Thank You Event- June 5th- Fredericksburg Fairgrounds

Good Morning, All!!! I hope that you all have great plans for the Memorial Day Weekend. Please remember to pray for all of our military families and to thank a soldier for serving and protecting our country- THANK YOU, MARK HARRIS for protecting and serving our country!!!!

I wanted to make everyone aware of a FREE event that will take place on June 5th at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds from 12-4. This event is to thank everyone for their wonderful support during Carter's fight with DIPG. It is also to raise awareness to this awful disease and the numerous other brain tumors. There will be lots of fun things and many vendors. There will be a band, a Karaoke contest, clowns, face painting, moon bounces, and more! Bring the whole family for a fun filled event! Donations are accepted and all donations received will be split between The Cure Starts Now and Just One More Day. Both of these foundations are very near and dear to our hearts. We hope to see everyone there! Come out and help us raise awareness so that together we can find a CURE!!!!!!!

UPDATE ON GOLF TOURNAMENT: I should have posted this some time ago but life has been crazy! The golf tournament was postponed until late September or early October. When a definite date is set, I will be sure and let everyone know!!!!
Thank you to everyone for your continued support!

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month

Good evening, Crusaders! Again, I apologize for the lack of postings. I sit down at night and try and post and I just can't. Reality has really set in here lately. I feel as though it is getting more difficult than easier. Some days I feel like Carter has been away and I think..okay I am ready for him to come home now. I am ready for him to crawl in the bed with me and snuggle. I want to stand at my kitchen window and look outside and see him running and playing in the yard. I want him to see how big Caroline has gotten and how much she has changed. I know he knows more than we know, but I want him here. I want to watch his first tee ball game, I want to watch him swim this summer. I want him to constantly ask me, "Mom, how many more days until we leave for vacation?" (This started in January..lol). I long to here his voice and kiss his sweet face. I long to hold him in my arms. I long to wrap him in favorite frog bath towel and warm him up after his bath. There are so many more and I am sure the list will only grow. I see children losing their teeth, learning to read more and more, doing homework, playing sports on the weekend, playing with their siblings and it breaks my heart.....I want my Carter to have all of the pleasures of this world. Although it angers me, I remind myself that he is in the glory land and that he will NEVER know any of the evils or pains of this world. Please do not misunderstand, I have not lost my faith but I am only human and I miss my son, my first born child. I pray everyday for God to forgive me for being angry and for him to remove the anger from my heart and some days are great but others are just plain miserable. I have learned to deal with these days better and I get through them and I try and stay strong for Skip and Caroline. Skip has very rough days and I know that he needs me just as I need him on the very rough days. It normally works out that when I am having a rough day, he is better and vice versa...isn't it funny how God works? Sometimes I look around and everyone is doing what they have always done..their lives are the same. They have moved on (not that they do not miss Carter because I know that they do) but they have their lives as they always have. I know you are not supposed to feel jealousy but I have to say that sometimes I am jealous..jealous that their lives are as they have always been and that mine will NEVER again be the same. But as I have said, I pray for the jealousy to be gone and for God to speak to my heart and guide me in the right direction and he does...he always picks me up when I am down. And although I have bad days, he continues to bless me in many ways. Some days I have to look for the blessings but they are always there. I do not mean to sound so down and so negative but this is the life..the life of a parent who has lost a child. Will it change? Will I ever not think about what he would be doing? I doubt it...maybe I will just learn to deal with it better! Please continue to pray for us!!!

On to another note..May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month. Please wear Grey for the month and think of Carter. Please spread the word and make people aware. That is what we need.....AWARENESS!!!! I have added Carter to the Wall of Courage. The website is www.wallofcourage.com. If you go to the site and go to Gallery of Kids, you can click on the letter "C" and scroll down...you will see his precious face. If you click on his picture and look to the right, you will see a larger picture and a part that says Click Here for this Child's Gear. You can click here and a list of items will come up. There are many items for purchase with Carter's picture on it. 100% of the proceeds go to research for Pediatric Brain Tumors. Please take the time and look at the items and if youa re able, place an order. SPREAD THE WORD!!!! TELL CARTER'S STORY!! It is the only way that we can find a cure! Thank you so much for your continue love and support!!!

Love to you all,

Courtney

Still Crusading.....

Good evening all!! I apologize for the lack of postings but as you can imagine, life has been a little crazy. I promise for an "official" update within the next couple of days. I want everyone to know that Carter's Crusaders is still in existence. We plan on being around for a long time to help others fight the horrible disease that our Carter-Man had. We are in the planning stages of some events. The first event will be what will now be considered The Annual Carter's Crusaders Golf Tournament. It will be held on May 20th at Lee's Hill Golf Course. Please come out and support us and our Carter-Man as we continue our fight against this disease. All of the funds will be distributed among 3 different foundations...The Cure Starts Now, Just One More Day, and St. Baldrick's. Please contact Chuck Harris at Lee's Hill- 540-891-0111.

I promise for an update on how we are doing soon!!!

Much Love,

Courtney

Pictures from St. Baldrick's event

I wanted to share some of the pictures from the St. Baldrick's event. I hope that you all enjoy them as much as we enjoyed the event. Also, it is not too late to register for the Race for Hope in DC under Carter's Crusaders. I will also be posting more about the Golf Tournament at Lee's Hill on May 20th, where all proceeds will be distributed among three different foundations....The Cure Starts Now (www.thecurestartsnow.org), Just One More Day (www.justonemoreday.org), and St. Baldrick's (www.stbaldricks.org).























To all of the Shavees: I am so grateful to all of you for shaving in memory of Carter-Man. I know how proud he is of all of you. Skip and I are truly blessed to have friends and family like you all!!! You all have made our burden lighter and for that we are thankful. You were there for us through Carter's battle and you are still here....battling on with us!! We love and appreciate all that you have done and continue to do!!!!


Love to you all,

Courtney

Annual Golf Tournament- May 20th at Lee's Hill

Good Morning, all! I want to first thank all of the Carter's Crusaders for supporting us at the St. Baldrick's event. The turnout was awesome and the support from family and friends is still amazing! I am going to post some pictures later today from the event. Several people shaved in memory of Carter-Man, including two ladies, Ashley Thacker and Krystal Kennedy. You all are awesome! I know our Carter-Man was shining down on us!

I wanted to give everyone a heads up. Lee's Hill Golf Club will be hosting the 2nd Annual Carter's Crusaders Golf Tournament. Last years tournament was a HUGE success. I hope that this year is even better. The date of the tournament is May 20th. I will be posting more details as soon as they are ready. If you would like to register you can contact Chuck Harris at 540-891-0111. The proceeds from the event will be split between The Cure Starts Now, St. Baldrick's, and Just One More Day. These foundations are very near and dear to our hearts. Please come out and continue our fight with us. We are still crusading for our Carter-Man!!!!

If you would like to volunteer at the event, please contact me at courtieharris2@gmail.com.

Again, thank you for your continued support! We are so very blessed to have so many people that are continuing our fight with us!

Love,

Courtney

St. Baldrick's event

Good afternoon! I wanted to make everyone aware of an upcoming event that Carter's Crusaders will be participating in. St. Baldrick's holds events where participants shave their heads in honor of or memory of children who have battled or are battling cancer. We have created the Carter's Crusaders team to participate. There are several ways in which you can help. You can join the team and come to the event on March 14 at 2:00 at Paddy's Steakhouse and Pub on 610 and shave in memory of Carter or volunteer in his memory. You can also donate to the Carter's Crusaders team. Please go to www.stbaldricks.org. You can search under events for Paddy's Steakhouse and Pub in Stafford or under Kids for Carter W. Harris. Here you can register, donate, or both. Please take the time to join the fight to conquer childhood cancer! This is a cause so very near and dear to our hearts...please join us in this fight!!!!!

With Love,

Courtney and Skip

Carter still shows up at church......

Well....as most know, today it has been 2 months since Carter-Man went to be with our Heavenly Father. Just as I said in the last post, things have seemed to be getting harder. Reality is setting in but we continue to move forward. I had not planned on posting today but I could not go without sharing something with you all!! As you all know, we continue to receive messages and signs that Carter is okay. This morning was no different! I was very emotional this morning as Carter loved every holiday, including Valentine's Day. He LOVED his "fweets" (sweets, but Carter had trouble with his S sound)and he knew on Valentine's Day that there was lots of chocolate, candy and cookies circulating! As I gave Caroline her Valentine's Bag, my heart sunk. I loved seeing her as she went through her goodies but boy did I miss seeing his face and listening to him beg and plead to have just ONE piece of chocolate or candy in the morning. I held myself together and proceeded to get ready for church. I cried on the way to church as every song that came on had some meaning to me. I arrived at church, met my mom in the lobby, got Caroline a donut and orange juice and took her to her class. We went in to begin worship and, as always, the music was AWESOME!! The band played my favorite worship song, Mighty to Save! It is actually one of my ring back tones on my cell phone. I, of course, shed more tears. My church always plays neat skits and today was no different. They had a very cute Valentine's skit on the screen and everyone was laughing. The band began to play again and as I heard the song, that lump in my throat appeared, my mom looked at me with tears in her eyes and the tears began to flow freely from my eyes. They began to sing, All My Lovin', by the Beatles. You ask, why would that make you cry. Well....Skip and Carter are HUGE Beatles fans. Skip and Carter's Memaw (my mother-in-law) sang this song to Carter almost EVERY DAY when he was sick. We still sing this song almost every day at my house. It is now one of Caroline's favorites and I will hear her singing it while she is playing. Skip sings it to Caroline and sometimes we all sing it. As I listened to the song, I knew he was there. I knew he was letting me know that he was okay (he probably has more chocolate and candy than we could ever dream of)...it was like he was saying, "Cheer up, Mom! This place is glorious and I am happier than ever. I am singing with the angels and you, Mom, will be here before you know it"!!! Although tears have still fallen since I left church, I feel peace. I feel more peace today than I have in some time. I am so thankful that I felt Carter's presence at church today. I love my church and it warms my heart to know he is there!!!!!

Thank you my sweet boy for assuring your Mommy that you are okay. I love you and miss you more than any words could ever express. You are forever in my heart!!!! I LOVE YOU, CARTER-MAN!!!!