Extreme Bed & Bath Makeover

So while I was away, Paris led an army of my supporters in redecorating my bedroom and bathroom. The people we bought our house from (in 1995) must have loved wallpaper. Especially floral wallpaper. They had it everywhere. Especially all over our master bed and bathrooms. It was totally not me. So when I was pregnant with Kaelin (in 1999) I started stripping it. It wasn't as easy as I thought and it was too big of a job for me and I maybe got 1/2 way done with it before giving birth to my beautiful little girl. And with a newborn and a 4 year old and going back to work when Kaelin was 3 months old, I never got back to it. And the years passed and when I did have time for projects, we would do the kids rooms and bathroom. We had done the big Lion King murals etc. in what used to be Spencer's room. And we did a Classic Winnie the Pooh nursery for Kaelin with clouds on the ceiling and wallpaper and handpainted characters on the closet drawers and dresser etc. And we stripped the wallpaper in the bathroom and added texture (it was drywall! just like the masterbath!!) and created an underwater scene with sponged paint and handpainting. And then Kaelin got too big for Winnie the Pooh (plus it was too girly! she was embarrassed!), and Spencer too big for Lion King, so we moved Kaelin into the Lion King room and Spencer into the guest room (which has cars and trucks driving around the border lol). Kaelin soon out grew the Lion King room so just before I got diagnosed, we began redecorating her room as a birthday gift from my mom and I. And then we had planned to start Spencer's next. But then all heck broke loose in June 06 when I was diagnosed, and well, priorities and life shifted for us all. There was never enough time or money for any of us. So our home improvement projects just sat undone. For years! I mean, that wallpaper sat half stripped for 9 years for crying out loud! It was very depressing to lay in bed after chemo for a week (sometime weeks!) at a time and stare at what needs to be done. But I always had dreams and big plans for it. Even had a file full of magazine clippings etc. of what I wanted it to look like. I had even put it on my "Bucket List" of things to do before I die. You can see my list here. I think my friends read my blog, saw my Bucket List and decided that they would take it upon themselves to help me cross it off my list while I was away in Reno for the last 3 weeks.

So when I returned yesterday with Paris, my family led me up to my room and instead of "move that bus" it was "open that door!" and when I did...Wow. It was like stepping into a fairy tale. Like through a photo into the beautiful pictures in a magazine. It was transformed into a beautiful retreat. A sanctuary. Soothing, calm, serene, relaxing colors and textures. Beautiful photos and pictures and knick knacks and curtains and rugs. Shells and sand. Like being in a hotel or something at an ocean resort. Just gorgeous. Breathtaking. I was stunned. Totally at a loss for words. Way more than I ever dreamed or expected. The time and energy and care and love that went into that room (and bathroom too!!!). Not to mention the expenses. The people who put their own lives and priorities on hold to finish up mine. It just blows my mind. I am so touched and grateful. I mean, I don't even know what to do with all of that. What does one say? How does one thank someone for all of that? It's all so surreal to me. Like with this cancer business. Is this really happening? Is this real? Am I dreaming? Am I going to wake up and things will go back to how they were? I just can't wrap my brain around it all.

And apparently they are not done with it! They are coming back next weekend to finish up. I'm afraid to unpack any of my bags. I have so much stuff. Where am I going to put it all without messing up the calmness? I need to brain storm some ideas on how to really thank these people and their families for spoiling me rotten once again. They even had their husbands here working on my bed and bath! Now I know that they all have better things to do with their time!!! Family time is a precious commodity.

And to come home to flowers by my bed (thanks Laura!) and some warm pretty pink sweatshirt and caps and a homemade lasagna dinner all ready to bake and eat (thanks Cathy!). I'm just tickled beyond words. I can never express my gratitude to the fullest. There are no words befitting enough to convey what I feel. So please accept my humblest appreciation and my deepest gratitude and my biggest, fattest, tightest hugs that are full of as much love and respect as I can muster up. I also need to apologize for the state of my room, bathroom and closet, home and garage! I'm so embarrassed that you all saw the state of my living conditions!!!

Thank you again for making my homecoming so special and for turning my eyesore of a bed and bath into a masterpiece. Special thanks going out to those involved (please forgive me if I miss anyone and correct me if I 'm wrong!): Paris Dukes, Tim and Cathy Dunn, Tom and Laura Nicolas, Jacie Wilson, Heidi Garnett, Susie Gass, Elizabeth Steiner Hayward and Cheryl Berglund. I love you all!!!

xoxox

Shauna