Hope Friday

While many people are out shopping for deals today, we're shopping for HOPE. The 46 Mommas are just $694 away from a four-year fundraising total of $1.25 MILLION for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, and how great would it be to get there by the end of the year? Very! So, in honor of Georgia's 14th birthday one month and one day from today, we're upping our fundraising goal for this year to $14,000. And the cool thing is - we're just about $680 away! It's a doubly wonderful gift as your generous donation could not only help us reach our goal, but the 46 Mommas as well. And think about it:

So many of you have answered our calls for donations throughout Georgia's journey, and we thank you very much! We can't think of a better gift to give OR receive, so if you'd like to help us continue to fund childhood cancer research, click HERE or on the 46 Mommas button in the sidebar. And if your company has a matching program, please make sure to include that information - you can make your gift go twice as far! Thanks, y'all!

In other HOPEful news, Georgia is 19 MONTHS off treatment today! To mark the occasion and to celebrate Hope Friday, she and Ivy posed in their MaxLove Hope Beanies - yet another great way to give a gift that makes a difference. We're so proud of Momma Audra and SuperMax and all that they have done for kids fighting cancer, and it's our honor to support them as SuperMax gears up for another battle with "the bad guys." We are sending them much love and light and HOPE!

We Are Thankful

• For our amazing treatment team, starring Dr. Neff, and the many hands and hearts that have cared for Georgia throughout her journey.
• For Georgia's good physical health and the normal counts we expect to see at next week's clinic appointment.
• For Georgia's excellent report this week from her neuropyschological evaluation.
• For the Ann Richards School and the academic and enrichment opportunities it provides Georgia - including a wonderful two-day college visit this week and a fabulous encore performance of the one act play.
• For the sweet, smart, and funny friends Georgia has made over the last two years - they take such good care of each other.
• For the new friends we have all made since Georgia was diagnosed, including patient families and other supporters like Will and Dianna Bacon, who tirelessly raise awareness and funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in honor of Georgia and other heroes. Will is competing this weekend in the Ironman Cozumel event, and Georgia made this to help cheer him on:

• For our family and for all Friends of Georgia who have stood with us, cheered with us, and supported our fundraising efforts throughout the past four years. We are so grateful and blessed beyond measure. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Play's The Thing

Over the past two days, 15 Austin middle schools have been competing in a one act play festival, and the results are in! Georgia and Co. performed "Note to Self" by Bradley Hayward, which is a series of vignettes about the perils of teenagerhood, and they received the award for Best Ensemble - the top prize! In addition, acting awards are given out for each cast, and guess who got the bronze medal for her very first time on stage?

She'd like to thank The Academy ...

Georgia really showed her acting chops in her dual roles of a teenager and a grandmother - for which she asked to borrow MY shoes! And all of the girls were very gracious amid the excitement of their complete domination of the festival!

Our acting and tech medalists

More of the cast with Ms. Goka, our amazing principal

Georgia has had so much fun in theatre this year, and this experience and the success of the show has really inspired her to continue with it into - here it is again - high school. So our girl is becoming more and more of a STAR every day! 

P.S. Austin-area Friends of Georgia! There will be a command performance of the play at ARS next Friday, November 22nd at 6:30. Join us!

Twinkle Twinkle

Time is just ticking away, and 2013 will soon be over! As Georgia moves further and further out of treatment, her days are filled with school and friends and fun - everything *but* doctors and meds and cancer. And we are thrilled! She is currently gearing up for the middle school play, which will debut this week at the One Act Play Festival. She has been "locked-in" at the school library the last two Friday nights for sleepovers with the NJHS and the student ambassador program. She's finishing up another straight-A six weeks and is looking forward to a college trip to Dallas in a few weeks. And on Wednesday, we'll be attending a meeting together to talk about - gulp - high school! It's hard to believe that the time has come, but we are so thankful for the incredible education and opportunities she is receiving at the Ann Richards School.

At the start of the year, one of her teachers asked to learn more about her students from their parents, and this is what I wrote:

As for describing my daughter in a million words or less, I can narrow it down to one: brilliant. And I mean that in far more ways than the obvious. Yes, she is smart, but she is also bright. She has a light about her that reflects her kind and peaceful nature. She is a gifted artist and writer whose creativity and humor shine through her work. And when faced with challenges, she is a beacon of strength and grace.

We couldn't be more proud of Georgia, and we couldn't be more sure that she was born to be an Ann Richards Star.

Shine on, sweet girl