Perhaps it's just me but when gaps of time go in between seeing friends and family it can be hard to imagine them in any other way than when you last saw them. So as you can imagine when I heard that my friend Janice had been battling with breast cancer and was receiving chemo it was surreal to me. Nonetheless she contacted me in response to a promotion that I had posted on my social media. It was for a workshop that would show women quick and easy ways to apply their makeup as well as showing them how to take amazing selfies in between their professional branding sessions to maintain content. When Janice reached out to me she explained that due to having hair loss and just now getting back in the swing of the things she would like a private lesson, and of coarse I obliged.

Now before I get to deep into her experience let me tell you a little more about her journey prior to her visit:

Janice has always  had her mammograms every year, in the past they have found small lumps and done biopsies with no issues. This past June 2022 she had her annual mammogram, biopsy and was told that she was fine. Yet a month later literally the day before her birthday on July 5th, she was notified that she did indeed have breast cancer and was referred to a surgeon. From this point she was given treatment options and ultimately chose chemotherapy. Her oncologist explained that she would likely have hair loss and recommended she cut her hair into a pixie cut, which she did. After three weeks of chemo her hair was literally coming out in clumps and as you can imagine it was a heartbreaking experience for her. She stated that although she had prepared herself for this moment, it still hit her hard. The next day with the help of her fiancé James she decided to shave her head.

She has now completed her chemo and radiation and is having preventative infusions as she now has HER2 which will require hormone therapy for the next 5-10 years. (HER2 means the patient has tested positive for breast cancer that may grow quickly and possible come back/recur. The risk is significantly lowered with appropriate treatment- reference taken from pennmedicine.org) 

This journey has taken Janice on both an emotional, mental and physical journey that was unexpected. Yet when she contacted me she only had one goal in mind.

"I want to feel beautiful again" is what she said to me.

So as she arrived for her appointment, I knew that I had one job and one purpose that day. Make Janice feel beautiful. My goal was to show her how to recreate this feeling in small increments each day and how to maintain moving forward once she returns  home by practicing the techniques learned. We had a consultation and she told me how her wig made her look like her mom lol, and she wanted tips to make it look more modern. We styled her wig, talked about the loss of hair in both her eyebrows and lashes, filled her brows and together with her own personal makeup collection we began to make her FEEL beautiful once again. When finished we discussed how to take selfies with proper posing and lighting and Janice smiled with me the way I remember her smiling all those years ago when use to work together.

Following her session Janice sent me a selfie of her shading her own brows and thanked me for making her feel so good. In her own words she actually said "Thank you for helping me find my spark again". Little does she know that it was actually her that I should be thanking because Q she is the true inspiration. Janice is a kind, courageous and passionate person and I applaud her strength for pushing through such a difficult time. I thank her for courage and allowing us to share her story. I Pray her continued strength over the next few weeks as she returns to work. She will be going back fierce as ever!!

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Rᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏs ᴏꜰ Bɪɢ Lᴀᴠɪsʜ Wᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢs? I sᴜʀᴇ ᴅᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀs Sᴛᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ꜰᴇᴡ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ I ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴍɪss sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ (ɪɴsᴇʀᴛs ꜰᴜɴᴋʏ ᴇxʜᴀᴜsᴛᴇᴅ ꜰᴀᴄᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴊɪ ʜᴇʀᴇ).

Tʜᴇ sᴛʀᴇss ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ!!! 150+ ɢᴜᴇsᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴡʜᴏᴍ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ BIG ᴅᴀʏ (ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴅᴀʏ ᴛᴏᴏ, ʀɪɢʜᴛ?! As sᴏᴏɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴇʀᴇᴍᴏɴʏ ɪs ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙʀᴀᴄᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟꜰ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ʙʀɪᴅᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɢʀᴏᴏᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴀs ᴍᴀɴʏ ʜᴜɢs ᴀɴᴅ sᴇʟꜰɪᴇs ᴀs ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ɢᴇᴛ ɪɴ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ Wᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ ᴘʟᴀɴɴᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ Pʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜᴇʀ ᴡʜɪsᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ꜰᴏʀ your ᴘᴏʀᴛʀᴀɪᴛ sᴇssɪᴏɴ. Lᴇᴛ’s ɴᴏᴛ ꜰᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴀs ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀʟᴋ ɪɴᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴇᴄᴇᴘᴛɪᴏɴ. Tʜᴀᴛ’s ʀɪɢʜᴛ, Dᴀɴᴄɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴀʏ ɪɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴛᴛᴇsᴛ ʜʏᴘᴇ sᴏɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ sᴏᴏɴ ʙᴇ ꜰɪɴɪsʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ʜᴜɢs ᴀɴᴅ sᴇʟꜰɪᴇs ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴜᴇsᴛs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ɢʀᴀʙ ᴀ ʜᴜɢ ᴇᴀʀʟɪᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏ. 

Fᴏᴏᴅ? Oʜ ʏᴇᴀʜ, ɢʀᴀʙ ᴀ ꜰᴇᴡ ǫᴜɪᴄᴋ ʙɪᴛᴇs, but ʜᴜʀʀʏ  ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ Gʀᴇᴀᴛ Aᴜɴᴛ Sᴜsɪᴇ ʜᴀs sᴘᴏᴛᴛᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ  ɪs ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴜʀɴ ʟᴏʟ.

Sᴏ ᴀs ᴀ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜᴇʀ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴘᴏsᴛ Cᴏᴠɪᴅ ᴏʀ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ I sᴀʏ ᴍɪᴅ Cᴏᴠɪᴅ (sᴄʀᴀᴛᴄʜᴇs ʜᴇᴀᴅ) I ᴍᴜsᴛ sᴀʏ I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ꜰᴀʟʟᴇɴ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ “Lɪᴛᴛʟᴇ Wᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢs”. 

Nᴏᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀɴʏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴡᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ, I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ꜰᴀʟʟᴇɴ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡʜᴀᴛ I ᴄᴀʟʟ Lɪᴛᴛʟᴇ Wᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢs + Bɪɢ Dᴇᴀʟ + Bɪɢ Dᴀʏ!! Yᴇs, ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪᴛ ᴄᴏʀʀᴇᴄᴛʟʏ!!!! Tʜɪs ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ᴄʟɪᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀɴs ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ Bɪɢ ᴅᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ’s sᴛɪʟʟ ᴀ Bɪɢ ᴅᴇᴀʟ However ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴏᴡ ʙᴇ ʜᴀᴠɪɴɢ ᴀ Lɪᴛᴛʟᴇ Wᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ (Yᴇs I sᴀɪᴅ ɪᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋᴡᴀʀᴅs) Sᴏ ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ Else ɪs ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ————ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏᴀʀsᴇ “Tʜᴇ ɢᴜᴇsᴛ ʟɪsᴛ”

Wʜʏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀsᴋ? Bᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴅᴏᴇs ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜᴘʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ (ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʟᴀᴠɪsʜ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴄourse, ᴅᴀʀʟɪɴɢ) ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴀʟsᴏ ᴀʟʟᴏᴡs ᴀ sᴇʀᴇɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇꜰᴜʟ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ sᴏᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ sᴏᴜʟ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ. Tʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜᴘʟᴇ ʜᴀs ᴋᴇᴘᴛ Aʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʙɪɢ ᴘʟᴀɴs ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ Bɪɢ ᴅᴀʏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀs ᴡᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ  ᴠᴇɴᴜᴇ, ᴡᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ ᴘʟᴀɴɴᴇʀ/ᴅᴇsɪɢɴ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ, ᴅᴇᴄᴏʀ, ꜰʟᴏʀɪsᴛ, ᴄᴀᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ, ᴄᴀɴᴅʟᴇs........ ɪᴛ’s ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴡᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ A ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ. 

Tʜɪs ɪs ᴛʜᴇ Lɪᴛᴛʟᴇ Wᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ + Bɪɢ Dᴇᴀʟ + Bɪɢ Dᴀʏ Wᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ Eᴠᴇɴᴛ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ I ʟɪᴠᴇ ꜰᴏʀ!! Tʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ꜰʟᴏᴡs sᴍᴏᴏᴛʜʟʏ, ᴇʟᴇɢᴀɴᴛʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏsᴛ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ (ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏ) ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜᴇʀ ɪs ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇ sᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴄᴜʟᴀʀ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀɪᴅᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɢʀᴏᴏᴍ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ʀᴜsʜᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ sᴇɢᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɢᴇɴᴅᴀ. Wᴇ ᴀʟsᴏ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏsʜᴏᴘ Uɴᴄʟᴇ Jᴏᴇs ᴄᴇʟʟ ᴘʜᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ɪɴsɪsᴛᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴘᴜʟʟɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴍɪᴅ ᴄᴇʀᴇᴍᴏɴʏ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀsᴛ ᴋɪss 😂😂😂 ʙᴜᴛ sᴇʀɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴀʟʟ ᴊᴏᴋᴇs ᴀsɪᴅᴇ, Bɪɢ ᴏʀ Sᴍᴀʟʟ I ʟᴏᴠᴇ WEDDINGS ᴀɴᴅ I ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ L❤️VE. Bᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴏᴡ ᴀ sᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜɪɴɢ Lɪᴛᴛʟᴇ Wᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ Bɪɢ Dᴇᴀʟ ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ Bɪɢ Dᴀʏ!

Wɪᴛʜ Lᴏᴠᴇ, 
JBᴇʟʟᴀ Pʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜʏ

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