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wheel interested · 10-17-2009, 08:41 AM

Oh gosh, my eyes are old I thought that was a tiera!

Thanks for posting pictures of the family and hosting them. It really is nice to know that caring people can make a big difference in people's lives. I have been following this thread anxious to see the family and their trip. You people are very special to help as you all have.

hampstead38 · 10-17-2009, 08:41 AM

And this is Brenda. My wife is still downloading photos, so hopefully we have a better picture of her.

hampstead38 · 10-17-2009, 09:09 AM

Brenda and family arrived in Baltimore yesterday just after 11 p.m. The weather here was unseasonably cold and raining. We had lunch at Phillips Crabhouse in Baltimore's Inner Harbor to discuss the day and get acquainted. Brenda's sons and daughters were a bit wide-eyed at first, but this did not diminish their apetites. After eating enough food to embarrass a gang of longshoremen (including desserts), the kids wanted to see the National Aquarium. Brenda had seen the Aquarium before--and she's been on the road with the kids for nearly three weeks. My wife deftly suggested she and Brenda taken a detour while unleashing the kids and me on the Aquarium. So, Sam, Abbie, Hannah, Elijah and I wandered through the sights and sounds of fish, lizards, manta rays, dolphins, sharks, etc. Brenda and Becky caught a water taxi to Fell's Point for coffee and "chat."

Sam is strikingly tall and athletic young man, 17 with aspirations of playing college basketball. Abby is wonderfully full of life, a 15-year-old rebel with a deeply sensitive side and incredible artistic talent. The smile in Hannah's photograph captures her effervescent personality. She is still wonderfully unaware of how charming she is. Elijah, well, there's a wonderful line in "Casablance" where Rick says about Captain Renault... "Oh, he's like any other man, except more so." Well, Elijah is like any other nine-year-old boy, except more so. He's bright, direct, darting from moment to moment and place to place.

After the Aquarium and requisite dolphin show, we met Brenda and Becky at the nearby ESPN zone for more food and to turn loose the kids on the games upstairs. This was a great chance to talk with Brenda and let the gang blow off some steam. We could tell Brenda was tired so she and Becky took the water taxi back to a point closer to the vehicles. I took the hooligans to the EPSN store to pick up a few mementos (something in addition to the large orange "koosh" ball Hannah won at some silly game.) The koosh ball eventually changed hands on some deal struck between Hannah and Abby.

Hannah and Abby jumped in our truck while Brenda followed us to an area north of Baltimore. We tucked them into a couple of hotel rooms at the Marriott and, yes, the kids needed even more sustenance. Becky grabbed our daughter and her friends to give the teens some new faces to talk to you. We had a lovely, occasionally frenetic dinner and decided we had done enough damage for one day. There were hugs all around. Sam was heading to the pool... and I'm sure the prospect of 17-year-old girls in the pool had nothing to do with his interest. Elijah was skeptical of the pool, deciding he would need to personally test the water temperature before donning a bathing suit. Hannah was going somewhere, giggling and smiling while Abbie wanted to head back to a hotel computer... having been largely denied the lifeline of the Internet during the trip.

Today, Brenda and family are driving back to Ohio with a pocketful of memories. There's a Christian concert tonight at 6 p.m. that Sam wants to attend. I think everyone was a little homesick and that they'll all be happy to sleep in their own beds tonight.

loudruff · 10-17-2009, 09:47 AM

You are all beautiful people! I am sure that all of the kids had a great time and made lots of memories. I hope that maybe one of them is scrapbooking these photos for times to come. Thanks for the details and celebration of this trip. We are following along in spirit. Hope they have a great trip home to OH.
Larry and Lou

prudencepb · 10-17-2009, 09:48 AM

Thank you so much for hosting and showing them a great time. Giving Brenda a break for a few hours was brilliant...you and your wife rock!

You probably deserve a medal of honor for taking on the whole crew by yourself! I know they're great kids...but they're still kids! WHOOHOO! It's not a job, it's an adventure!

Thanks for the pictures, can't wait to see the rest of them. I'll give Brenda a call tomorrow or Monday to hear all about the trip.

May aluminum follow you all the days of your life and may you dwell in the house of Airstream forever.

(Sorry, couldn't help myself! I'll surely be punished)

Karen
aka Prudence-pb

ROBERT CROSS · 10-17-2009, 03:50 PM

Thanks Hamp....

Nice to be a part of such a great endeavour.

Sounds like it was a sooper time.

Bob

blacksheep · 10-17-2009, 08:21 PM

Wow, you all are GREAT!!! Thanks so much for the updates so far. And Karen, now that you have introduced Brenda and her brood to us please keep us updated as events in her life transpire.

Godspeed,
Trent

prudencepb · 11-14-2009, 02:05 PM

Hi All,
I had dinner with Brenda and our other girlfriend Andi a few nights ago so we could hear all about the trip. They all had a great time and so enjoyed meeting and making new friends. The success of this adventure was largely due to the Alumin-angels who hosted her or donated funds to help her along the way.

The Pastor who hosted them in DC arranged for them to stay downtown DC (very expensive) on their last night there. There was some kind of problem with the suite so they were moved to another floor...next to the penthouse!

Well, the kids were so curious about who might be in there that Brenda asked the manager, knowing full well he couldn't tell her, but explained the situation and how her kids were all excited.

Anyway the manager came over and asked them who they thought might be in the penthouse. Of course they came up with Tiger? LaBron? a king? the Pope? The manager said no, YOU ARE! and he gave them the penthouse for TWO nights with complimentary room service! Whatever they wanted!

How crazy is that?!

On a more serious note, Brenda had another scan a few days ago and her cancer is about the same which is good news (sorta). She still has it but she's not gotten any worse since 4 months ago. Time with her family...that's what counts.

Thanks again to all of you,

Karen

whitsend · 11-16-2009, 08:55 PM

Karen - While we're now too old (lazy?) to cook a traditional Thanksgiving meal (we now go out ~ whooray for Hoover's in East Austin!!), we do still talk of what each of us has to be thankful for. And as luck would have it, that exercise takes quite a while!! Life's been good.

But this Forums thread has also made me very thankful. From the beginning - thankful to you for being so gracious as to bring Brenda's List to our attention, allowing each of us individually to do what we could for Brenda's & her kids, thankful to this fine Community for contrubuting what we could of our few $$ and time to make their trip a success, thru to the hotel manager for such a kind & memorable gesture.

I've never been more proud of or thankful for this Community.

Aluminocentricity Rules!

prudencepb · 11-17-2009, 04:20 AM

Hi Whitsend,
My pastor used to call it an "attitude of gratitude".

We could all use more of that, yes?

Karen
BTW, Love your handle...I spend much time at my wits end!

danalee · 11-17-2009, 05:29 AM

Its stories like this that renew my faith in human kindness.

prudencepb · 02-19-2010, 10:05 AM

Greetings all,
Several folks from this list have asked to be kept updated on Brenda and crew so here goes.

I had dinner with Brenda and our friend Andi in January. When Brenda walked through the door it was obvious that she'd lost about 20 pounds since November. (anyone who's met her knows she can't afford that) Her cancer has come roaring back and there really isn't anything to be done about it.

Andi callled me last evening to let me know Brenda was in the hospital with pneumonia. She expects to be released today. If you're a praying person, toss one up for her, husband Jim and the kids.

I would like to again thank all the people who helped her on this trip. It was a wonderful time with her kids and YOU made it possible.
Hopefully I won't have to post again too soon,
Karen
(Foiled Again's sister)

ROBERT CROSS · 02-19-2010, 10:17 AM

Godspeed....

The Family will stay with us for sure...

Lily&Me · 02-19-2010, 11:25 AM

We will keep Brenda and her family in our thoughts.

Maggie

whitsend · 02-19-2010, 11:33 AM

Karen - Very sad news indeed. We'll all keep Brenda & family in our thoughts. She is a very lucky lady to have had you as a friend. Everyone isn't so lucky.

hampstead38 · 02-19-2010, 02:47 PM

I spoke with Brenda before we were crushed with back-to-back snowstorms. Brenda and the kids sent us some wonderful cards at Christmas. When I spoke to her, she was doing OK. We were going to stop by and see them on our way to pick up the Overlander, but we were delayed by the weather.

Hopefully, once things thaw a bit, we'll be headed toward Ohio. If we manage to sit down with Brenda and the kids, I'll make sure to post an update.

prudencepb · 02-19-2010, 04:54 PM

I spoke to Brenda on the phone today. She's home and feeling a bit better after 6 breathing treatments, a bunch of steroids and a barrel full of antibiotics. She sounds like crap but who wouldn't after all that?
She called me while I was in Florida a couple of weeks ago and mentioned that you were going to stop at her place. She'll enjoy seeing very much. I hope the weather decides to cooperate with you.
Blessings,
Karen

Foiled Again · 02-24-2010, 06:26 PM

Let's kill the damn ground hog! We need spring and sunshine for Brenda - that and a lot of serious praying. I don't expect a miracle, but I hope for one. Give her a hug for me Karen.

Paula

mouth012006 · 02-24-2010, 07:04 PM

Hampstead...if you head to ohio and pass through Kentucky on your way....let us know and we will have courtesy parking for you. I just lost my mother last week and will say an extra prayer for the kids and family and Brenda herself. God Bless to everyone that has helped this great family.

prudencepb · 05-17-2010, 12:02 PM

Hi All,
Brenda update:

I had dinner with Brenda a couple of weeks ago and she looked better. I thought her bout with pneumonia was the beginning of the end but she's recovered fairly well and is looking better. She's still terribly thin and is using her cane more but she's hangin' in!

Someone nominated her to the "EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER" show and they're being considered. I'm not sure where they are in the process but if her Alumin-angels will send up a prayer for the family it would be great. With all the medical expenses they've had over the past couple of years their house has been on the back burner.

Thanks AGAIN for all the blessings,
Karen

PS, For those of you who don't know the show...a huge crew of builders, designers, carpenters, plumbers, etc. come in, tear down the old house and build a new one in it's place (in 7 days!), completely furnished down to the dish towels in the kitchen and food in the frig. Often the mortgage is paid off as well. There might be scholarships for the kids or a new vehicle in the garage. (It's my Saturday morning coffee show!) Pretty cool, huh?!