Meet Heather, A Very Special Holiday Guest Blogger

In this special season of thankfulness and giving, we often let ourselves get caught up in the stress of our to-do's instead of remembering the important reasons for the season. 

We all have many things for which to be thankful and I am pleased to introduce Heather to share her story of strength and survival. It is also a reminder to be grateful for things we often take for granted and that sometimes trials are often the life events that help to grow the most. 

Meet Heather....

No one thinks that he or she will hear the words “you have cancer.”  Hearing those words never crossed my mind, but when I did hear them, I was afraid beyond belief.  When I heard those words, it was supposed to be a harmonious time for me, for I had just had my baby.

In a short period of time, It went from one of the best times in my life to the worst. I found out I had a cancer with a direct link to asbestos exposure; I had pleural mesothelioma cancer.

This was so surprising because I always thought asbestos was banned, and I did not think that I had been exposed to it.  Many people, including me, could not fathom how I could have gotten cancer linked to asbestos exposure.  Finally, I figured it out.  I got asbestos from my father’s work clothes.  Since he worked in construction and handled materials with asbestos fibers, he would always come home covered in white dust.  Little did he or we know, that innocent white dust contained millions of asbestos fibers.

People who were 36 years old like me were not the typical mesothelioma patients.  We were not the ones who had worked as plumbers, electricians, mechanics, on shipyards, or in other types of trades.  We were not the wives who handled the asbestos filled clothes of the workers who worked in these types of trades.

Now, there is another generation of people being diagnosed with mesothelioma.  These are young people like me, people in their late 20’s and early 30’s.  Most of them were like me and loved to see their daddy when he came from work when they were younger.  They would jump into his arms, pretend they were him by putting on his work jacket to feed the rabbits, and just hang around him while he did house repairs while still being covered in his asbestos filled clothes.  Sadly, these people are just getting their lives started; they are just getting married, beginning new careers, and having babies.  Then mesothelioma makes these entire new experiences stop.  There is always good news, however.  Treatment options for mesothelioma are steadily improving, and more people of all ages are surviving this dreadful disease.

Hearing a physician say that you have cancer is devastating to hear, but many people, including me, continue to hold onto all hope.  We are able to fellowship with one another as a community.  We support one another, and we celebrate all the victories together.

Many people have asked me why do I continue to share my story, and why do I continue to do what I do.  I tell them a simple answer.  I am bringing awareness to this disease, and I know with awareness, change will happen.  

I hope my story offers hope to someone and keeps someone from living in fear, and if it does either of these things, then I know I am doing the right thing.

Please show Heather some love! "Like" her Facebook fan page and keep up with her journey and advocacy efforts (she also happens to have some great Elf on the Shelf ideas featured that I may just steal!).

https://www.facebook.com/HeatherVonStJames?fref=ts 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, 

and behold,everything is softer and more beautiful."

- Norman Vincent Peale

(Please scroll to the bottom and hit play to hear music to accompany this read. It's a new song I discovered on Soundcloud and I can't get enough....Like Snow by Olivia Broadfield.)

1.  Emerson walked right up to this wrapped tree and said, "this one". She was right. Best tree we've ever purchased.

2.  Supporting our teams even when they're not playing.

3.  A pan, water mixed with a few drops of dish soap and a straw = an hour of free babysitting.

4.  Hunter made a holiday bird feeder at school and we picked the perfect branch for its home--one inaccessible to squirrels.

1. Hip Swinging Santa is the must-have holiday decor item.

2. Hunter admiring our window box handiwork.

3. I was having the Mother of all rough Mom days when this arrived in a small box on my doorstep (thanks Dad!!!)

4.  Hunter enjoys being a helper these days and wanted to assist in decorating our window boxes. He said he would carry the heavy branches and I got tickled watching him carry them over his shoulder.  

1 (3&4). Painting our leftover pumpkins.
2.  I called it healthy, they called it ice cream for dinner and they loved it. Blend one single-serve tub of Greek yogurt (great protein), frozen strawberries, half of an avocado, and some milk. It was decadent and delicious!

1.  Little hanging his first strand of Christmas lights.
2.  The new specs.
3.  I came into the living room to see the kids throwing foam letters all over the tree. When I told them they needed to stop they both got very upset and said, "But Mommy, we're putting ornaments on the tree!" I let them finish.
4.  Can't you just see it in her eyes? She loves that guy. (Thank you BaBa and Pop Pop. Aunt Les and I agree--best. gift. ever.)
5.  Remembering to stop amid all the chaos of the holidays to enjoy the littles in life that make it special.

"One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up 

too quickly."- Andy Rooney

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy, happy to you and yours and all of the many things we have to be grateful for today.

1. our first annual Menoni Father/Son/Daughter Turkey Bowl
2. heading to the Thanksgiving Preschool party in the festive crowns we made
3. during naptime I couldn't find Hunter. I searched everywhere until I heard a soft voice singing. I walked in to see this sweet moment. "Good night, sleep tight, wake up bright in the morning light. I loooooove you." (How could I get upset that he woke up little brother?)
4. testing the yummy frosting on Amy's delicious turkey cupcakes.

As we have all fumbled, rolled, passed, and fought our way through another year we had more touchdowns than we realized if we take a moment to reflect. 

Thank you to those who paved the way being great examples over the years of fighting hard for victory. Happy 95th Birthday to the most beautiful woman I know. My Mema. I am so thankful for you!

Oh Snowy Day

"The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world, and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?" -J.B. Priestly

(Please click play to hear music to accompany this read.)



Snow. At our house it's a big deal. 

We recently had a beautiful snow. That day when I picked Hunter up from school he excitedly ran over to me and said, "Mommy, come look outside! I have a surprise for you!" He then ran over to the window and pointed outside and said, "Snow! Snow for you Mommy!"

Sissy, on the other hand, was a little hesitant to the snow. She squeezed and fluttered her little eyes as she walked in it as if the snow flakes were playing a mean game of paintball with her. 

As soon as we arrived home, Big Brother was hard at work constructing snow towers and interesting recipes using sticks and rocks.

By the next morning the snow was at its fluffy, soft best. Sissy was still hesitant about venturing out and opted to keep her Jammies on and watch from the doorway.

She finally decided to put on her coat and join us. She stood like this for literally 20 minutes.

Still there....

After spending a very long time watching her brother and I frolic in the snow, she finally decided to give it a go. Well, it was either that or the fact I brought coffee out. 

 My girl will beg, borrow or steal for a sip of my coffee. 

 

 After a little coffee action she was fully in the game. 

 

Hunter loved the snow so much that he would just lay in it and close his eyes. It reconnected me to childhood memories of finding the small things in life genuinely enjoyable, fully satisfying and not having another care in the world.

The day was also special for another reason--it was the first snow for Baby Cash and he was smitten from the start. 

We're keeping our fingers crossed for many more snows this season and thankful for the early start.

 

And to our Southern family and friends--our door is welcome to winter visits, we'd be happy to serve you!

 “I love snow for the same reason I love Christmas: It brings people together while time stands still. Cozy couples lazily meandered the streets and children trudged sleds and chased snowballs. No one seemed to be in a rush to experience anything other than the glory of the day, with each other, whenever and however it happened” 

-Rachel Cohn, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares