Monday January 30, 2017

Our weekend was filled with activity, Dan and I here in Rochester running the Shannon Cup event while Erin was off at the Minneapolis Convention Center playing in a three day volleyball event. Divide and conquer...

Erin had her first chance to get to know her teammates a little better. Hanging out in between games, at the hotel, etc. This is a new team for Erin and there are 11 girls from 7 different high schools, so new friends to be made!

Dan and I spent Friday night and Saturday at Graham Arena. I have to admit, I do still love being around the rink. Even 5 years later...

This weekend's Shannon Cup was for the U12 and U10 age groups. 300 skaters and their families from MN, WI and even IL... many of these teams come back year after year, but there are always some new teams, too, who don't know our story. Having a chance to share with them who Shannon was and why this tournament is named for her is a special thing for me and Dan.

The Rochester kids help us spread the story, too. They run around the arena in various Shannon gear and they continue to tape their sticks and helmets in lime green to remember her.

We sent a copy of the book, Determined to Matter, home with each family this weekend, too. Seeing these young girls wanting to learn more about Shannon and wanting to be inspired, well, what more could we ask for... Dan and I got to sign a few books for the girls. They think that's cool, and we do, too.

We had a young girl from a St. Paul suburb who was hanging around our table. When her mom joined her, they told us that after playing in this tournament last year and after reading the book, this girl did a report on Shannon and the Shannon Cup for school. So, a middle school class 90 miles away from here learned about Shannon and perseverance and kindness and gratitude...

This weekend, we sold $5,000 worth of t-shirts and sweatshirts and trucker hats to help us fund our scholarships. The kindness and generosity of others is such a pleasant reminder of the good in this world... Congrats also to the Rochester 10A team on being Shannon Cup champions!

So, we take a deep breath this morning and then prepare for one more Shannon event this weekend. Saturday, Feb. 4 will be Shannon O'Hara Scholarship Night during the Century-JM Boys hockey game. We are excited to award our 5th year of recipients. Another good group of kids who will have a little help from Shannon as they pursue their dreams...

Wednesday January 25, 2017

What should be a day of Erin taking finals has turned into a snow day. Ah, you gotta love Minnesota... or not... My hubby is in Nashville this week at company meetings, so snow removal is my problem today... someday maybe I won't live in these conditions!

I'm grateful today that I can telework... send some emails, shovel some snow, write a script, shovel some snow, etc...

We've been busy with Shannon O'Hara Foundation work, as our Board of Directors met this weekend and chose the 2017 scholarship winners. We're excited to present them on February 4th at the JM vs. Century boys hockey game.

Calling our scholarship winners and telling them they are receiving the award is the most rewarding thing we do. I hope we can do it for a long time...

But before we get to that, we have the Shannon Cup this weekend: 22 teams, with over 300 girls ages 10-12 will be at Graham Arena. It's fun for Dan and I to stay connected with the hockey community and to share our story with another generation of Rochester girls. It is energizing to be around those kids.

We're also excited to roll out some new merchandise... so come see us if you can!

New SOF Merchandise on sale - Saturday 1/28 - 8am-6pm - Graham Arena

               

Tuesday January 17, 2017

Snow day! Actually, ice day is more like it... Rain, sleet and ice overnight has led to schools being closed today in the Rochester area. Erin's first snow day of her junior year... always an unexpected treat.

Actually, Erin doesn't even know that it's a snow day yet, because she is still asleep! She will be glad to have an extra day to catch up on homework/projects/finals preparation. Two weeks left in the first semester, so it's crunch time.

I will work from home today and enjoy the extra time with Erin. I love that I have that kind of flexibility...

Dan had to hit the road as the customer in Green Bay doesn't care that we had an ice storm. So, off he went at dawn... someday he'll be able to retire from the road.

We are fast approaching our Shannon events at the end of the month. The scholarship applications have all been received and our board is reviewing them right now. It's going to be a very difficult year to pick a winner. Thank goodness we have the input of our board of directors to help us make the difficult choices. We will award the scholarships at Graham Arena on Saturday, Feb. 4.

First up, though, is the Shannon Cup hockey tournament Jan. 27-29. This is the younger age groups - 10&under and 12&under. 20 teams with 300 skaters will be in town to compete. I've been busy getting t-shirt orders from the teams, organizing volunteers, etc. It's work, but it's worth it.

I often joke that my job with the SOF is no pay, but great benefits... Sharing Shannon's story with these young athletes is always a rewarding experience.

Time to dig in and get through January. Here we go...

Wednesday January 11, 2017

We have survived another one of those dates on the calendar that looms so large in our memories...  the anniversaries of Shannon's death and funeral have passed.

We survived because Dan, Erin and I are a team. We survived because there are amazing people in our lives who love us on our good days and our bad. We survived because Shannon wanted us to...

Erin had a few Shannon coincidences last week. Her new volleyball team handed out their jerseys. They choose numbers by going down the roster alphabetically... you guessed it. Erin is 9th in alphabetical order and will wear #9 this season...

Erin has also been working on a project for her Econ class, highlighting a business, their finances and activities. She did the Shannon O'Hara Foundation since she sits on our board... she presented her project on January 6th. Uff da...

So now we go on with the rest of our lives again...

I managed a weekend overnight to my friend's cabin with a group of tennis friends. I probably shouldn't just refer to them as tennis friends... they are so much more than that... we drank coffee, wine and Moscow Mules as we talked about husbands, children and grandchildren... we talked about the things we love about them and the things that drive us crazy... it's good to vent once in a while!

The older I get, the more I value these people in my life who see me for who I am, warts and all... I hope these women are a part of my life forever...

Dan had to head back out on the road this week after 3 weeks at home over the holidays. I'm not saying Erin and I are happy about that... I'm just saying... well... it's good to be back in the routine :)

Today at my division meeting at work, I am "In the Spotlight". That means my supervisor shares a little bit about me with my colleagues so they can get to know me. I had to choose family photos and such to share... damn... I included Shannon because, well, she is still a part of my family... I have(had) two daughters and I can't let a room of co-workers think otherwise...

I think about this for Erin as she goes forward in life. Her world is getting bigger every day and she meets new people more often than Dan and me. College looms not far down the road. How will she choose to share her story? Time will tell...

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." - Søren Kierkergaard

Five years ... Jan. 6, 2017

Today marks 5 years since Shannon passed away. Dan, Erin and I have felt this anniversary so deeply this week. I think 5 seems like a big number. We count anniversaries of all things in multiples of 5, so this one has some extra weight that we can't escape...

It's also the first time that the days of the week match up... Jan. 6 is a Friday this year, just like it was in 2012...

We have been reminiscing and re-reading parts of Determined to Matter to jog our memories about Shannon's final days. I am so grateful we have this written log so we don't forget any of it...

Remembering her smile and sassy personality, remembering her spirit and her fight, remembering the relief, anger and sadness we felt when her battle ended...

And remembering Erin's role in this, too... 5 years ago Dan drove Erin to school for another day of 6th grade... we called the school hours later and asked that someone bring Erin home. We were all together on that sunny January day as Shannon drifted away. Erin, 10 years old, sat on the bed with her sister and watched her take her last breaths. Sunny the Wonderdog was at her feet.

That experience has obviously shaped us all, but none more than Erin. There's a lot more growing up to do between ages 10 and 15 than there is between 42 and 47 or 48 and 53... she's navigating it better than we could have imagined...

But for today, we don't expect much from ourselves. We'll do some work and some school, but we'll also be together and recognize that we've survived - mostly in tact - to the 5 year mark. 

Thank you to all who have been and continue to be a part of our journey. Grief and loss is a journey that never ends...

Happy New Year

2017 is here. I love the landmarks of time like this. The closure of one year and the possibilities of the year ahead. Each passing year makes us recollect where we have been and where we hope to go next...

2016 saw a big change for me in that I became a full time employee of the Mayo Clinic. My role on the News and News Delivery team is a perfect fit. I get to write, research and organize - three of my best skills. I am so grateful to find a job I love at the age of 47. I hope it continues for years to come.

Dan had another successful year working for the same company, EFS, now owned by WEX. This coming summer will mark 10 years with this organization. He's not near the end and his days on the road continue, but retirement can at least be a part of the discussion now :)

Erin, of course, accomplished the most in this past year. She's a junior in high school and busy every day and night is seems. School, friends, volleyball, golf, student govt... she was elected to the National Honor Society this year as well.

I anticipate Erin will also be busy in the year ahead. 2017 will bring her 16th birthday and the long awaited driver's license. 2017 also will bring the beginning of the college journey - explorations, applications and acceptances (hopefully!). It is so exciting and a little bit scary...

Dan and I hope 2017 brings good health and time to enjoy life. We are so fortunate to have family and friends who make life a little bit easier.

We count anniversaries in multiples of 5, and a big one is looming for us on January 6. It's still unimaginable the Shannon has been gone for 5 years. I wasn't sure how we'd live without her, but here we are, 5 years down the road.

2017 is a year of potential for the Shannon O'Hara Foundation. Our first scholarship recipients will graduate from college this spring. We will hit the $20,000 mark in scholarships we've awarded. We have a goal of reaching $150,000 total raised by the foundation in the 5 years since Shannon passed...

Amazing, humbling, rewarding...

Happy New Year to all. May 2017 bring love, friendship, health... and time to enjoy them!