To answer your question . . .

And now, the answers to your questions -


How did you and your husband meet?
Brian and I originally met in the summer of 2004 when we were both summer interns at our church. Our church is huge, though, so we didn't really know each other then. After that summer, we both went back to college and continued our lives for several years. The two of us ended up back in our city and attending the same church again in 2007. At this point, we became good friends, and things just blossomed from there.


What was your favorite wedding gift?
Brian - hands down! Second to him, I love all of my serving pieces and my red Kitchen Aid immersion blender.


What is your favorite TV show?
This is a tough one because I'm not much of a TV watcher. I guess I'd have to say Paula Deen's cooking show. I watch it every day while I'm resting and waiting on Brian to get home from work.


What is your dream car?
Mercedes G-Class



How has life been for you since going back to work with everything going on? Is it overwhelming at times, or are you managing to get it all done?
Life has been hard since going back to work. My school has been wonderful, but primary teaching is a very physical job. Most weeks, I haven't been able to hold up to a 5-day week, and I only end up working 3 days. It is extremely overwhelming and I just survive most work days. I am not at my best as a teacher, and being a cancer patient is a job in and of itself. It requires constant appointments, rest, exercise, phone calls, and pharmacy runs. It is certainly easier on your body to do this when you're 25, but it would be much easier on my schedule to do it when I am retired :)

If you could be the spokeswoman for one product what would it be?
I'm going to change this question to "If you could be the spokeswoman for anything, what would it be?" At this point, I would be the spokeswoman for self breast exams, because doing this saved my life. Early detection is the key to survival. We have to be advocates of our own health.

What is your all time favorite scripture?
2 Peter 1:3 - "His divine power has given us EVERYTHING we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." -->To me, this says it all. We have all we need, and it's by no doing of our own. To God be the glory!


What movie could you watch over and over again?
Steel Magnolias

What book would you recommend to me?
To Kill a Mockingbird or The Shack

What was your most embarassing moment, ever?
When I was in preschool, my class got to go to the library each week and check out books. On our appointed day, I quickly chose my book. Even at a young age, I chose my books based on their covers. Presentation is everything in my book :) Then, I quietly got in line and waited for the librarian to scan my book. As I waited, I felt the urge to go potty. I rocked back and forth on my toes and crossed my legs tightly, but neither tactic seemed to work. All of a sudden, I could hold it no longer, and I used the bathroom on myself. Unfortunately, I had worn a short denim miniskirt to school that day, so a puddle began to form around my white Keds on the blue carpeted floor. I froze in embarassment! Fortunately, my grandma was there in not time with some fresh clean clothes for me to change into.

What was your most favorite subject in elementary school?
Language Arts - writing

With all thats happened in the last few months have the fears you thought plagued you most changed somewhat?
I would say that my perspective has changed 100%. I am more compassionate towards people. I am more reflective on my own actions and life. I am more aware of my dependency on the Lord and others. I am more in love with my husband. I am more convinced of my mortality. I am more blessed beyond measure.

Has the newlywed rush that other people put on us eased up any?
I think this question is referring to the rush to have children. And, obviously, Brian and I are not leading the typical newlywed life. We are not fighting over toothpaste squeezing strategies and the brand of toilet paper to buy. I don't remember anyone asking when we were going to have kids. However, I was shocked when I was first diagnosed that many people would just nonchalantly say, "You know, you probably won't be able to have kids after you go through chemo. Are you going to harvest your eggs?" Or, "What are y'all going to do about having kids?" I don't know when society deemed it okay for strangers or even close family/friends to invade the privacy of a marriage and ask these questions, or better yet, offer advice to a married couple about these things. Trust me, if you're ever in this position, don't offer advice unless someone asks you for it. The couple knows what they are facing, and it is truly none of your business unless they bring it up. These sort of questions can have extremely emotional answers.


What is something that your husband says or does that always makes you laugh?
I think a better question would be, "What is something your husband says or does that does not always make you laugh?" Brian is hysterical - ALWAYS! It drives me nuts because I can't keep from laughing at him when I want to be mad, but it's my favorite quality about him, too. Let's see, specifically, Brian does great impressions of people - famous people and people we know personally. I LOVE it. He picks up on their little quirks and does a great job of making fun of them.

What is one of your favorite movie quotes?
"You know what they say: If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me!" (Steel Magnolias)

If you go to Starbucks, what do you order?
Pre-Chemo: White Chocolate Mocha
On Chemo: Signature Hot Chocolate (Chemo and coffee do NOT mix)

Coke or Pepsi?
Neither. I'm a Dr. Pepper girl.

Who was your FAVORITE college roommate?
Hmm, who could've asked this question? Whitney at GlamLifeHousewife fo sho! No really, she was! I love that girl!

How many students are in your class this year and what's your favorite part of the day with them?
15 2nd graders. I love the language arts block in the morning. I like to read aloud and hear their ideas about the books that I read.

What's your favorite way to spend a Saturday?
A perfect Saturday for me would include these elements, in no particular order:
-lots of rest
-a clean house (because I cleaned it on Friday)
-a yummy breakfast
-a long walk with Brian and our 3 dogs
-a movie at the theater
-late lunch or dinner out

I like leisure.

What's your all-time favorite song?
Oh, this is so hard! I can't narrow it down to one song. I'll say that I love Gavin Degraw.

How are you?
I'm GREAT! Y'all, I feel totally normal this week. I have been full of energy and health for the past several days. I have my 3rd round of chemo (of 6 rounds) next Friday, so I'm trucking right along on this whole fight. If you are a praying person, please pray that I continue to have relatively minor side effects.

What are your goals for the future?
6 month goals:
-finish chemo
-have my final surgery
-wrap up this crazy school year
-go on a vacation with Brian

1 year goals:
-sell our current home and buy a new one
-finish Herceptin treatments and have my mediport removed (this will be the last step in fighting my cancer)
- begin writing a book with Brian about our life and the trials that we've been through to get us to this point
-go on another vacation

Long-term goals:
-work in full-time ministry
-retire early to do volunteer work
-help other young women who are facing breast cancer diagnoses



Wow, that was a long post!

Yesterday was a day for the books. It was mundane, yet magical. It was a perfect Thanksgiving Eve. For Brian and I, this is our first holiday season to be married, and it is awesome!

After sleeping in 'til 8:30, we got up and took our 3 dogs for a 3 mile walk through our neighborhood. It was cloudy and cool and leaves were blanketed over the roads. It was a beautiful, fall walk.

Then, we got in the kitchen to make some yummy desserts for Thanksgiving Day. I'm not sure if Brian was planning to help or not, but he jumped and ran when I asked for his expertise (just like he always does :). We decided to make a totally homemade blackberry pie and pumpkin cheesecake.

This is Brian meticulously rolling out the crust. I made the crust, but he was the real mastermind behind the work of art.

This lattice-work crust was more challenging than we thought. It took both of our brains to get it right.

The finished product!

After spending the morning baking, we headed out to the movie with our nephew, Maddox. We took him to see Bolt 3-D. It was a cute movie, and he lasted through the whole thing!

When the movie was over, we were starving, so we met up with the others for dinner at On the Border. Yummy!

My beautiful sisters and best friends!

On our way home, Brian and I stopped by Toys R Us to do some Christmas shopping and to get a football for Thanksgiving Day. We also picked up Monopoly Electronic Banking. We played it when we got home and we ended with a tie. Of course, I had $30 Million and Brian had $0, but I agreed to call it a tie in the interest of holiday cheer. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day!

Questions?

Ok, I got this idea from another blogger. Today, I'd like for you to leave any questions that you have for me, and I will post the answers tomorrow. Get those wheels 'a turnin'!

Decisions. Decisions.

Meet Chelsey. Chelsey is my smart, sassy, and stylish younger sister. She is 10 years younger than me, so she is still in high school and still involved in high school "things". One of the "things" she has coming up is the annual Christmas Gala at her school. Ah, the gala, I remember the days of dates, dresses, and fancy dinners. I went to the same wonderful private high school that Chelsey attends, only 10 long years ago. Anyway, back to my story. Chelsey came over this morning and we spent the entire day together. It was a blast! Most of our time together was spent shopping for a gala dress. This is such an important part of a high school girl's life. You have to have the perfect ensemble - not too fussy, but not overdone either. It's a fine art to achieve just the right look. We found a few contenders, and the search is not yet complete.

I really liked this little number. I thought that it fit her well, and it offered just the right amount of flirt.

The drawback . . . It comes with a hefty price tag at a boutique. (Don't mind me taking pictures in the background.)

This picture doesn't do justice to this dress. It was a pretty metallic. It kinda looks trash baggy in this picture, but it was very cute on. We're thinking it may be a bit short, though.

And here we are taking a lunch break from shopping at Olive Garden.

So, can you help us out? Which dress do you like better and why? She may not end up with either of these, but we would still like to know which feature you like/dislike about them. Thanks!!!

Family.

Families come in all shapes and sizes and styles these days. Some families are large and humorous. Others are small and reserved. Some are prim and proper, yet others are laid back and easy-going. Whatever the style of the family, it is a thing to be cherished.

Brian and I just got home from enjoying a wonderful evening at my in-law's house. They will be going out of town for Thanksgiving, and we will be spending the holiday with my family, so this was our time of celebration with them. (I took my camera and totally forgot to get it out to snap some pics :(

Dale and Judy prepared a fabulous meal of strawberry spinach salad, fried chicken, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, and yummy rolls. It was delicious!

I am really enjoying learning how to blend into Brian's family. It's fun, and it's a challenge. Though our families share the important core values, their dynamics differ greatly. Brian's family is composed of all adults, so the atmosphere is quiet, relaxed, and low-key. My parents' houses (my parents are divorced) are always loud, somewhat chaotic, and child-centered, as I have a young niece and nephew. Brian's family watches a lot of TV (sports mainly), and mine does not. We generally spend our time talking. I love our families so much! And, inheriting a new one is a huge blessing!

I challenge you to truly enjoy your family this holiday season!

Terrific Thanksgivings

Slow-cooked aromas wafting through the crisp autumnal air, and a boisterous home filled with raucous laughter. What do these sights, smells, and sounds conjer up in your memory? For me, these are characteristics of Thanksgiving Day, my favorite holiday of the year. I love the sense of family, gratitude, and warmth that this day ignites.

When I was a child, Thanksgiving held the same traditions each and every year. My festivities began early in the week when my sisters and I ventured to my grandmother's house to spend a few days with her. We would help her prepare a fanciful feast and learn from her terrific cooking talent. Then, our small family would gather together for a late Wednesday evening dinner. It was fabulous! No pomp. No stuffiness. Just good 'ole Southern favorites all in one place, all at one time. The funniest memory of this event is that Grandma is a particular woman. She had to have those styrofoam trays/plates that kept one's food from touching. She would search far and wide to ensure that the trays were on hand to prevent any culinary collisions. At last, the feast was devoured and our bellies were left to rest until the true turkey day arrived.

We spent Thanksgiving Eve at Grandma's house. I can remember setting my alarm to wake up in time for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Slowly, I stumbled and stammered down the extensive hall and into the kitchen to treat myself to a toasty cup of mocha cappucino and a leftover piece of warmed pecan pie. Now, this was the breakfast of champions! I settled into a snuggly chair in Grandma's formal living room, swaddled in a cozy blanket, and flipped on the TV to view the annual parade. I don't know what it is about that parade, but it just fills me with joy and glee.

I always planned the parade just right. You see, my other grandparents had Thanksgiving lunch at their house, which was about 20 minutes away. It took some engineering to make sure that I was there in time for lunch, without missing Santa's appearance in the parade. By the time I walked in the door at Granny and Papaw's, Old Saint Nick was always about to make his famed ride. As soon as I'd witnessed this each year, I was ready to turn off the TV for the day and settle into some fantastic food and pleasant conversation. However, the men always had football at the forefront of their minds.

The day always finished with another delicious meal and a hefty nap before doing the dishes, and then a night cap of some leftover delights.

Thanksgiving has evolved for me in the past few years. It's amazing how that happens as you get older and your family changes. Now, I'm looking for creative new ways to celebrate with my husband and our families. What is unique about your Thanksgiving traditions?

Football Fun!

Dr. Pond is now in business! That's right, Brian is proficient at administering shots, among many other things. I proceeded with my 2nd round of chemo on Friday, and then we had to chase it with a Neulasta (white blood cell boosting) shot on Saturday. We were both a little white-knuckled throughout the whole thing, but he's a regular pro at the medical services these days. He can strip drains, remove pain pumps, and now administer shots. The Neulasta shot was supposedly going to be hard on my bones and joints, but it hasn't been bad, at all. We went right along with our plans on Saturday, and it was a wonderful fall day!

Here we are at the football field. Brian was meeting up with some guys to play. I was along to watch and to corral Gladys.

And, here's Gladys. She's grown to a whopping 55 lbs! Now, that's a big puppy!

Following the game, I went to a bridal shower and out to eat. Then, we had a full day of church and Sunday school lunch yesterday. Today, I went back to work. Then, we had a busy evening of computer shopping (yes, I broke our laptop. yes, Brian bought me a new one the very next day.) and dinner out with some friends. I say all of that to say that I'm doing well. I'm tired, but I'm happy. I'm just so blessed to be able to do many of my normal things.

Hey Day and Head Coverings

Can I just tell you how good my God is? I have been off all week because my counts were dangerously low (174 from my 5900 norm) and that means no immune system and insant hospitalization in case of an infection. So, Brian and I talked it over and decided that a few days at school just weren't worth the risk that they presented. This week I've enlisted the powers of some mighty prayer warriors to intercede on behalf of my health. Of course, the Lord heard and answered their prayers, and my count went back up to 2000, which was the 1500+ required to proceed with chemo today. Thus, I received my 2nd round of chemo, and I feel great!

In addition to that answer to prayer, I felt absolutley normal this week. Well, other than the whole bald thing. I had energy and stamina and I was able to hold up to full days of fun and activity. It was great!

Yesterday, I had a doctor's appointment, and then Brian and I decided to have a date day. We started at the golf course. Now, I haven't been to a golf course since back in the early 90's when my dad played and he took me and my sister along to effectively distract his competition with our incessant questioning and hazardous driving skills. I was ecstatic to go because it was a lovely fall day, and I was just happy to be with my husband and outside of our home. We had the BEST time!

Check out that form!The wind caught that ball and sent it straight for the woods :)

Yep, it's fall all right.

And, now for the head covering portion. I was a fabulous cart handler at the 'ole golf course. I know all of the old farts were jealous of Brian's chauffeur! I must say, my driving skills are much improved from the early 90's, but they're still nothing to write home about. And, drumroll please.....

My wig.

{Please don't mind that it's a little crooked and a lot windblown. It really doesn't look half bad when it's correctly in place.}

At this point, my head is very tender because my hair is falling out and thinning a little more each day. I say all of that to say that the aforementioned wig isn't always the most comfortable of headpieces. I have some VERY cute ones, but I thought that I'd let Brian show you a couple of looks that I quickly ruled out. Hot model. Horrible look.

Wintertime

Winter is the coldest of all the seasons. It's bitter and even intolerable at times. The earth appears stark and bleak and the beautiful colors of spring and summer are but fleeting memories. People and animals retreat to their havens to survive the dismal days.

As I was reading Genesis 1-2 in my Bible this morning, I considered the passage in light of wintertime. "In the beginning, the earth was formless and void." I would imagine that it boasted the same starkness and bleakness that are characteristic of wintertime, but on a much grander scale. But then, God acted on the void and created life. He brought about something great from nothing.

Did you know God does the same thing in our lives today? He creates beauty out of dismal circumstances. The Lord often moves his children into wintry conditions, where things seem eerily quiet and hopeless. These are the moments of growth and creation. We must draw our strength in these times only from the Lord. And then, when the work is complete, we emerge from the void as beautiful new creatures!

Beautiful Baldies!

It's happened. The worst has come and gone, and I'm relieved to say that I'm now bald! That's right, I'm relieved. My head got painfully tender on Saturday, and my hair started "letting go" on Saturday night. I took a shower and went to bed, and then when I got up to straighten my hair, the counter was covered with my lovely locks. I went through the day yesterday, losing hair all day, and I finally said, "Brian, I want to shave it tonight. I can't do this. I'd rather just get it over with, rather than slowly mourn it for days." So, we called in the reinforcements to take pictures, and Brian shaved my head last night. It wasn't easy, but I feel like a load has been lifted. And, then Brian let me shave his head. That's right, my wonderfully supportive husband shaved his head for me! It was probably the toughest day since diagnosis day, but now, we're done and we're stronger because of it. So, for the next 16 or so weeks, I'll be singing a new tune - Bald is BEAUTIFUL!

This is me before the infamous cut.

Brian and Lauren (my sister-in-law) tag-teaming it. My face says it all.

Brian is pleased with his progress.

Yikes! I look like a man!

Just a little more off the top.

Lauren was so sweet to massage my sore head.

And, now I look like a Fraggle Rock.

Shorter and shorter...

This is me shaving Brian's head.

Beautiful Baldies!!!

Humbling Experiences.

Have you ever had one of those moments when you thought, "Geez! I'm just not as cool as I thought?" Well, today was an experience just like that for me. I went to the cancer center for a Herceptin treatment, as is my custom every Friday. I signed in, sat in the waiting room, and waited for the oh-so-friendly lab attendant to call my name incorrectly. At last, I heard my name. I quickly relinquised my seat to a senior citizen and marched into the lab, ready to act as the human pin cushion that I have so fearlessly become. I had no more than made myself comfortable in the chair, when the lady handed me this:

and this:

wrapped carefully in a Wal Mart sack.

You got it! I have to do a 24-hour urine collection. Guh-ross! My mind immediately started working overtime about how in the world I was going to do this little task while working. The sample is due one day next week, and I could just picture myself walking down the school halls carrying this equipment, and then storing it in the teachers' lounge refrigerator. I'm thinking that wouldn't go over too well. I can just hear the teachers now, "What's that between the milk and tea?" Luckily, the lab tech told me that they open early on Monday morning, so I can take care of this little item of business before school starts. Thank goodness! My pride has been spared - at least for now!

I'm no Britney.

Ok, I'll have to admit, some days are harder than others on the old cancer circuit. Some days, I blow and go through the day with ease and gusto. But, today hasn't been one of those days. Sure, I worked today. I did my job. I survived. Unfortunately, that's about all that I managed to do - SURVIVE. I'm just going to do a bit of venting today. If you've ever had the experiencing of waking up every morning and wondering if you're going to find a pile of hair on your pillow, please leave me a comment and tell me how you managed this. I know, "It's just hair. It's only 18 weeks. It'll grow back. You can cover it with a hat or wig." Blah Blu Blah Blu Blah. I've heard all of this, but maybe you don't understand. I'm a vain woman. I'll admit it. I like to look pretty. I like to put on makeup. I like to wear dresses. I like to look nice.

So, I say all of this to say that my hair is still hanging on tight. Everyone says, "It'll start coming out in clumps on day 14." Well, Friday is day 14 for me, and it's about to eat my lunch. The anticipation of looking like an alien is terrible, probably worse than the actual hair loss. Anyway, I know that this, too, is temporary. And, it will pass. Until then, I think that we should all sign on to Britney's style trend. :)

Lazy Days

Though the dog days of summer may be but a fleeting memory of the past, there is still something so sweet about lazy days at home. Today has been one of those days for me. I haven't done anything remarkable, yet the day has somehow held a special quality for me. Perhaps it is because I feel pretty normal today, with little nausea, a healthy appetite, and good energy. It's been a lovely day. Here's what I've done today:

1. Got up at 6:30 and took some anti-nausea medicine.
2. Watched The Today Show.
3. Paid some bills.
4. Wrote 5 thank you notes.
5. Read part of a book that I later decided didn't deserve my attention.
6. Bathed 2 of the 3 dogs.
7. Did one load of laundry.
8. Put clean sheets on my bed.
9. Made a huge pot of baked potato soup (thank you for the idea, Whitney!)
10. Cleaned out the refrigerator.
11. Rested and enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate :)
12. Took a walk with Gladys.
13. Strength-trained with the Bowflex.
14. Replied to some emails.
15. Snuggled with my husband on the couch.

So, you see, it was a beautiful day on Pleasant Drive :)