tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77847901939917567482024-03-05T04:44:08.876-06:00Rochester MN O'Hara Family BlogThis is our journey with our daughter Shannon through treatment for, and ultimately death from, a brainstem glioma tumor. We continue to write about our lives after Shannon's passing as we try to carry on her spirit. We are writing from the heart - parental discretion advised.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06644084443123889791noreply@blogger.comBlogger818125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-66128473805174091412022-07-24T11:15:00.001-05:002022-07-24T11:15:36.068-05:00The Shannon Scramble<p> </p><p>What a week! Last Monday, in 90 degree heat, 150 family and friends showed up for the Shannon Scramble. Some played, some volunteered but all of them helped us put on our first golf tournament in four years, and it all went better than expected.</p><p>Erin was able to come home for the weekend which was a huge bonus for me and Dan to have her with us to celebrate 10 years of the Shannon O'Hara Foundation. She even made the local news as they came out to do a story on the event! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirsAFy1YHvN0gsOJtZJ_P6Syk-dk07vLzVIf_x3OU56ptQD67dXig2nXxnLXXvFz8oXB81nszWzQZf0nqxQ_-zKciZha9TwicLoIFhpvDqGArDL51xFBh9M_1uGtDnLzHUKk3QuIHcXartE5gm5P9avIep2OMaDCDYD349ATmLGSltX6efyEQ8xDPbyQ/s1854/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-24%20at%209.32.46%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1854" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirsAFy1YHvN0gsOJtZJ_P6Syk-dk07vLzVIf_x3OU56ptQD67dXig2nXxnLXXvFz8oXB81nszWzQZf0nqxQ_-zKciZha9TwicLoIFhpvDqGArDL51xFBh9M_1uGtDnLzHUKk3QuIHcXartE5gm5P9avIep2OMaDCDYD349ATmLGSltX6efyEQ8xDPbyQ/w400-h223/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-24%20at%209.32.46%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kttc.com/2022/07/21/shannon-ohara-foundation-celebrates-10-years-with-shannon-scramble/" target="_blank">Shannon O'Hara Foundation Celebrates 10 Years with Shannon Scramble</a></p><p>As I drove around and talked to the foursomes, I was struck by the different tentacles that Shannon and the foundation have created. </p><p>There were Shannon's friends and classmates, now working adults who are getting married.</p><p>There were Erin's classmates and their families, who may not have known Shannon, but were part of our journey because they showed up to support Erin and us after the loss of her sister.</p><p>There were Dan's colleagues, my friends and both of our families. There were our SOF board members. There were people from the hockey community. There were former scholarship winners, back home to take part. </p><p>And there was Dr. Richard Vile, who came to speak at the dinner about the difference Shannon continues to make. Shannon's tumor cells live on in the lab and are helping move research forward. Here's a recent news story about the immunotherapy approach that's showing some promise:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-researchers-load-car-t-cells-with-oncolytic-virus-to-treat-solid-cancer-tumors/" target="_blank">Mayo Clinic researchers load CAR-T cells with oncolytic virus to treat solid cancer tumors</a></p><p>All of us involved are trying to honor Shannon's wish that her life would matter.</p><p>To say we feel loved and supported is an understatement. The money raised — $15,000 — is important to the mission. But just as important is the reminder that people are good and kind.</p><p>The t-shirt we gave away at the event was a reminder of how Shannon lived and a sentiment we need now more than ever: "Be a good teammate."</p><p>Shannon would be turning 24 this week. She isn't here to celebrate, but we did our best to celebrate her and her memory last week with 150 others who help us carry on.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyza2dyTyzhrxvb0d3iKl9YuckBGTDboZN-3hCy263qMQeDK4usxfQGXXn-Qa9XX45SkO18bKeStBHY0olsRjMFqXdJetRGvub86p2SBHOtp1HLO0c58GXOmcAsKELvm9JLXPXqiexzapXs4xxrrbcYDaBN3Ggce1ZRF5UGTtD_vEoJBZ6Mi98x7C_A/s2049/IMG_2727%20copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2049" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyza2dyTyzhrxvb0d3iKl9YuckBGTDboZN-3hCy263qMQeDK4usxfQGXXn-Qa9XX45SkO18bKeStBHY0olsRjMFqXdJetRGvub86p2SBHOtp1HLO0c58GXOmcAsKELvm9JLXPXqiexzapXs4xxrrbcYDaBN3Ggce1ZRF5UGTtD_vEoJBZ6Mi98x7C_A/w400-h300/IMG_2727%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-38113627406120319222022-06-19T11:09:00.004-05:002022-06-19T11:09:53.608-05:00Father's Day <p>Happy Father's Day to all. Dan is relatively recovered from a recent bout with COVID (his first!) and this edition of Father's Day includes playing golf, watching golf, and packing for another week away from home. His job still requires weekly travel, and that is less appealing in his very late 50's!</p><p>While Erin is not home on this Father's Day, we did get to spend 4 days with her last week as she graduated from Drexel. We had gorgeous weather and got to drop into her world for a few days. It's amazing to see how she's grown after four years of living away from home. She's surrounded by a great group of people and they are ready to close the book on this chapter and look to what's next. What more could a father (or mother) want than to see their child happy and progressing forward with their dreams. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9j2vMfrm6xmvoAx_yoFz_87_nFBH3-qjeVoJLXklt0qReeGHdXsMMygpeEcvqDClHmtMu455DlfiV5B6CqG_x9w2eZK-osIQ3ArjF2pAvYU2TdZQ3zgsohm5A_6qOa9WwxLeN03bnM1eToFWIdLtQ42PannZ2wVncoDlrI_1qM-b_eEgI4cZi3cG-A/s3084/IMG_1351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3084" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9j2vMfrm6xmvoAx_yoFz_87_nFBH3-qjeVoJLXklt0qReeGHdXsMMygpeEcvqDClHmtMu455DlfiV5B6CqG_x9w2eZK-osIQ3ArjF2pAvYU2TdZQ3zgsohm5A_6qOa9WwxLeN03bnM1eToFWIdLtQ42PannZ2wVncoDlrI_1qM-b_eEgI4cZi3cG-A/w393-h400/IMG_1351.jpg" width="393" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>As is true with all of life's occasions, our trio celebrated and shared the joy that is always buffered with a bit of sadness. The past month - Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduation - have given us many moments to reflect on the what if... </div><div><br /></div><div>We all recognize that part of who we are now is because Shannon isn't here. Our lives surely would have taken a different path if Shannon hadn't gotten cancer. Erin felt this so acutely as she finished her time at Drexel... would she have gone to Philadelphia if Shannon had gone to college before her? Would Dan and I have been willing to let her go so far away? Would she be pursuing medicine if she hadn't been exposed to it when Shannon got sick? </div><div><br /></div><div>The what ifs are hard, so our job is to view it through a different lens. Dan, Erin and I each carry Shannon with us and incorporate the loss into what our lives look like now. It's a complicated feeling to know that we are better people in some ways because Shannon is gone. That loss focused us on what's really important and allows us to give ourselves grace when we need it. </div><div><br /></div><div>We couldn't be prouder of Erin and the hard work she's put in to succeeding in school... and life. She's expanded her world, and more growth is ahead as she heads to PA school this fall, staying in her adopted city. </div><div><br /></div><div>Dan and I are now busy prepping for the SOF golf tournament and also excited for a trip to cabin for some fun with friends. </div><div><br /></div><div>Lake Hubert will always be linked with happy times with Shannon and Erin. Those girls loved spending time with their silly dad making up silly games and spending hours in the water with them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Father's Day, Dan. Shannon and Erin got lucky...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrdQFhaVd4dynXVsosm11MEAr3FbbyW2C4j7jyoDDd4O_YIg8u5JyWVQf7_NohPzTO-PTUzP9AEFac0jyNL7CPHTKtPhM_rAhaLFhFKMCn5bqDpbdN0CC5Vcc1lW_KbRl-_3NpBylteFJYc7iythHsLO-nd8bPXhxkaxHZ5qHoCM2B5mOWnPxby-9XA/s1296/IMG_0628.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrdQFhaVd4dynXVsosm11MEAr3FbbyW2C4j7jyoDDd4O_YIg8u5JyWVQf7_NohPzTO-PTUzP9AEFac0jyNL7CPHTKtPhM_rAhaLFhFKMCn5bqDpbdN0CC5Vcc1lW_KbRl-_3NpBylteFJYc7iythHsLO-nd8bPXhxkaxHZ5qHoCM2B5mOWnPxby-9XA/w239-h320/IMG_0628.heic" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpo6EQN2qeR0EaYsAQ2w_d54TNAQhFceS_QC2GOwpkBx4CU3dB7dY-JxN9wtxWyC9c-cSvcIGFhusRMKS5DiaLncR790wBWw69ADCeOHUdz00qbEdiU_eZWaGz_WD-BCBXFrgXVPFjKIyWzhu6O21-wvfdhQ1LwdUX9i_2KebWGi4W8Yx1JR0fxXEA9A/s1296/IMG_0629.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpo6EQN2qeR0EaYsAQ2w_d54TNAQhFceS_QC2GOwpkBx4CU3dB7dY-JxN9wtxWyC9c-cSvcIGFhusRMKS5DiaLncR790wBWw69ADCeOHUdz00qbEdiU_eZWaGz_WD-BCBXFrgXVPFjKIyWzhu6O21-wvfdhQ1LwdUX9i_2KebWGi4W8Yx1JR0fxXEA9A/w239-h320/IMG_0629.heic" width="239" /></a></div>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-696562259142057392022-04-17T09:25:00.002-05:002022-04-17T14:03:55.676-05:00Shannon Scramble Returns<p>Three months have flown by since I last blogged, and we've covered some ground. </p><p>Dan and I spent January and February in and out of hockey rinks at various foundation events including Hockey Day MN, The Shannon Cup, and our SOF scholarship night. Dan and I always find ourselves exhausted at the end of it, but so appreciative of the love and support we receive at these events. We feel so much gratitude for the chance to continue sharing Shannon's story and and connecting with others because of it. While it is hard work hauling boxes in and out of Graham Arena in the dead of winter, the chance to share Shannon's spirit with others makes it all worthwhile.</p><p>If January and February were about the SOF, March and April have been about Erin. In the past two months, Erin has finished her undergrad degree, decided on a PA program, started a summer nanny job, and finally turned 21! </p><p>Erin graduated with honors from Drexel with her B.S. in Health Sciences and a minor in Public Health and will start PA school at Salus University (located just outside Philly) in August. Dan and I will head to Philly in June to see Erin walk at graduation. Erin's spring/summer job is taking care of a 5 month old baby, which is a nice chance from working in an elder care setting. Erin said wiping a baby butt is way better than wiping old people's butts! Hard to argue with that.</p><p>We talk so much about what Shannon taught us, but I know I there are lessons to be learned from Erin, too. She took a leap to move out east and go to a school where no one knew her or her story. She made her own path, made good friends who feel like sisters, and accomplished her goal of getting in to PA school. She has lived in the shadow of her brave sister, but Erin is brave, too. This momma is so proud.</p><p>Now our attention turns to planning the next SOF event. Despite the weather outside, it is spring and we are thinking summer!</p><p>We are very excited to be bringing back the foundation golf tournament on July 18th after a three year hiatus. The venue is moving to our home course, Willow Creek, but the format remains: a four person scramble, open to golfers of all abilities. The entry fee covers golf, cart, dinner and a chance to win prizes. </p><p>We've already filled about half of the spots, but there's still room if you and your team can join us. <a href="https://shannonoharafoundation.org/" target="_blank">Registration is open on the SOF website</a>.</p><p>If you are interested in being a sponsor or donating to the raffle, please get in touch: <a href="mailto:info@shannonoharafoundation.org">info@shannonoharafoundation.org</a>.</p><p>We can't wait to celebrate 10 years of the SOF at the Shannon Scramble!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg133efewW6P5t6TR7fo_AZQVb9GhzBpD1CkE3-Kfsc9mvRyhksnpOs5duhuc_ccaNbnBfE8XUfd4dyCeUz2GDYMSfO5VDEM_bEnnPjQ2W47wc82UnSdPkgm9uXrFUjouYByHV7K9cub0WvOCEIT76LN-GX_4HYy0yVzlIBR6Wt1mPNmduZDb4_HGxF0w/s1682/Blue%20and%20Green%20Illustrated%20Golf%20Club%20Poster%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1682" data-original-width="1190" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg133efewW6P5t6TR7fo_AZQVb9GhzBpD1CkE3-Kfsc9mvRyhksnpOs5duhuc_ccaNbnBfE8XUfd4dyCeUz2GDYMSfO5VDEM_bEnnPjQ2W47wc82UnSdPkgm9uXrFUjouYByHV7K9cub0WvOCEIT76LN-GX_4HYy0yVzlIBR6Wt1mPNmduZDb4_HGxF0w/w453-h640/Blue%20and%20Green%20Illustrated%20Golf%20Club%20Poster%20(3).jpg" width="453" /></a></div>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-5938542166432881692022-01-06T06:54:00.001-06:002022-01-06T07:10:03.563-06:0010 Years On<p>Yet another anniversary, another marker in time...</p><p>Ten years ago today, Shannon left us. I hate that it's been so long since I saw her face or heard her laugh. But time does not stop and you have no choice but to move forward, even if you don't move on. And if I'm honest, I don't want to move on from a time when Shannon was here.</p><p>We have just finished the holiday season and Dan and I enjoyed having Erin home for 10 days. We visited family and friends, binge watched Ted Lasso, and talked about what's ahead in 2022. The holidays will never be "perfect"... whatever the hell that means. Every celebratory thing in our lives will always have a little empty space in it. After 10 years, I have come to accept that. But we talked about Shannon and shared memories with both our families, and hearing her name said out loud feels good.</p><p>Erin is in the midst of interviewing for physician assistant schools, and she said she now realizes that everyone who is pursuing a career in medicine has their own inspiration. Her story is sadder than some, but facing illness and uncertainty is not unique to her or us. She reminded us that everyone has a story.</p><p>Dan and I had the chance to recount our story recently. The Shannon O'Hara Foundation is partnering with the Minnesota Wild and will expand our scholarship offerings to include the high school teams playing in Hockey Day Minnesota. As a part of this endeavor, Bally Sports North came down to Rochester and did an interview about the SOF. The story will air during the Hockey Day MN broadcast.</p><p>The producer interviewing us asked us to reflect on who Shannon was, and after the interview, Dan and I got to talking about how we don't often reflect back on who we were before Shannon got sick. We were so typical, so normal, so naive.</p><p>I say naive not because we weren't aware of the idea of death or loss or illness. But one day you are living your life, raising two girls who you plan to see grow up, and then everything changes, and you have to recalibrate. </p><p>I knew I would need to adjust to new normals during Shannon's cancer journey and immediately after her death. I knew that birthdays and anniversaries and other markers of time would be hard. But I didn't know that 10 years on, grief would remain in the way that it does. </p><p><i>"Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it." - Joan Didion</i></p><p>After 10 years, the intense sadness of immediate loss is gone. But the little reminders of what is missing, of what I thought my life would be, of what the future no longer includes... those are the pieces of my grief now.</p><p>My life is good, my life is full, my life is happy. But my life is not the one I planned when a little brown-eyed girl made me a mom for the first time. And that I feel poignantly today.</p><p>Most days, we take that sadness and loss and use it as fuel to try and do our part to make the world better, often through the work of the SOF. And that feels good. But it doesn't fill the hole that Shannon left. </p><p>And 10 years on, I realize I don't want the hole filled in. The hole is the space where Shannon still lives in me, with me. I can feel it, especially on a day like today.</p><p>A new year brings renewal and new chances to grow and improve. Shannon didn't get many years, but her life reminds me to make the most of mine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0ivn0a3dMwSO7KrbzcpFLoRtL3jVxzdj11imBBh-cDuBhywXWHvQ-iLRILxcu7t8ySWnjK_YIY2BjHV7WcevNOptgeTTNOlm8w87CU21Kps7wUfhHCWDzoUGW24yAX9qbFSDtFP6klU8hseh62uZSa2ms_uzKsJ9-oEx09uZolGoSEkGsyDBeGX-v9g=s3600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="3600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0ivn0a3dMwSO7KrbzcpFLoRtL3jVxzdj11imBBh-cDuBhywXWHvQ-iLRILxcu7t8ySWnjK_YIY2BjHV7WcevNOptgeTTNOlm8w87CU21Kps7wUfhHCWDzoUGW24yAX9qbFSDtFP6klU8hseh62uZSa2ms_uzKsJ9-oEx09uZolGoSEkGsyDBeGX-v9g=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-84987013602538149922021-11-25T13:00:00.003-06:002021-11-25T13:00:30.585-06:00Thanksgiving 2021<p>Happy Thanksgiving to all our family, friends, and followers! </p><p>For the 6th time since Shannon passed, we are spending Thanksgiving in Palm Desert, CA with our friends, soaking up some sun, playing golf, and giving thanks for all we have. </p><p>Erin is here with me and Dan, along with our friends Tom, Kula and Ariana Shives. The first time we came here for Thanksgiving, we were all living in Rochester and saw each other often. Now, we live in 4 different states and our times together are less frequent, but the friendship remains. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUILPgtfVxv9VRFkGuG1NIbix0RLTTMhS81uiPt1azhnMlHPN5o79cebjezhYTsHAwSdhB_bmAeNHLVcexx2LNue4YloVUFy7nI0NUW0Oplg1aSgHYvXrcmg8wJxGw4l0V5jhPFsDSqgy3/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2048" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUILPgtfVxv9VRFkGuG1NIbix0RLTTMhS81uiPt1azhnMlHPN5o79cebjezhYTsHAwSdhB_bmAeNHLVcexx2LNue4YloVUFy7nI0NUW0Oplg1aSgHYvXrcmg8wJxGw4l0V5jhPFsDSqgy3/w400-h301/IMG_8693.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While 2021 continues to be a difficult time for our world in many ways, we take some time today to give thanks for all that we have. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dan, Erin and I are healthy. We are employed. Erin will graduate from college in March and has been accepted to Physician Assistant school starting in 2022, so we are celebrating that achievement this weekend!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are thankful for our families and today we remember Ed O'Hara who we lost this year at age 97. What a life of laughter he lived. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are thankful for the many friends who fill our lives with fun when possible and support when needed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am thankful for Dan, my partner through life as we grow older together. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGAQgCFAuaKQHfsVkPeK7OsESaK6nXNufYkBWPM55Kujn1elfdLrBOElHicph3k1dRjkMOu_A_mJWME55ui52neRJuPul0gZiYkSA2yygDUkurkVNjsOMoX59ozmsGrfQ24vZBThC0Yvd/s2048/IMG_8703.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGAQgCFAuaKQHfsVkPeK7OsESaK6nXNufYkBWPM55Kujn1elfdLrBOElHicph3k1dRjkMOu_A_mJWME55ui52neRJuPul0gZiYkSA2yygDUkurkVNjsOMoX59ozmsGrfQ24vZBThC0Yvd/w300-h400/IMG_8703.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, of course, we are thankful for Shannon. Thankful for the time we had with her and the things she taught us. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Her light continues to shine on us as we carry on living. The hole in our hearts and lives remains, but we have much for which to be thankful. We know she'd want us to be happy. We are.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope each of you is surrounded today by love and laughter. Happy Thanksgiving.</div></div></div></div></div><br /><p></p>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-12578757571596681322021-10-10T20:03:00.002-05:002021-10-10T20:03:37.077-05:00Oct. 10, 2021<p> Months have passed since I last wrote. No particular reason, just life filling up my days...</p><p>I have been sticking with my goal of "traveling" somewhere each month in 2021. I use the term "traveling" loosely... it just means being somewhere other than a Zoom meeting at my desk in Rochester!</p><p>In August, our travels were our typical week at Lake Hubert. We were lucky that Erin's work schedule in Philly allowed her to come with us again this year. I know there will be a time where her life doesn't allow for a trip to Lake Hubert, but so far she's managed to make it happen 20 years in a row.</p><p>Miss E had a good summer working in Philly and has now started classes again. She's a senior in college and will be done a quarter early, finishing in March. How did that happen? Right now the days sometimes go slow, but the years go fast...</p><p>Dan and I continue to share a home office, which works well most days. After 20 months, of exclusively working from home, I definitely have some Zoom fatigue. Many days have 5 or more hours staring at the little boxes on my screen. Thank goodness my watch which reminds me to stand up every hour!</p><p>But, I am still grateful for a job I like most days.</p><p>I'm now in my last semester of grad school and will receive my master's degree in Strategic Communication and Innovation and a grad certificate in Advanced Digital Media in December. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks!</p><p>Dan's job has resumed a little more normal schedule that includes weekly travel again. He is fully vaccinated and takes precautions and so far we have been lucky to stay healthy and keep COVID at bay. I hope we make it to the other side of this pandemic soon.</p><p>My travel in September was tagging along on Dan's work trip. We made our way to South Dakota and hiked in the Badlands. We had visited once with Shannon and Erin when they were little, but didn't hike much then. This time, we hiked "The Notch", which requires climbing up a rope ladder and isn't recommended for people who are afraid of heights. I'm happy to say I survived.</p><p>We then went on to Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming. It was definitely worth the trip.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyVQWfqPG6YnJjwG7pndb7g-kPwy4-rgKyO2Mg4u7yq0-VTw53POpd1UsN7UXfBNhNEUljyRExsb_t3eZZ5PAIZfo_c6txmjMU2Qu0gN6nKDfapQVKZmtuLI-AkN0HoQfLfwrDybJHEAo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyVQWfqPG6YnJjwG7pndb7g-kPwy4-rgKyO2Mg4u7yq0-VTw53POpd1UsN7UXfBNhNEUljyRExsb_t3eZZ5PAIZfo_c6txmjMU2Qu0gN6nKDfapQVKZmtuLI-AkN0HoQfLfwrDybJHEAo/w480-h640/IMG_8525.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p>Visiting more National Parks is on our bucket list, and I'm already plotting where we might go next year.</p><p>Our October travels will take us to Philadelphia for a quick visit to see Erin. She's busy with school, club volleyball, and sorority activities, but she promises to let us buy her and her roommates dinner. It's always good to see our kid in her natural habitat.</p><p>With fall upon us and winter to follow, we're excited about what's ahead with the Shannon O'Hara Foundation. We are doing a website redesign, ordering new merchandise, and prepping for upcoming hockey events. We're looking at new avenues to expand and fund more scholarships, so stay tuned.</p><p>All is well with Team O'Hara. I hope the same is true for you and yours.</p><p></p>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-28151807487335321072021-07-29T09:04:00.000-05:002021-07-29T09:04:35.975-05:0010 Birthdays<p>For the 10th time, Shannon is not here on this earth with us to celebrate her birthday. She would be 23 today. A decade of missed celebrations.</p><p>I miss her spunk and her spirit. I miss her laugh and her smile.</p><p>I wish I could know her as a young adult, finding her way in this world. </p><p>I see her friends and classmates graduating college, getting married, even having babies. Just imagine...</p><p>Time doesn't heal this wound, and the grief doesn't end. </p><p>But the loss of Shannon prompts us to go forth and expand our worlds to ease the pain of the incredible loss. We grow with our grief... and because of it...</p><p>We surround ourselves with those who say her name and allow us to share our memories. We work to spread her spirit and do some good in her memory.</p><p>We loved her for the 13 years we had her here with us, and we've loved her every day in the 10 years since.</p><p>Happy birthday, Shannon. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXOyjPa4VGfGAKiCKN8bnRTl5PLxF9fDQ1kT_SedX-9hQ8L-0vJ5RCtqg1K32eqMvYejgsZ1nb0KUHcXUyZPxyjhyCAqIPeM8Yxac8i4u91gMagTv050IJEmUcLV0-JuVgLzz84_hJta9/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXOyjPa4VGfGAKiCKN8bnRTl5PLxF9fDQ1kT_SedX-9hQ8L-0vJ5RCtqg1K32eqMvYejgsZ1nb0KUHcXUyZPxyjhyCAqIPeM8Yxac8i4u91gMagTv050IJEmUcLV0-JuVgLzz84_hJta9/w400-h266/IMG_0583.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-80812956834338843062021-05-31T09:44:00.001-05:002021-05-31T09:44:27.353-05:00May 31, 2021<p> Happy Memorial Day to all. This weekend always serves as a gateway to summer here in MN. The weather is improving, the school year is ending, and it's time for summer plans.</p><p>This summer will be different for Dan and I as Erin won't be spending the summer at home. She is staying in Philadelphia and working her co-op job through the summer months. That was always the plan for this end of her junior year, but it is strange to make summer travel plans without her. </p><p>I know it's all a part of the process, but I am still learning to think of her life and plans as separate from ours. </p><p>Last month, Dan and I took our first vacation without Erin when we headed to the Oregon coast to play golf at Bandon Dunes. If you are not a golfer, you've probably never heard of it. But if you are a golfer, this place is a must see. Think of it as golfing links style courses like you would play in Scotland or Ireland, but on the U.S. pacific coast. I hope for more of these adventures with Dan in the years to come.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdzQQqCAP8I3GV97rkiTkGyJeqc8A7ia2BawlwN3_kdjRxn22GLoVI9Rggi30l0f6ZrtVb0NpfFRtjNbzh3q8gCpdEEOdc9imQVNZOBih1OrpLH_d-8zWv90cjDJaS9oqCb2493g5RA2o/s1440/37A0746C-CD13-4013-8171-204993845E83.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdzQQqCAP8I3GV97rkiTkGyJeqc8A7ia2BawlwN3_kdjRxn22GLoVI9Rggi30l0f6ZrtVb0NpfFRtjNbzh3q8gCpdEEOdc9imQVNZOBih1OrpLH_d-8zWv90cjDJaS9oqCb2493g5RA2o/w400-h400/37A0746C-CD13-4013-8171-204993845E83.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Dan and I spent the first part of Memorial Weekend up at Lake Hubert. We did a clean up weekend with some of Dan's siblings. Despite the time I spent cleaning mouse droppings out of kitchen drawers, it was fun!</p><p>I think the 15 months of pandemic isolation has reminded us all how much we need in-person human interaction. It feels so good to connect without the fear about a virus that has been the underpinning of all interactions in the last year. We gathered as fully vaccinated people (thank you, science!) and the conversation and laughter filled my soul.</p><p>June is here, and I am dreaming of more travel. My goal is to leave Rochester at least once every month for the rest of the year. I've already got June travel plans, so I'm off to a good start. </p><p>We will get back to Lake Hubert in August. Hopefully, Erin can sneak away from her job for a long weekend and join us for a few days. She's never missed a summer up there in her life and doesn't want to start now.</p><p>I'm feeling more hopeful and optimistic than I have in the past year. Getting out and seeing the world and its beauty - be it a golf course or a lake - is revitalizing. More of that, please, in the months ahead.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFMpzs4i18SniVVB5kTbPWkoRt4cyDI0uZMrinYP_JVX8ZSuvet8NvBEpeLky2cQ9-wL6sOBVvRTbDLrIXdicmPOk1edKwdKJTEW8lyu86ePP7FIJEd1hY-uK_0fumt6AJMujogHkAEr3/s2048/IMG_8088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFMpzs4i18SniVVB5kTbPWkoRt4cyDI0uZMrinYP_JVX8ZSuvet8NvBEpeLky2cQ9-wL6sOBVvRTbDLrIXdicmPOk1edKwdKJTEW8lyu86ePP7FIJEd1hY-uK_0fumt6AJMujogHkAEr3/w300-h400/IMG_8088.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-77595803528607011082021-04-15T09:39:00.000-05:002021-04-15T09:39:42.385-05:00April 15, 2021<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">Today marks 10 years since diagnosis day. The day a neurologist told us that Shannon had an inoperable, incurable brain tumor. The day Dan and I tried to make sense of the fact our first baby was going to die before going to high school, and there was nothing we could do about it. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">A friend asked me if it seems longer or shorter than 10 years… I think it’s a little bit of both. Time is flying by, and yet, it’s been so long since I saw her.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">As I write this, I am sitting at O’Hare airport, listening to our blog playlist and waiting for a plane to Philadelphia. I am fully vaccinated and ready to see Erin for the first time since Christmas. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">I did an interview this week with an expert about brain tumors. 10 years ago, when we sat in that neurologist’s office, could I have imagined that I’d work for the Mayo Clinic? No. Through my work, I’ve had the privilege to cross paths with many people who were a part of Shannon’s care. My job at Mayo Clinic is a gift that came from Shannon. Writing about our journey here on this blog led to opportunities to write for Mayo Clinic. I don’t ever forget that. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">I am so excited to see Erin. Last week for the first time in her life, I wasn’t with her on her birthday. She seemed fine with it… I’m the one who felt bad <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span>. 10 years ago, did I imagine that Erin would go to school 1,000 miles away, make a new life with new friends, and be on a path to a career in medicine? No. Erin charting her own course and choosing health care as a career is a result of Shannon’s journey, too. Erin learned at age 10 that time is short and you should live life out loud while you are able.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">Dan is home taking care of pets this weekend, so we are apart on this diagnosis day, although he did get out of bed to take me to the airport at 5am this morning. Our marriage has not only survived the loss of a child, but we’ve grown closer and we’re ready to grow old together. (Some might say that’s well underway…)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">We reflect on the people that have come in and out of our lives. We lost some connections – those who just didn’t know what to say to us or couldn’t look us in the eye, afraid of who we now were. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">But we gained so much more. Those people who stood up those 10 years ago and said, “We are here” and then never left. And those who joined us on this journey at various points along the way, drawn in by Shannon, or Erin, or the story we shared. We are grateful for all these people who allow us to say Shannon’s name and listen to our stories. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">If you ever know someone who loses a child, please say their name. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">So, 10 years on from the day everything changed, we’re OK. We’re even happy. We get to watch Erin grow up which is fun and amazing. And yet, we can’t help but wonder, what would Shannon be like now? We see her friends graduating from college, starting careers, getting married. It will always hurt that Shannon didn’t get to grow up and we didn’t get to experience those things with her. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">I mourn the things I thought would be that never will, but I am still grateful for the things that are.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">So, today, I will hug my daughter for the first time in 4 months and I will hear about her busy life and her goals and dreams and that will be enough. It is what we have, and it is more than enough. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">All At Once from Jack Johnson just shuffled up on my playlist…<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><i>There’s a world we’ve never seen<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><i>There’s still hope between the dreams<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><i>The weight of it all could blow away with a breeze<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><i>If you’re waiting on the wind, don’t forget to breathe<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><i>Cause as the darkness gets deeper, we’ll sink and so we reach for love<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><i>At least something we could hold<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><i>But I’ll reach to you from where time just can’t go…<o:p></o:p></i></p>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-77443624944036625062021-03-14T14:12:00.004-05:002021-03-14T14:13:27.170-05:00A pandemic milestone<p> This past week marked one year since COVID-19 landed in the U.S. and changed everything. </p><p>A year ago, we were trying to get Erin home from Philadelphia, never imagining that she would spend 5 months in our basement doing online college, and that she'd still be going to school online 12 months later.</p><p>A year ago, the team of coworkers I worked most closely with were let go, and within weeks, myself and others were notified that we would be furloughed throughout the spring and summer months. </p><p>A year ago, Dan's company pulled the sales guys off the road and they still haven't returned to regular travel. </p><p>A year ago, we were hoping that we could shelter in place for a few weeks and stop the spread of the virus. Now 12 long months later, we are finally feeling some hope that life will be improving in the near future.</p><p>The past year has been filled with loss for sure. But our losses of normalcy are small, compared with the losses suffered by so many others. While Erin contracted COVID, she weathered it well and is now lucky enough to be fully vaccinated. Dan and I have jobs that allow us to work from home, so we have avoided the virus and now our vaccinations are underway. Both sets of parents - one in their 70s and one in their 90s - have stayed healthy. We are lucky. </p><p>With vaccinations underway and increasing rapidly across the U.S., it feels OK to be cautiously optimistic.</p><p>This week, Erin is finishing up a full year of online school. Not how college is meant to be, but she has persevered and is finishing her junior year coursework this week. She will spend the next 6 months doing her co-op experience, working in a brain injury clinic in Philadelphia as a diagnostic tech. One of the draws of Drexel was that co-op is built into the plan of study for all students. Erin is ready for the change of pace. </p><p>While so many plans and events were canceled this past year, we continued the work of our foundation and gave out scholarships to four deserving winners again in 2021. </p><p>Abby Wick, Katherine Thorvilson, Josh Hanson and Hayden Jones will carry on Shannon's spirit as the latest scholarship recipients. We're glad to have them on our team.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRyDVjLtmSSxOqzq5HkRV1ekGiVBtNX0RUztTImMT6VsnApPhLy2tb-r8JVrnGft4K6z_6oLp_jcXKbY2FE7nhqjADce3JZeVr4w-jBGHDtjuEEm_hC9g9z57kYCYnLpJrB-4ANjOczb4/s2048/IMG_7630.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRyDVjLtmSSxOqzq5HkRV1ekGiVBtNX0RUztTImMT6VsnApPhLy2tb-r8JVrnGft4K6z_6oLp_jcXKbY2FE7nhqjADce3JZeVr4w-jBGHDtjuEEm_hC9g9z57kYCYnLpJrB-4ANjOczb4/w300-h400/IMG_7630.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlZVnKP_ZuThA_cpxXIw6KDDznLjS95Eoj5b8w_U56-eyJks3IFjUVZ4UXWDBjEthxhbbZEHKEElXT47f952swPxithqMQrPZvL6n_pOZCnA_jkJ7P5HwFokkTZGAzKeGaeN55RvJl1ZE/s2048/IMG_7678.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlZVnKP_ZuThA_cpxXIw6KDDznLjS95Eoj5b8w_U56-eyJks3IFjUVZ4UXWDBjEthxhbbZEHKEElXT47f952swPxithqMQrPZvL6n_pOZCnA_jkJ7P5HwFokkTZGAzKeGaeN55RvJl1ZE/w300-h400/IMG_7678.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQHO-x1mnMA1vRO87J4nh8_fbi1jLeUZWj2EpAcZL4wuLII1FBSyKV3KGWhaTBnhYa7NWxdGTVwzoJhUEfRBv7ln3EYMxaL9hgS6jQw1qtSWYQkx1skCJE0sQsxGrcVjNhyQhe0IsvTkS/s2048/IMG_7664.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQHO-x1mnMA1vRO87J4nh8_fbi1jLeUZWj2EpAcZL4wuLII1FBSyKV3KGWhaTBnhYa7NWxdGTVwzoJhUEfRBv7ln3EYMxaL9hgS6jQw1qtSWYQkx1skCJE0sQsxGrcVjNhyQhe0IsvTkS/w300-h400/IMG_7664.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Decades from now when we look back at these pictures, I wonder what we will think about the masks on our faces. I certainly hope next year is different.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, on the one year anniversary of the pandemic, I'm taking a moment to be thankful. We stayed healthy. Erin stayed on track. Dan and I stayed employed. Many others did not. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Having hope feels good. I can't wait to see my family and friends and I can't wait to travel. Here's to mass vaccinations and turning the dial back slowly towards normalcy... </div>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-16335476597621682842021-01-28T05:39:00.000-06:002021-01-28T05:39:08.594-06:00Applications and Endurance <p> Man, it’s been forever since I blogged. I woke up early to read through scholarship apps. We will select the Shannon Scholars this weekend when we hold our board of directors meeting. The meeting will be held virtually, of course. </p><p>We are holding my annual company meetings virtually too. I would be in Florida for those - probably smoking a cigar and looking at the Atlantic Ocean with a bunch of other sales guys. But it ain’t so bad.</p><p>Our company was one of the first to pull its people out of the field when the pandemic began to spread. We will probably also be one of the last to go back out. Kudos to WEX Inc. I still love my job. I’m 57 but I’ll keep grinding as long as they will let me. I am fulfilled doing deals. I like helping companies and the people that do the work in those companies.</p><p>I know this has been a challenging time in our world. Time to reach back into the reserves of mental wellness and persist. We are almost there. Plus it’s winter-as-heck up here in MN. What else you going to do?</p><p>Which brings me back to the apps. There are some outstanding young people coming up in this world. As adults we feel so bad for them - they are getting screwed out of many of the traditional high school experiences - but it ain’t so bad. In this small scale of 13 or so Rochester young adults, the messages give me great hope. These kids get it.</p><p>Time for another cup of Dunn Bros grind. Cozy by the fire 🔥. Reading stories from kids that never knew Shannon O’Hara but carry her spirit in the way they go about things. That’s pretty cool.</p><p>The world we are living in right now is an us not a me. It ain’t so bad.</p>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06644084443123889791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-83287292640139530332020-12-25T16:40:00.007-06:002021-04-13T18:26:05.021-05:00Christmas 2020. <p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">My parents have been encouraging me to blog since I was about 12. What better time than Christmas 2020 to finally listen to them? :) Christmas this year is weird, a holiday typically centered around sharing and catching up with family, now stripped to immediate families if you’re lucky. I am fortunate to be able to spend a few weeks at home with my parents, who are doing the best they can through these crazy times. BTW… “fortunate” is a relative term because I am pretty sure it was -2 yesterday…. Also, what 19-year-old LIKEs living in their parent’s basement? I digress…. </span></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-152bc753-7fff-62fa-197d-10467ce60e98"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christmas has never been an easy holiday for us, it is filled with our memories of our Shannon sick, and it can often be a reminder of what we’ve lost My dad and I shared a moment of relief this year discussing not having to tiptoe around small talk on Christmas. Yesterday, on Christmas Eve, in between episodes of our current binge-watch, I convinced my mom to watch some of our old home videos with me. Shannon’s spirit is bright even when she was four years old, pushing her little sister around. We laughed at how dorky my parents were in their thirties and the constant sibling rivalry between Shannon and me. It is sometimes hard to watch but good to remember :) </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 268px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 395px;"><img height="268" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ImvsEkaQ9CIxbgliwywJij-krzue3VFn8HFsEeI4Mz6SuMJX6xZ8oJ7TYggVlrL-PAGkW1vZj3v5fFGRiPzu_DWqylB1KXF0T4gIAIf3vAEkMutu632xVW3hRnpUr_VvdB9nVa2w" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="395" /></span></div><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2c038222-7fff-7936-e822-8d1889540ba8"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It’s always been a complicated balance for me, missing Shannon, but I also understand that </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am largely who I am today because we lost her. I am in my junior year of college now,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> enjoying my studies in Health Sciences. I have clicked off over 150 college credits at age </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">19 living in Philadelphia, and I will be applying to PA schools in the spring. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I have been talking about
going into medicine since my sister was sick, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">and it is quite hard to believe that I am closer to that career
than I have ever been. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Shannon is the reason for my drive, motivation, compassion, and why I want to
be the kind of provider I </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">want to be. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I’d like to think she would be proud. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-57b004ee-7fff-1487-1133-f23a87ec4b2c"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a few days of grumbling about how cold it is outside, my parents convinced me to go on a walk with them to the golf course. Although I’m often skeptical of our “spiritual” experiences, there was no denying our guardian angel was present when not one, but 2, bald eagles flew over my mom, dad, and me on Christmas Day. </span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c9fa2f9c-7fff-3f80-8dd9-b0e53492550b"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the most isolated year of all time, I find myself having gratitude for the humanity around me. I’ve been lucky enough to surround myself with people I can laugh, cry with, and experience everything that this crazy year has thrown at us together. Going into 2021, I encourage all of us to live with compassion, a positive attitude, and a sense of humor through it all because that’s how we can honor my big sister, Shannon. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJzQkdEP4xm14TjusjDrDm0xVA8zZXup8N43cRcqbBUPSnNzx9652s7nDuY-3uYGpFYtKmVDeKwLdoC34umRyl-KGic6Xa57OFwhzmV6d1F9CW8FN4MlZUNa8fMQCJ0V4aRi3D70JNQWj/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJzQkdEP4xm14TjusjDrDm0xVA8zZXup8N43cRcqbBUPSnNzx9652s7nDuY-3uYGpFYtKmVDeKwLdoC34umRyl-KGic6Xa57OFwhzmV6d1F9CW8FN4MlZUNa8fMQCJ0V4aRi3D70JNQWj/" width="180" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Erin O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14686539150864156540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-9433388185954821142020-12-06T17:24:00.000-06:002020-12-06T17:24:01.327-06:00SOF Scholarships<p> Like everything else in 2020, things are different this year for the Shannon O'Hara Foundation. We are sending out our yearly letter to our donors, but without a specific hard request for donations. The foundation is financially healthy, and we recognize that this has bene an incredibly difficult year for people and businesses that have always supported us. We will weather this storm.</p><p>It is highly unlikely that we will be at Graham Arena in January as we normally are for various hockey events, including the Shannon Cup youth hockey tournament. Even if there's a way to hold the tournament itself by late January, we don't anticipate that it will be safe to be in the arena selling our merchandise and mingling with teams. We will patiently wait for better days ahead, and plan to return in 2022.</p><p>High school winter sports are also a question mark right now. We feel for these student athletes who are missing out on making memories. We will miss the chances to watch kids play the sport that Shannon loved so much.</p><p>One thing that won't change is the SOF scholarship. The pandemic won't stop us from supporting higher education and local youth by giving out scholarships again in 2021. </p><p>Today, I took the time to look back at our scholarship winners. I needed the reminder of something good.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0H2ragP0BDjNSqWD0740QUvZdFRvJeUchUPfE3ea9t_oHWt96oZTE996cNgUs2E_14_6F2sTDYWzE8cMcqYt3UIqjugB3XKs6c0QgizYJTE6q5jnjLK6XoqnNfaSMa9nrvPotfwMgsYIt/s2048/2020+Scholarship+winners++copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0H2ragP0BDjNSqWD0740QUvZdFRvJeUchUPfE3ea9t_oHWt96oZTE996cNgUs2E_14_6F2sTDYWzE8cMcqYt3UIqjugB3XKs6c0QgizYJTE6q5jnjLK6XoqnNfaSMa9nrvPotfwMgsYIt/s320/2020+Scholarship+winners++copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5MketE5p_BvlwMuZb9-xAxfD7tOadSURJsNXVT94be0EN055ZHGzqUW5wBTTbni4AAsK93_4wYYuh_4HQRWDcV-o3mkITHkyX_hbbAKRlAwSOIXKCt7jYGqfQRT370AX7vxa252z20E5/s2048/2019+scholarship+winners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5MketE5p_BvlwMuZb9-xAxfD7tOadSURJsNXVT94be0EN055ZHGzqUW5wBTTbni4AAsK93_4wYYuh_4HQRWDcV-o3mkITHkyX_hbbAKRlAwSOIXKCt7jYGqfQRT370AX7vxa252z20E5/w200-h200/2019+scholarship+winners.jpg" width="200" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADpI9LoGUseshIVmX96TQzrKntITeQ4vkovEgD53b3X8Sg-ffcu-PUuKcvx-ENOoP-kOy-tnMOjevd-2MK9MIBss73mysamOGw6zrqx2NUTmBNlEFz6_cgD7Us_8rTlEITrZpoOtqMxdu/s2048/2018+Scholarship+winners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADpI9LoGUseshIVmX96TQzrKntITeQ4vkovEgD53b3X8Sg-ffcu-PUuKcvx-ENOoP-kOy-tnMOjevd-2MK9MIBss73mysamOGw6zrqx2NUTmBNlEFz6_cgD7Us_8rTlEITrZpoOtqMxdu/w200-h200/2018+Scholarship+winners.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWECEdKGQzoTOHh7Ja110Dmx12U1Yk4QStv-xVV9Txiz5rorvvX4ktWqpP7dL9MXJVhBvviyhfyWqdkZltwbfxaDPXdCvoJ8bG9V28aWLVKw9ISrmyAcWOtC8-B5QtGaopfSurgb-AJ6T/w200-h200/2016+Scholarship+winners.jpg" width="200" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BD0Vvev-JxAo6_3K97SRWfqoVt9VRDRjSJa4n9fPkwFePvFdoFUH7lWRJ8Ry7Ieabcf2b2-wFNV5nyLiVd6r6YQiMaxKgWiYGWQxqWMLHabzH9wVy9BiuvgV9Fxx-WP-BMQtWO7f7C2x/s1280/2015+scholarship+winners+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1280" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BD0Vvev-JxAo6_3K97SRWfqoVt9VRDRjSJa4n9fPkwFePvFdoFUH7lWRJ8Ry7Ieabcf2b2-wFNV5nyLiVd6r6YQiMaxKgWiYGWQxqWMLHabzH9wVy9BiuvgV9Fxx-WP-BMQtWO7f7C2x/w317-h168/2015+scholarship+winners+copy.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwptYGm56uEdzIfA7lQKL6JXuZOk7PvJS07HO6kNGsp0tRBSdxsF8Z8qDGzRoVbV6ldYO3BPN9ZuTR-pOTBgBRf1o4uQGnOxq7-TVvcs4uvWJLZegorC2BOuQ2zYGoDDk38XhRxdHf61vz/s640/2014+scholarship+winners+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="640" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwptYGm56uEdzIfA7lQKL6JXuZOk7PvJS07HO6kNGsp0tRBSdxsF8Z8qDGzRoVbV6ldYO3BPN9ZuTR-pOTBgBRf1o4uQGnOxq7-TVvcs4uvWJLZegorC2BOuQ2zYGoDDk38XhRxdHf61vz/w252-h132/2014+scholarship+winners+copy.jpg" width="252" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUDaZ75_Aqqvk5a9-skIh-qYkD3IwyqNdqq51knE_uDrtn0_WyFljJbZOTqM06_xKF4MfWK4xiiKUaRBhNeyZ_ii3ejM-lCLL4EaE9g6nEE7dWdQP_QJs38l-eCIoVuEQhRRezet0m-Qe/s610/2013+scholarship+winners+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="610" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUDaZ75_Aqqvk5a9-skIh-qYkD3IwyqNdqq51knE_uDrtn0_WyFljJbZOTqM06_xKF4MfWK4xiiKUaRBhNeyZ_ii3ejM-lCLL4EaE9g6nEE7dWdQP_QJs38l-eCIoVuEQhRRezet0m-Qe/w255-h151/2013+scholarship+winners+copy.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">In our 8 years, 26 kids have received a total of $55,000. </span><span style="text-align: left;">Like everything else this year, scholarship season will look different, but we will give them out some way, some how...</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">If you know a Rochester HS senior who played youth hockey, encourage them to apply. The application is available on the <a href="http://shannonoharafoundation.org/index.html" target="_blank">Shannon O'Hara Foundation </a>website. Applications are due Jan. 10th.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stay safe and be well, everyone.</p>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-13581128508444575742020-11-08T10:19:00.000-06:002020-11-08T10:19:00.917-06:00November 8, 2020<p>It's been too long since I last wrote as the days, weeks, months of 2020 continue to slowly pass by. This election week has been worse than most, as I was filled with the anxiety of waiting for a result and hoping for a new way forward. </p><p>I hopef for less hate, more tolerance. I hope that more voices will have a seat at the table. I have nothing against white men, but they shouldn't be the only voices in power. I am happy to see a woman rise to the 2nd highest office in our country. This is progress.</p><p>I hope for a peaceful transition of power and a government that can start to collaborate and compromise for the good of the people. I fear that those who hate will not go quietly, but as Dan reminds me often, you can plan the action, but not the outcome. </p><p>One last thing about the election - this was Erin's first chance to vote. She and her friends were engaged and they understand voting rights and the electoral college way better than I did when I was 20! Erin told us being in the city of Philadelphia, which has been at the center of the election drama, has been invigorating. Erin loves her adopted city and the people in it. </p><p>One reason I haven't written much, is nothing much changes in 2020. We are definitely in a groundhog day scenario. We work, we grocery shop, we cook, we get tired of cooking so we get takeout... repeat...</p><p>We are entering another COVID wave and I don't think anything is going to change any time soon. This has put a real damper on what is usually our fundraising time of year for the Shannon O'Hara Foundation. We typically send a fundraising letter in December and then hold the Shannon Cup hockey tournamentsin January. While the tournament may still take place, the likelihood of having vendors in the arena is very small. So this may be a year where we don't raise any funds. Another COVID-19 casualty, but hopefully just a one year blip on the work of the foundation.</p><p>Despite a down year, the foundation finances are healthy and we still intend to give out scholarships again in 2021. This will be our 9th year, having awarded money to 26 kids to date. This is absolutely the best way we remember and honor Shannon, so even a pandemic won't stop us. </p><p>If you know a senior at a Rochester, MN high school who was involved with youth hockey and is pursuing higher education, please share our application with them. You do not have to be a high school hockey player to be eligible. Applications are due Jan. 10, 2021:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shannonoharafoundation.org/uploads/3/4/4/4/34449395/2021_sof_scholarship_application_.pdf" target="_blank">2021 Shannon O'Hara Memorial Scholarship</a></p><p>If you're curious, you can check out all our past winners here:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shannonoharafoundation.org/past-scholarship-recipients.html" target="_blank">SOF Past Scholarship Recipients</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Many of those past recipients are now done with college. Some are pursuing advanced degrees. Some are in the workforce. Some are getting married! Time does march on, even if 2020 has felt like an eternity. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The foundation work always reminds me that good can come from loss. 2020 has brought so much loss to so many, and I need to remember that there is a light at the other end of the tunnel. Here's to better days ahead... for us all...</p><p><br /></p>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-80095973894739244592020-09-19T22:19:00.002-05:002020-09-19T22:32:53.712-05:00RBG, COVID hits home, The Shannon Tee - Sept, 19, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-3Iu1H_mI2LMtkelK46VjdxDLQBydFzeG_MsgWL35DMetcCS2V1ElYvmTKGEm_l7QBqD5Q0LheE16qVblSSzhUaW3h8mIazgSp6sH2OT4t0krFoZR5abqMcumFuVFX413AS7o9N4hlJ8/s1226/IMG_0152.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1226" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-3Iu1H_mI2LMtkelK46VjdxDLQBydFzeG_MsgWL35DMetcCS2V1ElYvmTKGEm_l7QBqD5Q0LheE16qVblSSzhUaW3h8mIazgSp6sH2OT4t0krFoZR5abqMcumFuVFX413AS7o9N4hlJ8/w400-h400/IMG_0152.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Last night the news that Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died hit me hard. 2020 has been relentless. And it's only September.</p><p>RBG's pursuit of equal rights and her work to strike down discrimination on the basis of sex matters deeply to me. As a woman, and as a mother of a daughter, she was an icon worthy of my admiration. </p><p>While she became known for her dissenting opinions, which might just seem like more of the "us" vs. "them" that plagues our country right now, she made it clear that dissenting is about looking at what could be in the future and to give a roadmap to future courts. And, I love that a 5 foot, 100 pound 80 year-old woman became a cultural phenomenon. So much to admire in her well-lived life. The Notorious RBG.</p><p>We can also take a cue from RBG when it comes to civil discourse and the ability to disagree but not be disagreeable. Oh, how much better off would our country be if we treated each other in a civil manner? Yes, I am a liberal and I worry about what's ahead for our country. But what I wish for most is a return to civility. We are all hurting right now for a variety of reasons - the pandemic, social unrest, economic stresses, wildfires, hurricanes. I wish we could unite around the human condition because this is a collective struggle for better days ahead.</p><p>As the pandemic continues on, it hit close to home for us this week. Erin and several friends in Philly tested positive for COVID. We knew this was a risk when she moved from our basement in a town of 120,000 to an apartment with 4 roommates in a town of 1.5 million. Thankfully, Erin's symptoms are very mild and we hope she can ride it out relatively unscathed. She is tired and she has lost her sense of taste and smell, all of which will hopefully be temporary. Thankfully, a friend's parents who are nearby are helping with food and supplies for the infected girls. They are together for the 10 day isolation period, binging Netflix and preparing for fall quarter, which starts Monday online. Of course, this mama is making Erin check in every 12 hours... it's the least <i>she</i> can do for <i>me </i>when she's 1200 miles away!</p><p>I am glad to report it's not all bad news here. Earlier this week, we had something to celebrate. An idea Dan had to honor Shannon came to fruition. </p><p>When Shannon got sick, she was just starting to find her golf game and our neighborhood course, Willow Creek, is where she learned to play. After hearing about Shannon's illness, Willow's management at the time asked us if there was anything they could do for our family. Shannon spoke right up and said they needed an easier tee for girls on the Par 5 11th hole! It was sassy Shannon at her finest.</p><p>And so, the Shannon Tee was born. Wendell Pittenger, Scott Rindahl and Rod Johnson quickly built a forward tee, and Shannon was thrilled to get a chance to clear the creek with her drive.</p><p>Now, some 9 years later, a memorial bench sits at that tee box.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8YW-8A6o7qBFJz0oPbYIRMc5tscbZbjq6DivDB1iMK3zCkQ_OuX2CtBfUQwzRuEi3X8YNJgO3e2iMSG8MUOsAZw28ycgbTpVwJiZA3X6dL0y45e5Uc8jMih0gy44d_6Rf37Ypag8FZ1U/s2048/IMG_7158.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8YW-8A6o7qBFJz0oPbYIRMc5tscbZbjq6DivDB1iMK3zCkQ_OuX2CtBfUQwzRuEi3X8YNJgO3e2iMSG8MUOsAZw28ycgbTpVwJiZA3X6dL0y45e5Uc8jMih0gy44d_6Rf37Ypag8FZ1U/w400-h300/IMG_7158.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>A big thanks to new Willow Creek owners Andy Black and Will Lancaster for allowing us this space, and another heartfelt thanks to our friend, Shaun Lang, who built the bench and donated his time and considerable skills to the effort.</p><p>We now get to have a moment of gratitude each time we play the 11th, and we hope others do, too. A little reminder of what's important... what really matters. We need that now more than ever.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnr8VNccTPyiS5MoUK3CzEyWCwTjeBgo46nsOVUtR3tbw_ade8-Tno31zdUQmdJ3DjEOTz5q0UQPxUXn0KDwJiML4FXo6A5P8N-0Xp4dD4s3utsx_o9h0rxN7cvgOyJL9z7wsWezUEY_2/s2048/IMG_7160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnr8VNccTPyiS5MoUK3CzEyWCwTjeBgo46nsOVUtR3tbw_ade8-Tno31zdUQmdJ3DjEOTz5q0UQPxUXn0KDwJiML4FXo6A5P8N-0Xp4dD4s3utsx_o9h0rxN7cvgOyJL9z7wsWezUEY_2/w300-h400/IMG_7160.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-43341566133308266182020-08-04T19:39:00.005-05:002020-08-04T19:42:16.637-05:00Road trip - August 20202020 is a year that requires patience, resiliency and an ability to live in the moment and adjust as necessary. I'm good at two of those things... COVID-19 has meant that long term planning is a foolish proposition. What started in March with Erin's campus shutting down has carried through the summer and on into August.<div><br /></div><div>We spent A LOT of time together, the three of us, as Dan wasn't traveling and I was furloughed starting June 1. Thankfully, my 12 week furlough was reduced to 6 and I returned to work July 13. It is good to be back. <br /><div><br /></div><div>Dan and I were grateful for the bonus time with Erin, and Willow Lane was a safe place to be during the early, unsettling days of the pandemic. Erin made the most of being stuck back in Rochester, taking a bunch of credits spring and summer quarters, and working part time at the golf course for some spending money. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>While summer classes are continuing online, Erin was ready to return to Philadelphia. Her apartment had been paid through August, and she had per diem work opportunities that weren't happening in Rochester. Drexel is attempting a hybrid teaching model in the fall... but as mentioned before, this will most likely require patience and adjustment depending on how COVID-19 plays out.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, "home" for Erin now is Philly, and whether classes are on line or in person, she was ready to go. So, we packed up the RAV-4 and she and I headed across the midwest. (Grateful that my bosses were understanding of my previously made plans and let me take PTO for our road trip.)</div><div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0Rpz-IBphihXZueMbBu_GQUqs2IX7Uz5zXGlf8LPdZQjyVqykx3ORTsN14ukMVHi3Uvk2M5N6GGYy6-63JKRyYffLY1v5OLhDICrNqcnZi-NHBEdblcmr66GUmUtnrB1QPkNu2mWDOg5/s1544/IMG_6980.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1160" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0Rpz-IBphihXZueMbBu_GQUqs2IX7Uz5zXGlf8LPdZQjyVqykx3ORTsN14ukMVHi3Uvk2M5N6GGYy6-63JKRyYffLY1v5OLhDICrNqcnZi-NHBEdblcmr66GUmUtnrB1QPkNu2mWDOg5/s640/IMG_6980.jpg" /></a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This little taste of travel reminds me that I love to see new places and we enjoyed checking out gritty, industrial Pittsburgh and driving through the beauty of the Allegheny Plateau and Cumberland Valley of western and central Pennsylvania.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvyZML6EShnMvEwNEgSbdQW3WfYFtzTp2emldZafgL8qOBqcpAW23n_WWCYVWiD2W3HCCIk2iYE-mkVbgLVvHWfuu15571jRb8Q9_bCMNPSWViFYFkt_jK04OFDaUpdhmz4Nvn0ZVzbcN/s2016/IMG_6995.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvyZML6EShnMvEwNEgSbdQW3WfYFtzTp2emldZafgL8qOBqcpAW23n_WWCYVWiD2W3HCCIk2iYE-mkVbgLVvHWfuu15571jRb8Q9_bCMNPSWViFYFkt_jK04OFDaUpdhmz4Nvn0ZVzbcN/w480-h640/IMG_6995.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTQAkEGNS-NXfaw0IsQEtHXNyq3v3QmmMM9HbS2ISaZ32f1GRGs42qtdCRjj0-4bMlDXFIpBs8QB3ANNH3En2lcHe2xGiOGAFDBKdGQem37bsUNB6t_R_unXPK7aZFNO49w7ORteI5xOC/s2016/IMG_7001.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTQAkEGNS-NXfaw0IsQEtHXNyq3v3QmmMM9HbS2ISaZ32f1GRGs42qtdCRjj0-4bMlDXFIpBs8QB3ANNH3En2lcHe2xGiOGAFDBKdGQem37bsUNB6t_R_unXPK7aZFNO49w7ORteI5xOC/s640/IMG_7001.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So now Erin is back in her adopted city. She has her car, her apartment, her friends. She'll be a junior in college come September. The world is her oyster. The pandemic may have slowed her down, but it won't stop her. Go get 'em, sweetie.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMRFXUl9Be4JDI8FXt7KXviZSXVh4Fif6LMwOsEjL67QObjuhgbk1SwHlpP29YDuQqXxqxoVHFP_S67epyE4fSGPjVXkePCxxvPJqdApzggBWdiq_7Cxif9oeUI0iXLDN2BjcIBBJ9311/s2016/IMG_7021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMRFXUl9Be4JDI8FXt7KXviZSXVh4Fif6LMwOsEjL67QObjuhgbk1SwHlpP29YDuQqXxqxoVHFP_S67epyE4fSGPjVXkePCxxvPJqdApzggBWdiq_7Cxif9oeUI0iXLDN2BjcIBBJ9311/s640/IMG_7021.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-44037885613962503132020-06-16T07:48:00.002-05:002020-06-16T07:48:50.281-05:00June 16, 2020We have made our yearly trek to Lake Hubert. It's the place of so many childhood memories for Dan and Erin, and I love the ritual of returning here each year. Coffee by the Shannon rock each morning is the best way to start the day.<br />
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It has been such an unsettled time in our world that I've had trouble putting and thoughts down here on this blog. A pandemic is ongoing, but our attention turned to issues of racism and social justice and I've been feeling a bit helpless about how to make any sort of difference in this world.<br />
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We have all been listening and reading and processing as we try to be better humans. I am encouraged by Erin's generation and their attitudes towards love and acceptance of all people. Thank goodness the children are our future.<br />
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Erin is enjoying some much needed rest up here at the cabin. She completed her spring quarter of school - 20 credits worth - and she kicked ass, if I do say so myself! She's on her two week break before summer quarter begins. Summer quarter will be online as well, and then classes will return to campus in the fall in one form or another. Drexel, like many universities, is figuring out how to keep kids safe and healthy by utilizing their classroom spaces effectively. Erin will be living just off campus starting in September, in a house with 4 friends. At least she won't be in a huge communal living situation as she has been these first two years.<br />
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Erin is eager to get back to Philly, so she and I will road trip east sometime in July and move her back into her apartment. She will have a chance to work and earn some money in August and September while finishing summer quarter classes. It has been great to have her home for these four months, but it is not a good permanent solution. She wants her independence, and I can't blame her.<br />
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Since I am furloughed from work, I've had lots of time on my hands to stick my nose into Erin's business. This is week 3 of my 12 week furlough, and so far, I'm surviving. It has been a welcome change of scenery, leaving Rochester for the lake.<br />
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I'm taking a summer grad school course, which has been a lot of work, so that's helping to fill my time. Once Erin goes back to Philadelphia, I imagine those last few weeks of furlough might feel like an eternity.<br />
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I have to remind myself not to worry so much about what is ahead, and just enjoy what's here now.<br />
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And what's here and now is pretty great. I'm with my people in a peaceful place. The pandemic and strife are still very real, but they can take a backseat for a little while...<br />
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Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-64627190240891337342020-05-02T10:34:00.002-05:002020-05-02T10:34:38.721-05:00May 2, 2020It is a glorious spring day in MN, which always reminds us why we live here. The next 5 months or so bring the kind of weather that allows for golfing, tennis, trips to the cabin... this will be a different kind of summer.<br />
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Since I last wrote, there has been a big development on the work front for me. Due to the lost revenue caused by the COVID-19 shut down, Mayo Clinic has had to cut back on costs, including salaries. Temporary furloughs were announced for many teams and departments, including mine. I will begin a 12 week furlough on June 1. Many of my colleagues start their furloughs Monday, so it will be a different kind of job the next month until my furlough begins.<br />
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It has been such an unsettling time. Our team was once 20 people, then reduced to 13 when supplementals were let go in March. Now with furloughs, there will be 5 of us working on Monday, and just 3 of us starting May 18. We're really just in "keep the lights on" mode as we try to make it through the summer and, hopefully, return to full staffing in September.<br />
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It is hard to reconcile because we have been doing great, important work sharing information with the public about COVID-19. We have more viewers and listeners than ever to our news network site and our podcasts. But, reducing staffing is the fastest way to recoup lost revenue, so it must be done. It has been hard to deal with the emotions and support each other when we're all in our separate homes working remotely. We all, of course, can't imagine how the work can be done without us, but it can, and it's a good reminder that we aren't our jobs.<br />
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So, a lesson in resiliency for me and my co-workers as we each take our turn stepping away.<br />
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On the bright side, I have one more month to work and plan programming for the summer that can hopefully sustain us and keep our radio show and podcast alive. We'll see. I know things might look very different by the time I return in late August.<br />
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If you live in MN and you have to take a forced 12 week vacation, June, July and August are the months to do it. I am hopeful that our state will be more open for business come June and we can make our annual trek to Lake Hubert the first part of June when Erin has a break between quarters.<br />
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Erin is halfway through with this first quarter of remote learning. She's surviving the heavy credit load and already planning for the next quarter, which, unfortunately, will also be taught online. Philadelphia and Drexel are not quite ready to bring students back to campus for the summer quarter, but are making plans for fall quarter to be back to some form of normal, in person instruction.<br />
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Erin will stay with us through June, but once it's safe to return and campus opens back up, she's ready to return to her apartment, her friends, her life in Philly. We'll see if that can happen come July. She loves us and all, but Rochester is not where she wants to be!<br />
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We're still grateful that we're healthy and we've gotten this bonus time together. Dan and I laughed this week, reminiscing about sending Erin back to school after last winter break. I was weepy and sad because "she probably won't ever live with us again". Whoops... She's been here 6 weeks now with another 6 to go! It's been a lot of togetherness and we're all ready for something a little different, but we've made the most of getting to be a trio again for an extended time.<br />
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I'm hoping to fill my summer with golf, tennis, family and friends when the physical distancing restrictions relax. I can't wait.<br />
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<br />Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-33100669410858739792020-04-10T07:10:00.000-05:002020-04-10T07:10:23.755-05:00April 10, 2020 - Turning (COVID) 19<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is Erin's nineteenth birthday. We've been joking that she's turning COVID-19 or quaran-nine- teen. This is not exactly how she planned to spend her birthday as we find ourselves in the midst of dozens and dozens of days together as we try to do our part to flatten the coronavirus curve.</div>
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We will venture out today to get supplies to make a pasta dinner and pick up her favorite cookie cake. That will have to suffice as a celebration for this year. At least we get to be together.</div>
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Erin decided to make the most of her social distancing time by taking a full credit load of 20 credits this quarter. Drexel's distance learning started this past Monday and the quarter system means it's a 10 week sprint until this term ends and the next one begins. Erin's got a color coded calendar to help her keep track of her six classes and stay on top of the deadlines. We all hope this online learning is only necessary for one quarter, so we're crossing our fingers that she can return to Philly this summer.</div>
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We are all healthy and and doing our best to give each other space as we all try to live and work under one roof constantly. It's the first time in 20 years that Dan spent a month at home without any travel. </div>
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My work continues to keep me busy and engaged as we tell stories and share information about the pandemic with the public. Talking with infectious disease specialists about the virus is fascinating. Dan and Erin might be getting sick of my daily reports on what I learned about coronaviruses! They are still humoring me... for now...</div>
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The happiest member of the household? That would be Gus, who gets multiple walks a day and always and find someone available to scratch his ears and rub his belly.</div>
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So tonight, we will celebrate Erin. We're proud of who she is. We're lucky she's ours. </div>
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<br />Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-5350796185403348332020-03-21T08:36:00.001-05:002020-03-21T08:36:47.429-05:00March 21, 2020The world has turned upside down since I last wrote. A global pandemic has reached us, and we're all in uncharted territory. The coronavirus is changing everything for now - the way we work, the way we go to school, the way we interact with one another.<br />
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The logistics for our family included Dan's company suspending all travel, so he's "meeting" with customers via phone these days. He was already a home office guy, so has the tools here to do what he needs.<br />
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For me, work is busier than ever. Working in communications for the #1 hospital in the world during a global pandemic is some job security, I tell you! We went from producing a weekly radio program and podcast to producing a daily COVID-19 coronavirus podcast in the last 10 days. I am so grateful to get to work with experts in infectious diseases and other specialty areas to get the word out about what we know, what we should do, and what lies ahead. Shameless plug here - you should subscribe to Mayo Clinic Q&A on your favorite podcast provider to stay up to date:<br />
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<a href="https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/podcast/q-a/">https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/podcast/q-a/</a><br />
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Erin is the one with the biggest disruption of life due to social distancing. College is the opposite of social distancing! Erin came back to Rochester this past Monday, finished up winter quarter finals this week online, and now has an extended two week spring break. Starting April 6, Drexel's 10 week spring quarter will be taught completely online.<br />
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Drexel is unique in that it's a quarter system and sophomores like Erin go to school all four quarters. So, the hope is, Erin will be back in Philly when summer quarter starts mid-June. It was hard to pack up and come home and leave your friends and activities behind in the middle of you college experience. We're glad to have her home with us, but we know it's not where she's supposed to be.<br />
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For us, we will weather this storm. Yes, it is a disruption to life and yes, it may have long term consequences for industry, education, and health care. Things that affect us all. But, in the grand scheme of things, we are lucky.<br />
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We've been talking about those who are losing out on things they had planned - seniors in high school and college who might not get to have a graduation. Athletes who don't get to compete. Family and friends who had trips planned or were studying abroad. This is the year many of Shannon's friends will graduate from college and head out into the real world to try and start their careers. I feel for them in these uncertain economic times.<br />
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If you know me and Dan, you know we pass much of our time watching sports. With no golf, tennis, basketball, hockey or baseball on TV, we are a bit lost. Dan's been reading. I've been too busy at work and also continuing my master's classes to need much leisure activity. We have been binge watching Better Call Saul and, in a fiction meets real world moment, we watched Contagion. So prescient.<br />
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We have jobs that continue, we have a home from which to work and school remotely. We can pay our bills. Gus and Sylvie are glad to have the company. They think sheltering at home is a great idea. We have it better than most.<br />
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These are difficult times, no doubt. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to your family. Sending love and peace to you all.<br />
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<br />Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-87617276034019653232020-02-19T10:26:00.002-06:002020-02-19T10:26:53.254-06:003 Generations take NYCI am back in Rochester after a wonderful trip to Philadelphia and NYC. My mom and I did a planes, trains and automobiles adventure. It was our first time traveling together without baggage... I mean, husbands or children... :)<br />
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I had planned a "Galentine's" adventure that included some time at Drexel with Erin and her roommates, an overnight with mom's brother Brian and wife Julie in Buck's County, PA, and then an Amtrak ride to NYC for sightseeing, and, a chance to see the musical, Hamilton, on Broadway.<br />
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Despite all the hype and anticipation - Hamilton exceeded my expectations. I did my best not to sing along with every word. If you ever get the chance, go see it.<br />
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We had two days to enjoy NYC. Erin and I introduced Grandma to Uber and subway travel around Manhattan. We also walked 7 miles one day and 8 miles the next, checking out Central Park, shopping on 5th avenue, and enjoying an authentic Italian dinner in Little Italy. At 74, Grandma Gwen was more than up to the challenge. I'm so grateful for her good health and adventurous spirit.<br />
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The trip came at a great time for Erin. She's in the midst of a tough quarter of classes and a gray, winter season. A weekend away with two of her biggest fans was good for the soul. We laughed a lot and talked about life and dreams and goals, and reminded her that she doesn't have to have the world figured out at age 18. (She's still only 18!) She's still loving Drexel and has a great group of friends. I was glad to get to drop into her world for a first hand look.</div>
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I came out of the weekend reminded of the importance of the mother-daughter relationship. I am lucky to get a good draw on both sides of that equation. Being with my own mother reminds me that once a mother, always a mother. She still worries about me, in the same way I worry about Erin. We want to make the stresses and the hurts soften. We want to celebrate the successes and shout the accomplishments from the rooftop. </div>
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One of the best things we can do for our daughters is lead by example. I do my best. I know my mom does, too.</div>
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<i>"Here's to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them." </i></div>
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Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-73903905619966353882020-02-02T07:52:00.001-06:002020-02-02T08:38:06.903-06:00Shannon Cup and Scholarship NightJanuary has come to a close... it's always one of the best and worst months of the year for us. We start off with the holiday hangover and the anniversary of Shannon's death, which always coincides with sending Erin back to school each year. That's a double whammy for this mom.<br />
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But, the month gets busy with our hockey fundraisers and the Shannon Cup, and it culminates in our annual scholarship night.<br />
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The Shannon Cup was a huge success once again. We had the great pleasure of meeting and talking with youth girl's teams from Farmington, MN, Des Moines, IA, Appleton, WI and many places in between. All in all, 24 teams featuring 300 girls came to Graham Arena and the majority of them visited our merchandise table and left with a Shannon O'Hara Foundation hoodie, hat, or t-shirt.<br />
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We love getting to meet these girls and share Shannon's story. We tell them about her love of hockey, but more importantly, about her love of team and friends. We try and spread a message of kindness. It's our small attempt to make a difference and make the world a better place.<br />
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The Rochester teams have embraced the Shannon Cup as their own, doing fundraising for the foundation. Two teams in particular this year, raised money through events and raffles.<br />
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The 12B Black girl's team presented us a check for $1,478. They were so proud to donate.<br />
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The 15A team, with girls who were playing in their last Shannon Cup before making the move to HS hockey, raised $4,001!</div>
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Mixed in amongst the Shannon Cup were two chances for the high school girls teams to support the foundation as well. The Lourdes girls held a Shannon night and donated three separate checks. Here are the words they shared:</div>
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<i>Our first check represents the efforts of kids who are the same age as Shannon was during her playing days. During every home game, we have parents who purchase pucks and look for young kids to Chuck a Puck for Shannon. $110 represents their winning so far this year.</i></div>
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<i>Our second check is a token of thanks from parents whose older daughters had the privilege of playing hockey with Shannon. The experience their daughter gained by being able to follow Shannon's journey has provided them with a sense of courage and appreciation that has been invaluable in their lives. This check is for $500.</i></div>
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<i>Our third check is from the Lourdes High School Girls Hockey Family. It is an acknowledgment of how vital the Shannon O'Hara Foundation is not only for girl's hockey in Rochester but as an example to the entire hockey community of the difference one person can make in helping others. This check is for $999.99.</i></div>
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The number 9 represented in such a meaningful way.<br />
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The three public schools also did their part to support the SOF. Not only did the Mayo and Century girls teams volunteer all weekend at the merchandise table, Century, Mayo and John Marshall held their own Shannon night, coming together to donate $1,675.<br />
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The reason for all this fundraising? To give back. To make a difference in Shannon's memory and help local kids fund their education. Scholarship night is the chance to say thank you to the community and to recognize a few local kids for their efforts.<br />
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This year, 4 students were awarded $2,500 each toward their post-secondary education. Corrin Hanson (Lourdes), Megan Andrist (Century), Max Cothern (Mayo), and Sam Williams (Century) are the 2020 Shannon O'Hara Memorial Scholarship recipients.<br />
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And that's a wrap. We're exhausted but heartened by the events of the last month. We get to spend the month watching kids play hockey and reminiscing about Shannon's favorite times at the rink. In a world that's sometimes hard and cold, we are lifted up by the support from others. Acts of kindness always make a difference, so thank you to every person who donated a dollar or bought a t-shirt.<br />
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The Shannon O'Hara Foundation is going strong. We couldn't do it without you.Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-83677204637819687862020-01-06T07:58:00.000-06:002020-01-06T13:34:08.502-06:00Another anniversary - Jan. 6, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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8 years ago on this day, our world fractured when Shannon passed away. We had spent the previous 9 short months in a sprint, focused on Shanon and what she wanted and needed.<br />
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Then, she was gone and we had to begin to pick up the pieces.<br />
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Grief and loss is not linear. Of course, anniversaries like this are hard. We expect that. What you don't expect is a song on the radio that reminds you, Or a place or a memory that just pops into your head unexpectedly. Those are the moments that can blindside you and buckle you at the knees.<br />
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Dan and I put Erin on a plane back to college yesterday, and then watched an absolutely improbable win by the Minnesota Vikings. We couldn't help but think - Shannon would have loved that. She would have been screaming at the TV, right along with me and Dan.<br />
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At least that's what we imagine. Would Shannon still be a crazy fan? I assume so, but who knows if what Shannon was at 13 is who she'd be at 21.<br />
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And that's the thing. We never get to know what she would have been. As a mother, that's what hurts the most.<br />
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I've come to realize that being a mother is one of my favorite roles. And I don't get to do it as much any more. Erin is growing up and Shannon is gone. Yes, of course, Erin still needs me sometimes. But, more and more she handles things on her own and makes her own decisions. As it should be. But that doesn't mean I don't miss being needed.<br />
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So that's the emotion I feel today, after 8 years of living without Shannon. I miss what we didn't get to have. I miss getting more chances to be a mom to that spunky, brown-eyed girl.<br />
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I'm grateful every day for Dan and Erin and our ability to weather the waves that don't stop. Today is another anniversary. Tomorrow is a new day.<br />
<br />Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-25410747785632390802020-01-01T09:04:00.000-06:002020-01-01T09:04:02.348-06:00Jan. 1, 2020Happy New Year!<br />
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The calendar has flipped to a new year and a new decade. I always like the fresh start - another chance to do better and be better in a new year. A clean slate holds so much promise.<br />
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There has been a lot of talk about the new decade ahead and reminiscing about the decade we just completed. It's impossible not to fixate on Shannon's illness and death when I think about the past decade. It is the marker in time of before and after, of naiveté and innocence lost.<br />
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In 2010, we were in the throes of raising two girls, running them to hockey practice, soccer practice, piano lessons... all the things that kids need to do to be well rounded and grow up right. I, in the way I do, was planning out what was next and where they were headed. I could see what I thought was their future - Willow Creek Middle School, then Mayo HS, playing sports for the Spartans, of course, and then on to college to pursue a passion that could become a career.<br />
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10 years later, our little family has learned so much about ourselves and the world. We learned about grace and accepting love and support. We found people who are a part of our tribe - those people who talk about Shannon and continue to show up when we need them most. These 10 years showed us we can be stronger than we ever imagined we could be. In this past decade, we had to find a new way to be a family, to honor our missing piece, but still go on living with hope for the future. We had to accept a new normal.<br />
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It has been a bit of a solemn holiday season for me, Dan and Erin. No particular reason that it hit us harder this year than others. Our 8th Christmas without Shannon, which is hard to believe. I think the concept of families gathering from near and far just bring a painful reminder that our family will always have a void where Shannon and her life should be. We're just 5 days from marking her passing yet again. The calendar can be unforgiving.<br />
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But again, a new year is a fresh start, and we get a new decade this time, too.<br />
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What will the next 10 years look like? I hope for Erin to continue to enjoy college, then graduate school, then have a chance to pursue a career. (Side note - I hope that tuition payments end!) Will she be "settled" somewhere in 10 years? Who knows...<br />
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I hope for Dan and I to get to travel more in these next 10 years. I hope he gets to retire in this next decade. What will that look like? Who knows...<br />
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I hope I continue to love what I do, and to find my work challenging and engaging. I hope for good health and time with the people I love. I hope for more adventures and to see more of the world.<br />
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So cheers to 2020. You hold so much promise. Let's get started.Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784790193991756748.post-79946508459199150802019-11-24T09:44:00.001-06:002019-11-24T09:44:33.573-06:00Sunday Nov. 24, 2019Team O'Hara is in vacation mode! Dan and I are in Rochester, Erin is in Philly, but tomorrow morning we will meet at O'Hare and catch a flight together to Palm Desert, CA for the Thanksgiving holiday.<br />
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This was our tradition during Erin's high school years, but we took a one year hiatus last year since it was Erin's freshman year, her first time living away, and we wanted to spend the time together at home. But, we're glad to be heading west again this year.<br />
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This trip is possible because of all the nights Dan spends in places like Flint, MI and Fargo, ND. All those Marriott rewards points add up... and we're going to spend them!<br />
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It has been 9 weeks since we took Erin to school. This is the longest we've gone without seeing each other in person. I am grateful for texting, face time and social media to stay connected, but nothing can replace getting to hug her in person. Tomorrow. We'll get a week with her now, send her back to school for 10 days to finish up fall quarter, and then get her home in Rochester for a 3 week winter break. This momma is ready for some Erin time. (Dad is too...)<br />
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I have kept myself busy this fall with the first two courses of grad school, working towards a master's degree. After some initial angst about WTF I was doing, I can say that it's been a good challenge. I am using my brain and critical thinking skills in ways that I haven't in a while. The coursework has been relevant to my job and I've been able to use real world examples in my writing. I feel like it's a worthwhile endeavor. I may be one of the oldest people in my program, but I ain't dead yet...<br />
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The holidays are here again. It happens every year. The good of family, friends, and celebration, and the pain of memories and loss. My Facebook flashback got me again this week:<br />
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This was such a great day. Shannon's Rebel hockey team won the title at the Hopkins hockey tournament. This group of girls had never won a tournament, but on that day, they did. Shannon played her heart out and was beaming from ear to ear, holding that trophy. </div>
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We celebrated all the way home, including a stop at Dairy Queen where Shannon brought the trophy into the restaurant! We were all glowing. Shannon's teammates let her bring the giant trophy home. They all knew she was battling her brain tumor at that time, and symptoms had started to occur again. When we tucked Shannon in that night, we were reveling in the win. Shannon looked at Dan and I and said "It's too bad my first championship came near the end of my life". Gut punch. Two weeks later we went to St. Jude for a clinical trial. Seven weeks later, she was gone. </div>
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So, these are the reminders that this time of year brings. I'm glad for the memories, even the painful ones. I need them so Shannon doesn't fade away. In some ways, I miss her more now, or miss the loss of who she would have been. Erin is an adult, doing adult things like living in an apartment, cooking for herself, and working towards a career. That makes me long to know where Shannon would have gone with her life. </div>
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But, we have survived. We're carrying on, just as Shannon asked us to. Because of her, we all try to make a difference in this sometimes painful world. We're happy, even with the hole in our hearts that will never fully heal. We are who we are now because of who she was then.</div>
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<i>"The holiest of holidays are those kept by ourselves in silence and apart; the secret anniversaries of the heart." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow</i></div>
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Jen O'Harahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09370926290050211664noreply@blogger.com