Love and Georgia

On July 7th, we lost my parents' best friends of 52 years - and my second parents - in a car accident. Johnny and Beverly helped raise my brother and me, and they were part of every important moment in our lives, and many, many of the everyday moments, too. They were by our side the day Georgia was diagnosed, and they were incredible supporters of our advocacy and fundraising efforts. We were able to start the Georgia and the Peachy Keens Hero Fund due in large part to their generosity, and I loved sharing with them the good work their donations were funding. Their loss leaves a huge hole in our hearts and in our family, but we love them and know they will always be a part of our lives and a part of our mission to end childhood cancer.

One thing I know Johnny and Beverly are so proud of is Georgia's success in school and her future plans. The college search has kicked in to high gear. In the last two weeks, she toured Trinity University in San Antonio and Southwestern University in Georgetown, and she's currently ensconced at the Savannah College of Art of Design in Savannah, Georgia. We had to reschedule our roadtrip and will visit Tulane in the fall, but we did spend a nice weekend together in Savannah, and she checked in to the dorm yesterday. Savannah is beautiful, and SCAD is very inspiring and impressive. She'll be taking classes in Acrylic Painting and Building Preservation this week and getting a real feel for the school. It was hard to leave her after the week we'd had, but I'm so excited for her and grateful for this wonderful opportunity - for which she earned a scholarship based on her portfolio. A working artist already!

Yeah, she liked it a little. : )

Pink 2.0

Throughout Georgia's journey, we've always tried to find and focus on the positive in every step. For example, remember that color poll we created in the first weeks after her diagnosis? The winner was PINK, and the result was this:

Georgia was SO excited to surprise everyone at the clinic the next day, and then she was ready to let go of the rest of her hair, telling us to "shave it off already!" Instead of being traumatized by the experience, she took control and actually had some fun with it - and she never looked back.

So seven years later, after once again going bald on her own terms, Georgia also decided to go PINK one more time! And here's that result:

PINK 2.0!

 The process was just a wee bit more involved this time around. She started with the Draco Malfoy:

Then these gold feathers:
 

 Then this superhero look: 

And voila!

Georgia LOVES it, if only for a month (not exactly in line with the school dress code : )), and we love that she's able to bookend the last seven years in such a bright(!) and positive way. Pretty in pink, indeed.

Happy Days

Bathing beauties!

After spending a relaxing week at the beach, Georgia and Ivy came home and hit the ground running. More summer reading, annual closet purges, and various appointments, and they've been busy little bees! But they've had time for more fun, too, of course ...

Ron Swanson is back!

Georgia had a perfect well-check exam, and she passed her swim physical with flying colors! She's leading some summer swim clinics for the team - she's the captain this year, you know! - and is feeling SO good. We are grateful, as always, and looking forward to all that this special school year will bring. 

 And so it begins!

Last trip to the uniform store ...

Our road trip to Savannah is just two weeks away, followed by the 8th annual 46 Mommas Shave for the Brave, which happens to fall on my birthday ... If you haven't made a donation to life-saving childhood cancer research this year, that would be the best present of all! Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you're having a great summer!

Sonrisas in the Sun

 Senior and 8th Grader!

Summer is off to a super start! After finishing up school at Ann Richards on June 1st, Georgia and Ivy helped me close out the school year at their beloved Parkside on June 2nd. Georgia took the SAT the next day, and we celebrated at the movies with Wonder Woman! Go see it!!!

This past week, Georgia started her two college classes - Government and Economics. She's taking them online, and when she finishes, she'll get both high school and college credit. One week in, and she's already halfway through Econ! Her goal is to finish both classes by the end of June, and at the rate she's going, that seems very doable. Look at our "college girl" go!

On Saturday, Georgia took the ACT - so she's finished with that part of the college application process! - and afterwards, she and I went to help out at the Make-A-Wish "Over the Edge" event. Brave souls volunteer to rappel down the W Hotel and raise money to fund wishes for Central Texas kids. This year, they raised over $600K! We had a great time watching - from safely on the ground! - and Georgia even met a fellow Wish Kid, Ellie, who went Over the Edge herself. Such a cool event!

Georgia and Ellie, her dad, and a friend

This week, Georgia and Ivy are off to Galveston with Lolly and Poppa. They're staying in a beautiful beach house right on the water and have plans to do nothing but be beach bums all week! We'll join them this weekend for Father's Day. Before they left today, though, the orthodontist called and was able to give Ivy a nice summer surprise ... guess who has a new braces-free smile?!

Say cheese!

Absolutely LAST Call for Bald Georgia T-Shirts!

Don't forget! If you haven't purchased your t-shirt with Georgia's original design, we're running a FINAL sale until Wednesday, May 31st at 11 pm CST! You can see lots of examples of how awesome these shirts are, and now's your chance to look good while doing good! You'll be helping to support Georgia's shave for the St. Baldrick's Foundation and childhood cancer research, so click HERE to see five styles in two colors, and order yours NOW! Thank you!

We've had a great, long weekend, dotted by some heavy rain, so we've been watching movies, doing puzzles, and for Georgia, studying for the SAT. She's taking it again this weekend, taking the ACT again next weekend, and then - summertime! Which means two college classes, but also SCAD and camp and swimming! She's unofficially a SENIOR this week, if you can believe it. We are grateful and looking forward to all good things to come. Happy Memorial Day - and May 29TH - to everyone!