My first blog!

Hello Everyone!
Welcome to my first blog. With this blog I plan to keep everyone up to date with my travels. This is for everyone who wants to know how I'm doing and wants to see some pictures of my trip. Also for anyone who doesn't have facebook, but wants to see pictures. Also I'd love to read comments so don't be scared to speak up.

Today I went to work at 9am. I did one of my regular clients hair and then had to leave for the day. I headed to Russell, Manitoba with my friend Cyndall. We met up with my co-worker Shawna in Rapid City (her home). We were going to a funeral. It was an awful reason to bring us all toghether but it was a fun trip. One of my clients lost her daughter, Marley, on Saturday Sept. 6th. Marley was 14 years old. There was about 800 people at her "Celebration of Life". It was a really hard afternoon. Marley's mother Chris is a regular client of mine. She is one of those clients who I look forward to seeing everytime I see her name in the book. Chris is someone I will miss dearly while I am in Australia. We always have great talks about my life, her life, her girls, and anything else we can think of. I always thought she was so fantastic because her girls seemed so well rounded and she often asked for advice on how to handle teenage girl stuff. I think this is a fantastic trait because I don't have children yet feel very honored when people ask me about my teenage years and how I would have handled the situation. Although they don't always take my advice it still feels good that people ask. Anyway, Chris is the type of mother I want to be when I grow up. So when I found out she lost her daughter Marley, I was heart broken. No, I did not know Marley well. I mean I had done her hair, and talked to her almost everytime she was in the salon, but I didn't know her favorite color or favorite song. Even though I didn't know these things, I could still tell Marley was a special girl. Her sister Madison is also a great girl. They are the type of girls I want my unborn children to be. The whole family is just down right good people. Today at Marley's funeral I cried. I cried because she was so young. I cried because there is so much she didn't get to experience. I cried because I wanted to ease the pain of her family and close friends. I cried because I remembered how awful I felt at my dad's funeral. At one point I felt like I didn't belong there. Like I said, I didn't know Marley all that well. I thought there were so many other people who knew her better than I, yet here I was crying my eyes out. At the lunch I spoke with Chris. I told her that I asked my dad to look out for Marley in heaven. I told her that I had a broken heart. Chris said something to me that will stick with me forever. She said she wanted me to take Marley to Australia with me. She said since Mar wouldn't be able to make it, it was up to me to take her there. She said have a drink for her and enjoy yourself for her. I thought that was the best thing I'd heard all day. The thought that Marley wouldn't be able to experience so many things in life has been bothering me all week. Since Chris suggested this, I can't help but wonder if Marley came into my life for a reason. I think God sent her to me so that I would be reminded to live life to the fullest. So I have decided I am definately taking Mar with me. She is going to Australia and anywhere else I decide to go. So if in my picutres you see a gold candy wrapper or a paper with a picture on it, this is her enjoying the sights. This will remind me and everyone looking at the pictures to live their life to the fullest.

Many of my clients will be on my mind while I travel. They are all special in different ways. I feel honored to have been a part of their life, even if it was just a small part. I finish this first blog with a silent prayer for Marley and her family. I also thank God for my clients, and for letting me take this trip to Australia.

Until Next time,
Cindy