Boob Voyage!
“So long, farewell, Auf Wiedershen, adieu…”
I am not a fan of using to word “Epic” to describe how good
something is so I’m not! J But, last weekend my best friends threw me an
out of this world Boob Voyage party to say deuces to my milkshakes (apparently
I have slipped into my Ebonics), in other words, bye bye boobies!
Let me give you some background as to why this boob voyage
party was so special to me.
My whole life I have never had a party. Other than my best friend, Cindy, and my mom
and dad coming over to have cake and open presents when I was little, I have
never had a party for me. My mom always
wanted to throw me parties: birthday parties, sweet 16 party, 18th
party, high school graduation party and for some reason the idea of a party
sent me into high anxiety mode and I simply would decline.
My mom worked hard her entire life to provide the best for
me and it did not come easy because she did not have a college degree. It was extremely important to my mom that I
go to college and get a degree, “get a degree in anything, just have that piece
of paper” she would say, because she did not want me to struggle the way she
did. So, I went to college and worked
very hard to do my best and loved every minute of it.
Unfortunately, mom was diagnosed with cancer and
progressively got sicker the closer I got to my graduation. So many times I begged my mom to let me take
time off of college so I could spend as much time as possible helping to care
for her. So many times my mom told me,
“NO, Cara May Coleman, you WILL finish!”
And you know your mama means business when she uses your 3 names. As difficult as it was, I continued and
promised mom that I would finish. Mom
would joke, that nothing would stop her from seeing her little “Pickles” graduate
even if that meant being rolled in a wheelchair attached to an oxygen tank to
see me walk across that stage. With her
excitement of my impending graduation she pleaded with me to throw me a college
graduation party. I caved, it’s my mom,
I couldn’t say no to her now! Weeks
before my graduation she had made plans for my closest friends and family to
celebrate this momentous occasion in style at one of my favorite
restaurants. My graduation and the party
she finally gets to throw me was all she could talk about. However, there is a saying, “If you want to
hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.”
The day I finished my student teaching and the last day of
my college career I got a phone call from mom barely able to say two words
between many shallow breaths saying how sorry she was because she was afraid,
she “may not make it to my graduation.”
I quickly jumped in my car and rode down to Jacksonville to see the
state mom was in. Hospice had already been
there and started mom on meds that made her so medicated she was in and out of
lucidness. I will never forget those
last 48 hours. I stayed by her side most
of the night and one of the last conversations she had with me was how
disappointed she was to not make it to my graduation and how I should still
plan to have my party. Always a mom,
wanting the best for me J The beauty of her death was myself and family
were there to say our goodbyes. She was
medicated to the point of no communication but I know she knew I was there and
then it happened…
As my family was saying their goodbyes, I was able to tell
mom that I graduated. She got to see me
graduate! It may have been in the unconventional
way, but let’s face it, as mom would tell me, “I always march to the beat of my
own drum.” Though I did not “walk”, I
worked my butt off to accomplish the most important goal in mom’s life for me,
to get that piece of paper.
So, obviously the party changed from graduation to a
celebration of life for the most beautiful and most inspirational mother and
friend that has touched my soul.
Here I am now, ready to celebrate in a way that both honored
mom’s desire and ironically is celebrating my life too!
I had my boob voyage party that donned everything from a
booby cake, to booby cupcakes, to booby 7 layer dip. It was in your face boobies and girls only,
of course. Cindy created the game “Pin
the Boob on the Babe” where you had to wear these outrageous boob blind folds
and pin the boob on my life size picture.
We had a dartboard adorned with an areola and nipple to shoot your darts
at. Booby candies, booby balloons, and
even booby stress balls for those who felt the need to squeeze. Cindy had made me a “treasure chest” bra that
was pink with jewels that I had to wear over my clothes to greet all my guests
with. To top it all off (get it, get
it!! Top…off…LOL) my favorite part was Cindy
had a table set up with mom’s picture sitting next to a jar where my guests
could leave encouraging messages on cut out hearts for my journey. As Cindy said, “My mom was the biggest part
of this party.”
Since that Saturday, I have carried with me the positive
feelings of love and encouragement over this past week. This party was more than I could imagine and
I know mom was a HUGE part of it. She always
wanted to throw me a party I would not forget and she finally got her wish!
To everyone who comes face to face with a challenge, know you are not alone!
"My life is my message." - Gandhi
Had a blast saying BYE to "the girls!" xoxoxoxo
ReplyDeleteThis deeply moved me. You can't see my tears. You have such fun and loving friends, Cara.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn-I am so glad to have you so close as my personal cheerleader! You always know how to make me laugh to help make a difficult situation a little easier :)
ReplyDeleteMary-You have been my constant and I truly feel like we were molded to be kindered spirits! I feel like I know you even though there are hundreds of miles between us. Thank you for continuing to lift be up and be a support that goes beyond a blog :)