The Best Day Ever: Golf Tournament for N!

October 14, 2011 was one of the best days I've ever known. My wonderful friends from work Matt and Kevan and Kevan's fiance Alex organized the most incredible fundraising golf tournament for Nathanael. Each moment was beautiful and our hearts were above and beyond touched and healed by the love, care and generosity that was poured into this event. It was remarkable...Alexandra, Matt and Kevan are my heroes who gave so much time, money and passion to help a man they've not yet met. Not only was it a golf tourney, but it was filled with contests throughout the course to make extra money and get extra prizes. And not only that, they organized a wonderful $10 Happy Hour event for all non-golfers and golfers alike which included a putting contest and raffle. They really wanted a good turn out to make the most of the day and it happened! They even put an ad in a local paper (look east of psychic-holly and south of ghost busters:).They also procured COOL prizes for the raffle and I got to draw names for our room full of guests. It was so amazing and there was nearly $800 earned in cash alone... this is not including checks and golf tournament donations. It is still overwhelming!!!

The day was 70 degrees and sunny which was another total miracle as the previous week was 40 degrees with blinding monsoons!!! Six teams of golfers showed up including several of my volunteers tutors, a team from our dentist's office, Kevan's and Alex's landlord and friends, Matt's softball buddies and more! It was so moving to know folks took the day off work to do this. It was a long day, and it was so much fun!I golfed-- another miracle! I decided I needed to expand my horizons and go for it even though I didn't know what I was doing. Kev and Matt made me feel great for the entire 9 hole contest cuz they said I at least hit the ball each time... eventually! If N gets well, we are taking up golfing for sure!! You get to drive a crazy cart and eat snacks in between laughing with friends.
Team Daggett... these guys were so patient and good to me. All they asked for was a collage of N and a speech. With God's help both things happened. I'll try to get the collage on here some day.

My colleague and good buddy Mr. James Spacht was there all day, too, to help out and supervise a Mulligan's course contest. He is rad!
Alexandra made these awesome hole sponsorship signs which were displayed all over the golf course! They looked killer! She also had to go to Staples during the tourney to print my collage in between making salads, picking up pizzas and millions of other details. She is simply amazing. There were many businesses and individuals who sponsored holes including my Gramma Bamma and our dentist! Matt's winning smile!My in-laws were able to attend Happy Hour since my mom paid for Maria to stay home with N. There were about 50-60 people who came! God gave me a wonderful opportunity to share Nathanael's and my story of finding one another and finding the Lord and how He has helped us through such a tremendously difficult trial day by day. God let those Irish story telling genes come alive just in the nick of time... I was feeling pretty jittery all day from all of the attention on our lives so it really was a miracle.

My friend and fellow ESL teacher & volunteer tutor, Emilie Kief, is pictured above. She stayed all day to help behind the scenes She kept asking when Hilary would show up as they have gotten to know one another by working on a doggy health project together. She is one awesome lady and friend.Matt and Kevan both spoke about how this event impacted them. Matt had the original idea and Kevan took the ball and ran with it (with Alex's incredible help and organization skills). Kevan spoke about his own journey with Lyme Disease and congratulated and thanked folks for their courage to attend this event to help someone with a very complex and widely unknown disease with an even more unknown and misunderstood treatment: stem cells. We both encouraged the audience-- and N and I encourage YOU, to see the documentary: UNDER OUR SKIN to learn more about the complexities and politics of this growing epidemic and the pain it causes in families like ours. Kevan was the one who also encouraged me to open this event and my story up to our volunteer community and to my co-workers. He wrote beautiful appeal letters to invite folks to participate in this journey and the positive response shocked all of us. My head is still spinning with all that has occurred.I wish I had more photos of the many special people who came out to golf and to spend their Friday evening with us. Here is the core crew of friends who did above and beyond to make this happen saying it was their honor... they could have done more... they will do more next time... What?!?!? It's all too much.

There is a slide show at right with a few more photos and details on what was put together for our favorite guy...He is looking good for someone who feels so crappy. Praise God the weight is still staying on... it is still so unreal to me sometimes. It is humbling how of all people, God has blessed us with these lifesaving treatments. Praise God for this opportunity Nathanael (the gift of God) has been given to keep fighting. He has had a good week after a terrible series of fevers and depression. This event has made his year and I've enjoyed more smiles than ever this weekend.

To top it ALL off, Matt and Kev had the Santa Fe Country Club make this beautiful trophy pictured above saying: "Nathanael & Roxie: The Undisputed Champions of the 1st Annual NTAF Golf Tournament." Simply unbelievable. I cry everyday.
Thank you EVERYONE who prayed to make this event the most amazing blessing ever! It has brought healing to our hearts that we didn't know was coming, and has built our faith in a deep way! I hope it blesses you, too!