Tribute to Elder Toa

Happy 22nd Birthday Elder Hadder!

I am so proud of my son. He is faithfully serving a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Micronesia Guam mission. He turned 22 today, and I wanted to post this video of him bearing his testimony and speaking in Chuukese.

Happy Birthday son! I love you and miss you more than I can ever express.

Unexpected Phone Call

On Tuesday, July 2, 2012, I received a call on my cell phone while at work from a number I didn't recognize. I don't usually take calls at work, but I have been waiting for a medical appointment, so I took the call. It was the sweetest voice on the other line..."This is Eric". It took me a couple seconds to recognize it was MY Eric - then I was estatic. He had called me from a pay phone in a McDonalds at LAX while traveling to Guam. We had a chance to chat, catch up on everyone's health (both Dad and I are doing fine) and a little information on each family member. Eric sounded so happy and positive and just wonderful. It was so exciting. I told my boss Eric had called all happy....then I started crying. And couldn't stop. I cried at my desk, hid in the ladies' room and cried there to see if I could pull myself together, and finally just returned to my desk and let the tears flow while I worked. Hearing his voice just brought to reality that he isn't just on an extended road trip with friends, he is gone for two years. And I just miss him so much. He left a huge hole in our family.

I called Verizon to have his smartphone fixed to give to Bryanna while he is on his mission. When the tech asked me to power it up to make sure it was still covered under the warranty (it was) his cute face in his ASU shirt smiled at me from his cell phone and I burst out crying. The poor Verizon tech was like "Ma'am, ma'am, are you OK?" After some blubbering on my part the guy just probably chalked me up to crazy and walked me through the steps needed to return the phone. 

I guess when I am at home and immersed in the details of everyday living, plus my chemo and always worrying about Darrell's health, I can put the fact that Eric is gone on a mental shelf and leave it there. But unexpectedly hearing from him or seeing his smiling face pop up just melts my defenses. Having said that, I wouldn't have him give up this experience for ANYTHING. He has my full support. He is just growing and maturing and moving forward with his life and I am so proud. What an amazing turning point in his life. An opportunity to put self aside for two years and just serve those around you. I wish I had been a Member of the Church when I was struggling to find myself in my late teens/early adulthood. I would have made different choices for sure. 

All my love, Elder Hadder, you are an awesome representative of the family name. We love you so much.

Eric Hadder's Mission Blog

Follow Eric's mission in Micronesia/Guam as he serves the people of the Isles. Click on "Mission Blog" below the picture to go to his online journal I am keeping for him. Thank you for your support!

Mission Blog

Bryanna: Why I Want to Be a Doctor

Bryanna had to write an essay for school. She is a Junior at Mountain View High School in Mesa, Arizona. She has a 4.4 GPA and ranks in her class. She is incredibly intelligent, athletic, beautiful, and kind.

Yes, I am her mother, so I know I am completely biased. But she is beautiful both inside and out. My little girl loves her whole family. But she is especially close to her father - literally Daddy's Little Girl. And her father has terminal lymphoma. With all her talent and abilities, she could choose to be anything she wanted to be. Bryanna wants to be a doctor. Let her tell you why, in her own words, taken from the essay she wrote last night:

     I want to be a doctor. I know that being a doctor is considered a dream job by many people, but my reasons for this desire are far different from most. Often, people want to be doctors because they want the ‘big bank’ and they assume the life of a doctor is the same as what they see on Grey’s Anatomy; but I’m different. While many have seen the amazing effects of medicine from a distance, my life is full of examples. My dad is riddled with cancer.

     When I was twelve, young, bright, and carefree, I received a call from my mom. She explained to me that Dad was very ill, in a critical situation in the hospital, and that the doctors have no idea what is wrong with him. Fortunately, he recovered from the scare because of medicine and the combined work of the doctors, but unfortunately, weeks later after critical analysis of his illness, the doctors diagnosed him with an extremely rare cancer: Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. I know that’s a mouthful and most people think that all cancers are alike, but this cancer is so rare that the doctors in Arizona couldn’t diagnose him without sending his biopsy screens to high-tech research hospitals around the country. In ten years, only one hundred people were available with this specific cancer for a research study. And this means that there is no cure. Literally. No chemotherapy, no radiation, no magic wave of the wand. Nothing. The doctors told him that he was going to die in two years without a doubt. Of those one hundred people who had this cancer that I mentioned earlier, absolutely none lived longer than two years after diagnosis.

     I am now sixteen, four years later. My dad still watches my soccer games, still holds my hand, and still hugs me goodnight to this day. Maybe he can’t go running or even go on a rollercoaster, but he can love his family and support us. His cancer will never disappear and it will eventually kill him, but it is an absolute miracle that he survives two years later than his death sentence. He scares us sometimes; his immune system is virtually destroyed so the smallest flu or infection might have traumatic affects, but he always stays. Thanks to medicine.

     When I saw for myself that he was here to stay, I felt the most incredible and wonderful feeling I’ve ever experienced in my life. A warm calm enveloped my heart, and I cried tears of pure joy. I want everyone to feel that same feeling, that feeling of complete joy, innocent and overwhelming and pure and beautiful. And I have the power to make others feel this way if I become a doctor. So I’ve decided.

     Instead of being depressed over this terrible ordeal, I opened my eyes. I worry that at any moment his cancer could come back and this time stop his heart, but I realize that I am extremely lucky and that others have far, far worse troubles than I do. This experience gave me wonderful outcomes: a stronger family, an optimistic attitude, and a passion for medicine. Nothing will stop me from achieving my dream. And when my father eventually deceases, I will only work harder to save the patients’ lives and the emotions of their families. So, yes, I want to become a doctor, but not for the reasons of everyone else. Not for the money or the status or the pride, but for the emotion and the feeling and the joy. For love. For my dad.  

Eric's Mission Call

Last Friday, Eric opened his official Mission Call from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He has been called to serve in the Micronesia Guam mission! He reports to the Missionary Training Center in Salt Lake City on June 13, 2012.

We are so proud of Eric and his willingness to serve. He will be halfway through his Junior year at Arizona State University in Aerospace Engineering when he leaves for two years, but he felt very impressed to serve and we are really looking forward to sharing in his stories and experiences from Guam and Micronesia.

We love you Eric. Congratulations!

Bryanna Michelle Hadder

Bryanna has blossomed in 2011. She really enjoys attending Mountain View High School taking Seminary and accelerated classes. She just posted a cum GPA of 4.6.  She played Varsity soccer this year, and her club soccer team, Gilber Arsenal 96 Girls Premier Black, had an awesome year! They won or was first runner up in every tournament they played except one. The just won the Presidents Cup, which means they will represent Arizona in the girls 96 category in Regionals held in June 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Bryanna is a fiercely determined, intelligent and kind young lady. We knew when she was born she would turn out to be someone special. And she is.

Serena's Soccer Game

We got to see Serena play soccer this weekend! I forgot how cute the little kids are....how the ball is chased around the field and little legs do their best to keep up! Watching her play reminded me of Bryanna and her early soccer days. Snack lists, banners, parent tunnels for the kids to run under while the onlookers yell encouragement. What a fun day we had. Thanks Mary & Rey for letting us share this Saturday with Serena and Holly.

Happy 15th Birthday Bryanna

 

What could be better than a girl with her daddy? Darrell took Bryanna to Roy's to celebrate her 15th Birthday. A daddy daughter date. It.was.amazing. Happy Birthday cute girl. We love you so much!

Max the Wolf

We were so proud of Max tonight when he got his Wolf badge! He was excited to earn his award and see his friends. I got to be with one of my favorite friends, Erin Deller, and her son Max, so the night was fun. Go Max - you are on your way to Bear.

New Mexico Tournament

 

Bryanna's new team, Arsenal '96 Select, came in 2nd place in their very first tournament of the season in New Mexico over the Labor Day Weekend. We really enjoyed watching the whole team rise to the ocassion. Bryanna only allowed 1 goal in 4 games...and she was mad about that goal! The whole family got to go spend a week together. We had a blast! Go Bryanna, we are so proud of you.

Junior Flag Football Champs

Max had his first team experience playing for I-9 Sports junior flag football. The players ranged in age from 8-12, and his team chose the name "The AllStars". And boy were they ever! They went undefeated and won the championship today. Max was so proud! I am so happy he got to be the star for once. What a great experience for him.

Brimhall Academic Excellence Award 2010

 
We were a proud family tonight as we attended Brimhall Jr. High's award ceremony and watched Bryanna receive the highest award for academic excellence. She is both an athlete and a scholar. Bryanna, you are truly an amazing young lady and we are so grateful to have you in our family.

My Mother's Day

Mother's Day conjures up many images....flowers, your family all gathered at the table, a wonderful dinner, presents, adoring faces.

My perfect Mother's Day conjures up this image:


Nothing like the smell of Six Flags Magic Mountain with my kids for Mother's Day weekend. Bring it on!

My 4 Cute Friends

I was sad to move from my old Ward. Sad to think that I would lose touch with friends that I had grown to love, friends that knew me and my trials. But we have this pact to gather for each other's birthday over dinner and catch up. And we do it - not just plan it or say "we should get together". We actually DO it, and I love it. Tonight was another link in the happy chain.

Mary, Marci, Tiffany & Amanda - you guys are awesome and I love you. Thanks for being my 4-ever 4 friends.

Take it to the House!

So you know how you want your story to go? Those perfect moments that you hope for, and sometimes, just sometimes they happen? Those stories you know no one will believe because they sound like a plot lifted off of Lifetime channel? Well we experienced such a moment and I can only tell you it happened. For real.

Max is on a flag football team with boys between the ages of 8-12, all mixed together. This is a winning team, with a huge experienced coach that has two strapping sons playing for him. They win. That's what this team does. And Max has been put on the team.

The last play of his very first official flag football game, the quarterback is looking to throw the ball. All the usual receivers are covered, and there is only one little boy unmanned. Standing pretty much unprotected because he's not a threat. And besides, he is 18-20 yards away from the quarterback. But a play has to be made, so he must take a chance on the little guy. My Max.

And the ball goes through the air. And the sideline holds its collective breath as the scrawny kid takes two hesitant steps towards the arching ball. And he CATCHES IT, takes a couple steps over the goal line and MAKES A TOUCHDOWN!

I am not sure who was more excited...Max or his coach. He kept yelling that Max "took it to the House". If he NEVER catches another ball or NEVER makes another touchdown, he did this time. This moment in time that sounds like a sappy Lifetime movie about the triumph of an autistic kid. This moment that no one not actually there would ever believe. This moment no can take away from him.

Mad Max the Football Player

It started with his teacher's appreciation for the Steelers. And Eric and Rey going to the Cardinal's game. And us cheering Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald through the season. For Christmas, Santa delivered a full-on Miami Dolphins football uniform (he loves dolphins). The months since Christmas have seen Max in full gear practicing to be a football player, calling out "plays" in the living room, and pestering everyone to throw him some catches. I think this kid is motivated.

So Max will play Spring 2010 Flag Football. He is super excited and so are we. Max has watched Bryanna play sports and although he expressed interest in soccer, we want him to have his own game. Besides, at this level we think flag football is the best fit. He can totally understand "get open so they can throw the ball to you and you catch and run like the wind over the goal line and don't let anyone pull your flag". He has been playing at recess with the other boys every day.

I have signed up to be team mom and overall helper. I guess my cowbell is gonna see more play time!

Brimhall Track Team

Come help us cheer Bryanna as she competes on the Freshman team in the 200m, 400m, 75m hurdles and long jump. All meets start at 4 pm. Her schedule is below:

Thur Feb 25th at Brimhall
Sat Mar 6 Brimhall Invitational at Brimhall
Thur Mar 11 at Powell Jr. High
Wed Mar 31 at Brimhall
Sat Apr 10 Kino Relays at Kino Jr. High
Thu Apr 15 at Brimhall
Sat Apr 24 City Meet (place to be announced)

Guess my cowbell is gonna start ringing again!

The Same Yet Different

As a parent, sometimes you get a chance to contemplate your children. In between the necessities of making dinner, running errands and taxi driving, you get an opportunity to ponder the little people who run your life.

Lately, I have been thinking about how different my children are. Each has their own unique quirks, thoughts, desires and interests. It is fun to watch them develop according to their own timeline.

Eric is all about math, physics, flight, time travel. He will delight in explaining the how and why of things to anyone who will listen. He puts his papers in for his mission in March- his life is about to change big time.

Bryanna is all about school, reading and sports. If she isn't on the soccer field, she can be found in a Barnes and Noble snuggled into a chair reading a book. I know she is aware boys exist, but right now she hasn't found a reason to care.

Max loves math too - this is the seemingly only link between our kids besides the last name. He will talk your ear off about multiplication and grouping and a book called Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

If you don't have a testimony of the premortal, then have kids. As you watch them grow and develop, you will come to realize they started on their own path long before you were trusted to guide them. I strive to do the best job I can. It is such a privilege to be a parent and partner with Heavenly Father. It has been the best part of my life.

Rainy Game Memories

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Bryanna play soccer this year for Mountain View. She has fought through injuries (3 stitches, broken thumb in two places, lower back strain) and emerged a better player. Last night it rained slightly for the JV Team - and although they didn't win, it is always enjoyable to watch your child play. We decided to stay for the Varsity game, and we were rewarded with rain. Lots and lots of rain. Buckets of rain. And it made Bryanna and I snuggle up together under a too-small umbrella and laugh and sing. We sang to the warm up songs, we cheered our team, we held hands to keep warm, and this mom was in heaven.

On second thought, I don't think I mind the rain. Let it come again.