Fourth and Final Lemon Ball -- Shayla's Fundraiser for Pediatric Cancer Research

A Final Fling:  Shayla asked us if we would rent a space and hire a DJ for her 18th birthday so she could have her fourth and final annual "Lemon Ball" and accept donations for pediatric cancer research instead of receiving birthday presents. We agreed!  In memory of Christi, she hopes to raise $1800 for her 18th birthday!  If you would like to donate, the link to the page she set up is located at: www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/1309203

I will also share a post from my blog in 2007:  One night a few months after Christi died, Shayla asked me if I was going to write a book about our time with Christi. I told her that I had a dissertation to write first and that I felt like I had already written "our story" through my years of blogging. The next morning Shayla said, "If you're not going to write about Christi, I am. Can I get some paper, please?" Here is what Shayla wrote:

Hi! I am Shayla Thomas, age 8. My sis died when I was 7 1/2 in 2006. My sis had a cat and a kitten, but now they are mine. When she died, I felt bad and sad. I will never forget her. I know she is in Heaven and having fun.

"I Will Never Forget"

by Shayla Thomas, Christi's Sister

Dedicated to my cat Buttercup who lost her owner, Christi

Christi was my best friend. We played a lot. We played horses, Pokémon and Cat Monopoly. In the spring, we picked flowers. In the summer, we ran and road bikes and drank lemonade. In the fall, we jumped in leaf piles. In the winter, we made snowmen.

Christi did Alex's Lemonade Stands. They raised money for cancer research for kids. Christi and I took horseback riding lessons. It was fun. She was best friends with Kaylyn and Theresa. She liked to make friendship bracelets.