Picture by Wolfgang Piecha Click here to see more of his photos.
“Mom, I’m climbing Kilimanjaro in August with Team Fox to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease!”
“Say what?” I asked, feeling faint and almost dropping the phone I held.
“You heard me.”
“I’m not sure I did,” I replied, white knuckling the phone. “Have you lost your mind?”
“No, I know where it is.”
“Fine. Go get it and bring it back home to me so I can talk some sense into it.”
“Oh, Mmmooom. You’re so dramatic. “
My babe conquering Machu Picchu.
Okay, so the kid may have a point. It’s probably a little excessive for me to be suffering multiple panic attacks at the thought of my baby girl climbing Kilimanjaro. She likes hiking up large mountains, and climbed Machu Picchu a few summers ago.
Now, lest you think I’m a nut job, let me assure you, I’ve every right to be nervous. My girl’s fearlessness has often gotten her into trouble before.
Can I confide in you? Good, cause I’m going to. My darling baby daughter has given me fits since the day she became mobile. (Eye twitch).
My little nugget at age three.
You think I’m kidding? I’m totally not. I’ll just touch on a few highlights.
When she was two, I had to give her the Heimlich Maneuver when she climbed onto a counter after supper one night and crammed a whole hotdog into her mouth and choked. Then the there was the time, at age three, she dove off a chair and broke her clavicle while watching the olympic diving events. A year later I rescued her from the bottom of our swimming pool and so forth and so on until well after college. (Sigh. Good thing for her I was a nurse before I ever became a writer.)
And the pièce de résistance, she fell four stories off a roof and into a dumpster at college and was fortunately not paralyzed!
What was she doing on a roof? She was having a snowball fight, of course. Duh. Why on earth else would she be on a roof? Don’t all young adults move snowball fights from the ground to the sky in college? (I should have known then, this child was going to keep on climbing things whether I liked it or not).
Despite my anxiety about her bold new endeavor, I am so proud of the kind, generous, compassionate young woman she has become. She is amazing and I love her so much!
She is determined not only to raise awareness for Parkinson’s Disease, but to also raise 10,000$ to give to Parkinson’s research. She has raised 8,300$ towards her goal and she’s almost there!
Lara’s (a.k.a. the baby’s) fundraising page
If you’d like to contribute even 10$, she’d be ever so grateful! If you can’t give money, I’d really appreciate you sharing this blog post all over social media.
She is determined to succeed and I know she will.
I, however, will probably be seeing my family doctor for a small prescription of Valium while she’s gone, because I’m afraid deep breathing and meditation are just not going to cut it for the babe’s latest adventure!
Not to mention the time I almost died before I was even born.
Yeah, then there was that. Again, lucky I was a nurse and I’d had two other children so I knew there was something wrong.
Your daughter sounds like an amazing person. Having survived all that, she’ll be fine climbing the mountain. How awesome to be doing it for charity, though!
From your lips to God’s ears, Kella! The hubster is betting I’ll have a stroke or heart attack before this over. Ha!
Oh my goodness, she’s amazing. Look at those cheeks!
You’re a good Mama for worrying, but still supporting. She’s going to do amazing!
She reminds me so much of you, Katie, this bold, fearless, kick-butt child. I could just see the two of you hiking together.
Yes, I remember when she was a child. She will continue to do this and make you proud!!! Yay, Lara!!!
I love when you write about your kids. Your love for them shows through so transparently.
She certainly does make me proud! Thanks, Sue!!!!
Love love love! Go Lara!!!
Give me a L! Give me an A! Give me an R! Give me an A! What does it spell? LARA! LARA! LARA! Go Lara!