for joey

Yesterday the girls and I attended a gala in honor of Joey and to help spread awareness for childhood cancer through the organization, Joeys Wings. Joeys mum Kathy, whom I had the honour of meeting yesterday has started a foundation for Joey and all the other victims of childhood cancer to raise money for research to find a cure.

A couple of other blogging friends from the old days were also going so that kept up the momentum for me. Gainesville is just over 5 hours from here. We made it in plenty of time for the event but didn't have time to do much else other than get ready.

On the road, Lily's eyebrows just make me laugh here. I call them her happy eyebrows 

Getting ready

Her ladyship, taking it easy 

We barely made it through the door to the event when Rosie spotted 2 friends, Kris and E. I have "known" Kris for nearly 10 years but we had never met.

Long time friends finally meet

I was shocked to find out E is shy, very shy. I showed her a really bad selfie I had taken of myself (accidentally) and we became friends. As you can see by this photo, the shyness was very short lived.

Kris and I sat together and our conversation just picked up where we left off last time, except there hasn't been a last time. We chatted and laughed and the kids all laughed and we had such fun. I felt like we had known each other forever, and I suppose through blogs we have, blogs show a more honest side of life.

We all had a wonderful time.

Rosie even wore a dress....for Joey, mum

the selfie craze continues.

These 2, these 2 were a house on fire. I found this gem on my phone.

As much fun as we had we also heard all about the sobering side of cancer, the loss of a child, the pain and anguish, the lack of treatment options for kids, the lack of funding for research. Kathy will not allow Joeys death to be in vain. Joeys Wings is his legacy to all the kids that are fighting. Kathy is truly heroic. I do not know how you even put one foot in front of the other after losing a child but she does that and so much more. Joey loved origami and there were cranes EVERYWHERE, the most stunning beautiful cranes I have even seen. He was also a violinist and his teacher played last night. I have always hated that dreadful instrument but this man made it heavenly. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house by the time the slideshow was over. The food was amazing, all Chinese of course and all the kids were happy about that. Kathy does all the cultural programs for the FCC in Gainesville so there were many many adoptive families there. ( the woman is a saint)

Cancer truly stinks and I really really hate it.  More needs to be done to find a cure.

The lady next to Lily is Kathy, Joeys mum .
(please excuse my bare footed child, she had shoes but the rubbed her. )

The 2 shy children, E and Rosie ended the evening racing in the car park as Lily, Kris and I talked. E was flying in her chair and Rosie was running next to her. I casually asked how she braked and was told, with her hands. Holymotherofgod, how? She was flying and could and did, stop on a dime. The shrieks of laughter were priceless.

This morning we went over to Shands Hospital, one of Joeys hospitals and looked at the "wings" in person. more on that tomorrow.

Joeys Wings