Push or Pull - You Decide

Hi All,

Since this blog posting is the first to be 'pushed' via email in addition to being posted, I will be brief.

For those of you who have been reading the Circle of Friends blog regularly, you are familiar with its origination & content. For those of you who may be reading this in an email but have never visited the blog, here's a brief history. Circle of Friends was created to support the Lawrence Family (Kenny, Jennifer, Daniel & Bethany).

We have recently made 2 changes to the blog that are worth noting!

1. We have added an Opportunities to Help link on the right side (under family picture). Local family & friends can signup to volunteer time/effort. There is also a link to ideas for people who are not located in the Phoenix area.

2. We are now going to email the blog posting. If you prefer not to receive the blog entries in your Inbox, please send us a note at CircleOfFriends4@gmail.com and we will remove you from our distribution list. You will still be able to access the blog in a web browser & read at your leisure.

Be well & happy everyone!

Cindy

Status: Mostly done!

(Jen speaking): Here's a great big thank-you to the friends who have given us their time and energy to complete the tasks on the request list Steph posted. It's been a humbling but uplifting experience for us to accept this outpouring.

DONE

• Hang up 2 new bathroom towel hooks - Yup, Kenny grabbed that one.
• Fix the flushing on both toilets - Doug J., our potty hero
• Replace front door closing cylinder AND plug gap through which air is pouring - Doug J. again
• Veggie chopping week 1 - Annie F. and Jason, super choppers

SCHEDULED

• Replace light over the stove - Ron and Elizabeth J. coming this week (we had to reschedule due to B. last week)
• Veggie chopping week 2 - Jonathan M. coming this week (with his special knife!)
• Veggie chopping volunteers, schedule TBD - Barb P., Marie A./Joanne M.

RECEIVED

• Restaurant gift cards and other helpful support - from many folks
• A Whole Foods gift card from a mystery donor - please let me know who to thank!!
• Funny jokes!!!

We are truly blessed.

A Funny Thing Happend on the Way to the BLOG!

Several different roads brought Steph, Cindy, and Jen and I together. Was it sheer luck? Was it destiny? Or was it all in Kenny's pendulum? Hey whatever it was we are all here and we have this deep connection. For me I believe it happened by me stumbling aimlessly through life but hey...."Whatever" :)

I think it is time to try to put some smiles on Kenny and Jen's faces. Anyone know a cute joke? Want to share a story? Go to the comments field! Be brave it is not like it is a stand up comedy act! :)

Here is the story how I first met Jen. I was not on the team yet but was on a project with Stephanie. We were preparing for some training. She suggested I send my presentation to Jen for edit. She mentioned Jen was extremely brilliant in this area. So happily I sent it. Jen added edits. (all in red) EEK! It was funny as toward the end the edits were less...Let's face it Jen I was just wearing you out! Of course I was taken back a bit :) but Iquickly got over it and because of the edits in the presentation it was "Pristine". And our friendship was cemented.

The 4 of us are like pieces of a puzzle and by chance or, whatever, we are one great picture of women who can listen, talk, and especially laugh.

OK..one joke for you Kenny!!!!....I got it from my Mom yesterday who will be 85 in July.

"Can you name two days in the week that start with the letter "T"." (My mom was trying to hide her smile while telling this.....)

To find the answer :) Click on comments!

PS - Gosh...I hope Jen doesn't edit my blog entry :) HEE HEE!

The Friends Behind the Circle

I thought I'd introduce you to the friends who started the circle: Steph, Cindy and Connie (L-R in photo).

You have already observed through their actions what wonderful people they are--but there is more to their lives than just helping us! If you're interested, you can follow their stories in their personal blogs:

Steph's Cup of Tea

It's All Behind Us Now (Connie's weight loss/food blog!)

Cindy's Musings and Misadventures

I'm so grateful to these three for launching the blog and inviting you to join--and for everyone's good thoughts, prayers and desire to help Kenny and me and the kids. The help that has already been received has been a blessing.

Our life has been defined by a new norm, but in the context of that, today is good. We are stable (although Bethany's having seizures), we have a full refrigerator, and last night we all slept peacefully.

I'll continue to send periodic updates via email that contain the "important" news. But for those who like a peek into the details of the daily flow and ebb, I'll post short updates here, too.

And, true to the intended purpose of the blog, this is where I'll raise the white flag of surrender to the need to ask for specific help. Today - we're all set. THANK YOU!

Opportunities to help

We've asked Jen to compile a list of ways that those of us (near and far) can help out. Here's the first round of what she's identified. If you can provide support in any of these ways, please leave a comment at this blog so that we will know what/who to expect and so that we can mark things off the list.

Also, as a personal note (from Stephanie), I'd like to say thank you to Jen and Kenny for allowing us to offer assistance. As we all know from personal experiences, it's not easy to allow others to step in. Also, I'd like to say that the requests will be intermittent; they will ebb and flow. In the mean time, we'll try to keep the blog populated with updates and other info.

Meals and Meal Prep

Request: Sunday veggie chopping and meal prep
Details:

• Chop veggies to last through Wednesday
• Make rice, potatoes or pasta
• Cook chicken and/or salmon and/or turkey
• Use the food we buy on Sunday morning

Timing: Needed weekly on Sunday afternoons ; 1-2 hour maximum

Finance: N/A

Meals we don’t have to prepare
Friends' notes: These are great options for out-of-towners! Some of these places will have gift cards/certificates. We are also exploring a few other options.

These are places where we go to eat out, get carry in meals, or stock up on frozen foods.

Whole Foods (Tempe, Chandler)

Trader Joe’s (Tempe, Phoenix)

Forefather’s Cheesesteaks (Tempe)

Swaddees Thai (Tempe)

PF Chang (gluten-free menu) (Chandler)

Picazzo Pizza (gluten-free menu) (Tempe)

Rubio’s Mexican Grill (Phoenix)

Persian Café (vegetarian/organic/gluten-free) (Phoenix)

Household Maintenance and Repair

Request: Hang up 2 new bathroom towel hooks
Details:

• Take down old hooks
• Install wall anchors and new hooks
• Patch up holes from old hooks if needed

Timing: Not urgent; Weekends best – all day Saturday or Sunday afternoon

Finance: N/A

Request: Fix the flushing on both toilets
Details:

• One toilet doesn't flush right (takes multiple tries)
• The other doesn't fill up fast enough afterward
• Might require a trip to hardware store

Timing: Not urgent; Weekends best – all day Saturday or Sunday afternoon

Finance: Lawrence debit card for any supplies required

Request: Replace front door closing cylinder AND plug gap through which air is pouring
Details:

• The cylinder is worn out and the door doesn’t shut completely or fast enough
• The cylinder/security window don’t mate up correctly and there’s a huge gap
• Will require trip to hardware store

Timing: Not urgent ; Weekends best – all day Saturday or Sunday afternoon

Finance: Lawrence debit card

Request: Replace light over the stove
Details:

• The light is ancient and burnt out
• Will require trip to hardware store
• We’re not picky about a replacement

Timing: Not urgent; Weekends best – all day Saturday or Sunday afternoon

Finance: Lawrence debit card

If you have any questions, please feel free to email CircleOfFriends4@gmail.com. Thank you!

Hello, Circle of Friends!

We (the Circle of Friends) have created this blog to celebrate and support the Lawrence family. Along with Jen, we will be posting family news and opportunities to help.

If you would like to sign up to help, just leave a response in the Comments area. Comments of encouragement, humor, well wishes, love, etc., are also most welcome. You don't need an account with Blogger to leave a comment. Just choose "anonymous" (but be sure to sign your name so that we know who has volunteered for what). Thank you!

If you have any questions, please send an e-mail to: CircleOfFriends4@gmail.com

Sincerest thanks, Cindy, Connie and Stephanie with Jen

Background:
Cindy, Connie and Stephanie work with Jen. We feel very closely connected to Jen, Kenny, Daniel and Bethany. We want to help them, and none of us live in AZ. We decided to help by creating a process that connects people with opportunities to support this wonderful family. Join us and expand our circle of friends!