One week…

Where I'll hopefully be next week!

So… I have neglected the blog for a while now. Like, for months actually. Now, one week from today, I’ll be hiking up to Camp Muir at this time, probably super nervous and excited and hopefully not out of breath, yet. So much has happened since my last post, that it’s been intimidating for me to sit down and figure out where to begin. So here’s the cliff notes version, with a numbered list to keep me sane.

1. I met my fundraising goal. In fact, I exceeded it and donations are still coming in. I’m currently at $5,170! The last week of school, I had a former student  stop by my classroom and present me with a homemade card, with his allowance inside that he wished to donate. I was so touched by his kindness. I look at the card every day and it still brings me to tears a month later. K, if you’re reading this, you are one special little guy.  Thank you.

2. I had the chance a few months ago to visit the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Mary Hsue, Director of Special Gifts, gave Justin and I a behind-the-scenes tour of all that’s happening. I was completely blown away at the research taking place and the advances in cancer research. We met outstanding individuals who have dedicated their lives to finding cures for various cancers. The money I’m raising allows them to keep working.  I left so inspired and more determined that ever to help find a cure.

3. Training… oh goodness. I’ve been running, lifting weights and hiking a lot. A lot. With water as weight. I started with 20 lbs, moved up to  32 lbs and then 40 lbs, which about did me in. I did pretty well on Mt. Si, well within the range that the training guides suggest. Then, last week I met Mailbox Peak and it completely defeated me. I have never given up on any physical challenge in my life. I’ve always finished a race, finished a climb, a swim, whatever… but I could not summit Mailbox and it has really screwed with my head. I stopped about 200ft short of the summit, where I puked up water, snot and Shot Blocks. I was a mess. I’ve never had this type of physical reaction to a physical challenge before and really pissed me off. I felt like I  maybe could have kept going but that my body was trying to tell me something too. I cried (see previous posts regarding crying) and waited for my friends to come back down as I gazed on Mt. Rainier and watched any confidence I had in my summit attempt fade away. I came home angry as hell that I couldn’t do it. If I can’t climb this puny peak, how the hell am I going to make it on Rainier?? I called Alpine Ascents (our guide service) in tears (shocking, I know) a few days later looking for any glimpse of encouragement, “you’ll be just fine,” said the calm voice on the other end. Now, I have one week to believe it.

4. Gear/Equipment. This is stressful to me because everyone has a different opinion on what’s needed, what’s the best, where to go, etc… and I’ve never done this before, so I DON’T KNOW! =) So this is where I need your help and support. Here’s a list of the equipment I’m planning on renting. If you have any of these things and wouldn’t mind loaning them to me for this climb, I would so very much appreciate it!! I will drive to you to get it, pay the shipping, buy you a beer, whatever! Right now, I’m looking at about $300 in rental expenses, so if you can help, please let me know.

• Ice Axe- I am only 5’4, so I need a 60cm tool with a leash.
• Crampons- with flat rather than “cookie cutter” frame rails.
• Plastic climbing boots (I’m a size 7-7.5)
• Climbing helmet
• Gaiters- heavy duty ones
• I need two locking Carabiners, I think I have a climbing harness that will work (thanks, Ken!) but if you specifically have an Alpine Climbing Harness, let me know.
• I have a self-inflating sleeping pad, but I also need a closed cell foam sleeping pad.
• Glacier glasses (I think my sunglasses fit the requirements but still…)
• Shell mitts with insulated removable liners

Again, if you can help out with any of this equipment, I would be EXTREMELY grateful!! Please call, text, facebook me. Send me a message, leave a comment, email me, send me a smoke signal, whatever is easiest for you.

That’s it for now. I’ll save the rest for another entry. Thank you to everybody for your support on this adventure. I can’t believe it’s next week! It’s been an amazing experience so far, raising money, making friends and creating awareness. I am so excited for the actual climb and I can’t wait to post pictures of my summit!!!

Wait for it…

… $4,960.00! That’s right. I’m $40 away from my goal!! Who wants to be the Rockstar that pushes me over the top? This is so exciting! Thank you, everyone, for your support!!

Donate here: www.fhcrc.org/climb

$4,310

I am super excited to announce that I have hit and surpassed the $4,000 mark in my fundraising. I am currently at $4310, leaving me $690 to go! I am so excited! So many people have been so generous in helping me make an impact and find a cure. My heart is heavy with gratitude, I can’t believe the turnout of support. I am one very lucky lady.

Thoughts on Giving

I’ve been doing a lot of research lately on happiness, after getting turned on my a book a friend gave me called “The Happiness Project,” by Gretchen Rubin. It’s quite interesting and has made me think really hard about sources of happiness in my own life. It’s also made me think about my attitude and outlook, which I’m generally proud of. I’m a hopeless optimist, to a fault sometimes and I generally give people the benefit of the doubt, also to a fault at times. I’m a pretty positive person and my mantra is “it could always be worse,” which I’m constantly reminded of by the little star tattooed on my wrist (a different blog topic). I know that I find happiness in giving to others. I truly enjoy volunteering, baking cookies to brighten someone’s day, planning outrageous birthday parties, or buying a cup of coffee for someone. These acts, big or small, give me a rush. I love it. I guess that’s evident in my Mt. Rainier adventure. But, when it comes to giving, I’ve noticed that I often focus on what I CAN’T give and wind up hearing, “I don’t have time,” or “I can’t afford that,” or most recently, I’ve been focused on what I CAN’T do to prepare for Rainier because I’ve had this cold/sinus infection/flu bonanza for three weeks. So, with the help of Gretchen’s insight and my own reflection, I’ve decided this is no good. It’s time for a revolution, or a mental makeover. I’m dedicated and committed to focusing on what I CAN give. For example, I CAN give my patience to others. This is huge. I can take a deep breath when my students are wound up and let them have their moment, lovingly re-focusing them. I CAN be patient and wait for Justin to decide what movie he’d like to watch, even though I’ve already decided what would be best for our date night. I CAN wait for my Mother to decide which weekend she’d like to visit, though we’ve discussed it three dozen times. Patience is an easy thing to give to others.

Support is my second “a-ha” give. I have been torn this year, after signing up for Rainier. I’m asking everyone I know multiple times, to donate to my cause. Well, there are other causes that are important to me as well. I’ve always participated in JDRF events and raised money for them, after having a student with Diabetes in my class four years ago. My partner, Justin, has Ulcerative Colitis/Crohn’s disease and this has an extreme impact on our daily lives as I see him battle, live and try to manage each moment. We are active in the CCFA in raising money and awareness for these diseases as well. But- I’m not comfortable in asking people to donate to these causes as well as Rainier and I’ve struggled with this. They’re ALL important to me but I can’t do it all. I’ve realized that I can still support these causes. I can show up. I can raise awareness. I can tell people that I care and I support them. There is still so much I CAN do. My friends and family who can’t afford to make a donation to my Rainier climb have supported me with notes, emails and bits of encouragement that are invaluable to me. Yes, I need to reach my $5,000 goal, but I also need to be reminded of why I’m doing this by feeling the connection and support of friendship and the human spirit.

Maybe you’ve already experience this epiphany, but it’s just recently happened for me. I’m challenging myself to figure out all the ways I CAN give. Be loving. Be patient. Be kind.  Be open. Be present. Be Amy.

A Case of the Crazies

Disclaimer: I’m on the “Theraflu-Nyquil Diet,” today and the following post may not make any sense. OR- you may find it wildly entertaining.

I am home sick today. Day 2 of the “head-cold-hot-mess.” I have a hard time sitting still and a hard time resting, even when sick. I don’t like sleeping during the day or the haze cold meds put me in, I hate being away from my kiddos and leaving them even with the most talented substitute and I don’t like sitting still. The garbage needs emptied, dishes to do, laundry to fold, groceries to buy, floors to vacuum and an incredible amount of lesson planning, report carding, email returning and paperwork to do. Oh ya, and fundraising and training for Rainier!

So… if you’ve made it this far, you might be sensing that I’m in a foul mood. True. I don’t like being sick. It brings out the grumpies in me better (or worse) than anything else. I turn into a monster.  A weak, whiny, mushy monster. A monster who cries and repeats “I don’t feel good…” over and over again and says “No,” to anything that’s offered to me.  I have sent Justin on adventures throughout the greater Puget Sound looking for otter pops, walked to a Taco Time in my PJ’s and the rain (and yes, tears) to satisfy a craving for a crisp meat burrito, confused Nyquil with Dayquil and then cried, and have been known to fall asleep in the bathtub, while crying. Notice the common thread? Tears. They just flow. I don’t know why.

The only way to stop the tears.

I remember the first time Justin experienced this wonderful quality of mine. We were at my Dad’s house in La Grande for Christmas 2008. It was the first time J had visited my hometown or met my Dad. Great recipe for disaster already, right?  Then I got strep throat. I had a wild fever, was throwing up, laying in a puddle of sweat and… crying. Between sobs, I poked my head out from under the blankets and saw my Dad and J standing there, with their arms crossed, looking at me with a puzzled face. “She just cries and cries…” said Justin. “I don’t know what to do…” My Dad shook his head, ”Me neither.” Oh goodness. Welcome to the family? Merry Christmas? Yay. Good times. They spent the week bonding;  looking at Elk, driving around in the snow and keeping their distance from my hot mess while the antibiotics did the trick. Both my Dad and J are saints to put up with all of me. I’m a lucky lady and J’s a lucky man to be out-of-town, in beautiful Yakima, for this round.

But I’m nowhere near that sick this time. No strep or flu and only one short round of tears late last night. Just a nasty cold with a side of fever that’s taken my voice, making it impossible to teach or manage my classroom of 25 little inspirations. I’m bummed. I miss being with them. I also miss the gym. I started off the week with a fast-paced 4 mile run and some serious stretching, followed up the next day with a good hour in the weight room, where I was randomly told by a teenage boy, “You have nice form, not in a creepy way.” Um… I’m sorry… what? Confused, I zipped up my hoodie and managed another 4 miles on the treadmill. I am building endurance and strength, inside and out. I am so ready for this challenge!

One benefit to being sick… I finished one of my books. A few days ago, I picked up a new book- “Learning to Breathe,” by Alison Wright.  This is a remarkable story about a photojournalist and her journey from a terrible bus accident in Laos to her climb up Kilimanjaro. To be honest, the writing isn’t that great and the narrative is choppy and only a few pages are actually dedicated to her Kilimanjaro climb, which disappointed me, but- the story is inspiring and her courage and strength  shine off the pages and it’s still a good read, reinforcing the joy I feel when hearing about people doing selfless things to help others when they could’ve easily walked away. It cheered me up and made me cry… happy tears.

So. I’m going to work on slowing down, getting healthier, both inside and out and back in the classroom and gym, with no tears. Well, with minimal tears, let’s not get ridiculous here. It’s Amy. Now off to find that crisp meat burrito…

Vacation!

Ms. DeBoie, ready to celebrate some love!

I have this week off for Seattle School District’s “mid-winter break.” Which is unique to Seattle and absolutely lovely! Everyone else is in school and at work, so it’s a great week to have off! I’ve spent this week traveling around Washington, visiting friends. It’s been lovely to catch up and meet the newest members of the clan- baby Austin and Dominic! It’s been wonderful to have some sunshine too! I’ve spent the morning on the balcony of my hotel in Yakima (Yakistan as I like to call it), in the sunshine, catching up on fundraising for Climb to Fight! Super Bowl was a huge fundraiser for me, putting me at $2800.00 exactly. I have $2200 to go! I still have a long way to go!

This past week was filled with a lot of fun, including Valentine’s Day activities! School was a blast, we had a great day of “love,” handing out our Valentine’s and enjoying our party that my hardworking parents organized. Official Valentine’s Day was equally as exciting, spending the entire day with Justin, eating, laughing and enjoying each others company. He cooked me THE most amazing meal… all of my favorite things! Oysters, clams, steak, cheesy potatoes, lots of good wine… it was great!

I’m reminded every year around this time the importance of loving each other, in so many different ways. Justin and I have made a commitment (well, I came up with the idea and being the champ that he is, he agreed!) to do more giving this year. More everyday little things to put a smile on someone’s face. We started in the fall by doing little random acts of kindness- paying for someone else’s coffee in the drive-thru, helping people with their groceries, NOT road-raging on people on I-5, dropping off ice-cream or dinner at a friends’ house, or cleaning out the litter box before the other had the chance to mention it.

Catching up with friends this week has given me renewed inspiration for more giving. Seeing my friends’ beautiful children and picking up where we’ve left off after so many years, celebrating a dear friends 30th birthday, or enjoying a home-cooked meal and a glass of wine with girlfriends that I miss SO much and don’t get to see as much I’d like,  has really refreshed me. I love these ladies and their friendships mean so much to me! I’m energized to work even harder in the gym and with my fundraising to make a difference in our fight against Breast Cancer!

Making progress…

Spent most of my morning at the gym today! I’m working hard in preparation for Rainier! Ran several miles, spent a long time on the stair machine, worked out my arms and did some much needed stretching! The weather is suppose to get nice this week and I’m hoping to take the training outside with a hike!

Fundraising is going well though has tapered off…I’m currently still hovering around the $3,000 mark. I have $2,000 to go by June. If you’ve already donated, THANK YOU! If you can’t afford a donation, please consider passing along my story to your friends and family. Breast Cancer touches everyone’s lives. Since my last posting, two more women were diagnosed, a friend’s Aunt and a friend’s Sister. Please support me in my climb. I’ll be carrying a 40 pound pack, so consider making a $40 donation. I’ll be climbing to 14,000 feet! So please consider making a $140 donation.

https://secure2.convio.net/fhcrc/site/Donation2?idb=1971149176&df_id=2220&FR_ID=1130&PROXY_ID=1293021&2220.donation=form1&PROXY_TYPE=20

Movin’ 92.5

The AWESOME people at local radio station, Movin’ 92.5, have decided to help us out with our fundraising! They posted info yesterday on their website… http://theladiesroom.movin925.com/ via their morning show, The Ladies Room with  Brooke and Monti. Check it out!!

The 3 P’s

Today was a special day in Kindergarten. Today, the 3 P’s made an appearance.  It’s one of those things that’s rare, but not rare enough to truly realize how spectacular it is until BAM, it’s suddenly there on my carpet… Poop, Pee and Puke.  Three children, three bodily functions, one saint of a custodian.

Today’s “activities” reminded me of a conversation I had last week with a friend who also teaches Kindergarten. She gets my texts and emails that have one liners like “3 P’s,” so there’s really nothing we can’t talk about. Nothing is off-limits. Anything goes. So, she recently posed the question to me, “um… so… how do you do those things at 14,000 feet while you’re roped to a bunch of people?”  I froze. Literally stopped walking down the sidewalk as I pondered a few options. “I don’t know!” I laughed. I hadn’t thought about that. I asked another friend who is more experienced in the great outdoors and he told me, “don’t worry, your body’s working so hard, it doesn’t think about doing those things.” That’s interesting, I thought. Weird. My body tends to do the exact opposite when stressed or overworked as I had visions of my triathlon experience I’d rather forget.  Great…  not only will my teammates and guides get spectacular views and a phenomenal experience, they’ll also get the exhilaration of the 3 P’s just like I did today. Courtesy of Amy. I’m sure they’ll thank me later.

Keep on Truckin’…

Team Summit (f)or Busts! Whitney, Amy, Ericka and Stephanie.

 

So, it’s been awhile since I’ve updated the ol’ blog. Life has been busy. Work is moving at lightning speed! New students, new curriculum, new trainings, wow. My students are learning so much, so quickly, I’m happily overwhelmed with keeping them challenged! Justin is starting his third week of his new job and after more than a year of unemployment, it’s taken some getting use to… coordinating our schedules and routines. He also is happily overwhelmed in his new role as Manager of Quality and Training for a large satellite television provider. It is safe to say, there have been some exciting changes around here! 

I have put in some long training hours at the local YMCA in preparation for Rainier. I’m seeing my body change right before my eyes. I’ve lost weight, gained muscle, have more energy, a better attitude and although I’m busier than I have ever been in my life, I am also happier than ever before. I am loving every second of my experience with Climb to Fight, from the long workouts after a long day, to the motivation I’m getting from family and friends, to the informal beers with my teammates to ALL that I’m learning about cancer, mountaineering and myself. This has been an incredible experience, and I still have six months to go and the actual climb! 

I am right on track in my physical conditioning for this climb but I still panic any given day that it’s not enough. I feel the same way about fundraising. I’m still hovering right around the $3,000 mark, once corporate donations, checks and reoccurring “gives” post. I still have $2,000 to go. Some days, I’m super confident that I’ll hit my mark no problem. Other days, it feels so far away and impossible. I’ve thought a lot about this, especially when I’m running at the gym. This rollercoaster of confidence/panic must be similar to that of a cancer patient and their loved ones. The ups and downs of hope and despair. Of one day feeling good and thinking you can beat this, to waking up the next day and feeling completely owned and deflated. My challenge of fundraising is no comparison to that of battling cancer, I realize those are two completely different things, but throughout this experience, I want to keep fresh in my mind the reason I’m doing this. And for me, that means looking for parallels in my own experiences and for ways to begin to understand the toll cancer takes on so many lives. 

This past Wednesday was our first (and only formal) in-person meeting for Climb to Fight. We met at REI in Seattle and put faces to all the names of the fabulous committee members we’ve been emailing with. We heard first-hand stories from past climbers and learned more about Fred Hutch and the impact our donations have in the prevention, detection and treatment of various cancers.  This is an incredible organization and opportunity to make a difference. This is the 13th year of Climb to Fight and so many people and organizations over the years, have come together to make it possible for people to give back. I am so excited to be a part of it! 

Our motto that my cohort in graduate school came up with to keep us going when things got rough, was “keep on truckin’…” We used this whenever we had a big deadline coming up, whenever myself or a classmate gave into the stress and broke down in tears or when we were on a third pot of coffee at 3am, wrapping up a project that was due at 6am. It was simple, quick, funny and conveniently printed on t-shirts at Urban Outfitters.  I’m adopting it for this experience and want to say to all the people whose lives are touched by cancer, to “keep on truckin…” there are people out here, like me, who care and are working hard to find a cure. I know I can never understand what you’re going through, but I’m going to try and I’m going to help. 

Please consider making a donation. http://getinvolved.fhcrc.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1293021&pg=personal&fr_id=1130  Feel free to pass along this blog to anyone you think might be interested. A big thanks to all those who have donated, friends who have offered advice and gear, Red Hot for their delicious beers and hot dogs that help me plan my fundraisers and think clearly and A.F.I and The Bouncing Souls for their charged, semi-angry music that keeps me going at the gym. You have helped me “truck” right through this last week. Thanks!