Snow Day Entertainment

While I may be at work today, I know lots of people are home, snowed in.  I decided to help entertain people and keep you occupied - ya know, for your own good.  So here goes: 

1.  Make a donation to the Philly Fight for Air Climb!  Pick any member of Team For Little Debbie (link here).  If you need a reason to donate, please see this, this, or this.  

2.  Order a For Little Debbie t-shirt!!! This is a small fundraiser, but I'm hoping that each member of our team, plus 40 more people will all be sporting our For LD shirts in 44 days.  Short Sleeve are $14 and Long Sleeve are $18.  You can find the order form here. 

3. Thank a soldier.  I'm not picky about organizations, branches of the military, or how you say thanks.  Just Do It.  

4.  Help us decide what kind of car Kevin should buy.  Extra bonus points for ridiculous items such as 'short enough Jessica can reach the roof' OR comes in the same two tone paint job as Emma Jean.  What's that, you don't know who Emma Jean is? Okay, I'll blog about that someday too! 

5.  Guess what church I grew up in.  I'll give you one clue:  my boss is wrong, and try as he might, I will not admit to being Amish.  

6.  Google 'Surprise Military Homecomings' and try to tell me they aren't the most emotional, amazing videos on the internet.  

7.  Go play in the snow... 

I don't want to forget your voice...

Let's start this post with something most of my generation will find ridiculous:  

Kevin and I have a home phone

Yep, like one that has a phone cable, plugs into the wall, and an answering machine.  Now - it is portable, so it's not the total power outage solution, but is better than nothing.  After living in Kennett where Verizon sucked at our home, a land line was incredibly helpful.  We kept the home phone when moving to Downingtown, although it took me a bit to get it hooked up.  My dad had a set of two phones, with the built in answering machine at his house.  He said they were spares (huh Dad?), so we "acquired them" like we do many things from his house.  

When Kevin and I finally hooked them up, we made a test call to our cell phones and everything worked - hooray, end of thought process.  Except, the story gets way better.  

Two weeks ago, just before we left for Seattle, the home phone rang.  Kevin and I were laying on the couch, and knowing that we hadn't even given anyone the number, just let it ring.  When the answering machine picked up - I cried.  You see, the answering machine saved the recording from the last person who used the phones.  The message when the answering machine picks up is Mary Elyn's.  And she says the phrase I must have heard on her answering machine a hundred times: 

"I'm not lost, I'm around here somewhere" 

and ends with 

"have a blessed day"

I don't have the heart to delete it - and haven't figured out how to record it and maintain the audio quality yet.  But you'd better believe that it made my day, my week, my month to hear her voice and those silly phrases that I've missed for two years.  It also made me remember that the only recordings we have of Mom's voice are probably old home movies - I guess I need to get started transferring those while they're still in good shape.  Happy tears, and memories of the most amazing grandmother isn't such a bad way to end the day.  

A Legacy... 1.22.02

I feel as though I think more about the legacy I want to leave behind than some people may.  The incredible people that have left my life in the last 5 years had a large influence on this focus in my life - thanks to their lessons, guidance, and own legacies.  I think my Mom left a pretty fantastic legacy behind with Christopher and I, her immediate and extended families, and the incredible contingent of friends she developed in 60 years.   So.. what is exactly is a legacy, and how do I develop my own?

According to Merriam-Webster, the (secondary) definition of legacy is:

  "something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past <the legacy of the ancient philosophers>"

I'm pretty much lost on developing my own - my current goals are developing a strong grouping of friends; preferably a diverse one, often referring back to my parents' "unit" for inspiration, motivation, and a reminder of why these people are so important every day. On another legacy related note, I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about an important person over the last few days.  

Twelve years ago today, the world lost a mother, wife, and sister - Lynn Kochka.  I have developed a wonderful friendship with all three of Kochka siblings (her children) over the last 4 years; Kevin, Tara, and Carolyn.  The legacy that Lynn left behind is one that affects my own view of "what I'll leave behind" on a frequent basis.  The morals and values she developed in her kids are the same as my own mom's (and dad's). I see/feel so many similarities in how we were raised - both in the physical (Worcester Connection), the emotional, and so much more.  

Lynn is a woman I would have loved to have met - and maybe I did.  Who knows if on a Harvest Day Saturday she was with the kids at Merrymead and we bumped into each other in the pumpkin corral?  But - one of the things about Lynn's legacy that most touches me is that twelve years after her passing, it brings me to tears as I try to express my admiration for her, my support for her children, and the connection I feel to a woman gone too soon.  I visit Lynn often - she is with my own mom at Central Schwenkfelder - and while I don't "hear" her the way I hear my own mom, I've filled her in on the engagement story of Erin & Kevin, their wedding planning journey, and when I might want to smack her son and future daughter in law upside the head (I mean that in the most loving way possible guys).  

In less words - I hope that my someday legacy is felt by friends of friends, friends of my someday kids, and those that only know me by association.  Lynn C Kochka - you have raised three humble, brave, and compassionate children.  I hope that you know, hear, and see how they strive to make you proud, share stories of your life together, and begin to pass on your family values as they begin their own families.  

Lynn C Kochka      6.16.56 - 1.22.02

2014 - And Here We Go!

Today seemed as good a day as any to get some posting going on!  Less than 100 days until the Fight for Air Climb, and we are right in the middle of training.  So far, training has included cardio, cardio, cardio, and a very wet 5 mile high in Washington.  Each moment I miss Mom is little more motivation to keep pushing myself both emotionally and physically.  We learned so much from last year's climb and have a new focus for this year!

1. Focus on C.A.R.D.I.O. - While practicing the actual stairs is important, it is absolutely secondary to the workout your lungs will get.  This year my plan is to train for 30 minutes of my maximum heart-rate 3 days a week and only do stairs 2 times a week! 
2. Food - Last year I ate a really small breakfast (a banana) before the climb, and that was it.  I wasn't very hungry - and it seemed like some combination of nerves and angst.  I have got to overcome that this year, because I was completely out of fuel by the time we went up the second time.  
3. Fundraising - 2013 was hugely successful for our team (the 5 of us raised $2,995).  This year we're already at 7 people - with hopes to hit 10.  My fundraising goal is $2,000 for our team.  There are t-shirts, a Mary Kay fundraiser, and some general Facebook plans in the works!

Anyone who wants to join team "For Little Debbie" is more than welcome to (link here) - there are still spots available for  both the 50 flights and 100 flights!  Rockstar cousins Morgan and Titus will be climbing and we've got our own personal cheerleading squad started with Maddy being our poster holder/Gatorade Girl.  I am so thankful for this climb - and how the terrible loss of Deb continues to bring our family together! 

Happy Tuesday everyone <3

48 Hours Until Relay for Life

I am nervous for Saturday.  There, I said it.  With the Fight for Air Climb, I had my whole family surrounding me - and some joining in the fun.  Saturday, it will just be me for much of the day, as my incredible family has other places to be.  I'll be honoring Mom while Kevin honors the anniversary of his grandfather's passing with his family.  And the Bookheimer men (and my dad) will be honoring the ever amazing Maynard Rothenberger at his services.  Each and every one of us will be honoring and supporting a wonderful person, just not together in person.  

It is going to be a hot one on Saturday, and I'm channeling my race track/running track self to get prepared.  I've got Gatorade, Sunscreen, and sneakers ready to go.  The rest of it we'll be playing by ear - since I'm a rookie at this.  

 

Thank you to all of you that have supported me thus far - and thank you to those that continue to support.  My poor new house will have to wait for another week to really look like home, but I know Mom will understand why the mountain of laundry is a mile high and the garage looks like some hoarders live there.  If you are still interested in donating, please use the link below (or on the right side of the blog site), and know that I appreciate all you have done for me, for our family, and for the fight against cancer! 

For Little Debbie - Relay For Life Sponsor Link

Love,
Jess

Letters to my 8, 10, and 16 year old Self

There is no end to the things I have learned about myself, my family, and life in the last two years.  But really, there are a few things I wish younger me had known - so here goes nothing. 

Dear Eight Year Old Self - That bratty kid with the dog bite, you probably should not throw Trouble at him.  I know he deserved it, and Mom/Dad are acting like he got half his face bitten off - but seriously, he did.  Someday when you're a grown up, you'll look at those scars on his face and remember the most frightening car ride of your life - the one where no one was allowed to stop singing, and keeping Chris awake was the most important mission of your life. Enjoy the fact that Mom is going to let you eat Mickey Popsicles for dinner and have Kool Aid before bed.  

 Dear Ten Year Old Self - I know you are incredibly sick of having "gym head" and that one more all day wrestling tournament may make you lose your mind.  Those gyms stink, the mornings are early, and for the love of god you'd like to eat a donut! But pay attention to the scoring, the refs, and the smiles on parentals/kids faces! When Christopher is rocking the STATE of Pennsylvania in High School, you'll be really glad you can keep score, know exactly what needs to be done to win/tie/score ride time or a stalling penalty! You are however allowed to smack him around a little when he is being a moron about losing - and then walk away.  Yep, Mom is right on this one - let him fume under the bleachers, he'll be just fine and you know he and dad are going to take over the living room anyway to reenact whatever he did wrong. 

Dear Sixteen Year Old Self - You are partially correct in that Chris's main use in life is to clean the snow and ice off the Camry before you leave for school in the morning.  And correct that his major malfunction is thinking that he is the boss of anything (kidding). Do yourself a favor, enjoy your 15 minute jam session on the way to school - there are a finite number of days you'll be able to do this.  Try not to be mad when Mom and Dad have to flip a coin for Saturday sporting events, they find it just as hard as you do.  Also, embrace your mandated bedtime - you, mom, dad, and Chris will all be a hell of a lot happier when everyone has slept before a long day.  *For you and boy wonder, this does mean that you need to stop reading under the covers.  The books can wait, and will still be there in the morning.*

I would write a letter to 18/19/20 year old self but that is called living - and would be more of a book than a blog post.  What are your lessons/letters to your younger self?

We Survived! Fight for Air Climb Recap

First - let me apologize for the seriously belated update on the Fight for Air Climb from March 23rd.  It was an amazing day, reaffirmed the support of amazing family, and empowered me to continue the fight! There were more than 500 people that participated, and with 5 of us on team For Little Debbie - we raised just $5 short of $3,000 for our team!

 The current total raised for the whole event is more than $163,000! 

For anyone who is interested in the timed results (it is a "competition" while being a fundraiser), the full results can be found here - Fight For Air Climb Results Philly 2013. 

Considering the incredibly early morning to get into the city by 7am, we had a great turn-out for our little team! Obvious early risers were Terry, Titus, Tweet, Kevin, and myself since we were running.  Tommy and Fred also came down - and those of you that know Jon will be shocked to hear that he was EARLY and at Terry's before 6am! 

The event began with speakers, then the Century Climbers (those of us crazy enough to do the 50 flights twice), then traditional climbers, and First Responders. Titus and Kevin rocked the first set of stairs in less than 10 minutes, while it took me a little closer to 13.  The second flight Kevin and Titus tried to stay with me, but still finished about 2 minutes ahead.  Terry and Tweet did amazing on their trip up the 50 flights of stairs and did the whole thing together! They finished 4th and 8th in their age groups respectively - HECK YES! 

 I will have more pictures as I get dad's, but here are some of my favorites courtesy of my phone. I think the shot down to the Art Museum is my favorite! 

Thank you again for all of your emotional, financial, and continued support! Get ready for the final push as we great ready for Relay for Life on June 1st!