3.4.56

It is MOMMA!

It is absolutely impossible to express "updates" to Emily's day in mere words.  Today started off with celebrating Mass dedicated to my sweet sister, Gayl A. Bertagni, born on 3.4.56 who would have been 56 this day.  Bianca has been with all of us this week, and it was so great to share this day with her.

We always thought that Sunday, March 4th would hold special meaning for us, for this reason alone, but there has been so much more to add.  Emily's new found experience with the little c has added a new dimension to life that was not on our calendar pages for 2012, until her diagnosis last month.  Unreal how much all our lives have changed.

We did have on our radar that this day could hold significance for Mackenzie, who qualified for the OSHAA Cheerleading competition at St. John's Arena at The Ohio State University.  We also knew that it could be a special day for Joe, provided their 8th grade boys basketball team continued to "survive and advance" in the CYO City Tournament.  For months, we hoped and dreaded the potential conflict of wondering, how can Daddy-O and MOMMA! be in the same places at the same time?  True to form, TEAMEVANS lives minute to minute and we made it work in modified fashion....unreal, unreal and truly "minute to minute".    The Gesu Bulldogs, alma mater for Emily, Mackenzie and Joe, won the 8th grade CYO City Championship Division 1 - team title at 40-24 over St. Raphael's and Mackenzie and her Walsh Jesuit Warriors placed 4th in Division I Mount Cheer.  Also true to form, Bianca, Kenz, Mark M. and I white knuckled our way home from Columbus, Ohio through Summit County in one lane white out snow conditions.  Just pulled in to Conover, but only after we ran out of gas on Richmond Road.  Unreal. Unreal.  I simply prayed the whole day for everyone's safety - both Gesu and WJ teams and their opponents - as well as for all of us as we navigated this day.

So this "blog" is supposed to be about an update for Emily, and this story reflects the fact that our life goes on.  Our crazy existence has not changed much in some ways, but has been completely overturned in others.  To see Emily, the amazing way she glows without the natural, beautiful head of hair, is inspiring.  She had so many other plans for this day - to be at SLU, be with friends cramming for mid-terms, planning a spring break, going to 9 pm Mass at College Church - but no, she graced her wheelchair with a smile and brought her good energy to everyone she saw.

It has been a real roller coaster.  I can only imagine what the next 7-10 months will be.  Somethings will occur in order like "3.4.56" and some things won't.  Thanks for caring to read on....because, it is still GAME ON for us.