What is feels like to have amazing, wonderful, no words can describe how fantastic, parents

In another life, I must have been from China, you know that whole respect your elders thing..because I got so lucky with my grandparents and even luckier with my parents. I don't know if it is the life we have had to endure together, or just the way we are built, wired. But I have never experienced a family of three who goes to the end of the earth for eachother.

I received the most amazing compliment from my mom's friend Laurie last Friday. She told me how upset and hurt my mom was that she was sick during Valentines day (our favorite holiday together), how she told Laurie that she was going to have to just "suck it up" b/c she had to spend the day with me. Laurie told her "you raised your daughter well, Judi, she will understand" and then Laurie looked at me and said, " you and your mom have a real friendship, its unique. I know every mother and daughter are close, but what the two of you have is different." I don't think I have ever heard anything more nice. As for my dad, well what is the song."i hope I'm at least half the dad that he didn't have to be" ha ha. He's amazing. And I love our relationship. It fits us both well, it is so us. The way my dad has been there for my mom during this time in her life, is breath taking. It is something I never imagined I would see in them. I am so proud to call these two people my parents. And I pray God that he keeps them healthy and in my life for a long time, because I can't wait for my children to meet them some day.

Moving on

So after two years, I decided it was time to move on from the Make a Wish foundation, and move towards a carreer where I can show case more of my abilities and strength. Oddly enough, I had no mixed feelings about leaving. It almost felt like I couldn't wait to get out the door. I was that ready to start a new chapter in my life. Do I feel bad about that? No, because it is about darn time I am excited that much about something! As for my co-workers, I know I will stay in touch with the ones I formed a relationship with. Heck, five of the girls who left before me I still keep in contact with, even if it is just through facebook, email or texting. It is nice to know you have left an impact in someones life and they are sad to see you go. Make a Wish will always have a special place in my heart because of my sisters wish, and I will always continue to support this wonderful foundation by participating in the Walk for Wishes and making donations, however I feel my interest in non-profits is begining to switch to those who raise money for cancer research. Such as relay for life. After this year and finding out that four straight generations of women in my family have gotten cancer that can all be linked to a genetic trait, make me more deterimined than ever to help the cause of finding a cure

Some of my favorite memories of Make a Wish

20 something, 20 everything

So welcome to the land of a quarter life crisis. What does that mean you ask? Well normally at my age or (mid 20's to early 30's) we as women start to feel the pressure to have our lives settled down. We are at this point in our lives suppossed to know what we want to do with our carreer, found a fabulous man to marry and may even be begining a family. However most women my age have not began that process yet. We may have nailed one or two of those big ticket items, but perhaps are feeling the rush to finish the trio off. This is a quarter life crisis. Our society has created it for us, with love movies and celebrities having it all. And even our mothers and grandmothers generation has given us a false idea of what our lives should really be. Well I have decided that they are wrong. I entered my quarter life crisis feeling scared and alone, but I have come to find that I am turning into the woman I want to be, and have done this with out the help of a guy, children and even taking a few years to find what I want to be when I grow up. I am embracing this time in my life and am so looking forward to what life is going to bring me. I have found you are your own best friend, and you and only you alone can get you through anything. I know I'll start to feel like I'm running out of time now and then, but the key is to just relax, take every day in as a blessing and get through it with a smile on your face. Because in the end, this is the only time in your life where you can take your time and figure it out. And I am enjoying the process :)

Fondue=FUN DO!

Last night myself and 13 of of my friends got spiffed up and had a scrumptious dinner at the MELTING POT for my 25th birthday celebration. It was a lot of fun to get together with some friends I hadn't seen in months and just as good to spend time with the ones I see every week. The food at the melting pot was amazing as usual and I enjoyed the whole experience. The only thing missing was my momma. She was so disappointed she couldn't make it. She is still in the hospital. It has been a week now. She has an infection caused by taking to many antibiotics , on top of the flu with made her dehydrated..whew. I don't really have much more to say because my brain is kind of lost at the moment. I didn't even take any pictures at my party, so I'll post some when I get my friends pictures...but until then enjoy this yummy picture of the fondue from the MELTING POT!

He's Just Not That Into You

So last night I saw he's just not that into you with two of my favorite people...my married friends Lindsey and Joe. ha ha. no but really, I had a awesome time with them. I love seeing movies where odds are everyone has a different out look. This movie was just as good as you probally are thinking it is going to be. If you've read the book, you totally need to see this movie. Whether your single, dating, married..whatever..you have at least one character that you identify with. For me I felt a little bit of myself in at least three of them. Why do we as girls always make up excuses for that assholes we or our friends date? When we could just look at it like a guy and remember "if a guy wants to see you, he will". But as females, we hold on to every shred of hope we have, we over analyze EVERYTHING and we take every small ordinary gesture from a guy as a positive thing..ugh. So this movie was a great way to open eyes a little bit, and also poke a little bit of fun at how crazy we can really be. ha.ha...I do recommend all guys see this also though, then maybe they can see what kind of torture we put ourselves through over them..

Sunshine Days!

Wow today was the closest thing to a great day I've had in a while. The sun was shinning, it was warm(well not freezing) out and the snow was melting. It was awesome. Leo likes me to open the blinds and he looks out the window for hours. To top it off, I got to spend time with just mymomma. no one else. That hasn't happened for a long time. I love when she comes over and we talk about decorating my condo. It makes me feel like she's not sick and everything is back to normal. All in all, I'm feeling okay about today, thanks to the sun, leo and my momma :)

Have I mentioned I HATE chemo?

"In the end there is no proof that chemotherapy in the vast majority of cases actually extends life."---Interview of Dr Ralph Moss, Ph.D.


Oh Chemo,
how you ruin lives, more importantly the lives of three women I love with my whole heart. As most of you know my mom has been going through chemo since September, but next week my 77 year old grandmother beings chemo and radiation for the tumor that was on her brain. I went to see her tonight, and as I sat by her bed and held her hand, I noticed how skinny my volumptious grandmother had gotten. Then I was reminded of how much weight my mom has lost and of course alls I can relate it to is when my sister was sick. For my grandmother, this is the hardest thing she's ever done(besides losing my sister), laying in a bed, helpless. You know the women of our grandmothers generation. They were the ones making sure their husbands had everything they needed when they got home from work, and that dinners were always made at home. They were the ones who never complained about any type of pain and always took care of their family, neighbors, church congration better than a dr. could. Yes this was my grandmother. She is perfect and wonderful, genuine and better than I'll ever hope to be and watching her lay there makes me feel helpless as well. Today she cried because of how sick Chemo has made my mom. Since the chemo my mom takes is cumlative, each time she goes in, she just gets sicker and sicker. However my mom has an excellent out look. Everytime she feels bad she told me she thinks " this is nowhere near as bad as Heather felt, I try to remember that and I try not to complain". She once told me my sisters dosage of chemo was so strong and close to posion that they had to give her anti posion medication so it wouldn't kill her..chemo is the devil. I know my grandma is just scared. I know she is scared that she is in her late 70's trying to fight off cancer. Wouldn't you be scared too? Chemo and radiation has helped save millions of lives but has also not been any help at all and left patients with horrible side and life changing effects. So it's just a toss up. It's a chance. A chance that better save them both. Our family is far over due for a miracle..any day now please :)