes and bags fill the hallway, as they are getting staged for pick up by the Disabled American Veterans next week. 

I am trying to help purge things in linen closets, which means donation of pillows, pillow cases and towels. I used the dining room table today to wash about five loads of different linens. 










I also went around the house collecting all cleaning supplies and bagged them. This evening we are doing a final walk through of their new home and officially get the keys. So with that in mind, I have loaded the car with the vacuum and bags upon bags of cleaning supplies. Though their movers come next week to help pack and move them on July 7th and 9th, I am trying to move little things to help make set up in their new home as efficient as possible. There are everyday things and personal items that really only we can manage ourselves. I have moved many times before and though professional movers are fantastic, they do not pack like we think. Or by how we use items! Which really means certain things need to be packed by us. 

Peter sends me a "pooch" shot of the day while I am away. Apparently Sunny was super happy and excited this morning, as Peter was playing with him. You may not be able to tell but Sunny was barking up a storm here in joy! 

A tail wagging a mile a minute!

My smiling pooch!

Friday, June 29, 2018

Friday, June 29, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2007. I remember this moment in time perfectly. We went out for lunch in San Diego. My parents were sitting opposite of us and snapped this photo. I really do not have many photos of the three of us together, so this is a special memento to me. Mattie was a very active fellow and sitting down to eat wasn't his forte. So we always brought a lot of things in my bag of tricks to engage and entertain him. Mattie wasn't interested in electronic games, like many kids these days. Mattie's favorite lunch time activities were puzzles, building with legos, and playing with little toy cars. 


Quote of the day: It's not what abilities you have that makes a difference it's what you do with these abilities that's paramount. ~ Byron Pulsifer

Here is today's update..... Much more packed and boxed!!! I absolutely love the banana boxes we have picked up at the grocery store. I wish I had access to a place that disposes those great Amazon boxes. But in case you don't know, you can get free packing boxes from any grocery store. They are more than happy to give you the boxes, otherwise they have to dispose of them yourself. A lot can fit in a banana box!

I made headway in the dining room today. But more is in store for me tomorrow. I have gotten so good at packing now, I have a system and can get a lot done. 

My parents are getting rid of one of their beds. Unfortunately you can't donate mattresses anywhere. So the mattress to this bed is getting thrown out. We have tried to give the mattress to other people, but no one is eager to have someone else's bed! In any case, this mattress and box spring had to get carted downstairs, so that the bulk garbage pick up can take it away next week. Since we had a moving fellow coming over today to deliver their boxed chandeliers, I convinced him to help me carry down this mattress set. He was a lovely fellow and was eager to help!

Here is where the mattress and box spring landed up today. Right next to the boxed chandeliers. 

I end tonight with my two cuties! Peter sent me this adorable photo, which made me smile. Who says dogs and cats can't be friends?

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2007. I love this photo!! Peter took it while on a bicycle ride with Mattie around Coronado (in San Diego). I am not sure what I love more... Mattie's smile, or the fact that you can see this fantastic smile with the backdrop of the famous Hotel del Coronado, which was built in 1888 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977. Mattie enjoyed his time in Coronado and I am so happy Mattie got around at such a young age. We wasted no time in making memories. 


Quote of the day: It's your unlimited power to care and to love that can make the biggest difference in the quality of your life. ~ Anthony Robbins

The packing continues today! However, the good news is as of this evening I know where my parents will be moving to next week. My parents made the decision to start a new chapter in their lives, that involves not being home owners and the huge responsibility and headache that comes with this. Given that they have lived in a house for their entire married life, finding the right rental took time, research, and a lot of legwork. The rental was secured today and it is like winning the lottery. 

I have been a wrapping machine for the last couple of days. The above photo is the before and this photo is the after! I am getting good at wrapping and move at a quick pace now. Another skill to add to my resume. But in all seriousness, I think running a non-profit provides me with the opportunity to hone my organizational skills. Skills which I have naturally, but like a muscle, I have the ability to stretch and build upon it daily. My dad says watching me makes him tired. What I find funny about this is Peter says the same thing to me when I am home. 

Meanwhile I went outside today to take a break and check out who was in my parent's backyard! I took this as a definite Mattie sign. 

I have different boxes staged around the house! The front hallway is decided for donations. Which I arranged to be picked up next week. So we are on our way!

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2007. We took Mattie to San Diego with my parents. Mattie loved these surreys and wanted to try it. So we rode them several times. All I can say is it looks a lot easier than it actually is to peddle this vehicle. Mattie got a kick out of hearing my commentary while peddling. What is hard to believe is Mattie was diagnosed with cancer the following summer. To me he looks like the picture of health!








Quote of the day: It's not what you do once in a while, it's what you do day in and day out that makes the difference. ~ Jenny Craig

It is almost 10pm on the West coast and I just stopping wrapping items for the day. So instead of writing, I am sharing photos of today's progress!! The boxes and piles you see are things I have wrapped to be donated!

Stacks ready to be donated!

Filling up our entire hallway with donation items. 

Items to be kept! I am trying to be organized and took photographs of all items in the box and then printed out the photo and taped it to the box. We shall see if this system works on the other end!

I am consolidating my piles. All items that need to be wrapped tomorrow. 

As I am writing this blog, look who is watching over me from the window... a Mattie Moon!

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Tuesday, June 26, 2018 -- Mattie died 458 weeks ago today.

Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2007. It was the summer before Mattie was diagnosed with cancer. I love this photo and remember taking it. We were in front of the Marriott in Coronado (San Diego). You will notice flamingos in the background. Mattie was doing his flamingo impression. Don't you love it?


Quote of the day: If you think you're too small to make a difference, you've obviously never been in bed with a mosquito. ~ Michelle Walker

Been packing up a storm today. I am focusing on the smaller breakables and trying to wrap them and label boxes clearly. Basically I have taken photos of each shelf, in case my mom wants to decorate at her next home in a similar fashion. 

More shelves. As of tonight, these shelves are empty and packed. 

I spent a good amount of time in this office room this morning and literally had a donation pile, a trash pile, and a wrap and box pile going. 

See these shelves? What you may not see is the penny on the shelf. Peter used to put penny's on these shelves for Mattie to find. When Mattie died, Peter moved the pennies up higher, but left them on the shelves in memory of Mattie. Tonight I removed all the pennies from the shelves as I doubt the next owner will get the tradition of the Penny Fairy!

See the penny now??

As I am sitting down after a long day and writing this blog, look at what's staring at me through the window!!! Yes a glorious Mattie Moon. I took that as a sign. 

Monday, June 25, 2018

Monday, June 25, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2007. We bicycle rode several times with Mattie from our hotel to the famous Hotel del Coronado, in San Diego. Though Mattie did not understand the significance of the hotel, he enjoyed the adventure. Reflecting back on this moment in time, it was a simple and naive summer, as the following summer, Mattie was undergoing his first chemo treatment. It puts so much into context. 








Quote of the day: Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. ~ William James

This was my second full day here in Los Angeles, and my focus on this trip is to help pack up my parent's home and move them into their next home. Selling a home is very stressful and of course there is always an emotional component to moving. The buyer of their home had their last walk through today, which in a way makes the process feel more finalized. But of course, with a last walk through, the house has to be organized and staged to welcome a buyer. So there is a bit of anxiety that was ever present today. This is now behind my parents and I can begin wrapping up breakables. Which I started to do this evening. I am taking photos of everything I am wrapping, so I can see how things were set up here and then can replicate this in the next house. 

I feel like the blog for the next couple of weeks will be a how to in moving. Thankfully, my skills for planning and organizing the Foundation Walk enable me to manage the vast number of tasks needed in such a move. So thank you for walking through this journey with me. 

Though this is the fourth house my parents have owned, Mattie did visit my parents in this house a few times. In fact, there are still Mattie items and toys here. I came across them yesterday and on this trip I am staying in the room we designated "Mattie's room." I will never forget the first time Mattie stayed in this house, he insisted that I come sleep in his room with him. This happened years ago, but I remember it as if it were yesterday. 

Sunday, June 23, 2018

Sunday, June 23, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2007. That summer we took Mattie to visit my parents in Los Angeles, and then we all went to San Diego for a few days. Mattie was a boy on the go, so in the afternoon after touring around, he and Peter would go into the hotel pool together. Mattie was learning how to swim. He was cautious in the water, but was getting the hang of it with practice.



Quote of the day: We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee. ~ Marian Wright Edelman

I am safely in Los Angeles! I literally woke up at 4am this morning to catch a 7am flight. You would think on a Sunday at that hour that the airport would be quiet. Think again! It was a zoo! The flight was bumpy and by the time I landed I was nauseous! 

However, look who was my seat mate! I frankly did not know who he was until about 3/4 of the way into the flight. We spoke for a good chunk of the flight about his life in New Orleans and his non-profit which helps at risk males ages 12-15. Along our conversation he mentioned basketball. Naturally when looking at him, he has the physique of an athlete, which I made mental note of. But remember I am NOT a sports fan! 

Needless to say I sat next to Robert Pack, who had a long 15 year career as a professional basketball player. Now he is a coach for the NBA. I never spoke to a professional NBA player before, but what was so captivating about Robert was how eloquent, down to earth, level headed, and bright he is. I enjoyed hearing about his life and I truly think he has the making of a great motivational speaker. Of course in the process we spoke about Mattie Miracle. So I would say in addition to a long flight and a bumpy one, it was wonderful to meet a success story like Robert. Given his humble beginnings, he is a role model for other children growing up in the inner city and I am touched by the fact that Robert wants to give back to his community and make a positive difference. Truly an amazing man first, who happens to be an athlete. 

My parents are moving out of their home on July 7th. Today, I toured with them the house they will be moving into. There is a lot to do, which I am sure I will be reporting on over the next few weeks. Given all that has to be done, I have extended my trip. 

Meanwhile, check out who is pining over my absence. I have never seen Sunny sit on the staircase before. After Peter dropped me off at the airport, this is what he came home to!

Someone is sleeping on my side of the bed!!