Thank You, THANK YOU!

Thursday, April 14, 2011 the

lovely ladies at UHS shaved my head. 

After the event I posted this as my status on facebook:

WOW! What a night! Thank you to everyone that came out, that donated, and that have supported me during this little adventure! I'll let ya'll know how much we have raised so far as soon as I find out... I know that i have $1,065 in checks alone in my hand right now! That is so awesome! THANK YOU for your generous hearts! ♥

Still today, I'm not sure what my total is yet, 

but I know that it is over $1,500 dollars! 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

So many people have contacted me and offered support and love. This makes me so happy! To know that there are people out there that believe in me & believe that what I'm doing is making a difference is so awesome!

But I want you and everyone to know that I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have the strength of the Lord holding me up. The bible says that the JOY of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10).
Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." So can I get a PRAISE GOD for this fantastic organization and for the people who have the courage to fight for what they believe in.

I hope that this blog has helped/and will continue to help you realize that you aren't alone in your struggles. When you reach out to help someone else (therefore stomping on indifference) you start a change in this world -- and you start to heal. ♥ I am so thankful for my Healer.

If you are reading this right now, I hope you know that YOUR life matters. YOU aren't alone. And You are LOVED.

Sincerely,

Angie Paris

Beauty comes from within... as your heart is transformed so is your life.

 

I have been blessed with generous parents that have shown me true, unselfish love. Family, by blood or bond, is essential.

Alexandra raised a bunch of money, donated & shaved her gorgeous hair, and now stands in solidarity with kids with cancer as well. (I'll add an "after" picture of her once I get one.) She is one of the nicest people I have ever met & I can't wait to get to know her better.  Isn't it awesome how people come into our lives when we least expect them? I'm so blessed to share my life with so many extraordinary people.

The whole girls softball team showed up to show their support! Their coaches daughter has Leukemia.

Thank you so much my friends! I LOVE you all so much!

You can be as confident as you want to be!

PS. I'd love to be your facebook friend if I'm not already... click on my first picture (with hair & snowflakes) at the top of the blog or just send me an email, alparis89@aol.com.

Hair today... Gone on Thursday, April 14th!!! :)

I'm sorry the lips & face aren't in sync... They were when I made the video... But something went wrong apparently and I'm not techno-savvy enough to fix it... Just listen :)

"Redefine Beauty"

Watch the quick video below please :)

http://youtu.be/Ei6JvK0W60I

One of the reasons I am willing to take this bold step is to “redefine beauty.”

And this is why…

I was loved even before I was born. When I came out of my mom, a slimy, purple, ball of tears… she thought I was beautiful. I was beautiful because I was alive!  I grew up in a supportive, loving family - - I felt beautiful!

But somewhere around 6^th grade my hairy legs and arms, acne, and “chubby” body, I lost that feeling of beauty. I felt like a hair, fat, pimple-face - - and I felt ugly.

I was influenced by magazines, TV shows, celebrities, and even infomercials. My friends were also influenced and we became great at judging ourselves and each other. Those magazines we loved to read… first they told us consciously and unconsciously that we weren’t good enough… then they took it to a new level and told us how to “fix” those “problem-areas.” How to “fix” myself.   

It took a long time to realize that, “this is who I am.” A lady at church who could tell that I was struggling told me once, “If you just focus on yourself, and stop worrying about what other people think - - they will like you.”

The pressure on women to look perfect is at an all-time high. I am a volunteer for a program called BeYOUtiful and I work with middle school girls. We meet once a month and analyze and destroy lies that are planted in young girls minds. True beauty starts on the inside and radiates to the outside.

Girls often think that, “If I could find a boyfriend to love me… then I would be complete.” Or, “If I could just not eat and lose ten more pounds… then I would look beautiful.” Those are LIES. I believe that our lives are like puzzles. ALL of the pieces are THERE, right inside the box. Of course we have to put the pieces together, it can be fun & sometimes challenging… but point of the story, the puzzle is complete we need to stop looking to the media for missing pieces.

I’m not afraid to shave my head because I am complete. I was created by God and am beautifully and wonderfully made on the inside and out.

My hair doesn’t make me beautiful. My Creator made me beautiful. I’m not trying to make a new definition of beauty… I just want to get back to the original.  J

Confident in Christ,

~Angela Louise Paris

The women below are all BeYOUtiful volunteers & so inspiring to me! They give and give and give some more. They are all truly beautiful!

And of course I'll add a picture of my sweet nieces who are still happy & healthy :)

And above is Gwen. She is my newest BeYOUtiful student and is so inspiring to me! Because of 5 Star & BeYOUtiful she is taking huge steps in her life & blossoming into a true leader. <3

GOAL SURPASSED!

Late last week we not only reached my $1,000 goal... but we passed it! Right now approximately $1,200 has been raised, "on my head!" Great job!!! I couldn't be prouder of my family and friends! Friends of friends and even strangers in the salon have given and I am so thankful for their sacrifice! This money goes towards finding a cure for children's cancer... a disease that could affect any family anywhere. THANK YOU SO MUCH! WOOOO! Praise God!! :-)

I am proud to say...

...that so far, as a team we have raised $650 dollars! I am so proud to have the friends and family that I do that are so generous! People I don't even know have donated!! :)

All of the money raised goes to the St. Baldrick's Foundation (www.stbaldricks.org). This is an organization that started in 2000 when 3 reinsurance executives decided they wanted to turn their annual St. Patty's Day party into a benefit to raise money for children's cancer research. Their goal was to raise "$17,000 on the 17th" and they ended up raising over $104,000!  The movement quickly grew into the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer research, and today the St. Baldrick's Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. 

Since 2000, more than 147,000 volunteers -- including over 12,000 women -- have shaved in solidarity with children with cancer at events in dozens of countries and every U.S. state. Thanks to generous friends and family, these shavees have raised over $90 million for life-saving research, and each is a walking billboard for the cause!

We are making an impact!! :) My goal is $1,000... and Notre Dame's goal is $60,000 this year!

One of every five children diagnosed with cancer will not survive. Thousands of children are diagnosed with cancer each year, and though the number of children who are cured is greater than it was 20 years ago, the loss of one child is one too many. Every child should be able to live a full and healthy life. Every child has a dream - big or small, simple or spectacular.  But too many dreams have been compromised in the lives of kids with cancer.  Some kids are forced to find new dreams, while others' dreams are lost during a battle with cancer.

Passionately!

~Angie

Shaving my head in T-minus...

21 days!!

I am SO excited!

Tonight I'm packing my warmest clothes, shoes galore, nail polish, pens, paper, & my bible for the 1st Annual BeYOUtiful Retreat. The theme for the weekend is, "Broken to Beautiful."  I am so excited to spend time with 30 middle school girls that want to learn about true beauty. And the truth is that beauty starts on the inside and transforms the outside. I can't wait to see what God has planned! Keep us in you prayers this weekend... cabins with limited heat, muddy trails, & CRAZY campers = sure to be an EPIC weekend! :)

I wonder how the girls will react when my head gets shaved in 35 days? How their perception of beauty will change or stay the same? Only time will tell :) I can't wait!

Love & Blessings,

Angie