Monday, April 30, 2012

~Guest Speaker~

Good Monday friends! Hope everyone is having a beautiful day. I am honored to have Heather Von St James here today on my blog to share her story and courageous battle...




It Takes A Village

People often say that it takes a village to raise a child, and after Lily was born I realized what that really meant.  After an uncomplicated pregnancy, my daughter was born August 4, 2005.  After she was born, our family and friends came to meet the new baby and wish us well.  Things were going so well that none of us could have imagined what would happen next.  

About a month after I returned to my full-time job, I started feeling ill.  I was breathless, tired and I had no energy.  Of course, I blamed this on motherhood, but I scheduled an appointment with my doctor.  He scheduled tests, and we found out the cause of my poor health.  

When Lily was just over 3 months old, I was received a diagnosis that would change our lives forever.  The doctor found that I had a cancer in the lining of my lung called malignant pleural mesothelioma.  The primary cause is exposure to asbestos, and I had unknowingly been exposed during childhood.  

When the doctor said I have about 15 months left if my cancer was left untreated, my first thought was about Lily.  I didn't want my husband to have to raise her alone, so I knew we had to fight the cancer.  In February, my husband and I flew to Boston for a procedure called an extrapleural pneumenectomy.  The doctors removed my left lung, and I spend 18 days in the hospital recovering.  Two months later, I started chemotherapy and radiation.  

We could have never gone to Boston for the treatment of mesothelioma, and wouldn’t have had time to recover without the prayers, support and love from our village.  People from all aspects of our lives came together to help us and support us during this difficult time.  There were people we thought we could rely on that ran as fast as they could to get away from us.  But other people, people we never expected to help us, that did help.  Having cancer helped me see who our true friends were and who was there for us.

While we were in Boston for the procedure and recovery, my parents raised Lily.  They had their own village that helped them with daily care for her and babysat so they could continue working.  While we were in Boston, we met amazing people who were traveling the same path we were.  They provided support for us every day and helped us get through this difficult time.

Back home in South Dakota, Lily was learning to eat solid foods, roll and scoot.  I got to watch her grow through grainy pictures my mom emailed and my husband printed for me.  My nurse and I held back our tears with each new photo.  It broke my heart to be away from her, but she was the reason I was there fighting the cancer.  I knew she was in the best care possible while I recovered.  Lilly and her grandparents now have an amazing bond despite the many miles between them.

We aren't promised anything in life.  Our family knows how fragile life can be, and we've made the most of what has been dealt to us.  Being diagnosed with cancer is never a good thing, but good things can come from it.  I am thankful for the lessons I've learned since my diagnosis.  


Thank you so much Heather for sharing your story and I pray God continues to heal you!


Thursday, April 26, 2012

~10+ Real Helps for a Really Busy Mom~
1. Life is not an emergency. Life's a gift, go slow.
2. Now is not a forever grace but amazing grace.
3. Sometimes the slowest way is the fastest way to joy.
4. Laughter is the cheapest, holiest medicine.
5. Motherhood is a gift not a right
6. Homemaking is about making a home, not about making perfection.
7. Believe it: I have all I need today. <--------- My Favorite!!!!
8. Slow. Children at play. Hurry hurts kids. Time's this priceless currency and only the slow spend it wise enough to be rich.
9. Love is patient.
10. The art of really celebrating life isn't about getting it right - but about receiving Grace.

Just a side note - This is not my writing I copied out of a magazine

So, as I go about my crazy, rushed day....I'm trying to slow it down a bit... get up earlier so I can spend more time with the kiddos for breakfast, leave my work at the office so when I am home their are no distractions and all attention is where it needs to be, on my little family!
Happy Thursday My Friends <3
~thanks for following me it makes me a happy girl~

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

~ The Rock~
I am sure you have caught yourself saying that your spouse is your rock, your support, your lean on guy/girl however, it got me thinking about some things that were discussed at church Sunday. I don't want my husband to have to feel like the "rock" 100 percent of the time, it's a tough roll to fulfill. I know I am strong willed, very stubborn, but yet I always seem to freak out when my "rock" is not fulfilling that role all of the time. We have to remember that they can have moments where they just need us to say everything really is going to be okay. I always look for my hubby to tell me that, but when the roles are switched and he needs it from me I pretty much have a melt down and somehow yet again push him back into that strong role. Sunday... life gave me a gentle,  not so gentle reminder that a marriage is 50/50 and from the beginning a man is forced to take on a "Rock Role" it's not always fair to them, they need that other 50 percenter to say it's okay for you not to be the supporter all the time, I can step up and walk in your shoes and be the Rock when you need me to.

Lesson Learned ~ I can be the Rock 2!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Cilantro I love you!

Ok, I know I was gonna post some smoothie/juicing recipe's this week and I will, have faith but for now it's Cilantro Baby!! Yep I could eat it in anything, everything - I am a cilantro addict for sure. I am posting a picture of my salsa because even though the tomatoes are not in season yet, I came across some good ones.
- garlic clove
- cilantro (a whole bunch of it)
- onion
- tomatoes
- jalapeno (if you can find a hot one otherwise get the habenero's from Kroger)
- sea salt
No recipe just chop, mix and yummmmmmmoooooo!! I eat with sweet potato chips to be a little healthier :-) Also a love of mine - Happy Wednesday my sweet friends
not claiming this receipe as my own as I'm sure I originally saw in a magazine

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Spring Cleaning ~my body~

Good Tuesday Morning!! Hope everyone had a beautiful Easter Sunday with their families. I haven't blogged in awhile, been a little occupied with my Fast. I begin my fast for health reasons. I thought I would stay on it about 3-5 days, however to my surprise I felt so good I stayed on it 10 days with just water and sometimes water, squeezed lemons, cayenne pepper, and stevia for a little sweetner. Amazing how sometimes your body just needs a break, a nice long detoxing break. I am kinda sorta addicted to feeling that good the rest of my life. Haven't decided yet about whether or not I am going to go back on meat at all. I have never been a steak gal, nor any red meat really. I could probably give up everything but my chipolte chicken. I eat a lot of tofu and nuts and my body seems to do much better. This food journey is an interesting one. I really would like to stay strictly to juicing and smoothies for awhile as my body continues to heal. I will post some recipe's this week for any of you interested in them.