Breast Cancer Awareness

A few weeks ago I went to my OB for a lump I had found and he immediately sent me in to get a diagnostic mammogram and an ultrasound.  A diagnostic mammogram is a more intense mammogram, nothing different than a mammogram however - still get scrunched and flattened.  Ouch.  When I walked back there, I started tearing up as I see all of these women in their pink shirts waiting to be tested as well.  I was a bit nervous I guess you could say.  Erik wasn't allowed back there so I had to do it alone.

Both the mammogram and ultrasound came back abnormal and the radiologist and my OB suggested I see a surgeon to take it out.  I wasn't thrilled with having another surgery but went anyway.  On Monday I went to the surgeon, she looked at the films and examined me and said that yes, it needs to come out.  They just weren't sure what it was, and of course everyone's fear is that it is cancer.  So on Tuesday I had surgery.  Lots of emotions going through my head.  Of course you always think the worst - it's cancer, I'm going to have to shave my head, have chemo, get really sick, etc.  It was such an emotional time even going to pick up my pain meds for surgery on Monday evening.  I went to the Safeway pharmacy (we have to get our prescriptions filled there) and the entire store was filled with breast cancer awareness stuff.  Pink ribbons everywhere.  I couldn't control the tears, they just streamed down my face as I walked back towards the pharmacist.  I was trying so hard not to tear up as they were filling my prescriptions by walking around the store, but every isle had pink ribbons.  What a tribute to Safeway for giving such attention to this deadly disease. 

I'm now all bruised, swollen and sore.  The surgeon was able to remove the entire lump and told Erik it was "cyst like" but she would get the results back on Friday whether or not it was cancer.  Erik and Guy had given me a blessing Monday night and I felt soooo warm inside, I knew everything was going to be okay.  I honestly wasn't worried at all after that.  Yesterday afternoon around 3:00 I got a phone call from the surgeon's office telling me that I  had some technical term that I didn't understand.  She then said, "you had a ruptured cyst and it's benign."  Oh what sweet words those were to hear!  No sweeter words could have ever been spoken to me at that time.  My heart skipped a minute when she told me the technical words, but then that sweet calm and peace I felt when she said it was a ruptured cyst and NOT cancer.  The surgeon was amazing, so tender and had great bedside manner! 

I'm so grateful for Erik, for his wonderful blessing of peace and comfort and also for the amazing technology we have now.  I'm also so grateful for the amazing support I received from friends and family.  Dinner was brought in by Debbie & Karen on Tuesday and Wednesday.  (It was so delicious too!!!)  I am soooooooo blessed and such a lucky, lucky woman to know so many amazing women!!  I love my life.

Tempe Volvo Grand Opening!

We were asked to help out with Tempe Volvo's Grand opening yesterday and it was so fun!  They wanted a "lemonade stand" feel to it as they were having a charity event out front selling lemonade for cancer and we were inside the showroom with the food and tables.  The mayor and city council members were there too as well as a bunch of local magazines and local radio stations.  One of the radio stations (coyote - the jazz station) even asked for our name and number because she liked our work.  Two magazines also took our pictures and names and we will be in their magazine too!  Kristin, Sherri, Shannon & Michelle all helped with this one.  So glad I have such a great sister and friends!  I love working and spending time with them!  Of course I didn't bring my camera so I took these from my cell phone.  One of the professional photographers said they would email us pictures so as soon as I get those, I'll post them on here and get rid of these camera pictures!

Stake Achievement Day Activity 2011 - "Feast Upon...."

Let me start off by saying....I forgot my camera AGAIN so all of these pictures I stole from a good friend Shannon.  You would think by now I would remember to bring my camera.

Anyway, we had our stake achievement day activity on Saturday and the theme of the activity was "Feast Upon..."  When the girls arrived, they were asked to sign in by ward and given a name tag and also given an apron to wear throughout the activity.  They then went into the chapel for the opening exercises.  Pres. Anderson did an amazing job and really related well to the girls and tied the theme in perfectly.

The girls were then dismissed to go to their "courses".  There were 4 courses (classes):  one talked about how we were to feast unto the scriptures and they talked about how we should feast on the scriptures instead of just nibble on them.  They demonstrated that with a cookie - nibbling on a cookie or to devour the entire cookie.  Cute analogy.

The second class was the craft class taught by Sherri, Shannon and Michelle.  They taught the girls how to sew those cute rosette flowers that are popular now and had them glue them on to a clip for their hair or shirt.

The third class was a cooking class and they made chef hats as well as cake pops.  They loved this class too and they looked so cute wearing their chef hats around the building!

The fourth class was a dance class.  They all learned a dance that was taught by Liz and she was able to teach the girls the entire dance in 30 minutes....amazing.

After all of the classes were done, they met back in the cultural hall where they were served lunch and also all danced together the dance they had learned.  It was so awesome seeing all of them dance at one time.  It actually brought little tears to my eyes seeing them all so happy.  Once they finished that, we decided to turn the lights down low again so they could dance under the disco ball and they all cheered so loud and were so excited to dance under the disco ball.  The disco ball again was the hit of the party.  It's so fun!  We hung our white paper lanterns up this time too as well as the disco ball.  The girls had a great time and were very excited to be there.  They wanted to take everything home as souvenirs.  In fact, we caught some of the girls taking home my chair ties because they thought they were theirs too keep.  Cute girls and I'm so glad they had a great time!

Here are the sign-in tables.

 

Here are the invitations:

Here are the aprons that "WE" (wink wink) made.  I don't sew, so I had nothing to do with these.  They turned out darling, didn't they?!  Love them!

Here are the class signs:

Farewell my friend!

My dear friend Lana Hollingsworth's funeral was held yesterday.  What a wonderful funeral service it was for her.  She was attacked by a black bear up in Pinetop and didn't survive the attack after being in the hospital and lots of surgeries over the past month.  The funeral service was beautiful - the talks and musical numbers were just perfect, exactly as Lana would have wanted it.  Even her husband Marv spoke at the end.  I don't know how he held up so well.  Such an awesome man.

Lana was a very giving person, always serving others.  I was asked to help set up the table at the viewing Monday evening along with a few other amazing sisters.  That was very difficult as I do not like viewings at all.  I just stayed in the other room with the decorations as it is just too painful to go see her.  I like to remember her with a big smile on her face and always volunteering to help every time we have a gig.  It was also my privilege to help with the luncheon for the family after the funeral.  Lana will be greatly missed.  I'm so glad we crossed paths and that I was able to learn so much from her.  Wonderful friend who will be missed greatly!  Until we meet again Lana.

New job!

Well, after I left Abbott, I got a phone call from a good friend of ours who lives in the Chaparral Ward, named Eric.  AWESOME man, friend and leader in the church.  Anyway, he works for the church as a seminary teacher and he called me up out of the blue and asked me if I might be interested in being his "Support Specialist" for seminary.  It's just a part time job, but what a great gig to have!!  I have had quite a few job offers since I left, but something just didn't seem quite right and I kept turning the jobs down. Of course I took this job, how could I not?!!  How many jobs do you get where you can be home for your kids when you need to be, plus have your home page be of the Savior.  Great environment.  Eric asked if I would help him decorate his room since he has been gone all summer at EFY in Utah teaching.  This year they will be studying the Old Testament.

So...I bought some foam board, cut it in half, painted the sides gold, copied the scriptures and took them to Kinkos to enlarge them, aged the paper with tea, glued and pinned the papers on my foam board, put a ribbon in between and TA-DA....I have a large Holy Bible that I am going to put on the wall.  I think it turned out pretty cute, what do you think?!  I have other things in the room too, just didn't bring my camera to work.  I'm loving this though.  I think I'm going to borrow it for our Stake Primary Activity we are having in a couple of weeks.  It will fit right into our theme - "Feast Upon..."  This is going to be a fun year!

Hailey's tonsils

Poor Hailey had to have her tonsils removed today.  She was SUCH a good sport!!  They couldn't find her veins because she was so dehydrated.  Her throat was so sore so she wasn't drinking very much and then she couldn't drink before surgery so she was really dehydrated.  Needless to say, it took four people and 30-40 minutes before they finally found a vein that they could use.  She was a trooper and did great!  We were all proud of her because it hurt like crazy as she was stuck over and over again.  We love you Hailey!  Glad you will be feeling better soon!! 

CAUTION - New Driver!!

Well the BIG DAY finally came for Lindsay.  She took the driving portion of the test to get her drivers license and she passed.  She was SOOOOO excited!  I make my girls keep their permits for a long time for two reasons:
1.  More driving time and experience behind the wheel before they get their license and
2.  You don't have to pay insurance for them as long as they just have a permit. So now she is an official driver.....you have officially been warned!  Just kidding - she is a good driver!  She wants to go anywhere and everywhere now so if you have any errands to run....she's your girl!

I love to see the Logan Temple

I forgot to add pictures of the Logan temple.  The house we were renting was only a few blocks from the temple.  You can see the Logan temple from pretty much everywhere in the town.  LOVE that temple!  It is so beautiful at night all lit up too.

Puzzle & Going Home

We bought a few puzzles while we were up in Logan of the town and put them together during our down time during the evening.  It was a fun way to wind down at night and work together to finish the puzzle.  I'm just including all of the extra random pictures on the way home so I will have them.  I always seem to take pictures of Erik eating.  Hmmm.....does that mean he is always eating or do I just happen to have my camera with me when he's eating? It was a great vacation and I am so glad we went.  Loved the weather and the little parade the most I think.  Such a slower and simpler life there.  I sure do love this country of ours!