Up Til Dawn for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital

We played the most awesome event tonight at Western Kentucky University.

It was "Up Til Dawn's" Benefit for St. Jude Children's Hospital. The students have been raising money for St. Judes all year and are already over 100,000 in money raised!!! Everyone that sent out 25 letters to help raise their money, got admittance into the event. It started at 10, they had food, games, inflatable laser tag, basketball courts, coloring stations, (us :) - the music), and everyone was dressed up in either sorority colors, animals, or other fun things. (I never really got the story on the dressing up part - but who needs a reason?!?)

Brooke, this sweet little girl, was there with her Daddy. She had a brain tumor that was cancerous at 18 months old. The doctors told her it was inoperable, but St. Judes said - we can fix this. They did. It took 2 surgeries, and then last year, she had some more cancer come back. But again she is healthy! She goes in Monday for more scans to make sure the coast is clear - so we all need to think about sweet little Brooke on Monday. She has defied all the odds!!! I was a little worried about being able to sing after hearing her story and listening to her Dad speak and thank these kids for all they are doing. But luckily, the students got up and did a really silly dance to Disney songs which helped lighten the mood back up!

It's called "Up Til Dawn" because even though it is a celebration of all their hard work - it is representative of how much these kids have to go through. Many times they are up all night because of their treatments. So the students stay up and hang out until 5am as a tribute to these amazing children!

Needless to say, this show was a GREAT one to be a part of.

One of these girls said, "I've never met someone who plays a fiddle! I'm telling my mom!" :)


Cecelia was such a big help all night long


Up Til Dawn Crew!


Nemo's and turtles (Yes, the Nemo's even have a torn sleeve as their "wounded fin)


Late Night Waffle Housing!


Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Grandpa is a Champion

First things first.

Grandpa is doing SOOO well. I want to thank everyone on here that has sent us well wishes and prayers. I am truly amazed at what can be done these days. He went into surgery yesterday. The doctors took out his esophagus (because of cancer cells) and then stretched his stomach up... so the stomach becomes the esophagus AND the stomach. So it's kind-of like getting your esophagus out and your stomach stapled all at once :) We're gonna miss that big belly of his :)

But the surgery went wonderfully and now the long road of recovery has begun. We were there with him this morning for his first "walk" after surgery. Whew. What an ordeal. But he did so well. And he looked right at home with his army of ladies fussing over him :) There were 2 nurses and a doctor and Grandma all with him. Tamara, James, and I stayed in the room and cheered him back to his finish line. :) And I dropped off a pie for the nurses before we left to give them even MORE incentive to fuss over him :)

Things worked out perfectly for James and me to be in Iowa. We are so grateful we could be there with the family for the surgery. Tamara (James' ma) is a doctor, and she is able to stay for the next couple of weeks to help out. Again - SOOOO great she can be there. It's such a comfort to everyone.

So keep the prayers coming!!! We want to get the tubes out and the pain away!!! But Grandpa has already been giving the nurses a hard time... so we know he's gonna be ok :)

James and I worked on the set lists for next year for about 7 hours in the car tonight. It was pretty awesome. We have so many ideas and plans. It doesn't seem like you could talk about set lists for 7 hours straight.... oh but you can! We talked about everything from order... to song selection... to seamless transitions... to optional versions. It's pretty amazing what all you have to consider when it comes to the set list. It's time to breath some new life into the show. And we're very excited to do it!!! Can you tell??

We're home now. We're sleeping in our own bed tonight. Cinnamon is a very happy little pup.

Love you Grandpa!!!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

BreStrong!

Thank you for all of the sweet and wonderful get well messages on here and facebook and myspace. We're getting better. Every day it's been something different.... the fevers broke but then came back... the sore throat came... now the cough has set in.

James and I both were not sure how in the world we were gonna start driving tonight... we're both pretty woozy feeling... But it's amazing what you can do when you have to. We've stopped just north of Indianapolis (which is funny since we play here on Sat night!) I'm just hoping a good night's sleep will give me enough voice for 2 shows!

While I'm on the subject of "it's amazing what you can do when you have to" I just want to say a little something about my amazing friend, Bre.

Bre's story is incredible. She found out she was pregnant, YIPPIE!!! And 15 weeks into her pregnancy she found out that she had breast cancer and would immediately have to start chemo. Imagine THAT rollercoaster of emotions. I certainly can't.

She lost her hair... but the Belly kept growing!



I have never seen someone with such amazing spirits. From start to finish she was so strong. And she genuinely had a beautiful perspective on the whole situation. She is such an inspiration. You want to know what she said to me at one point? We were talking about the chemo combined with the normal symptoms that come with pregnancy (which we all know can be unbelievably intense)
She said: "Eh, it's not that bad."
I love it!!! That was always her attitude.

I know it was always scary... but she kept her faith and was surrounded by prayers. She now has a beautiful HEALTHY baby girl
named Matilda Rae. She has finished her final chemo treatment and will go into surgery in a couple of weeks to get the rest of that cancer TAKEN OUT!

Matilda Rae and Mamma: And LOOK! Their hair is growing back at the same rate!!!



To learn more about her incredible story.... to follow her surgery.... or to get your very own BRE STRONG bracelet to help support the enormous medical expenses that continue to pile on:

BRESTRONG

Peace. Love. Fiddle. & BreStrong!
~natalie