I’ve got a new scar that runs around the front half of my neck from where they removed my Thyroid and limph nodes today. The crazy thing is, mentally I feel worse now that I did while I was waiting for the last few weeks.

When they were in the OR they confirmed that I do indeed have Thyroid Cancer. Until they took the thyroid out, it wasn’t 100%. So between that tiny percentage chance that all of the pre-op tests were wrong, and the healthy (or unhealthy) dose of denial I’ve been living with, I haven’t really faced the reality of that word yet.

I have cancer. That sucks. I started to cry earlier and then realized that was a terrible and painful idea. Luckily Chris was here to calm me.

I am so blessed with the way our friends and family have rallied around us. Thank you everyone, thank you.

After seeing a note about it on Playing Grown Up, I just watched the first episode of Sister Wives, a new show on TLC about a polygamist family in (of course) Utah.  The current wives and husband have all been together for 16 years, but he has been courting another woman and is about to bring her in as a wife also.

Religious views aside, I just really don’t think I could deal with the jealousy issues that that lifestyle would raise.  I’m bad enough and my husband isn’t even out looking for another!

I’ve gone back and forth on whether or not to post this, but if you’re reading it I guess it means that I have made a decision.

As far as cancers go, it’s really not so bad.  They’ll take my thyroid out (1 night in the hospital) and maybe do a radiation treatment (another night in the hospital) and then I’ll be cancer free and on my merry way.  2 nights in the hospital, and I should be 100% cured.  All in all, not so bad considering it’s cancer.

The worst part has been telling people.  I specifically asked my doctor if I should just tell people I was having my thyroid removed rather than saying I had thyroid cancer, and she very pointedly told me to tell people I have cancer, because I do.  I don’t know if she thought I was in denial about it myself, but I guess in a lot of ways it’s easier for me to think that I’m just having my Thyroid out and not that I have cancer.

My surgery is Tuesday, October 5.  If you want more information about Thyroid Cancer, my doctor recommended this website. It’s very informative, and we’ve found it very helpful.

On September 25 my grandfather celebrated his 80th birthday.  The party was in Minnesota, so, unfortunately, we weren’t able to go.

Instead…

I did the Women’s Half Marathon.  It was a blast- everyone was so excited to be there and so nice!  I walked it because I’m not supposed to exercises too hard right now (having blood pressure issues) but I still finished in just over 3 1/2 hours.  I got a pretty amazing blister on my right foot, so all week I’ve been wearing my Five Fingers shoes.  They’re basically like wearing rubber socks- the insides are perfectly soft and the outsides are sturdy enough to keep your feet clean.  I love them.

2 Stars

I chose The Falling Away because the other reviews talked about how riveting, spell binding and suspenseful the T.L. Hines’s previous novels have been. I was excited for a “Christian” fiction book that I could sink my teeth into.

Unfortunately, this was not it.

This is the story of Dylan Runs Ahead’s misadventures after returning home from Iraq, and Quinn, a young woman who overcame homelessness and self mutilation to graduate from high school and join The Falling Away.

After a drug-deal-gone-wrong, Dylan, a “chosen” is on the run, pursued by Quinn, through the snow covered tundra of Montana. He thinks Quinn is a bounty hunter, in reality, she is an elite exorcist.

Told through a series of flash backs spliced into present-time accounts, the book is well paced. T.L. Hines does a wonderful job describing his scenes in such a detail that you can feel them unfold in front of you. The dialogue, however, often feels forced and choppy, especially when talking about spiritual matters. Leaving the story to unfold naturally would have made the book shorter, but a much more exciting read.

Suzanne Bowen’s Gorgeous Core with Suzanne Bowen
 DVD does not disappoint.  With 4 12 minute sessions, 1-5 minute session and 1 7 minute session, you can pick and choose the combination that best fits your schedule, or for a serious challenge, take on the whole DVD.

Segments are: Lean, Long and Strong; Classic Abwork, Sleek Physique, Metabolism Bootcamp, ABsolute Challenge & Total Core Fast Blast.  The 12 minute segments combine elements of classic fitness moves, Pilates, planks and cardio and are not for beginners.  Fast paced and challenging, it’s the type of work out that makes you feel great when your done, and the next day your abs will remind you what you did.  With all of the static holds, it’s also the type of workout that looks much easier than it is.

Although the moves are broken up with easier alternatives, even the easy is quite  challenging, so this is not a DVD for beginners.  It is very important that participants heed Suzanne’s warnings to listen to their own bodies and not try to push themselves to the point of causing injury.  Also, if you do the whole DVD straight through the segments aren’t exact in their timing, so make sure you have at least 65-70 minutes to complete the entire series.

Overall, I think this is an excellent video from an experienced instructor and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for an alternative to classic Pilates or aerobics abdominal exercises.

Do you subscribe to Design*Sponge yet?

If not, you must. If for no other reason than to learn how to make adorable vases from old light fixtures.

I will warn you- the blog is updated often. Like, several times a day often. So sometimes it can feel overwhelming.

But fear not- no one will hunt you down if you choose to skip over a post without reading it. Sometimes, I just look at the pictures and smile.

I had a terrible morning today but quite a nice evening and night. I taught a wonderful couple a very fun Pilates lesson, and was told that my lessons have helped lesson the need for chiropractic care! Then I came home and played with my kids, put them to bed, and painted. After sitting down with a glass of wine and a bowl of perfectly browned popcorn to read, an idea for a children’s book hit me. I raced to my computer and shot out the first draft. Very excited to look at it tomorrow and see if I still like it.

I’m on a creative high right now, and would love to stay up, watch The Rachel Zoe Project or Project Runway, and make a bunch of new jewelry. But, I must fight the urge, because tomorrow is my first day of school. I am enrolled in The Writer’s Loft at MTSU and could not be more excited. This is the first big step I’ve taken in my writing since college, and the first time ever I’ve invested real money it in (besides buying this computer.) I’m like a 5 year old the day before kindergarten- I want to sleep in my clothes I’m so excited!

**Photo from Design*Sponge. Click here to make your own notebooks!

Some version of “Don’t work harder, just work smarter” has been coming at me from all sides this week: triathlon training newsletters, marathon training newsletters, blogs, books, magazines, you name it.

I wonder if God is trying to tell me something.

Nah…must be a coincidence.

Or not.

I have not been waking up in the mornings to run, mostly because I haven’t been going to sleep at night. Yesterday my new FiveFingers came, and I was quite excited to try them out.

This adorable little girl was my running companion. We ran the entire length of our street!

I’m not entirely sure yet how I feel about them. They did feel really good to run in, but the seam where the fabric meets the shoe on the right side rubbed a great big terrible hole in my foot. Not even a blister- a hole. It hurts. Bad. But I did run better- I stood straighter, knew immediately every time my form started to suffer, and I ran faster than I usually do. It was only 2 miles. We’ll see how they do when I up the mileage. But, in the interest of saving my big toe, I don’t think I’ll be wearing them for the half marathon on the 25th.