Thanks!

Wow! It's hard to believe so much time has passed so quickly. I was just thinking on the way to work this morning how quickly the time has gone by. Just a year ago, we were in the midst of treatments, and I had, for a lack of better words, holed up at home. I had no desire to go outside of the house for much, and I pretty much didn't. Now, here I am a year later, quite the opposite! I am back to working 4 days a week, keeping up with the housework (or trying to at least..haha), running most days (I even get to sneak a few days of running with my favorite running partner, the hubbs, every now and then!), and being busy on most weekends. What a blessing! Before this whole ordeal I would have never thought of "being busy" as a blessing, now I know it is nothing short of that, and thank God every day that I am able to count that blessing.  I apologize for not updating more regularly, I always have full intentions of updating at least a month, but as we know, life creeps up and plans change. :) Thankfully my mom picked up the ball and covered for me the last time. Haha. As she reported, I had my 6 months scans in August and was given the all clear for another 3 months. So we will head back at the end of November for my next scan, and God willing, receive the same results. I can't express enough gratitude for all of the prayers you have been sending my way- please keep them coming! The first two years after treatment are the most crucial, as that is when most recurrences creep up. I am fully confident that with your prayers and God on my side, I will make it to the 2 year mark all clear, and each 3 month check mark is just another reason to for praise and thanksgiving!

If you missed my mom's previous post, we have two other reasons for praise in our family lately! Two babies! Kalen, Trisha, and Jack welcomed Miss Cora into the family about a week ago, and Kaleb and Fabi  are expecting their baby boy in just a few short months! :) Unfortunately, I have yet to meet baby Cora, but she is absolutely gorgeous in her pictures (There's been some chatter she looks like her favorite aunt??), and I can't wait to snuggle up to her soon. I've even heard big brother Jack might be liking her a little bit as well. I'm a sucker for babies, there's no way around it, and I'm hoping God will bless us with a family sooner rather than later, but these two will certainly curb my baby fever for awhile! :) haha

And yet another blessing, Matt and I were finally able to go on vacation! :) Due to my diagnosis coming right after our wedding, we truly didn't have time for a honeymoon as we had to move full speed ahead with treatments. So we promised ourselves that once this was all done and over with, we would go somewhere. Holding on to that thought kept me going many times when things got ugly... and thank God, we finally made it! We just returned from Montego Bay, and it was absolutely amazing. I feel bad because every time someone asks about the trip, that's what I tell them, but there are just no other words for it. The whole entire trip was utterly amazing. The most simple and obvious reason being the fact that Matt and I finally had a chance to get away from everything, and remember what brought us together in the first place. It was so nice to be able to focus on and appreciate each other, and gave me the time to celebrate the fact that I am married to the most amazing man I know. How I ended up with such a selfless, considerate husband is beyond me, but I will never get tired of thanking God for that blessing. ;)  Beyond that, Jamaica itself was just breathtaking. The scenery was awesome, clear blue waters, a beautiful mountain back drop outside of our room, and such vibrant colors in both the wildlife and the agriculture, I could go on for hours. lol. The culture as a whole was inspiring. It's a shame we don't see more of that here in the states. Everybody was in a good mood/happy/helpful! I don't think we dealt with one person that wasn't outgoing and helpful. Granted, most would say this is because they are paid to be that way, but to me it seemed more than that. It seemed as though it was innate. And the food there..don't even get me started on that. I'm pretty sure Matt and I gained 10 lbs while being there. It'll be time for some serious dieting in the Fausset household now. lol. I would say the coolest part of the whole trip was the snorkeling we were able to do a few days. It was so neat! Seeing all of the different creatures in the ocean, and feeling jellyfish and other fish, awesome!  I've often heard that people feel closer to God/God's presence by the water, and it's definitely true for me. I've always been a beach baby at heart, and this trip sent me home feel completely refreshed and renewed.

Please continue to keep us in prayer, and we will continually pray for all of your as I know there are so many of that need it right now.. but also remember that just as important as it is to ask for God's help, it is equally important to praise for the blessings already given to us. I heard something before that has always stuck with me; "What if all you woke up with tomorrow, is what you thanked God for today?". It's a very good point. Each of us have something to be thankful for, whether big or small. Hope you all are doing well and enjoying the crisp fall weather that is upon us now!

2nd one down!!

I was just checking in to see if Meg has had time to keep this blog updated and not surprised to see that the post are few and far between! It is sooo easy now at this point to forget the past year and get distracted from what has happened. And then a little reminder pops it's ugly head up...like her 6 month scans. But once again things have went well and she remains clear. Also good news is that they can now start thinking about that family she has always wanted..no rush though b/c we already have 2 new ones on the way..1 any day now and 1 in September. It has been such a busy summer with so many good things going on that I have to remind myself  to remember that in the middle of the darkest day God was there and remains there even when we are too busy enjoying this life to truly take time and appreciate the way he holds us close. So thank you Lord for this latest blessing!

A year gone by??

Whoa- it has almost been a year already?! It is so baffling to me to think about a year ago I had just found out that I most likely had cancer, my husband was in Afghanistan, I was trying to plan a wedding, and prep for an upcoming surgery....only to hear the other shoe drop, and face 6 months of chemo. The silver lining behind all that is that it simply amazes me to think how much life can change in a year, and what amazing power prayer and faith in God has. There is no doubt in my mind, where I stand today is thanks to all of you and your many many prayers, and good thoughts, and the love of God.

So sorry that it has been so long since I have updated..Matt and I have been so busy lately, but I'll take it! I love the fact that thanks to all of your prayers, I am feeling well enough to BE busy. Let's see where everything is at now.. I had my reversal the first week in March. Just for anyone who stumbles across this blog that is in the same boat I was in and unfortunately needs to go through this operation, the best advice I can give you is what everybody tried to tell me, but I didn't listen- STAY AWAY FROM THE INTERNET!! Leading up to my surgery I read so many horror stories, I was convinced the whole surgery was going to be traumatic, and that recovery was going to be even worse. I was sure that my life was going to be confined to my house, and therefore I didn't make many plans to do anything afterwards. Everyone in my family tried to discourage me away from reading these stories, but I was sure they didn't know what they were talking about since they weren't "in my shoes"... (yep, insert foot into mouth now.) That is not to say that there isn't a lot of great advice out there- just be sure to proceed with caution,  and filter!! Not every scenario will happen to you..everybody is different, every person heals differently, and the power of prayer really does deliver miracles.

Somewhere in all the negative thoughts, my stubborn attitude came through and I made three goals following my surgery. #1. Get back to work, somehow, somewhere. I felt terrible for not contributing to our monthly bills, and also it was just driving me nuts being home all day! #2. Be able to comfortably attend Matt's Army ball..(anybody that knows me knows that I have pretty much been looking forward to this since the day I met Matt.lol) #3. Participate in the Dirty Girl Mud Run 5k.

Well I can tell you I have now completed all three of those goals!! :) Looks like I will have to set some more goals soon. Recovery from surgery was MUCH easier than I anticipated, I was back on my feet and feeling better in no time at all. Actually, I am just about to the point now where I am feeling back to "normal" (or as close to normal as I have ever been.. ha!) and it is SO nice. I made it through my recovery with no complications yet *knock on wood*, had my 3 month scans in May- which were clear, and had my port removed! Such a simple thing, but it was so nice to remove the last physical reminder of this battle, aside from my fantastic scars or "battle wounds" of course.

In the midst of all these other happenings, Matt and I also moved into a new place last weekend. Thank God for Jodie and Tom being so generous and helping us with a place to stay for many months, but like my mom has always said, you don't want to overstay your welcome, and it was time for us to get on our own feet. We found a place much closer to Matt's work (actually he can run to work if he wants...bets are open, who thinks this will happen?!). Although I am not enjoying all the unpacking that comes along with moving, it has been nice for us to get a fresh start- a new place, without cancer. :)

Goal #1- 6 weeks after surgery I started working as a nanny for a 15 month old boy, Grady, and an awesome family! They have been super supportive of everything that may pop up in my life, and it has been a great transition for me back into working.

Goal #2- Matt and I made it to the ball in the Inner Harbor and had a blast! It was just what we both needed. Luckily, we had some good friends to spend the night with as well.

Goal #3- Participated in the Dirty Girl Mud Run 5k with Lacee, Brandy, and Vicki and had a kick ass time!! Not only is this an accomplishment I am proud of due to the fact that it is 4 months out from me finishing chemo, I'm proud of this period because I don't run..unless I'm being chased by T-Rex or something serious like that.

Agh- I have some great pics of ALL of these goals to share with you, but in typical fashion, my computer won't cooperate. BUT I will try again tomorrow so just try to have some patience with me. :)

Matt's brother Brian and his girlfriend Lacee came out to visit us for the week. Such a good time! Always a great time having company, but so quiet after they leave. Hopefully they are back soon!!

More exciting news- we will have another niece, and either a niece or nephew this fall! I can't wait, love spoiling them!

Sorry for rambling, but there's been so much going on. I apologize in advance for not updating much- but that just means life is good. Life is calm again, and I am back out enjoying it, rather than hanging out in hospitals with doctors. I would much rather it that way, what about you?! As I always say, thank you SO much for the continued prayers and love. Although things are good now, I know with something like this I am never completely "out of the woods", and I know now is not the time to stop praying- so please keep them coming if you can! :)

Hope you all are out and about enjoying the start to your summer!

Full circle!!

  I just thought I would be nice and post some on here to be a good supportive mother for Meghan, plus I am really overjoyed at where we are now in our lives! It seems that we have came full circle from where we started this time last year. It was in April that we were planning a wedding without any major concerns about her health. It is because I have just came back from spending  a week with her and it was fantastic! I count my blessings that God has brought us to this point and I have a wonderful husband that will let me run away when I want to. Also on a side note the house doesn't even look too bad for him "baching" it for a week.
  It was such a joy to go to Meghan's and see how happy she was to play "hostess" (we pretended for Jim"s sake that she needed me to stay while Matt was away but she would have been fine without me). Their house is coming along so nicely and looks so cozy! I was so proud of the way she has went from a young girl to being a wife with a home of her own to take care of and enjoy making a home with!
 But it was wonderful and combining that with the fact that we had just had a great time at her benefit along with the knowledge that she has had the support then and though-out this journey of so many wonderful people ..it was just one of those special times in life that remind you of how lucky you are. We did manage to be slightly serious though 1 day and went to Hopkins to get her blood work done for the genetic testing
(once again thank-you to everyone who made this possible! now we can hopefully find out where this monster came from and the risks for the children in the family) But mainly we were just a young wife and 'mom' bonding while being tourist because we didn't have the time/focus or energy when we were together in that area before this.
Before I finish this I would just like to say a few things about her benefit for anyone who might not be on facebook much and is still keeping up with her blog. It was wonderful and there are so many who helped to make it a success!! It took a lot of effort from  her brother Jamie and Dad to pull it all together and even though at 1st it seems a bad date because of Easter it actually worked out well and provided a reason for so many of the family to be here for both events. She is lucky to have them both in her corner. I don't know what would have happened if her Uncle Greg and Jim along with help from Sibonne Voss weren't there to man the entrance tables with the tickets for different things. ( I know that I have spelled her name wrong but this "lady" was a god send and I wanted to acknowledge that I really appreciated her help! So sorry about the spelling. Also it is important to mention that I was no help at all!! Not really sure why but I was pretty much worthless even though I tried ..I just couldn't get it together to actually be much help. So for that I apologize. There are so many others though that did help ..the Summit Staff and Tracie that helped set up & tear down along with donating their time..the family, friends and local businesses that donated food for the event..the donations for the Chinese auction and silent auctions..Everyone who took time from spending it with their family on a holiday to show their support..those that bought tickets or even just made a monetary donation..and they are still coming in!! (how lucky she is and I can attest to how appreciative she is each time she gets even just a card from someone.) The gentleman that won the 50/50 and then donated it back and the list goes on and on....
And this is why I don't often post on here Meggie..I just don't seem to know when to quit typing. But thank-you, thank-you for supporting her and LIFE IS GOOD!

Survived Surgery!! :)

Sorry for being so late in this update..I really hoped someone else would have felt ambitious enough to put an update in the past two weeks for you guys, in hopes that it would be something a bit more interesting than my usual blog posts for y'all! haha Anyway, as you can tell, I survived surgery #2 just fine. After LOTS of anticipation, it went much better than I, and I think the rest of my family as well, expected. Surgery took place as planned on March 7th, for once I didn't decide to take longer in the OR than anticipated, and I made it out on time! I was fortunate enough to have Matt, my mom, Jim, my dad, and Mike and Brian that all made the trip to be there for support. Thank you all! I love you guys. :) Thanks to the advice I had received from some friends that had gone through this surgery, I was up out of the bed and walking LOTS of laps as soon as the nurses would let me.. I wasn't quite as stubborn this time around and nobody had to force me..lol.. the walking seemed to help tremendously.Luckily I only had to stay in the hospital for 3 days and was discharged on Sunday- I'm pretty sure Matt and my mom would have killed me if either had to sleep in the hospital another night. lol. I also had lots of visitors to keep me company/distract me again while I was in the hospital this time around, thank-you!! In addition to all the visitors, I also had pretty much the same team of nurses I had last time.. they are awesome! If you ever have to be in the hospital, the people in 6 South at Passavant have to be some of the most caring, warm hearted people. We even managed to get our Team Meghan T-shirts signed by just about everyone, and snapped a picture on the day of my discharge.

After being discharged Sunday, we made the trip to Waynesburg to attend my grandfather's viewing. He had passed while I was in the hospital..it is such an unfortunate event and a huge loss to all of us, but I was glad to be able to make it and see him one last time, and also see some family members I haven't seen in way too long- although it would be much nicer to see them all under better circumstances next time! Tom Dulaney, you were such a fighter, and will be missed and carried in our hearts forever.

Since then I have been home, between Brockport and Ridgway, recovering. I am so happy to say that this recovery has NOTHING on the last one! Thanks to all of your prayers I am sure, this recovery has been pretty uneventful for the most part. The pain has been manageable, I have mainly been doing a whole lot of sleeping to catch up, and my appetite is even starting to come back..which for anybody that knows me, knows that surely this is no concern, everyone has no doubt the fat kid in me will be back in no time. lol I love food way too much to expect anything besides that. This time around we have had no issues with dehydration, no admissions to the hospital, and even the ugly incision they left me after the surgery is starting to heal up! *I will do you all a favor and NOT post a picture of that..lol* Mom and I made the trip to Dr. Medich's office yesterday for my follow up appointment and so far they are pleased and everything looks great! So that means Friday I will be heading back to MD.. I am very excited to see my wonderful husband again finally, not so excited about returning to those wifely duties. haha..

Even better news about this smooth recovery? I will be seeing you all at the Team Meghan Benefit coming up in a few weeks! I am really looking forward to seeing you all, and being able to thank you all in person for your love, support, and prayers! :) You have been absolutely amazing. Keep them coming--This is no doubt another step in the right direction on the road to recovery, but I know well enough we still have quite a long road ahead. Thank you! Hope you all are staying warm- I know if nothing else, I will be glad to be back in MD for the weather..lol The first day of Spring, and up here in PA it just seems that we keep getting more and MORE snow!

Well..Here goes nothing!

First of all- thank you to everyone who attended my "birthday party" on facebook, and anyone that popped in to read my mom's last blog entry, and for the comments. :) Also, thank you to my momma for taking the time to be so thoughtful and putting a smile on my face by doing those things. Although I was away from everyone on my birthday, I really didn't feel alone at all. I felt so much love from you all and my "team" everywhere!

So the big day is almost here- I will be honest, I am a big ball of nervous and anxious today..but I am trying with all I've got to be productive. lol . Matt and I will leave tomorrow to head to Pittsburgh..that is, if Mother Nature cooperates. Of course Maryland would decide to get it's snow storm now, when we have to travel. ha! So some prayers for safe travels would be greatly appreciated. :) Then the real fun begins. The hospital will call sometime Wednesday to let me know what time surgery is on Thursday. Yikes. I know the end result will completely be worth it, but I DREAD the idea of being back in the hospital. Something about shots, the oh-so-comfortable hospital beds, and the 2am wake ups from nurses needing your vitals just doesn't really do it for me. However, I am looking forward to the fact that I should have about the same group of nurses as I did last time, which is a huge relief- they were nothing short of amazing. :)

According to Dr. Medich, this surgery should not be nearly as intense as the first surgery. His words exactly were, last time I felt like I was hit by a train, this time I should only feel like I got hit by a truck. Agh- we're supposed to find comfort in that?? haha. But it gets better- then he goes on to tell me I will feel like someone is stabbing me in the stomach with a knife- but that will be controlled with pain meds. Now I could be wrong here, as I have never been stabbed before, but I can't imagine that is a pleasant feeling either?? The good news is that, if all goes as planned and my body cooperates, I should only be in the hospital for about 3 days. Yay!! From what I can understand, there will be about 2 weeks following the surgery that things will be really rough, but after that things should start to improve. So going with that frame of mind, I should be doing okay by the time the Team Meghan fundraiser rolls around at the end of this month..at the very least I want to attend for whatever time I can handle to see all of you that have been supporting us every step of this journey!

I am sure one of the family members will be keeping tabs on this place after surgery to give y'all some updates...they are better at coming up with interesting updates anyway! haha. Hope everybody is having a great week..thank you in advance for all the prayers this week/weekend..and here's to kicking butt and closing this chapter. Love you all!

~God Bless

Happy Birthday Dear..It's YOUR party!

Happy birthday to you! I am trying to have a party for you but it is a little difficult when you live in a different state! I tried to create an event on facebook and invite ppl to post on here for you today but..you know my computer skills! Please don't think you are all alone and no one cares if the party is a bust and nobody comes. I can't believe everything we have been through in the last year and how unexpected a good bit of it was. Maybe sometimes it isn't good to know EVERYTHING the future holds. But I have seen more good than bad and look forward to what the next year will bring for you. I have always looked forward to each new stage as you grew and maybe that is why as the years past that I didn't seem to have as many negative feelings/sadness for the parts left behind that some parents do. Although not much compares to small hands and dirty faces or sweet sleeping smiles and damp ringlets.
This year I have seen you develop into a strong young woman that brings with it the knowledge that  now can definitely quit worrying about who will take care of me when I am old. I feel confident that as changes continue to come in your life, you will be able to meet them head-on, overcoming the obstacles that life often brings with it's joys. So happy birthday and even if it's "your party" don't cry..just stay in your pjs, eat bon-bons and watch soaps all day if you want! Love you.

And the craziness begins..

So these next few months are going to be super crazy- BUT I have it in my mind it's going to be a good kind of crazy, and I'm sticking with that. A positive frame of mind is half the battle, right? So chemo is officially done- yay! No Mo Chemo, at least if I have any say in the matter! All the blood work looks great, CT scans came back clean..which basically translates to a break from the oncologist's office for about three months. :) Don't get me wrong, there is still an incredibly long road ahead of me; surgery, check ups/blood work/scans every 3 months, Genetics counseling, etc.....however. I think this is an awesome first step in the right direction, and I'm going to take it and run with it right now. God is so good, and certainly heard all of your prayers- thank you. :)

Also on the medical side of things- Matt and I made the trip to Pittsburgh to meet with my surgeon at UPMC to see if everything looks okay for surgery- after a very long day, and a ridiculously fun test (I wish you could sense my sarcasm through a computer...lol) Dr. Medich said all looks great, and surgery is a go for March 7th. He's basically told me to prepare for roughly two weeks of hell after the surgery, but after that things should start looking up. The way I'm calculating things, that should put me right in the right time frame to see all of you that are able to attend the benefit. :) As and added bonus, we made the trip to Waynesburg the night before our appointment so we didn't have to wake up QUITE so early on Wednesday, and we were able to see Aunt Linda, Katrina, and Uncle Greg, my momma and my grandpa Tom...always a plus! Our families have been such a huge support for us through all this, and I know I am very fortunate to have that as many people don't, they are certainly something I thank God for everyday. It was especially important to me to see my grandpa as he is fighting his own battle with cancer right now- if you could, please keep him in prayer. He's stubborn as the day is long, and I have complete confidence he can continue to fight, he just needs a bit of help right now. Thank you! :)

The weekend before our trip to Pittsburgh, my dad and Nancy made it down to visit. We had a great time! Matt and I met up with them in the Inner Harbor, and we had a delicious dinner by the water (yes, I'm still a fat kid that loves food at heart. lol), and then made it back to our house where dad helped me build a makeshift garden at our place. I'm posting a picture my dad and I took by the harbor..completely terrible pic of me (it was FREEZING), but it's proof that my dad does travel sometimes. haha.

So it'll be birthday celebration next week, then time to prep for surgery. Then a little bit of recovery time, then Matt's family is coming to visit for a bit, then we'll be back up to Ridgway for Easter/Team Meghan benefit. I'm really looking forward to seeing all of our family and friends! :) Also, quite a few people have asked how they can donate to the benefit, if they aren't able to attend/don't wish to buy tickets...to resolve that issue we have created a website where you can donate pretty easily.. if you are interested, just let me or my dad know and we'll get the website out to you.

I can't believe I almost forgot one of the most exciting parts of my life the past couple weeks..I'm going to be an aunt again!!! :) I can't wait! I love my nieces and nephew to pieces, and one more will just be all the better.

Hope you all are doing well and have a great day...God bless you all!

You go Girl!!

I just wanted to share that I am so proud of you for continuing to share on your blog. Life gets so busy that I haven't even thought about it in quite awhile. It is somewhat strange to be facing the end of this trial in your life. The year has went by, with so many changes that it seems both a lifetime away from where we started to actually hard to believe it is time for the "beginning of the end" of it all. Although I am sure it seems longer to you since you are the one dealing physically along with emotionally and mentally.
But I have been impressed with your strength and faith throughout this battle and am still amazed at times with how you have coped and grown as you have traveled through this valley. Keep in mind..it's just over that next hill, around the bend and then you will be ready to take on the world again!!

Final Chemo Day!

So it's quickly approaching..my last chemo treatment! I am scheduled for #12 on Monday, and I can't wait to get it over with!! Although we will probably be pretty tired after staying up for the Super Bowl Sunday. :) As nice as my nurses have been throughout all this, it'll be great to not have to see them again!! I know I have been asking you all for prayers throughout this journey, but I'd like to ask you if you have a spare moment this weekend, or Monday to send up a prayer specifically for the last treatment to go uneventfully- AND for my blood work to show that the cancer has taken a hike and is out of my system. It would really mean a lot to me, thank you!

After Monday, we have a pretty calm month- which I intend to spend the whole month celebrating..there are two major events, chemo is over and my birthday is at the end of the month. What more of a an excuse could a girl want?! Other than celebrating, we also have a few medical events coming up this month. On the 13th, we meet with the genetics doctor again, Dr. Giardiello, again to go over the results of the gene test. Matt and I met with him last month so he could basically go over all the specifics related to FAP, the genetic disease they suspect I have, and to do blood tests to identify the specific mutation within my genes. Then, on the 20th we will travel back up to Pittsburgh to meet with Dr. Medich at UPMC to see if all is a go for my next surgery. To be honest, I was somewhat putting off posting about this, merely because I didn't want to get ahead of myself and jinx any hopes of the surgery being able to take place. But after a lot of thought, I realized it has been all the love, support, and prayers from all of you that have got me this far in my journey, so how could it not make sense to include you all in this event, in a time that I can definitely use all the prayers and support! Dr. Medich will run a few tests, make sure everything has recovered from the last surgery and chemo, and then if all looks well we will be scheduled to see him again March 7th for surgery. This surgery *should* be a lot less uneventful, and a good bit less recovery than the last one. Although, as anyone in my family can tell you, for some reason when it comes to hospitals/surgeries, I seem to like to stick around a few extra days, so I am hoping that is not the case with this one! Regardless, whatever recovery may entail, my goal is to be recovered and well enough to see all of you at the Team Meghan benefit on the 31st.

I hope all is well with all of you. As always, thank you for all of your continued love, support, and prayers- keep them coming!! We could not do any of this without all of you..

Just wanted to share this- It's a scripture that has been really helpful for me to remember during this trial, and really it can apply to all of us with the many things life throws at us. :)

Team Meghan Benefit

Just a quick update on some more information we have on the Team Meghan benefit we are having on March 31st. I apologize for those of you that have Facebook, and have already seen this, just trying to do my best to keep everyone up to date. There are several people selling tickets at this point. If you would like to purchase a ticket, please feel free to contact me, my dad, or my brother, Jamie Cobaugh. Most likely we will be able to point you in the best direction. :) Tickets are selling for $10/ea. and enter you for the chance to win some really great prizes! In addition to the prizes listed on the tickets, there are also going to be door prizes given away that day. Just today Tammy E. Photography donated a photography session. Awesome!! Posted below are the pictures I have so far of the prizes listed on the ticket. Please let me know if any of you have any additional questions, and as always, thank you for your support! Hope to see you all there.

Team Meghan mugs handcrafted by Geno Boni, with some amazing penmanship by Samatha Carson!

$250 gift certificate for Summt Motel. Yum!

$500 Gift Certificate donated by Paint My World Designs by Nancy Tomaski. Her work is breathtaking!

Thank you, Tammy! :)

Stainless Steel Muzzle Loader Rifle generously donated by Ralph Dussia

Vera Bradley travel set donated by South Street Botanical Designs

Who couldn't use a good mani/pedi? "Pampering Package" donated by the wonderful ladies at Hello Beautiful.

Happy New Years! :)

I hope everyone had a very happy New Years! Here's hoping 2013 brings a year full of health, happiness and peace to us all. Our New Years was bittersweet. Matt and I managed to make it back from our holiday travels in time for treatment #10, unfortunately my white blood count didn't want to cooperate and was a tad low, so treatment was delayed until next week. :(  Similar to the last delay I had, I was pretty bummed out, but in all honesty it was most likely a blessing in disguise because between getting in so late Sunday night and all the traveling we did leading up to Monday, I was exhausted, so I can only imagine how tired I would have been had we done the treatment. So we are spending this week seeing how much my body will raise the white blood count on it's own, and we will try again for treatment #10 next Monday. Any thoughts and prayers you can send our way would be greatly appreciated! That was our negative side of the holiday, but on a positive note, my cousin Katrina and her boyfriend came down for a surprise visit. That was awesome news!! :) I love that girly, and her visit was long overdue...hadn't had a chance to catch up with her in person since June, and since that was in the hospital and I don't remember most conversations, it doesn't count. lol. On top of that, we all went over to Lisa's and spent the night eating lots of yummy food and hanging out with most of the Kelly crew! :)

Before I get into the rambling about the events of our Christmas travels, I need to take a minute to dote on my loving husband for a minute. As I mentioned earlier, this was the first Christmas Matt and I have spent together and we were both looking forward to it quite a bit. A few days before we left for our travels, Matt surprised me with having my favorite flower, lilies, delivered to the house! :) I don't care how old you are, or how much you want to "claim" to not like flowers...getting a surprise flower delivery puts a smile on anyone's face! He also surprised me with a beautiful bracelet for a Christmas present..all the while putting up with my frantic, crazy, tactics I had while rushing all around the past week or so. lol .. It truly still amazes me that I am lucky enough to be married to such a thoughtful, patient, and understanding man. I can't say enough about how much his love and support helps me.

So there's quite a bit to update about our holiday travels...I will try not to make it too confusing, but no promises. haha. We made it to Pennsylvania without running into any snow storms, and fortunately for me, I was able to see quite a few people in just a few short days! I made a stop down at Hello Beautiful, where the amazing ladies took the day to pamper me..I got a kick ass pedicure and a new hair do finally! Matt and I were able to meet up with Brandy Raubenstrach, her adorable girls, and a surprise visit from her mom,. Moe as well!! Nothing like a day of pedicures and Godfather sandwhich from Aiello's to make a girl feel good. :) We stopped over to catch up with our friends at Fox Township, and were lucky enough to enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and good Christmas stories with our first grade friends over there. (Awesome to see everyone, but really made me remember how much I miss teaching/being in the schools. :(...I'm determined to make it back someday.) Finally, Katie Burkhouse, Brittany Roof, and Cyndi Burkett all took time out of their day to stop by for a visit. It was great just to spend a few hours chatting and catching up with them! I'm pretty sure this was the first time I was able to see friends AND family white I was home, and it was so nice. Thank you all!

Aside from all those visits, we were also blessed to spend some quality time with our families. We had a wonderful Christmas at both my mom's and my dad's, spending lots of time catching up with my brothers and their families, as well as many cousins and my aunt and uncle (also a long overdue visit!)...all the while, surviving the snow that decided to come while we were there. It was so much fun seeing the little ones really enjoying Christmas this year!

Next we made our trip out to Indiana. A whole other bunch of good times! I'd say this visit was the most overdue. It really had been quite awhile since we were in Indiana, and we were both happy to be able to make it out there to see everyone. We were able to spend time catching up with Matt's parents, his brothers and their families, cousins, aunts and uncles. I even had the chance to meet one of his aunts I hadn't met yet! We both enjoyed playing with our niece and nephew out there that are growing up way too fast!! Matt and his brothers enjoyed a night at the IU basketball game and had a blast, while us girls went to get our nails done. (I know....not my favorite sport by any means, but it made him happy so that's what matters...BTW- I also want to note I was able to keep my mouth shut for over a month and keep this a surprise..that's a huge feat for me. lol) ..He also managed to hurt his ankle while playing basketball with his brother *turns out he can't keep up with the young bucks quite as well as he thought..haha*. I'm attaching a picture of the phenomenal cake that Matt's cousins Mallery and Macy let me help them with. These girls are seriously like the next up and coming cake bosses! They made a 4 layer cake for our Christmas dinner, and included all the bells and whistles you could imagine. The cake was delicious, but I think the process of making it was the most fun! :)

Although the holidays can be hectic, it really is truly worth it all when everyone is able to take time to slow down and really enjoy all the wonderful people we have in our lives, and enjoy how blessed we all are. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well!

Aside from all the Christmas happenings, we were also able to work on and iron out some details for our upcoming fundraiser. After devoting much of their time and effort to this, my dad and brothers have created a fundraiser event that will take place in March. If any of you are interested, I am going to list some basic information about the event, as well as attaching a picture of the tickets we will be using. If you have any additional questions, or would like to help in anyway, please feel free to contact me, my dad, or my brother Jamie. Before I get any further, I also want to thank everyone who has already helped with this; South Street Botanical Designs, River Valley Surplus, Hello Beautiful, Paint My World, Gene Boni with Appalachian Arts, and all of you that are already helping us by selling tickets on our behalf.

 So here's the basic info in a nutshell. We are having a raffle fundraiser, as well as giving away some door prizes on March 31st, at the Summit Motel. Tickets are being sold for $10/ea, and you have the chance to win some really amazing prizes. If you live out of town, or will not be able to attend that day, do not worry. Prizes won will be able to be shipped. I think that covers almost everything, but as I mentioned earlier, feel free to ask if you have any questions!

As always, thank you all for your love and support! Hope you all are doing well, and we are wishing you all a very happy and blessed New Year!