Mackenzie and I at the Brave Little Lungs 5K. Nearly sixteen years ago, I sat across from Mackenzie Madsen Unga on her bed and laughed as she belched the ABC’s. As a ten-year-old girl who would rather play with grasshoppers than most people, I thought Mackenzie was the coolest person on the planet. Mackenzie was the breath of life I needed to feel more at home in a new city. So even though I was 18-months (or so) younger than she was, she embraced me and made me feel like I had a friend.
On that same day, Mackenzie pulled out a box she kept under her bed. It was full of knick knacks, photos, and toys. Each item had a memory attached to it, and as Mackenzie picked up each item, I watched the memories dance across her face. It was her memory box, and she glowed with life as she shared with me some of her favorite items and the memories they helped trigger.
I have no idea if she still has this memory box or has any idea the impact that day had on me, but I went home that day and made a circular box speckled with Tweety illustrations into my memory box and then got on my feet and started making memories.
And now my dear friend, role model, and heroine still continues to help me build memories for my memory box as she encourages me and others through the bravery and honesty she displays as she faces lung disease.
My husband and I decided to dedicate 20% of each cookbook purchase to help her financially, since we can’t take away her anxiety of her future or her lung disease. But we can build memories of sacrifice and service as we dedicate our marketing efforts to helping a dear friend. So now we feel like we are cooking with a special cause—one that builds memories with someone who has brought so much love, life, and humor into my life and many others.
If you are interested in purchasing Cooking Through College to cook for a cause and help raise money for Mackenzie, please click here. Also feel free to include other fun memories you have of Mackenzie in the comments below! I know she would love to read them!
On that same day, Mackenzie pulled out a box she kept under her bed. It was full of knick knacks, photos, and toys. Each item had a memory attached to it, and as Mackenzie picked up each item, I watched the memories dance across her face. It was her memory box, and she glowed with life as she shared with me some of her favorite items and the memories they helped trigger.
I have no idea if she still has this memory box or has any idea the impact that day had on me, but I went home that day and made a circular box speckled with Tweety illustrations into my memory box and then got on my feet and started making memories.
And now my dear friend, role model, and heroine still continues to help me build memories for my memory box as she encourages me and others through the bravery and honesty she displays as she faces lung disease.
My husband and I decided to dedicate 20% of each cookbook purchase to help her financially, since we can’t take away her anxiety of her future or her lung disease. But we can build memories of sacrifice and service as we dedicate our marketing efforts to helping a dear friend. So now we feel like we are cooking with a special cause—one that builds memories with someone who has brought so much love, life, and humor into my life and many others.
If you are interested in purchasing Cooking Through College to cook for a cause and help raise money for Mackenzie, please click here. Also feel free to include other fun memories you have of Mackenzie in the comments below! I know she would love to read them!
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