Christmas without Alan

We could not face spending our first Christmas without Alan at home. We considered a few alternatives, but then an opportunity presented itself - Trent's Retreat. The retreat is a beautiful two-bedroom cabin right by the river in Ballinger, built by the Ueckerts for families facing childhood cancer to get away, in the memory of their son Trent.


Kevin had fun on the playground at Trent's Retreat


We did some Christmas baking while we were there, remembering Alan.


The view from the front porch of the Retreat - the skies were crystal clear, and we spent every evening bundled up at the end of the walkway watching the stars. We got through Christmas by focusing on making it a great holiday for Kevin. He had fun on the retreat's playground and mini-golf course and was thrilled by the opportunity to star-gaze.


Not only did they provide us with this chance to get away, the Ueckerts also collected donations for Alan's research fund at their restaurant. Thank you Misty and David and all the patrons of the Main Street Soda Fountain for adding another $150 to the endowment!

Launching our Hero Fund Raffle Winners

Today two of the raffle winners from the inaugural Alan's Hero Fund Launch joined our SOARS launch to send up their winning rockets! The chalkboard rocket was won by a little boy who is also a cancer fighter who goes to Doc P. His mom saw our event on the St. Baldrick's website and asked to help out. Thank you Yvette!!!

The daughter of a new friend (who has really come out to support us a lot since Alan passed) won the Sponge Bob Square Bob rocket. Harold was reluctant to let his rocket go, especially after putting Alan's face in one of the port holes. Since they're just down the road, we can visit it occasionally.

Unfortunately the third winner, the St. Baldrick's rocket, couldn't join us. Both rockets were launched and recovered successfully, to our great relief. Now to start planning the next Alan's Hero Fund Launch - "like" the Alan's Hero Fund page on Facebook and mark the date - September 14 at STAR Soccer Field!


Proud winner of the Chalkboard Rocket!


Watching as Harold sets up the rocket


A new rocket to test out - we'll sell these as a fundraiser in 2014!


Ready to launch the Sponge Bob rocket


Alan's ready to go up with Sponge Bob and Patrick


5... 4... 3... 2... 1... blast off!


A successful recovery!

Remembering Alan's Birthday

We miss Alan terribly, and his birthday was hard, but you help keep him alive for us when you remember him. Thank you!


Harold continued the tradition, serving as Watch DOG at school on Alan's birthday


Judy and the "aunties" decorated Alan's grave with Sponge Bob and Chuck E. Cheese coins


Ready and waiting to greet our friends at Chuck E. Cheese with a chocolate birthday cake.


One of Alan's little friends with Chuck E prizes!


These sweet girls not only came to celebrate, but brought a donation from a fundraiser of their own!


It was so good to see everyone having so much fun at one of Alan's favourite places!


Kevin with a gigantic slinky - Alan would have loved this!


Kevin playing the giant Fruit Ninja, one of the new games that came in after Alan's favourite Great Ticket Carnival was rotated out. Alan would have had so much fun with this one!


Because it was an early release day at the schools, we were able to start the fundraiser at noon instead of 3 PM. Thanks to everyone who came out, we added almost another $300 to the endowment of Alan's Pediatric Sarcoma Research Fund at MD Anderson!

Our first birthday without Alan

Today will be our first birthday without Alan.

To remember him, we are having a fundraiser at his beloved Chuck E. Cheese. His favourite game is gone - it was moved to another store as part of a regular rotation of the attractions. We know which location it was moved to though, and the manager allowed me to put a picture of Alan in the inside of the game cabinet along with a few words about how much Alan loved the game. Hopefully they will let us know when it moves again. But we will be there for his birthday, with lots of cake to welcome all our friends who come remember Alan and to help us fight childhood cancer in his memory.





To honor his five years of life, we have decided to give five gifts every year for his birthday in his memory. This year, the gifts are:

1. a donation to the Ronald McDonald House Houston to cover a family's stay for one week. RMH Houston was truly a home away from home for us after Alan's first relapse. We had many stays there while getting treatment at MD Anderson, sometimes lasting for months.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. a flock of 5 Wingman beads for Beads of Courage. If you were at Alan's visitation or service or seen pictures from those days, you may recall the incredible lengths of beads documenting Alan's battle with cancer. Alan earned approximately 1362 beads in his almost four years of cancer treatment. With the extra beads he was given by the nurses and Child Life for courage, travelling for his treatment, doing dog and music therapy, birthdays while in treatment, spending Christmas in the hospital and other special events like Beads in Space and Laughter is the Best Medicine, Alan's Beads of Courage were 98 feet long and weighed over 9 pounds.
   
   
   
   
   Thank you Michelle Kobell for these photos of Alan's Beads
   
   
3. to sponsor a song for another child with Songs of Love. They had produced a beautiful song for Alan when he was first diagnosed.
   
   
   Hear Alan's song
   
   
4. items and shipping for Shoe Box Christmas presents through Crown of Life, the church where Alan went to preschool, was baptized, and where we had his memorial service.
   
   
5. a donation to the Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas chapter. Make A Wish made Alan's simple wish a really special day for our whole family. We want to help them make special days for other families too.