My Cancerversary

Today is my twelve year cancer free anniversary.  Every year at this time, I take a few moments to reflect on what I've been thru and how far I've come.  I doubt, no matter how old I am, that this day will always be an important day for me.  There isn't a day that goes by that at some moment, even if it is a fleeting moment, that I think how lucky I am to be here. 

As these twelve years have passed, I've seen medical advances I'd never have dreamed of, but I've always noticed a growing trend of people getting cancer younger and younger.  Cancer has become such a prevalent part of our lives these days.  I don't know a single person who hasn't been touched by it in some way or another. 

Two things that have touched me happened in our community this year.  The first thing was a girl, she was 27 I believe and she had fought breast cancer for three years, lost her battle.  The other is a friend of mine who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had her whole pancreas (among other things) removed and spent a whole month in the hospital.  She is just a few years older than me.  When I think of what these two brave women have been through, it makes my heart cry.  It reminds me of all the fear and anxiety I went thru twelve years ago.  I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.  I didn't even know the girl the who died from breast cancer personally, but I weeped for her.  How did this monster that is cancer come into our lives?  What did we do to deserve this?  I had enough of a battle with my own cancer and yet I still look at these two women, and everyone else I know who has battled cancer, and can't help but feel how lucky I was.  By some miracle, I only had to have my colon resection and from that day forth, I've been cured.  My friend, the one with pancreatic cancer, had her first scan a few weeks ago and they found a spot on her liver.  Today, she is undergoing a biopsy to see if its anything to be concerned about.  She is lucky that she has a HUGE network of friends and family that love her and support her.  I truly believe she will be OK.  She's definitely one tough cookie.

As I celebrate my victory over cancer today, I am wishing and hoping everyone out there fighting their own battle the best of luck!  I am always happy to help support anyone that needs it.  Even strangers.  We are all united in the fight against cancer. 

Anyone Else REALLY Ready for the Election to be OVER?

In the last few elections, I've become more and more solid with my political opinions.  I would never say that I know everything about politics, because I absolutely do not.  I feel like I am swimming in a sea of bullsh*t on a daily basis watching commercials, being on facebook, EVERYTHING.  How do you even remotely begin to know what you believe/ who you want to vote for??  Anyway, I digress.....

I would really be interested to know how many people are actually, truly undecided by this point in the game.  Come on now, we all have been arguing our friends and families for months about who we are voting for and why.  Please explain to me why we still have to be flooded with commercials on every single media outlet????  Someday, I'd love to see a candidate, I don't care what party they are from, decide that they are doing minimum commercials and campaigning and that the millions they would spend on all this crap would be donated to a charity...or the national debt...or something.  I would RUN to the polls to vote for someone like this.  This campaigning stuff has really just gotten so out of control anymore.  Another idea for a campaign, is to not bash the opponent, but focus on the good stuff you're going to do.  I know these ideas are a total foreign to all things politics, but I probably hear some variation of this literally daily if not more often.  To me, seeing someone be the bigger man (or woman) and taking the higher road would be amazing.  I love the idea.  I don't even think there would be a competition.

I think I've been more than clear about who I am voting for this election.  I won't claim that I agree with everything Obama is about, but ultimately, my beliefs run a lot more liberal than conservative.  Actually, I voted a while ago.  Done...and done!  Maybe they should make a special button to turn off all the commericals, etc after you already voted!  PS- save the trees....quit sending me mail too! 

I look forward to tomorrow with a sense of relief, excitement, and a little fear.  Change is always a little scary. 

The Power of Sound

I seem to be on a kick lately.  I am appreciating sights and sounds more than I ever used to.  Today I was thinking about the sound of someones voice verses how they look.  One of those random things that bother me fairly regularly is the band Muse.  I love Muse.  Every single time I listen to Muse, I think to myself what a sexy voice the singer, Matt Bellamy, has, but he does absolutely nothing for me looks-wise.  It's actually really frustrating to me.  Anyway, this reminds me of my phone crush at work.  For years, I had a phone work relationship with this guy from my company.  I really liked him, he was very nice and fair.  If you needed help, he was always the best person to talk to.  He had a great voice (he still does, but I don't get the opportunity to talk to him anymore) and I started to try and figure up what he looked like in my mind.  I gotta say, I was sorely disappointed.  He was still the super nice guy I'd been talking to, he was just a tad bit geeky too, bless his heart!  Am I the only one that this has happened to?  I just think it's a fun game to try and imagine what people look like based on their voice.  The weirdest part is that I am rarely right. 

Here is another strange Maggie-ism.  I can like people based on their voice.  For example (most of my examples are men, because I can't think of any women off the top of my head that I like their speaking voice), Josh Gates from Destination Truth.  I freaking LOVE his voice.  I can sit through the show because his voice is so appealing to me.  I mean, he's not unattractive physically, but his voice is so interesting to me.  Another man's voice I adore is Scott Speedman.  Thankfully, he is just as hot as his voice is.  ;)  I just think it is so neat how different things attract us to people.

As quickly as a voice can attract you, it can detract you.  I would imagine we all have them, people you hate talking to strictly based on their voice.  It really is all so bizarre! 

Been a Long Time.....

I know I have been awful at updating my blog lately, but I figure there are only a few people that read it anyway, so no one is missing much! 

So far, October has been MAD busy!  The beginning of the month, a long lost cousin came to meet and visit everyone.  It was amazing to finally put a face to the name of the person I had been texting for over three years.  It was a little like Internet dating....you weren't sure if you were really excited or really nervous.  All was good though because we hit it off just as well, if not better, than we did via text.  During her visit, L came down with some strange flu.  We had a little family gathering and L was quiet all night.  He became more and more lethargic and eventually, he threw up on me.  We thought it might have been related to him hitting his head twice pretty hard, so we ended up in the ER.  Thankfully, there was no head injury, most likely just the flu as well as an earache.  While we were sitting in the hospital room, L gradually started looking better and becoming his normal self.  He was a little quiet for the next two days, then back with a vengeance.  On Thursday of that same week, my mom, L, and I headed to Columbus.  L and I were meeting up with one of my best friends from college and mom was meeting up with my brother and his family.  Amazingly enough, my friend (well, her sister) and my brother live really close to each other, so it worked out perfectly.  We went to Easton to walk around and have dinner.  We had a really great time enjoying the nice evening and finding the Lego Store for L! 

During the week, we heard from yet ANOTHER cousin that he was going to be coming to Wooster to visit the coming weekend.  This cousin is from Germany and is working in IN for four months and figured it would be cool to come visit his American cousins since we weren't too far away (FIVE hours....we heard about those FIVE hours quite often!  Hahaha)  We had a blast with him!  Took him to eat some good American pizza, my friend and I took him to a barn party and bar hopping so he could same as much American beer as he could, and we took him to pick out pumpkins.  Halloween is a very American holiday and he was completely in shock at the amount of pumpkins!  It was really fun. 

L had another bad earache that happened on Friday and we had to take him to the doctors again on Saturday.  Clearly, he is doing an earache every weekend kind of deal (he actually had one a week before we took him to the ER as well).  Poor guy!

This week, we haven't had any visits from people out of town...which is kind of a nice break.  This weekend, though, we have an important birthday party to attend!!!  My niece is turning a year old!  I swear, it is amazing how fast time flies!  I'm very excited to see that little peanut!  She is the cutest little doll baby ever! 

Here's hoping November might bring a calm and normal weekend...though admittedly, I love all the happening and visits.  It's so fun and keeps me on my toes!!!

Finding Beauty in Every Day Life

I can't pinpoint the exact time, but lately I've been noticing the beauty in the small things.  While we were on vacation, I just felt so lucky to be alive and healthy, on vacation with my whole family, and enjoying the amazing weather.  I had this overwhelming feeling of gratefulness.  It was really cool.  I don't want to say that before I never appreciated each day, it's more like I am taking notice in a different way. 

My mom, L, and I were on our way home from Akron yesterday and it was an amazing fall day.  Honestly, Ohio in the fall is unbelievable.  The clouds were perfect, the sky blue, the fields were a vibrant green and yellow, the trees were bright orange, yellow, and red, there were purple flowers everywhere...everything was just right!  I was pointing this out to my mom and she said something to me that was a pretty great compliment in my opinion....she said "it's like you are starting to see things like an artist".  And I am.  I notice how things would make a great picture or a wonderful painting.  It is like my creativity is expanding, which is super cool!   

Swimming like a Navy Seal

My best friend and I have decided we need to get our butts in the pool and workout.  I can't begin to even explain how exciting and great this feels for me.  Granted, I can't do everything I'd like to do, but I am definitely getting a workout.  So far, we have agreed to go swimming on Wed. and Fri. mornings before work (6am-ish).  Eventually, I'd like to go on Mondays too.  Today was our fourth time (?)....we are really getting into it.  I actually notice each time we go, that my endurance is getting better!  Love it!  We start out by doing my physical therapy for my shoulder.  We figured it wouldn't hurt either of us to do my physical therapy because it helps stabilize our shoulders, back, neck area.  It also really helps manage my shoulder pain, amazingly enough.  After the shoulder exercises (we use the weights when we do this), we kick and swim laps.  This morning, we even did some running in the baby pool (whoa...that was hard stuff!)  I love swimming in the morning because it gets me out of the house, away from my child, and a gets me a chance to hang with my bestie more often.  What more could you ask for?  We didn't think anything, until some Navy men (I believe it's guys that are trying to get into the Navy) were coming as we were going.  Dang.  There was one guy that was really hot.  I thought for sure I'd have to pick my girl's jaw up off the ground!  Hahahaha!  If that isn't motivation to get moving, I don't know what is!  Hahaha!  ;)

Not that I didn't notice that this guy was really easy on the eyes, but I was more intrigued with his swimming style.  The lifeguard on duty was telling us that they have a certain stroke just for the Navy.  Already, I was interested.  Apparently, it is some sort of side stroke called "combat side stroke".  The lifeguard said it was really hard and they had to do 16 laps in 8 minutes.  Naturally, I had to do some poking into this "combat side stroke" business.  I dig it.  I like the side stroke, I've used it many times...mostly with regards to life guarding (I took the lifeguard training course THREE times...long story!)  Basically, all you do is swim a side stroke with rhythmic breathing.  Like a cross between side stroke, breast stroke and freestyle.  Now we all know I have a bum right shoulder.  I've been doing some pretty funny strokes myself just to get a workout in.  Mostly, I've been doing a lot of left arm only freestyle and backstroke.  I tried freestyle one-armed first, but it makes me a bit dizzy since typically I don't breath on my left side.  I've found much better success with one-armed backstroke (big shock since that was my favorite and best stroke in swim team).  Anyway, I digress, this "combat side stroke" actually looks like something I might be able to do with my bum shoulder.  If I breathed on my left side, my right arm would only need to do a breast stroke pull, which doesn't bother me too badly.  Alright...bottom line...challenge accepted, I got this!  Bring it Navy Boys! 

http://www.sealswcc.com/navy-seals-swim-training.aspx
Here's the website that describes and shows video of the combat side stroke. 

I like having a challenge to work towards....I'm definitely jazzed.

BUSY WEEK!! Gotye, Preschool, Anniversary....

This week has been so crazy!  Sunday night, I almost had a panic attack, I was just so stressed out, but thankfully, everything has gone smoothly.  Monday night, I had tickets to see Gotye in concert.  I went with my friend, Jen, her BF and two other friends.  I was really nervous because I was driving and it was in Columbus.  I am not really familiar with Columbus and have a tendency to get nervous driving in cities I am not familiar with.  Thankfully, the venue was super easy to find and the concert was really small, so parking and getting out when the concert was over wasn't too terrible.  Two different bands opened for Gotye....Zammuto and Chairlift.  I had heard of Chairlift before, but not Zammuto.  I liked both bands.  Up until last year, I hadn't gone to a concert in a long time and I'd never had general admission seats (this whole concert was general admission), but now that I know what it's like to be on the floor, I don't think I'll ever buy seats.  I am that person who pushes and works her way to the front of the stage.  I am not overly pushy about it...it's more a game of strategy for me.  Seriously, it's nuts, but finding my way to the front is part of the fun for me.  It's kind of funny.  I warned my group that I would be up front no matter what.  They were all wishy washy about it and not completely feeling it.  I figured "no biggie...I drove, so they can't leave without me!"  Hahahaha!  They all ended up keeping up with me, so that's cool!  Gotye was really great in concert.  He is so freaking adorable.  I love the flopping hair, big nose, quirky look and add to that a great Australian accent and he really is cute.  However, the man is WAY TOO skinny!  Part of the reason he is so skinny is because he doesn't EVER stop moving during his show.  There were maybe 4 drum sets and he played every one practically every song.  It was really fun too, because my brother's two sister in laws were at the concert as well, but they came a little later than us and ran into a group of rude people behind us, so they weren't able to join us.  Really, being rude at a concert is NOT cool!  They tried to just come say "hi", and one of the ladies said "you can text her after the concert, GET BACK!"  Good grief.  Anyway, overall, the concert was great! 

Tuesday was L's first day of preschool!  As it turned out, A took an escort, so I had to take the day off work and took L to school.  I have to admit, I was sweating bullets nervous.  I wasn't really nervous about L going to school...I was more concerned with my part.  When we took a tour of the classroom and went to the orientation, I basically closed my ears when it came to the whole pick up and drop off info because I knew that it would never be me doing it.  Sure enough, as luck would have it, I was the one who got stuck doing it on the very first day!  Normally, when L goes to school, I will be at work and A will be home.  I have been harboring resentful feelings for weeks now knowing that A will have 2 1/2 hours/ twice a week of alone time.  Let me tell you....after actually experiencing that blissful 2 1/2 hours for myself, my jealousy just tripled.  I spent 1 1/2 hours laying on my fat butt watching TV with no one bothering me.  God, was it ever heavenly!  Anyway, I was excited to see how L's first day went (I was also hoping I didn't get pulled aside by the teacher to discuss L's swearing!  Dear God! Thankfully, that didn't happen!)  All the parents were patiently waiting for their kids to be released and every single kid ran into their parents arms all excited....except one....mine.  Hahahaha....he walked out like he didn't have a care in the world...who cares if someone picks me up, etc.  All the other kids were telling their parents all about their day....I asked L what he did and his response was "nuffin..."  In the car, he told me he "learned".  This was the most I got out of him until later at dinner....randomly he said "be quiet and go sit on your mat!!!"  He explained that his teach told him that.  I seriously almost peed myself laughing.  Now THAT sounds more like my kid!!! 

Tomorrow is our 10th wedding anniversary.  We are going out to dinner tonight to celebrate.  I can just barely believe we have been married that long.  Are we even old enough to have been married for ten years?  OK, don't answer that! ;)  It's funny how ten years sound so long and so short all at the same time.  It's amazing how things have changed since that day ten years ago.  Every now and again, I think it's fun to think back and try to remember the feelings I had the night before or during our wedding.  It was such an amazingly wonderful wedding.  We've had a pretty decent marriage so far too!  ;)  Here's hoping for 10, 20, 50+ more years of a happy marriage!!

This is the card I got for Aaron for our anniversary....It couldn't be more perfect because he is so afraid of spiders!