Strides for Hope 2012 and Another Mom Story

Another successful event in Columbus for OCAO!

I was able to donate $126.50 to their cause (50% of my proceeds rather than the 25% they requested to participate in the event) thanks to the many wonderful people I met at my booth. Contributions were made by:

Paula
April
Monica
Dottie
Chris
Edna
Lynn
Cathy
Karla
Dawn
Hannah
Tiffany
Chris
Mary
Ashley
Paula
Christine
Patty
Debbie
Kathy
Susi
Cathy
Rachel
Judy
Beth
Diane
Linda
Stacy
Erin
Cathy
Diana
Claire
Lois
Cindy
Karla
Ashley
Pia
Vicki
Pam
Barbara
Julie
And several others who contributed to my supplementary venture which will be revealed at the end of the month. Let's just say that there were quite a few people who enjoyed using teal hairspray, teal fingernail polish and lengths of teal ribbons.

Additionally, I think the "in memory" posts will be a weekly Sunday thing, at least through September, and possibly longer if I have enough to keep writing about. Not that 19 years with my mom wasn't enough to write weekly blogs on, but it will depend on how good my memory is.

I had wanted to write about the hat in church and the retreat closing. I'll go with the hat in church story, because the last story was sorta sad and the retreat closing is happy, but in a make-you-cry kind of way. The hat in church story is funny, or at least we were able to laugh about it afterward.

As my mom was going through her chemo, she chose to wear either a hat/turban or a wig after she lost her hair. I told her, "If Sinead O'Connor can rock a bald head, you can, too," but I think it was more of trying to keep a sense of normalcy about her life when it was in upheaval. One day when we were going to church, my mom decided to wear both her wig and a hat.

During the mass, my sister wanted to see the hat. It was the kind that had a wide brim and cloth attached that tied under the chin. My mom untied the cloth pieces and my sister pulled the hat off. The wig came with it! I don't know if you're familiar with Catholic masses, but at different points the people are either standing or sitting, or sometimes even kneeling. This happened to be a time when we were sitting, thank goodness.

My mom ducked like she was practicing the 5 D's of dodgeball and I quickly grabbed her head and kept it in my lap as I urgently whispered to my sister "Get the wig! Get the wig!" So shocked at the fact that she had pulled them both off my mom's head, she couldn't figure out where the wig was, but then was able to find it in the hat and we put it back on my mom's head.

Like I said, not entirely funny at the time, but we did laugh about it that same day and continue to laugh about it to this day. My mom told me after church that she admired my quick thinking. I was glad that I could help her, even if it was just in a small way by shielding her bare head. Several people told me today that my mom would appreciate my making the teal jewelry in her honor. I'd like to think so, too, and I cherish the times I did things she appreciated while she was alive as well.

All pieces pictured on blog posts dated on or after June 23, 2012 are available for order. Every piece is hand-crafted and no two pieces are exactly the same. Custom orders are accepted. Prices are negotiable--50% of the proceeds is used to buy more beading materials and 50% is donated to an ovarian cancer organization. Email me at janinemkr@gmail.com for order requests! RIP Rita Ann 7/1/2001