Inside a carved out Redwood tree. Summer 2008

As I look out the window today and see the snow falling down in big chunky flakes, I am reminded that Lauren wouldn't sit in the house and watch, she would be out trying to catch them on her tongue. For Lauren, even a spring snowstorm was a delight just waiting to happen. A pouring rainstorm had puddles to be splashed in, and sunny days typically had clouds that had a shape just waiting to be found. Finding joy in every day is an art ... and Lauren is a master at it. So, in her honor, I'll stop my distaste for snow at the end of May and go outside and catch a few on my tongue ... singing the song she would add to it - - "If all of the snowflakes were Hershey bars and milkshakes - oh what a world this would be! I'd stand outside with my mouth open wide going AH-AH, AH, AH! AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH!!"
That is what makes the difference .... when we learn from the masters of living. And, 'living Lauren's legacy' will mean more love, more laughter, more living deeply, and - - more snowflakes on our tongues.
Living her legacy also means getting outside of ourselves and thinking of others. We've just been interviewed for the upcoming KSL telethon for Primary Children's Medical Center. It's tender and draining to talk about Lauren's illness and the suffering she went through, but the opportunity is a bit like the snowflakes -- it calls us to come out of ourselves and see the world through her eyes. So, we did what we thought she would want us to do and shared her story in an effort to help others. The telethon is June 5 and 6. Lauren's paintings (prints) will also be given as thank you's to the telethons biggest donors. (And, we'll still be offering them with proceeds going directly to benefit PCMC and other charities Lauren loved.)
Thank you to everyone who participated in the collection of books for PCMC. Over 200 are being delivered today. And, a huge thank you to those who collected food and money for our friends made through our mutual experience at PCMC. Your generosity is going a long way for their sweet little family.
Lauren still makes a difference ... many fluffy wet snowflakes at a time! Happy catching!!

Happy Mother's Day!

This is a little slide show we made so that Lauren could be more a part of our mother's day. Unfortunately youtube automatically disabled the audio for copyright reasons... It is supposed to be the song "To Where You Are" sung by Josh Groban.

Our CELEBRATION

Lauren loves to celebrate everything ... including birthdays. So, even recognizing her distaste for undue attention, we think she would have enjoyed the party. We know she had to smile at the 'wishes' made and delivered in her behalf. Our celebration included:

1000 Origami cranes
(folded by the Japanese Club of Skyline High School
in Lauren's honor and delivered to PCMC May 3, 2010)

Hundreds of Bubbles

$500.00 and counting for our sweet Oncology friends
300 craft kits for the volunteer department of PCMC
(150 - Thanks Carlie!)
(150 - Thanks Carlie, Jen & YW!)
200+ books for ICS (Oncology) at PCMC

150 Rubber Ducky's donated to Make-A-Wish
100+ cans of food for the Oncology family

Over a hundred people wearing blue, and
sporting a gold childhood cancer awareness ribbon.

Dozens of well-wishes from many friends.

45 people (not all pictured) who gathered
at our home for delicious cupcakes (Thanks Lisa)
and a balloon release (thanks, Claire and Karen)

32 balloons

There were only supposed to be 16, but
we needed to improvise ... the first send-off
of blue balloons with gold ribbons,
and covered with Lauren's friends wishes
was blown right into a towering pine tree. :-)
Lauren would have found this extremely funny. So did we.

So, 16 decorative balloons took their place
14 DELICIOUS Ribeye steaks (Lauren's favorite)
(Thanks Uncle Scott -- you should be a chef!)
and 14 big pieces of cake

A dozen attempts to get the marker on her grave
in time for her birthday
but the one (THANKS, Jen!)
that is a sweet substitute for now:
(The permanent one is waiting for dryer ground to be placed
but will be there soon.)

6 hearts with holes celebrating a beautiful life
(One is in Thailand and one is our sweet friend
Jessica Lesser behind the camera)
3 Carrie Bears
(check her out at www.carriebears.com)
(Made with love from one of Lauren's favorite blankets)
And the ONE nurse (a favorite friend of Laurens)
we caught scaling the wall
at the cemetery to visit Lauren's grave
when we arrived last night.
Touched us SO much.
We love you, Kelli!

Happy Birthday, Angel Lauren!!

Monday May 3, 2010

Happy Birthday, Lauren!!

Today would be Lauren's 16th birthday. It's a day we wish to celebrate her life and her influence of happiness in a world that so often lacks it.
Please check out the page of "Friends memories for Lauren's birthday" - - there are a lot of new, beautiful memories written by people Lauren adored. If you wish to add one, send it on to melodie@webbtours.com.
On Monday, May 3, please wear the color blue (Lauren's favorite) and a gold awareness ribbon for Childhood Cancer. If you feel so inclined, Lauren's friends are collecting money and food for another oncology family, and books for the ICS unit at PCMC, all in Lauren's honor and memory. They already knew what Lauren would have 'wished for' . . .
These same sweet friends are gathering at our home at 3:57 to celebrate the actual time of her birth with balloons, bubbles and cake. All are welcome to join us in celebrating her life, granting her wish, and increasing awareness of childhood cancer.

Close your eyes and make a wish

Lauren's two-year old birthday party May 3, 1996
She got the nickname "Bubbles" about two minutes later
after drinking some Bubbles, producing hundreds of them
as she hiccuped and burped and giggled for the next
several minutes. She dearly loved to make us laugh.

Everyone knows that birthday parties include blowing out candles to make a wish, and guests making a wish for you as they 'bump you on the head' with your gift. Everyone knows that a rub of a magic lamp may get you access to a Genie who will grant you three wishes, ("Ix-nay on wishing for more wishes!") or to make a wish when you see a falling star. In her younger years, Lauren developed a love for making wishes and taught us to make a wish at a well, on the first star, when an eyelash lay on our cheek, when the clasp on our necklace came around to the front, when we found a lucky penny or smooth stone, or when a number was 'duplicated', especially when the clock is 11-11. This was one of our favorites and through most of the last year of Lauren's life, seemed to notice that time of day nearly every day. It was a fun coincidence this morning to come to the computer and see the 'counter' on her blog for number of 'hits' (since we began counting a month into it) had risen to 1111. It made me smile like only Lauren can.
Our 'birthday' wish (and wish on the number 1111 this morning) is to make one of Lauren's many wishes come true. When given the opportunity to be granted a wish through Make-A-Wish, Lauren simply and sincerely wished to "give her wish away" to someone who needed it more. Subsequent requests brought the same response until she figured out what SHE could do to make the WISHES of OTHERS come true. So, as we try to "Live Lauren's Legacy", we feel to do the same.
Lauren's wish is the purpose for this blog. Her wish is directing the things we have determined to do and will do with her story. In honor of her birthday this year, we are encouraging wearing 'blue' on Monday, May 3, along with a gold ribbon for Childhood Cancer, and that each person whose life has been touched by Lauren, will consider ways to make the wishes of others come true.
Under the heading "Making a difference" on this blog, are links to Lauren's favorite charities where you could donate direct. As stated in the last post, funds, books, and food are being gathered in Lauren's honor to be donated to those in need. We would be honored to have you participate as you feel able. T-shirts, paintings, and window decals are still not viewable on the blog (will be soon), but are available if you would like to contact us. And, I'm still working on her beautiful wish ... and pulling together her story through her book "Happily Ever After."

Central to Lauren's 'wishes' have been one particular young girl whom we have all grown to adore. Her family will be the main focus of all of these particular efforts with funds and food. The books will go to PCMC, and libraries Lauren frequented. PCMC and Make-A-Wish will be the other recipients of donations collected and delivered in honor of Lauren's birthday.
And, for wishes to really come true, you have to LOVE and LAUGH every day. After all, that's what a "Happily Ever After" is . . .

Waiting for Lauren's birthday

It was tough to wait for Lauren to arrive ...

She was 9 days overdue by the time we snapped this photo as we left for the hospital to be induced. We were all so anxious. Besides me being entirely worn out, we all just had a feeling we were pretty lucky with who was coming. Of course, we were right, but we had no idea just how lucky we really were.
This year, there isn't the same enthusiastic anticipation there was 16 years ago ... or even any of those fun years in between as we planned birthday parties . . . but there IS an anxiousness. An anxiousness to pay a fitting tribute to our angel daughter and sister.
I'm pouring out my soul trying to put together inspired thoughts to add to her book and looking for publishers. I call it a daunting privilege. And, I'm finding that words are failing me ... or at least fleeing faster than I am able to trail behind. The book certainly won't be ready for her birthday, but the effort is still there, and it won't be long afterward. Perhaps by mine or Memorial Day.
Several other tributes are in the works for her birthday ... the headstone will be placed on her grave that day, and friends are making plans to gather to release balloons here at our home. One friend, Claire Guthrie, is working hard to honor Lauren by making her birthday a "Childhood Cancer Awareness Day" in our neighborhood, and at Skyline High School, collecting food, books, and donations to aid other families at PCMC. All of her friends are working to spread the word and write memories of Lauren to be included on the blog. Everyone who participates will be wearing gold ribbons, and dressing in blue (her favorite color) on May 3.
Previous tributes to Lauren will be delivered to PCMC on or around that day including the Thousand Cranes folded by the Japanese Club at Skyline High School, donations of Lauren's paintings, and craft kits for ICS patients, spear-headed by Lauren's sister Carlie.
Since Lauren's passing, Janice Waldman, a dear friend from long ago in Fort Collins, has been making arrangements to donate books to surrounding libraries, and the three school libraries where Lauren attended school.
We are still working to make available Lauren's paintings, her t-shirts, and vinyl tributes are being created for car windows. Everything is being designed as a means of "Living Lauren's Legacy", and all proceeds will go towards PCMC and other oncology families. The first project we are targeting is a young beautiful family who needs our help in the passing of their six year old daughter from Leukemia.
If you would like to participate in any of this by way of time, skills, talents, or donations, please contact melodie@webbtours.com or send donations to:

"Living Lauren's Legacy"
P.O. Box 9043
Salt Lake City, Utah
84109

And, spread the word to wear blue, and a gold ribbon on Monday, May 3, 2010. Above all - - - live her legacy and LOVE and LAUGH every day.
Happy Birthday, Lauren!

Easter Letter to Lauren's friends

Easter 2008
I guess it's no surprise that Lauren LOVED Easter too ...
She loved all holidays and all reasons to celebrate, after all.
But, ... Easter was different -
and holds very special significance to our family.
Please allow us to share --

Easter has always meant more to us than chocolate, baskets, rabbits, and colored eggs. Although it's true that we got new Easter outfits, ate too much chocolate every year, and hunted for eggs; we held quite close, one very special, not well-known tradition in our family. Plastic eggs hidden around our yard or home by a mysterious 'bunny' were filled with money, candy, toys, trinkets, notes and other surprises. Each egg was fun to find and receive, but there was one egg that was wanted and cherished above all the other prizes ... one egg that was the 'jackpot' of all Easter eggs ... one egg that was worth more than anything in all the other eggs. This personal egg was always our favorite color, and had our name on the outside ... with a reminder of just whom the giver is ... "From Jesus Christ."
Always, ... inside the egg is our most cherished of all Easter gifts ... EMPTY.

"He is not here, for he is risen, as he said." (Matthew 28:6)

The very best Easter gift ever is indeed, the one that was empty ... the tomb of our Savior, Jesus Christ. An empty tomb meant he had claimed victory over sin and victory over death. He had borne our grief and suffered our pain. An empty tomb meant the Atonement was complete - finished - and both universally and personally given. While it is a universal gift to all the world, it was a very personal gift to Lauren and it is a very personal gift to each of us.
With more profound gratitude than ever before, we celebrate the gift that is Easter.
We think Lauren would want you to know that she knew (and we know) of this grand reality. She would want you to know that her spirit lives on ... free of fear, free of cancer, free of pain. She lives continually surrounded by friends and people who love her. Lauren, in this lifetime, knew the Giver of the gift ... and she knew him as her 'best, heavenly friend.' His empty tomb was something she cherished with all of her heart ... even before the numerous death sentences she was called upon to face. She knew before her spirit was received back home, and she, perfectly prepared, embraced her Best, Heavenly Friend. We know she tearfully thanked him on her knees at his feet. Their friendship is eternal . . .
In honor of the Gift given through nail-pierced hands, and in memory of how much Lauren loves you, we have placed an empty plastic egg with your name on it on her grave on this day, Good Friday, 2010.
Happy Easter!