Today's Post Is Brought to You By The Letters LP, J, LS, C, and JC

Today's post is a collaborative effort, even if my muses are only learning now about how they've inspired me today.

First, I have to thank my new buddy over at Cancer Sucks Even With Lilly Pulitzer On Your Side. I must acknowledge that I totally borrowed(stole) the video above from her site — but it's just too damn good not to share. I also must give her a well deserved shout-out for her instant friendship. She cheered, commiserated, complimented, and even made the commitment of giving me her contact info (a generous kindness that I hope she doesn't regret after a few e-mails from my rambling mind). And that was just in her first comment. Up until now, LIVESTRONG yellow colored my hopeful thoughts. Thanks, Miz CancerSucks, for throwing pink & green on my palette.

The amazing J is also responsible for making this a LIVESTRONG day. She turned me on to the Chalkbot, which, when I went to wearyellow.com, I realized was part of the same campaign featured above. From the site:

IT'S ABOUT YOU.

Lance is just one person. He can't fight the global cancer epidemic alone. So he asked artists, other athletes, survivors and writers to join his peloton. Now he's asking you. What's your bike? There are many ways to get involved and make a difference. How will you help?

© 2009 NIKE

THE ROAD IS OPEN. WHAT WILL YOU SAY?

Own a piece of the road at the Tour de France. Write your message and it will be sent to the Nike LIVESTRONG Chalkbot. What words of hope, inspiration and encouragement will you share with the world?

© 2009 NIKE

I've already sent my message to the Chalkbot: THE PHOENIX WILL RISE, a reference to Jamie's indestructible spirit. I'll receive a message when it has been written on the Tour route, and will post it here. Regardless, I encourage you to check out wearyellow.com, if only to see the incredible stories, pictures, and videos of hope, life, and survival everywhere.

Well, that takes care of LP (Lilly Pulitzer), J (my girl-date buddy), and LS (duh, LIVESTRONG) and now we find ourselves at our next sponsoring letter, C. No, silly, it's not for cancer. In fact, we never call cancer "C" here at Team Wedding Headquarters — cancer's not cute, so it doesn't deserve a nickname.

Nope. The final underwriting sponsor of today's post is none other than my baby sister Caryn. I was talking to her earlier, rambling on (as I do), interrupting her every third word (as I do), and telling her how I was going to check out this Chalkbot-thingie, and write about it today. The whole time we're talking, I'm hearing my almost-eight-month-old nephew talking in the background. I asked her to put the phone by him, but he was across the room, crawling, and taking his sweet time getting closer to her. 

Wait! What? Crawling? I haven't even seen him sit up on his own yet.

We speak often, but I don't see him nearly as much as I'd like. Caryn says that Atlanta isn't "so far away," but every time I hear JC's sweet voice — now saying "MAMA" — it may as well be a million miles away. Jamie heard me say that and felt guilty that he was keeping me here, not realizing in the moment he said it that I don't want to be anywhere on earth but here by his side. I just wish — even knowing it's impossible because of immune systems compromised by that so-not-cute cancer — everyone else could be here by our side, too.

I hung up the phone today and my mind kept hearing the words Caryn wrote on Jamie's Facebook wall after his first surgery (when, because of that damn compromised immunity, he hadn't even met JC yet): 

"Welcome home Jamie. I hope Tilly gives you the welcome you deserve. You are in our hearts and prayers. I am so glad JC has an uncle he can look up to for his strength and courage. We love you!"

File that under Reason #4,684 to keep LIVingSTRONG. Time is going by way too fast and my awesome nephew JC needs to know his awesome uncle Jamie.

And he will. I'm sure of it. Because I know the phoenix will rise.