Dayna and Kallie Go To Louisiana! ~Trip Update, Part One~

For those of you don’t know, earlier this summer I nominated my sweet Dayna friend for National Single Mom of the Year. Dayna has stage IV glioblastoma multiforme (brain cancer). It’s not the fact that was she was given this diagnosis that makes her an incredible person. It’s the fact that she gets up every day and FIGHTS it, holding on to her Heavenly Dad’s hand, walking with Him, and raising her daughter to know Him and believe in Him. Dayna is the strongest girl I’ve ever met. I get to brag about her because she’s not here right now; she’s getting a facial and massage somewhere in Baton Rouge which makes me SO happy!

Her agenda today includes spa time, a shopping spree, hair, make-up, and a photo shoot. Tonight is a dinner and awards ceremony where she will be giving a little speech. More about today later. J The first part of our journey has been kind of hilarious. I arrived at Dayna’s at 11 PM after 6 hours of driving; she woke up, we talked, crawled into bed, and fell asleep till our alarm went off at 3 AM! We woke up with bleary eyes and excited hearts, and on our way to the airport wished we had made coffee! We arrived at the airport but because Dayna had needles and prescriptions with her, she had to be detained so security could make sure she was okay to travel. Throughout this, she was incredibly kind and gracious and of course, made a new friend in the security guard.

We had two different seats and before the trip and I had been praying that God would make it possible for us to sit together. I honestly prayed that I wouldn’t have to ask anyone to switch seats, that it would somehow just happen on its own (I was so tired, haha). I sat down and IMMEDIATELY the lady next to me looks up and goes, “Is that your friend Dayna up a few rows? I just made friends with her in line! Do you want to switch seats?” Just in this little moment I see how God cares so much about us and is watching over this entire trip!

We finally got on our flight and I promptly fell asleep for almost the entire flight. It is hard for Dayna to sleep without help due to the cancer treatment she is taking, so instead of sleeping she drank 5 cups of horrible airplane coffee and made friends with literally everyone in the surrounding area, and continued to do so, in all three airports and two flights. She is a LIGHT wherever she goes. She can’t help but talking about Jesus and what he has done in her life to the many people God puts around her. More on that later.

We arrived in Houston, Texas and missed our flight! God went before us though, and we were immediately able to get on another flight on a very tiny plane! I wish I could explain how kind and wonderful and hilarious the German flight attendant was, but I’ll have to ask Dayna how to best describe him. This time Dayna and I weren’t sitting near each other but I could hear her happy laugh periodically as she made friends and swapped stories with someone else.

Throughout all our airport times we have both been exhausted, especially Dayna, but so full of laughter. We simply cannot stop laughing, and just thanking God for what He has done in her life (and mine!). When we arrived at the Baton Rouge Louisiana airport I almost started sobbing but had to minimize it to a few tears because waiting to see Dayna was the most kind, wonderful, excited group of ladies from the organization The Life of a Single Mom, with signs and balloons and gifts and one of Dayna’s many gifts, a $500 check! We were hugged repeatedly by each of them. They gave Dayna her INCREDIBLE itinerary, and overwhelmed her with love.

We got to her luxurious hotel room at the Hyatt Hotel and then we were both taken to dinner at Ralph and Kakoo’s (Idaho/Washington friends, you've gotta check this out!) It was an incredible experience tasting the variety of Southern foods. 

At this point I have to stop and share that this was so special to me because of SOMEONE WE WERE HAVING DINNER WITH!!!! Two years ago I was searching the internet for single mom books. There wasn’t much to choose from. One book, Overwhelmed: The Life of a Single Mom by Jennifer Barnes Maggio, looked promising. To summarize a long process, I read it and my life was changed forever! By the way, I later ended up liking Jennifer’s Facebook page, The Life of a Single Mom and then one day they posted something about nominating a single mom for National Single Mom of the Year, and the rest is history….

ANYWAYS, to summarize, we got to have dinner with Jennifer Barnes Maggio, the founder of the Life of the Single Mom, and the lovely vice president, Suzanne (I don't know her full name yet but she is so wonderful!) I got to talk to Jennifer and tell her how much her book meant to me and hear about her work, something that I am extremely passionate about and something I'm interested in pursuing in the future (she began an incredible ministry to single moms which God has blessed so much!). 

We tried hushpuppies for the first time, and the most amazing crab bisque and gumbo and ate until we were stuffed. Suzanne told us we shouldn’t bring our gallons of leftover food home because we are going to get even more food tomorrow, but we couldn’t imagine leaving without it so we brought it all home! Both Dayna and I had an amazing sleep in a king-sized bed after enjoying the company of her sweet, gorgeous mama Dori who had arrived on a flight later! Sweet Dayna woke me up by bringing me breakfast in bed, and we all sat around in our pjs and talked until Dayna was picked up . I am feeling so refreshed and thankful to be here!

One thing that has really struck me especially on this trip is that God really loves His single moms, no matter how we arrived on our journey as a single mom or what our mistakes and failures are, He is FAITHFUL to each of us, and faithful to love us and our children. Many of the workers at the Life of a Single Mom were single moms themselves in the past, and as a result they have this heart for those who don’t have the support and love that they need. They understand that single moms don’t need bible verses shoved down their throats, they need someone to walk beside them, support them, and be Jesus to them! They need patience, acceptance, and resources..The rest can follow after that crucial, unconditional display of love. I have been beyond LOVED throughout my entire single mom journey, but I know far too many who haven’t been. It has blessed me so much to know this ministry exists!

"We are not responsible for the outcome, we are responsible for the faith we exhibit on the journey."
 -Dori, Dayna's mom

To find out more of the Life of a Single Mom ministry, go to their website here.

To find out more about Dayna's incredible story and how you can help Dayna continue her treatments (because of which, she says she is far less exhausted and far more healthy than most cancer patients), go to the link above.