The logo story

OK I promised a story of how our Friends of the Bald Woman logo came to be.......

I guess before I can start with the logo I have to tell you about the blog. This blog was only called Think Pink for a long time. My then 5 year old son, often came in and watched me type my daily posts to update all who read about the humors of my tumors (omg...that is funny and I literally just now made that up! too funny).

I was typing one day and he looked at the title and looked at me. He said, "Think Pink, that is kinda dumb". I looked back over and said, "OK well what do you think I should call it?" (this was very sarcastically and in my crazy voice) He paused and looked at me (bald as I could be) and said, "THE BALD WOMAN". It was in the strangest low pitched voice and we laughed for 15 minutes straight! Then I knew.....that was it!

The blog then became know as Think Pink: The Diary of the Bald Woman (only because I didn't want to change the URL and have to tell everyone) :) As I finished treatment and typed posts about the Bald Woman (aka ME) I decided that it was time to take it to the next level. I wanted to help people the way everyone did for me so my grand pay it forward plan began. There was no better name than Friends of the Bald Woman. The non profit was born and life as I knew it changed again!

As our non profit began to slowly grow we decided that we needed something that branded us. We needed a logo. My son, who then was 6, had been making me pictures of cancer ribbons and was really into drawing. He came to me around this same time with a picture. It was a simple heart with a cancer ribbon inside. I thanked him for the gift and then looked a little closer realizing that yet again he may have done it. I sent the drawing to a graphic designer and they cleaned it up a bit, fixed the colors, and added our name in  cool font.......BOOM our logo was made.

Some may have wondered if the logo is supposed to look like a child made it....yes. That logo means more to me than any designers perfect straight lined design can be. It is rough around the edges, not perfect, and was made with more love than you'll know. It was the final piece of what my son had started. That logo provides a great story and knowing that my son made it after he inspired the whole non profit makes it amazing to me.

We have come a long way in the last 2 years and I am forever thankful to all of you who have encouraged me to keep going even when it was very difficult. I look at the logo and am reminded of the love, the hope, and the laughter that my family and I shared on this journey. I hope now when you look at this logo you too will feel the love that created it! Have a fantastic day :)

***oh yeah....look very close in the heart and see if you can see what looks like a person with their hands up in the air (look only at the white part). What a cool hidden secret that you only know if you read my blog!!!

Inspired

I am approaching my 2 year "cancerversary" in August and have been looking back to the last few years of my life. There are many times when I go back and read the very posts I wrote and feel like I am watching someone else's lifetime movie. (hmmm I wonder who would play me??)

The last 2 years I feel as if I have accomplished so much but yet have so much more left to do. I have started a non profit organization, started a young women's group (and actually have people in it), handed out a dozen chemo packs to patients, and created a calendar that hopefully has inspired a few people. There have been many times along the way in which I have wondered though...."is this even making a difference, why do I work so hard to this, and should I just stop trying to make this work and go back to 'normal' life?" I pack so much into my days with my kids activities, my paid job (remember my husband was laid off 10 months ago), my house upkeep, and trying to run a non profit in my spare time. There are many who think I am crazy. There are some who think I should delegate more. There are some that say I should just quit. I too have thought each of these things. What keeps me going though is that every once and a while there are moments when I am reassured that I am right where I am supposed to be. I feel purpose and occasionally get to see that I have started a chain of events that can not be taken back and hopefully leads to something wonderful. I trust that I am able to handle this busy life that I have put before me and that I will overcome the obstacles that have been placed in my way. It is hard for some that have not traveled my path to understand this choice. At times, this life is at the expense of my paid job or my kids time with me. At the end of the day I do the best that I can with all the things I have in front of me. I may not dedicate all of my time to one thing and spread myself way too thin at times, but I enjoy my life more than the average person. I have an understanding about my life that many people will not know for a long time if ever.  I know that each day I am blessed to be here I am making an impact (or at least attempting to).  My goal has always been to put smiles on the faces of others...it really is that simple. I know I didn't need a big non profit for that, but.....I had a dream! When my time clock runs out I know that I "LIVED" my life  and I followed my dreams. "Some say that I am a dreamer.....but I am not the only one" (had to throw in a little musical quote LOL...thanks John Lennon)

Yesterday I was re-inspired to keep on my path. I watched 2 people overcome fears/anxieties and it was amazing. I remember having the same fears when I was in treatment myself. It brought me back to a place of vulnerability that I had almost forgotten. To see these amazing ladies beat not only a beast like cancer but a long time anxiety was priceless. I started the young women's group because I felt when I was going through cancer that I was the only 30 year old in world with cancer and kids. These women now have others to lean on that have an understanding that no other person can have. I am so thankful that I was able to push through my own difficulties to help these two ladies meet. I think just when you need to see something amazing...there it is right in front of your face. I am so happy to have these women cross my path and I only hope that there will be more opportunities to inspire, connect, and help others who come across my path. Thank you to those ladies for giving me the inspiration needed to continue this sometimes crazy journey and remind again why i do what I  do.

Inspiration comes in many ways and usually just when we need it most. My path is not always easy but I feel that those difficulties make the journey so much better. I hope you are inspired by these ladies in the upcoming calendar as much as I am. Have a wonderful day!