Today...I received the Best Birthday Present Ever!!

Aloha to all,

Today.....is my 40th birthday and a birthday like no other.

Today....our beautiful daughter laughed out loud in pure joy. 

Today....she cried and she played in the sand with her little brother.  

Today....our princess swam in the ocean and gave me, "The Best Birthday Present Ever".

For those of you who are attending the "Big Summer Party in Ontario" at Julia and Scott's home, I wish, more than anything, that we were there to celebrate with you.  I realize that this party is being held in Carmen's honour to support her journey but I trust that you will take this opportunity to "laugh, love and live" together in celebration.

I want you all to know that our T.L.P., Carmen Leolani White, is fighting the fight of her life and winning!! 

Your love, support and devotion helps Carmen and our family everyday.

Our deepest appreciation and love to Grandma and Grandpa White, who dropped everything to be with us from May 28th to July 14th.   To care for our precious Trevor while we could focus on Carmen's wellness during those critical first days.  For being there for us when we needed you most.

Mahalo, Mahalo, Mahalo.
  

With warmest Aloha.

Team White

I would like to share a touching note that I received today from my brother-in-law, Darren Miller.  It is difficult to express how much his words and insight meant to me at this time.   It truly sums up the last 7 weeks and our family's current reality.

Happy birthday to you Chris!

It always makes me feel good knowing that my brother-in-law's birthday falls on the same day as my brother's birthday.

I know you and Heather have been going through such an unimaginable and challenging time.  You both have shown such strength in the course of what Carmen has been facing; strength that comes in tears as well as compassion and resolve.  Among the magical things that the TLP is, TOUGH is definitely at the forefront of her many abilities, and please remember that she gets a great deal of that strength from her two loving parents whose soul's she deeply adores.  Carmen is a tremendous healer on so many levels, as she continues to show us day in and day out; not just in what she is doing to heal her own self, but also in other ways, that might not always be as immediately noticeable, in how she is actually healing others through this process.

You and Heather are doing an incredible job through each and every challenging day, hour and minute -- and on your birthday (and for the purposes of this email I will go ahead and just proclaim this Heather's honorary birthday too, so you can embrace this together) you should BOTH know that and just take today to really breath that in.  You both deserve it and that is my wish for you on your day, and Heather too.

When the shock of a situation hits and reshapes reality like it did just weeks ago it makes each moment, day and second carry such different meaning.  Taking nothing away from the sheer gravity of the situation, please also remember that the ability for such a situation to instantly refocus you on the things that really matter and that bring true value in life is in itself its own miracle.  Amongst all of the unknowns, panic, upsets and tears I know there has also been many a miracle along the way in these recent weeks that both of you have also embraced. Whether small or big, these miracles are not the kind of gifts that can be bought and wrapped in paper with a bow on top, but rather the type that instead wrap around your heart and embrace your soul with the true meaning of life.

On your birthday (and honorary-birthday respectively) I am thankful for that and for the tremendous work you are doing with Carmen -- and that Trevor is doing too by the way (he is quite the spiritual-stud, as I am sure you might already know).   I am confident that everyone in the spectacular support system that has come together takes their hat off to you both, as well -- not just on your birthday but everyday.

I hope offering this up, unsolicited, is not taken in the wrong way or without enough context via email, but rather in the spirit of how I intend it; from the heart and with the hope that it might give an extra bit of brightness to an already special day that deserves acknowledgement in many many ways --

Aloha, Happy Birthday and Love,

-darren

Images of the Moment

 

Happy Birthday July 16th

Swimming Today!!!!!  July 16th.  First time since May 21st.  Best Birthday Present Ever!!

 Paddle Boarding with Trevor - July 16th.

Flying with Carmen - April 2011

 Grandpa and Grandma, Hanalei Sunset - April 2011

Rock Climbing - April 2011

Grandma and Trevor - April 2011 

Heart Breaker

Mommy and Carmen - April 2011

Grandpa and Carmen - April 2011