Party at the RMH

In honour of Alan's birthday, we took dinner and a whole party to the Ronald McDonald House. We had benefited from other people's generosity last Christmas while staying with the RMH in Houston and now we wanted to pay it forward. With Alan continuing with post-op chemo and a trip to MD Anderson in October for scans and follow ups it would have been difficult to pull off, but the Hardy Oak MOMS Club which has given us so much support over the last three years came through again, along with friends that we like to call Alan's Angels.




Along with many donations of food, fun, and funds, several of the moms came out to help set up and pass out the food. They really enjoyed doing a hands on service project and talking with some of the moms staying at the house.



We had 12 pizzas, a veggie tray, chips, cookies, soda and a great big cake - perfect party food!



JD the Clown came to make balloon animals and then put on a magic show for the families, complete with juggling on a unicycle!



The goody buckets full of toys and goodies were a big hit!



We had a great cake with a caterpillar design...



... which Alan thought was delicious!



Everyone one had a great time!



Lourdes, mother to one of Kevin's classmates, is one of Alan's Angels who came to do face painting. One of the moms staying at the RMH asked if she was the only one doing face painting. It turned out that her daughter was neutropenic and couldn't come downstairs, but really wanted her face painted. So Lourdes packed up some of her paints and one of the goody buckets and went up to their room to take a little of the party to her. It turns out that her birthday is the same day as Alan and she is also a patient of Doc P!



Talking with a few of the moms staying at the RMH brought back some memories - how amazing staying at a Ronald McDonald House was, how your definition of "lucky" changes when you have a sick child, and how your faith is restored when your community rallies behind you. Our friends were amazed to see all that the RMH had to offer and it gave them a real taste of what the RHM in Houston had done for us. It was a wonderful, busy evening and one that we hope to repeat.

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