Mouse Cake

Mark's birthday was August 21st, and this is also the day that he agreed to attend a Batten disease fundraiser in northern Missouri.  We went last year and had a great time and made some new friends.  This year we had the Executive Director for the Batten Disease society come spend the night before the fund raiser.  Lance has become a good friend of Mark's over the years and I was happy to finally meet him.  We had a great time, Lance agreed to grill the steaks that I was afraid I would ruin!  Lance lost his daughter to Batten, then six months later his son was killed in a car wreck, and a few years after that his wife passed away from cancer.  Too much sadness in one life.  He is very dedicated to finding a cure for Batten and works very hard for this cause. It was an honor to finally get to meet him!

The next morning we drove to Shelbina and spent the day with the family and friends of Jim Frye and Paula White, who passed away from a form of Batten several years ago.  Their sister, Tracy Frye has been doing the fundraiser in their honor, and has raised a lot of money from a small town event.  I had told Tracy that it was Mark's birthday BEFORE he told me not to let anyone know.  Tracy's nieces, Marshal Shamblin and Dru Glenn, surprised Mark with this cake!  We all thought it was hilarious, I only wished I had thought of it!  Note the mouse droppings near the back end of the cake!