A Few Favorites

As we approach the end of the year, there have been several events in my life that have made me realize how blessed I have been and how fortunate I've been to have the friends and family that I have.

In a sort of nostalgic way, I thought it'd be fun to share some pictures of things that have either made me laugh or continue to make me smile.

In no particular order:
1)My dog Abby who left us this year, but will always make me smile.
2) My sweet baby girl Bailey who knows just how to approach you no matter what mood you're in.
3) A tree that looks over my grandfather's grave. When I was younger, it was much smaller. Today, it is a huge reminder of how time will pass you by whether you are ready for it to or not.
4) My hubs who is doing what else? Getting free hugs?
5) My best friend and I on the night of her engagement party.
6) Me after Ash Wednesday. Never be ashamed to rock your cross!

"Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor the future
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life"

No Apologies

Yesterday, I wrote a blog post that was very personal and very difficult to write. Unfortunately, the post was taken in a way that it was never intended to be taken and in a bout of anger, I deleted the post. I regret that now.

I wanted to write a blog because I often have random thoughts and random rants that I want to write down and share with my friends and family and whomever else chooses to read this blog.

I am not going to apologize for anything that I write here. It is MY blog and it is for ME to express MY opinions. If you are offended by anything I write or feel like I am being fake on my blog, then YOU do not have to read it anymore. However, it is still my place for expressing whatever I feel like and I'm not going to apologize for doing so.

So here's to honesty. Here's to writing what I want to write, when I want to write it, and not deleting anything else because of anger, or hurt feelings.


"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter. "
-George Washington

The world is a better place with certain people in it

I know that I've talked about my friend Janet before and that my few followers have read about her before, but I'm going to do it again be she deserves it!

A few months ago, I discussed liver donation with a select few of my friends. Long story short, I did research on living donor liver donation in case the time comes that I can be a donor for someone I love more than life itself. This discussion led to me registering on the state of Texas' donor website and signing up to be a bone marrow donor.

All I had to do was mention that I signed up to be a bone marrow donor, and my select group of friends followed suit and signed up as well. I was amazed at their willingness to do so and reminded of why they are such amazing people and why I love having them in my life.

Janet was contacted and told that she was a "perfect match" for a 10 year old boy suffering from Leukemia. There are 6 antigens that you are tested for and matched to bone marrow "needers". Being a perfect match means that you matched the recipient on all 6 antigens. Being a perfect match is rare, but gives more likelihood of success to the recipient. Survival rates after a bone marrow transplant are between 30 and 60%. Survival rates without a bone marrow transplant are 15% and below.

Janet is of course nervous about the whole donation process, but is charging forward and almost completely decided that she will donate bone marrow to hopefully save this child's life.

We need more selfless people in this world. We need people who can look at the situation and think "I can save someone's life by donating a small part of me that isn't necessary for my survival"

My life is better because I have Janet as a friend. The 10 year old boy's life will be better because a stranger is giving him the greatest gift she can.

"Man can never be woman's equal in the spirit of selfless service, with which nature has endowed her"
Mohandas Gandhi

If you would like to sign up to be a bone marrow donor, or to register with the state of Texas, you can visit this website and this website.

because it's Thanksgiving...

I thought that I'd take the time to write down some things that I am thankful for this holiday season. It might be cheesy, but if you love me, you'll read it.

1. My amazing family. Including my husband who puts up with all of my crazy meltdowns and reminds me that life is hard sometimes, but that's what makes it life.
   
2. My puppies without whom my days would end a lot sadder and my mornings would be so much less eventful.
   
3. My job. I have two amazing co-workers (in my dept) and one that I can tolerate and that's more than most people can say.
   
4. My friends...who keep me sane on a regular basis and remind me that laughter is the best medicine.
   
5. My camera. Boy has it captured some fun moments this year!
6. My bike. Also had lots of good times on my bike this year.
   
7. My backyard; it brings me peace on so many days.
   
8. My season tickets to the symphony with my pops. Classical music soothes my soul.
9. Doctors - for finally figuring out what is wrong with me.
   
10. sunshine and daisies. Because when you put sunshine and daisies into the universe, the universe gives you sunshine and daisies.
    

"To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude. "
-Albert Schweitzer

A little bit of vegetable in my life....

So I had laproscopic surgery about a week ago. I've been complaining of severe stomach pain for about 6 months now. And after having every test under the sun run on me, the last option for diagnosis was a laproscopic surgery to see what might be going on that wasn't showing up on pictures. Sure, I was nervous going into it but not really because I thought something was going to happen. More so because I was worried that the doc would get in there and find nothing worth curing.

Waking up from the surgery, I basically have a panic attack because that it what the surgical nurse and the anesthesiologist both tell me...she found nothing. It was enough of a panic attack that they shot some more anxiety medicine into my system real fast to get me to calm down.

Turns out that about the only thing wrong with me is my digestive factory doesn't work exactly like it should and a dramatic change in diet and exercise habits should fix me right up.

...So basically, I spent literally thousands of dollars this year to find out what I've known all along. Stop eating like a heffer and you'll stop feeling like one. Start treating your body better and your body will treat you better. Gee, thanks life, for not just letting me figure that out on my own (which I might have) and instead causing me to go through INTENSE pain and testing just to find out I need a little more fiber in my life.

My first goal is to get to the point where a bowl of raw broccoli is a good thing. Here's hoping.