Thursday, April 28, 2011

Battling and Celebrating with Team Teal

Marti, the mother of my good friend, Deb, is celebrating her birthday today, so I created this art journal page to say. . . Happy Birthday Marti!!!  Please join me in wishing her a good one!
Marti is battling cancer right now, so a few prayers to go along with those birthday wishes would definitely be appreciated.  Fortunately, Marti is surrounded by a loving family and "Team Teal" (a group of supporters who wear a teal cancer awareness bracelet in her honor), and we are helping her celebrate today.  The bracelet looks like this:
It speaks of hope, strength, courage and love.  And I wanted to share a story today of others who battled cancer and a celebration they enjoyed:
This very old layout documents the day in May of 2003 when we celebrated my dad's 70th birthday.  That's him on the far left.  He's surrounded by his compadres, a group of men who he met 45 years earlier when he and my mom moved to California, and who became life long friends.  Brilliant dancers and hard-drinkers, this group of men was rumored to have serenaded my mother with Mexican corridos while she was pregnant with me - as a way to apologize after they kept my dad out too late.  We spent many afternoons with their families, enjoying bar-b-que's and soaking in that warmth  of extended family which my parents no doubt missed, having moved away from all their brothers and sisters in Texas.
My father has his arm around Henry Jauregui, my son's namesake.  On this day, Henry was in the last stages of battling stomach cancer.  He had been bed-ridden for weeks and no one expected him to make it to the party.  But he did.  He pulled himself out of bed and came and sang and danced with his compadres one last time.  He made it to the celebration. Because that is the power of love.  And of hope, and strength, and courage, and faith.
Happy Birthday Marti.  May the powers of hope, strength, courage and faith take you to many, many more celebrations.
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To find the linky for Team Teal's posts, check out Deb's blog by clicking here.



23 comments:

Amy said...

My maternal grandfather was Henry who died of stomach cancer - it was a dreadful disease and he suffered with a gentle and quiet dignity.

Happy Birthday Marti - she is sure to LOVE this artwork Rinda - you colour matched very well! :-)

Irene said...

Rinda - Please wish Marti a Happy Birthday from Texas. My prayers are with her. Love these old pictures of Uncle Pete enjoying life.

furrypig said...

Happy Birthday to Marti loving al the teal posts today xxx

Jen said...

A happy birthday to Marti may she celebrate many more of them - beautiful art work Rinda. J x

scrappyjacky said...

A very moving post today,Rinda.

JO SOWERBY said...

i am loving this sort of mini blog hop and celebration of love and friendship. my dad has bowel cancer but is lucky enough to have a tablet he takes daily which has kept the tumours small for over 9 years now.
Jo xxx

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Rinda! Thank you so much for this awesome post! I love the artwork you created, and the story you shared is so inspiring. I can't tell you how much your post means to me, and I know my mom will really appreciate it as well.

Thank you for participating in our Team Teal link up this morning for my mom's birthday!!! I am so touched by this, and honored to call you my friend. ♥

Sian said...

Wonderful story today Rinda. Let's hope Marti has a fantastic birthday

Capescrapper said...

Happy Birthday Marti! I am sending along a special prayer for her! Lovely hearts in teal one of my favorite colors!

Cheri said...

What a beautiful post Rinda!

Lizzie said...

Lovely post, Rinda. I have lost various relatives to cancer; it affects so many lives - both those who suffer the cancer and those who suffer with them!
I'm also thinking of Marti today, on her birthday.

Valerie said...

Awesome post...thanks so much for your support for my mom---and for your friendship to my sister!!!

Becky said...

Lovely story Rinda, let's hope Marti has a wonderful day.

Marti said...

Overwhelmed, insired, encouraged--I could go on and on! Thank you, Rinda for the beautiful heart-felt post. The art is fabulous and your story so touching! I truly appreciate you! xo

Denise said...

A beautiful post Rinda x

debs14 said...

It was cancer of the stomach that my mum had so I truly know how awful it is.
What a lovely story to share though, and how poignant for you to name your son after him.

Clair said...

I think many of our individual stories are about love, strength and courage. Lovely to hear that you've remembered your dad's friend in your own way x

GlorV1 said...

Beautiful story Rinda. Please wish Marti a very Happy Birthday and many more. Have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

Fabulous post Rinda and fabulous piece of art.xxx

Chocolate Mousie said...

Happy Birthday Marti! Prayers coming your way to beat the cancer. :)

Miriam said...

I will remember you in my prayers tonight x

Unknown said...

Great art journal page and scrapbook page! It's funny that there are dragonflies on the art journal page because my mom and I LOVE dragonflies!

It's very sad that we all know someone who has had cancer, I hope that someday soon there is a cure!

janae @ jelly roll said...

What a lovely post. Sending support from team teal!