Surprise Trip

Later today, I am taking my momma (Honey) to London and Paris for 7 days!  SURPRISE!

Honey is from England (Cambridge to be exact) and I can't tell you how excited I am to take her back.  She hasn't been back to Cambridge in 12 years!  And, she's never been to Paris.

We fly out this afternoon, landing in London on Friday morning.  I've made reservations for us to have Afternoon Tea at the London Hilton hotel.  It's a Confessions of a Chocoholics tea, where everything they'll serve has chocolate in it or on it. 

Also during the trip, I want to take Honey to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Worlds greatest museum of art and design.  I love love love this museum and can't wait to see all the fashion pieces!  (Plus, it's free to visit!)

On Sunday, we'll take a day trip to Cambridge and March to visit where Honey was born as well!  Luckily, I have a friend getting his Master's degree in Cambridge, so I'm hoping we'll be able to visit over a cup of tea!

I also hope to make it to the Theater while we're there (I've heard the Book of Mormon is great), as well as one of my favorite stores, Harrods!

On Monday, we are taking the Speed Train to Paris.  I am excited about this because it goes under the English Channel---getting us to Paris in just 2 hours!

Once in Paris, I plan on showing Honey the Champs Elysees, the Museum Orsay, and one of my favorite places to view the Eiffel Tower, Trocadero.





I can't wait to share all the details with you once we return!  Au revoir!

It's that time again, my BIRTHDAY

So, have I mentioned before that I work with all guys?  Well, I do. 

For the most part, guys are pretty unaware of things, like when I get a hair cut, or when I get new shoes, or when I have a birthday, but NOT. THIS. YEAR. 

I was so happy to get an invite in my Outlook earlier this week.....a birthday lunch for me!  How sweet, huh?!

Take a look at this screen shot of the invite. 

Sure, I'll be Princess Amelia for the day!  Thanks for the permission guys!

Honey's Run

Y’all, I have been so blessed with wonderful friends.  They never cease me.  The other day, I got an email from my friend, Ashli, asking a group of us if we wanted to do The Color Run in Austin, TX on May 4^th.  She said that it was a 5k fun run she’d wanted to do for a while, and finally decided to do it and get a team together. 

In doing more research about The Color Run, Ashli found out the sponsor for the race is ColorCancer, which raises funds to support cancer related community events and causes.  In her email to us, Ashli said that she wanted to name our team in honor of my mom, Honey, who is currently undergoing treatment for Stage 4 Colon Cancer.  Thus, Honey’s Run is our official team name!  I can’t tell you how excited I am that we will be able to run in honor of Honey. 

If you are in the Austin area, or want to use this weekend (May 4th) as an opportunity to take a mini vacation to our state’s great capitol, I’d love for you to join our team!  I think it will be so fun for all of us to do this run together!  And even better, the more people who join the race, the more money will be raised to support cancer causes.

Wanna sign up?  Go here! Sign up under our team name, Honey’s Run.  (The password is honey.)  You save $5 by signing up under our team! 

I can’t wait to see you all in May!

PS- did you know the color for colon cancer is dark blue?  Me neither!



Oh My, Tory Burch

Y'all.  I about died when I saw these amazing heels from Tory Burch's 2013 NYFW Runway Show.

 

Source: suburbansparkle.blogspot.com via Amelia on Pinterest

Honey, I'd love these as a gift....hint hint, wink wink!

Honey - A lot can change in 1 month

My sister, me, and Honey, on my wedding day

Today, Honey starts her 2^nd round of 3 day back-to-back chemo treatments.  Her first round was 2 weeks ago, and only a few days ago did she start getting her energy back.  During the first round, Honey lost her energy and spent a good amount of time throwing up.  I’ve never been around anyone going through chemo, so I had no idea what to expect---every day is a new learning. 

2 days ago, on January 7^th, Honey’s hair began falling out.  I find this so crazy because that was EXACTLY 1 month after her surgery, when we found out she had colon cancer.  She pointed out big clumps on the kitchen floor, and you can see it falling out of her head as she walks around.  I took my hand, gathered her hair, and tried to pull out all the loose hair.  After gathering a fistful, I walked to throw it away.  When I came back, I could see more hair falling out.  The doctors don’t believe she will lose all of her hair so I asked Oh, so she’ll have a patch here and a patch there?.  They told me Not exactly, it will just be very thin.  If her hair does all fall out, I think she should get her head tattooed—something cool on her head to serve as a “hidden” reminder once her hair grows back….maybe the name of her favorite child Amelia, or a cross, or some other kind of symbol. 

This whole experience has been so taxing on me, and any time that I am away from my mom, I feel guilty.  Not only has it taken a physical toll on me, but it's taken a deeply emotional toll too.  NO CHILD should have to see their parents so sick, but yet I find myself there every day.  Chemo has been much worse than I could have ever imagined.   

For one week every year, my church, Trinity Church – Dallas, does a Corporate Fast, where you give up at least 1 meal a day and spend that time with God.  It started this past Sunday.  There are prayer services every day from 12-1 pm and church services every night.  In the past, I've kind of half-heartedly (but with the best intentions) participated in the Fast, but this year, it just feels different.  It's good for my soul to attend every event possible.  I went to the prayer service Monday and I can't tell you how good it was for me.  The theme for that day was "Prayers of Thankfulness" and how important it is to be thankful to God during times of trial and struggle.  I started praying "God, what can I say that I am thankful for at this time?" and I realized that I am thankful for his POWER TO HEAL.  Just think about it, God heals all, and it's because of this power that each of us has the ability to face tomorrow during difficult times.  God didn't give my mom cancer, the Enemy did.  But, MY GOD can do what the Enemy cannot—HEAL HER.  I am thankful that MY GOD CAN HEAL, and that HE WILL HEAL Honey of this disease--whether it be here on earth or when she ascends to His throne.

The overall theme of the Fast this year is Spiritual Family and it's like Pastor Joe picked that theme just for us.  Without our Spiritual Family, my mom wouldn't have as much care as she has.  The support from her friends from church has been unbelievable.  And while our spiritual family has been helping Honey get to appointments, or to shower, or bring dinner, they've also been supporting me....encouraging me.  Which is weird, because I feel like I don't deserve their kind words of encouragement, I'm just doing this because she's my mom and that's what children do for their parents but they remind me that I'm not on my own.  I don't have to walk this sad journey silently by myself.  I can call on them when I need to. 

The first day of the Fast, as we were studying Revelations, this verse shone like a bright star flashing off the page:

Revelations 2:10

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

AMEN TO THAT! And AMEN that my God will heal Honey!

HONEY

My Mom "Honey" and Sister

For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been living in a twilight zone.  I honestly have started writing this post several times, and walk away, as if I have “writers block”.  Sadly, it’s not.  It’s a true, real story, that I’ve been living, that is much more intense than any story I could ever dream up.

On Friday, December 7^th, my mom had an emergency hysterectomy.  I’d taken my mom into the hospital the Sunday before (December 2^nd) because she couldn’t stand up straight and she was in a lot of pain.  In the emergency room, the doctors told my mom she had 2 masses on her ovaries (14 cm large) that might be cancerous.  The week following was filled with several doctors’ appointments—fast forward 5 days later to December 7^th.  

Mom told us kids that they’d found masses and that she might need chemo.  Never did she say that the masses were cancerous.  She even called friends and her family to just let them know she’d be having a hysterectomy “nothing to be worried about” and that she’d be out of the hospital in 5 days.  I prepared myself for the worst, that “she had ovarian cancer, but luckily, we [doctors] were able to remove it all and she’d be A-OK”.  I went to work that morning for meetings, then headed over to the hospital at noon, assuming I’d just wait another hour for her to be out of surgery, make sure she was okay, and then head back to the office to finish up some work….you see, I had a deadline and a 3 o’clock meeting.

At about 2 (I think it was 2, but I’m not positive, that was a long day), my mom’s Ovarian Oncology Doctor [Dr. Kehoe—like Key-Hoe] came out to the waiting room where I, along with 3 of my mom’s sweet friends, were holding court.  She took us into a private room.  “Oh boy, this can’t be good.”

Dr. Kehoe then began, “I’m glad we had the surgery today, because the masses on your mom’s ovaries ruptured, so there was blood all in her stomach.  After I removed your mom’s ovaries, I felt her colon, and it didn’t feel right. I called in the Colon doctor, and he’s working on your mom right now. Your mom has Colon Cancer.”  All I remember saying was “It’s just not fair.  Can’t she get a break?”

I emailed my VP “Not coming back to office”.

I had prepared myself to hear the whole “ovarian cancer” thing, but not Colon cancer.  I cried, and cried, and cried.  About an hour later, the Colon Doctor came out to talk to me.  “Your mom has stage 4 colon cancer.  We found the cancer started in her colon at her rectum, and spread to her ovaries and liver.  I was able to get most of the cancer out, but had to leave a legion on her liver.  It was too deep and your mom’s been in surgery too long, so we had to leave it.”  I laughed at the doctor.  I couldn’t help myself.  I laughed because I thought he was being funny.  But, he wasn’t.

My mom was only supposed to be in surgery for 2 hours.  By the time she was done, it had been 5 hours. 

I had to make the call to my Husband and Aunt and Brother and Mother-in-Law to deliver the unexpected news.  It was very sad.  Painfully sad.  And very hard to have to remember doing. 

What was even harder was knowing all this and having to wait to tell my mom until the next day—because she was groggy after surgery.  Once she was in her room after surgery though, she knew something was wrong, because she saw the time (clearly past when she was supposed to be out of surgery) and because she could feel the port (for administering chemo) in her stomach. 

That night was the hardest night of my life.  My husband had to get up with me in the middle of the night because I was crying so hard.  I didn’t stop crying that night.  The next morning, I awoke in a haze to the sad reality I was in—it wasn’t a dream.  I felt heavy and exhausted—I could barely move my body. 

We went back to the hospital and the doctors came in to tell my mom what they’d found.  (They’d somewhat explained it the night before but they knew she wouldn’t remember the conversation.)

Dr. Kehoe came in and said “Do you remember what we talked about last night?” and I heard my mom say “that I have Colon Cancer”.

Some friends came to visit, and she said that “God’s still in this.  He’s not done with me yet.  I am going to be famous for God and for my story.  If God has a favorite child, I’m pretty sure that right now, I’m it.”  She’s so positive and so faithful.

My mom is only 51- and one of the healthiest people I know.  How could SHE have colon cancer?  How could it have spread throughout her body?  This isn’t right—she’s too young.  She has at least 40 good years left.  People don’t get cancer at 51—especially not my mom.    

My mom was in the hospital for 6 days, and because she was recovering from her surgery so well, they released her to come home to my house to continue recovering. 

I have to be honest, it’s not easy.  It’s not easy to see someone who has always been so strong now be so weak and helpless.  During the day she is okay, but during the night, there are many meltdowns.  Many tears.  Many pains. 

Because the masses on her ovaries ruptured, the doctors are worried that the cancer in the blood could have spread and are going to plant themselves on other organs.  On Wednesday, 12 days after her surgery, she starts chemo to flush those cells out.  She has chemo Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  3 days a week, every other week, over a 6 week period.  THEN, she will begin chemo treatment (for a minimum of 4 months) to try and kill the legion that’s still on her liver…the legion the doctor wasn’t able to remove. 

My mom has always said that when she has grandchildren, she wants them to call her “Honey”.  My saddest thought right now is What if my children never get to meet their Honey? 



Lions and Tigers and Boots, Oh my!

Saw these and fell in love. 



Fendi Wuthering Heights Platform Ankle Boot



Do you like ankle boots, or ones that go to your knee?  I tend to prefer boots that go to my knee, but I could seriously consider adding these babes to my collection for fall!