It's that time of year again.  Time for our annual FA fundraiser, One for Wyatt.  This is our 4th year and we are thrilled to say this is our biggest team yet!  We have 23 people participating this year!  As always, we are humbled by the support we receive every year from our friends and family.  Wyatt has a lot of people helping him along in his fight against FA.  His team of Warriors!  We are so thankful to everyone who donates and takes the time to become more aware of this deadly disease.

It is a difficult time to ask for donations; in the midst of hurricanes, flooding and economic recession.  But we hope that if you are able, you will consider supporting our fight against FA.  Every donation is greatly appreciated.  Every dollar makes a difference!

Donations can be made online at http://www.active.com/donate/heywyatt2011

Thank you!!

Just realized how long it's been since I have written an entry!  Summertime fun!  Wyatt has been having a great summer!  This summer we confirmed what we had always suspected... Wyatt is part fish!  He can spend hours and hours in the water.  Pool, ocean, creek - he loves it all!  He actually dove down about 10 ft to 'touch the bottom of the ocean'.  Steve has been waiting patiently for the boys to be big enough to start surfing.  Both Wyatt and Owen started boogie boarding and surfing this summer. Steve's dream come true!

Besides the surfing, another big milestone - no training wheels!  It's been a long time comin', he just needed a little confidence.  It was a new thing for us because one thing Wyatt has never been short on is confidence :)

Wyatt's health has been good this summer.  We are getting ready for our annual trip to Minnesota which we hope (fingers crossed!) will confirm that all is well for another year.

We are also getting ready for first grade!!!  Time is going by so quickly!  The boys are at such a fun age...wish I could freeze a few frames!

They wiggled.  They danced.  They raised some serious cash!  Thank you to the Schwenksville Goddard School for hosting the Wiggle for Wyatt dance-a-thon!  And thank you to the Kenworthy cousins for coming up with such a perfect idea!  It was a really fun time.  Wyatt and Owen enjoyed every minute of the dancing and the unexpected bonus of Girl Scout cookies!  And while Wyatt still doesn't completely understand all the wonderful, kind and generous things people do for him; his parents certainly do!  As always, we are humbled by the generosity of our family and friends.

And thanks to the fundraising efforts of our PA friends, we are $4,000 closer to finding a cure for FA! 

We are thrilled to have another happy, healthy Christmas with Wyatt!  He is doing well and gearing up for his school holiday program!   After a little confusion over two turtle 'doves', he has mastered the song.  His part is 'four calling birds' and we are looking forward to hearing him belt it out!

We have been having lots of fun decorating, visiting santa, and making our lists.  Once again, Wyatt is asking for a Ring of Fire.  Third year running on this request and I am still no closer to figuring it out.  So he is going to have to settle for something a bit smaller (and safer) again this year. 

Wyatt is growing up to be a very kind and loving boy.  He has always had such a gentle soul.  I think all parents hope that they are raising kind, considerate and generous children.  And I have to admit that lately, the boys have been causing me to doubt my parenting skills - lots of wrestling, name calling, running around like hoodlums in stores, etc.  But Wyatt reminded yesterday of just how thoughtful he can be with a special letter to Santa, "Dear Santa, can you write down what you want for Christmas and we will get it for you on Christmas Eve...Luv, Wyatt".   I think it's a letter I will keep forever.

Happy Holidays!  Best wishes for a happy, healthy New Year!

We just received Wyatt's tests results from our trip to Minnesota two weeks ago.  Everything looks good!  A relief as always!   Easy guess what we will be most thankful for this year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

One more week until the race!  And it's not too late to donate!  If you are able, please support us by donating at:

http://www.active.com/donate/heywyatt2010

There is just two more weeks until the triathlon!  The racers are training hard and it's not too late to support them!  Every dollar counts!  So if you are able, please help us fight this disease!  You can donate at:

http://www.active.com/donate/heywyatt2010

Well, we've had a great summer so far!   Wyatt is doing great and having a lot of fun!  Summertime is good for us - no doctor visits which allows us all to have a little break.  I know my stress level is much lower when I am not waiting on test results.  Wyatt's stress level is much lower when he doesn't have to worry about being poked with needles.  We love all of his doctors but we don't miss them!  In fact, we are quite happy to not see them at all.

I have been reading a lot about new FA research.  We received Wyatt's diagnosis in August of 2007.  And I have to admit, when I began to educate myself about the disease, I was not very optimistic for Wyatt's future.  It is such a rare disease with such devasting complications that I just could not imagine that the research could move fast enough to make a difference in Wyatt's life.  The doctors explained to me that if he survived the bone marrow transplant, he might have a few years before he developed other complications.  The complications being cancers that we cannot treat with typical cancer treatments.  They explained to me that if we were lucky, he might not develop those cancers until he was a teenager.   As result of this knowledge, I always have a clock ticking in my brain.  And every July, I spend a lot of time thinking that he is getting one year closer to being a teenager.  And while I suspect that every parent has these types of thoughts, of wanting to freeze time; I struggle with the happiness of seeing him grow up and the anxiety of knowing that this growth is taking him just a little bit closer to his next challenge. 

Over the past year I have allowed myself to be a little more hopeful for Wyatt's future.  I have been humbled by the generosity of our friends and family.  And I have been reading about the new research that has been developing much faster than I thought possible.  This research has been funded by your generous donations.  The July Donor newsletter published by The Fanconi Anemia Research Fund reported on collaboration between the FA Research Fund and the National Institutes of Health.  The newsletter stated that, "Generous private donations to the Fund of $650,000 led to this monumental NIH grant of $10.7 million."  Your donations are working!  We are raising both dollars and awareness of this awful disease. 

So I am cautiously optimistic that we might actually see some medical advancements in time to make a difference for Wyatt.  And I am confident that our efforts to raise money and awareness can keep this momentum going.  The research renews my spirits and reminds me that every dollar counts.  The new research reminds me that our fundraising efforts are important, critical for Wyatt.

So, now is the time when I ask you to help us again this year.  Our team is training for the Sandman Triathlon - our annual Fanconi Anemia fundraiser.  We have a team of 8 racers so far.  And we have set some lofty fundraising goals this year.  I hope that if you are able, you will consider sponsoring our team of racers and help us raise money for a cure!

www.active.com/heywyatt2010

It has been an exciting spring for Wyatt!  Good times all around! 

On the medical side, his blood work in April came back normal.  This was a huge relief as his counts had been a little low in October.  The doctors were not concerned and felt that the low counts were a result of him fighting a virus; and would return to normal when he was well.  I, of course, did worry even though they told me not to.  Turns out, those doctors know a little something.  J 

Wyatt just finished up his second t-ball season.  And he has actually developed a few ball skills.  Unfortunately, his attention span is still non existent.  He spends most of his time in the out field finding ladybugs, spinning in circles, or (my favorite) trying out his Jedi Knight skills.   He actually tried using The Force to get someone out on second base.  We had a talk about how The Force is indeed a strong and valuable skill, so is actually catching the ball and throwing it to base.  But he is a great team player and is very encouraging and supportive of both his own team and the opposing team.  In one game, he actually ran the bases for the other team.  He was supposed to be playing in the outfield but I suppose he got caught up in the thrill and excitement of scoring runs?  He is a bit of a loose cannon out there.  Usually a fan favorite and always a coaching nightmare.

Wyatt recently met a Navy SEAL friend, Mr. Bill.  And when he found out that Wyatt is a big fan of the SEALs (he is often in the backyard "training" with his cousin), he invited Wyatt to a family day on the base.  Wyatt was THRILLED with this adventure!  He rode in a humvee, a zodiac boat and watched a Black Hawk helicopter drop some guys in the water during training...big stuff for a little guy.  Thanks Mr. Bill for making a few dreams come true!

Wyatt graduated from Kindergarten this week!!  I had such mixed emotions.  We are so happy to see him moving on to other things but sad to see him leave his preschool days behind.  He has made such good friends. And we've made some good friends there too.   At the ceremony, the teacher asked each child to talk about one memory they had of the past school year.  One little girl said that she will remember "Wyatt always being so funny."  And I thought to myself, all of my best memories of the past 5 1/2 years involve that very thing!  There is nothing more perfect to me than the sound of Wyatt's laugh.

We are looking forward to a fun and easy summer.  No doctor appointments on the books as of now.  Just lots of fun with family and friends!

Thanks for reading! 

Is it too late for a "happy new year!"?  Probably.  My intent is to write an update at least once a month but time gets away from me. 

Wyatt had a great Christmas as did Owen.  They are the perfect ages to really enjoy the spirit of the holidays.  There was lots of excitement in our house this year!  Unfortunately, Wyatt did not receive a Ring of Fire from Santa.  And it was noted.  We told him to keep the faith...there's always next year!

2009 was a good year for Wyatt.  Fewer doctor appointments and a lot more regular kid stuff.  It's a happy time for us.

I am always grateful for the generous donations made in honor of Wyatt every year.  But it's the at the end of the year when I am reviewing all the donations and fundraising that I feel truly overwhelmed by your kind and generous spirits.  In 2009, we raised over $20,000 for The Fanconi Anemia Research Fund.  And when I write "we", I mean every single person who has joined in this battle against FA.  The support has been with friendship, donations, emails, fund raisers and it's all so very important to us.  I have noticed in the past couple of FA family newsletters and also through talking with our doctors that there seems to be more of a feeling of optimism than just a few years ago when Wyatt was first diagnosed.   There is some promising research going on right now (funded by all the dollars you have donated) which gives us a feeling of hope.  The clock is ticking for Wyatt and we never forget that.  There is always that feeling of will it be enough?  Will it happen fast enough to save him from what we know will likely be in his future.  Our plan is to keep raising those dollars.  This is going to be a long journey for us.  And we thank you for keeping Wyatt in your thoughts and prayers.  And we thank you for your generous and thoughtful donations in honor of Wyatt.  He's a strong little guy but he needs all the support he can get!

Happy New Year!