FedEx arrived this morning!!!!

We had a horrible windstorm Tuesday night through early Wednesday morning. School was cancelled Wednesday for the entire city and our military base was closed! As of right now some people are still without power and 3 elementary schools are running in generators!

Our house and trees made it through but my (Dawn) nerves were FRIED!!! After making it through the entire storm with electricity it went out yesterday morning and was out most of the day! Ellie and Logan were super bummed as they could not play Xbox!!!!

I suspected our FedEx box might not make it yesterday and I was right! Many flights were diverted and many businesses were closed! It was CRAZY!!!

Ellie was so excited to get the box! She couldn't stand it and had to wear the sweatshirt to school today! I was completely fine with it!!!

Have a great day and remember what is truly important!

Countdown Calendar!!!!

Here is a picture of Ellie's countdown.....
When she wakes up she jumps out of bed and runs to her calendar to mark off another day!!! She is also anxiously awaiting the arrival of the FedEx box with our final itinerary and her Champion shirts!!!!

Ellie's CaringBridge & Countdown

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/elliebloechl

Just wanted to share for those that are interested!

14 DAYS!!!!!!  We are so excited to meet all the Champions and their families!

Lone Star Steakhouse

We are out at Lone Star for dinner supporting our AMAZING Hospital TCHAP (Children's Hospital at Providence). Through tomorrow our local Lone Star is donating 15% of your bill directly to TCHAP!!! Look at all those balloons!!!!

DQ in Alaska benefitting CMNH

Today we took a trip to Dairy Queen for lunch! Each children's meal purchased directly supports The Children's Hospital at Providence through CMNH!!!!

We are so excited for the upcoming Champions trip to DC and Disney!!

30 days and we all meet!

Balloon Kick Off!!!

Yesterday, August 1st The Children's Hospital at Providence kicked off a CMNH balloon campaign!!!  Ellie was asked to join in the kick off and collect donations, handout lollipops and color balloons.  She loves to color the CMNH Balloons in rainbow colors!  This picture is of Ellie and Tiffany (our CMNH coordinator) in front of the bulletin board that will be up throughout the campaign to chart the $ progression!

Our countdown clock is at 44 days!!!!  We leave for D.C. on the September 15th.  Ellie is BEYOND excited!  We are staying at 1331 Pennsylvania Ave.  super close to 1600 P. Ave!!!  Directly across from the National Mall!

2 Months from today September 16, 2012 all the Champions will meet in D.C.!!!!  Ellie is so excited!  She cannot wait to go to the White House!  She has even asked Mom if we can stay the night there!  I told her Mom is "good" but not quite that good!  The picture is from Light the Night 2011 in Anchorage, Alaska.  Light the Night is a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Alaska and Washington!  Our Team was named Ellie's Fireflies!  In treatment until March 22, 2013!!!!

Ellie and Miss Alaska 2012 Debbe Ebben in the Bear Paw Parade, Eagle River Alaska July 2012

Ellie collecting donations at Wal-Mart for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals! May 21, 2012
She was amazing!  She started coloring the small balloons and signing them for people donating!

Ellie's Story

Ellie
Age 6
The Children's Hospital at Providence
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Ellie counts running around and playing outside as two of her favorite activities. In fact, it’s not unusual to find her digging in the dirt while wearing a tutu. Two years ago, this spunky girl had to switch her tutu out for a hospital robe with her diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

While other kids explored outside, Ellie spent months in and out of the hospital. Her bone marrow couldn’t produce the white blood cells necessary to fight off infections. Also facing tumor lysis syndrome, which caused her kidneys to fail, Ellie has undergone kidney dialysis and she continues to receive chemotherapy.

No stranger to her hospital’s halls, Ellie knows all too well the challenges sick kids face. Her bright personality is nonetheless hard to resist, even for celebrities like Elmo and Super Grover, with whom she has appeared on the news. The spotlight just seems fitting for this camera-loving life force.

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Champions

Champions is a Children's Miracle Network Hospitals program that brings attention to the important work being done at its 170 children’s hospitals. It does this by honoring 54 remarkable kids who have faced severe medical challenges, and helping them tell their stories.

The Champions program designates a child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The Champions represent the 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals every year. The 2012 Champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including genetic diseases, organ transplants and traumas, as well as various types of cancer.

The Champions travel for a week in September, first to Washington, D.C., where they traditionally meet with their state representatives on Capitol Hill and visit the White House. They then take a private chartered flight, provided by Delta Air Lines, to Orlando, Fla. While there, Champions meet Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals corporate partners, hospital representatives and media partners. These groups convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort.