On a more serious note . . .

Recently I had a couple of moles removed and one of them came back as Melanoma. Yeah, i was kind of shocked too. I am mostly writing this post to "inspire" or encourage any of you out there that have a mole that you have been concerned about or feel like you should get it checked but haven't, to go and get it checked.

I noticed this weird mole maybe a year or two ago and thought to myself i need to go get it checked. But not until recently did i make the call to a dermatologist. Thankfully for me my husband, who has a friend with a very serious case of Melanoma, made me make the call after learning how scary melanoma can be. I am so glad i went in when i did!

So I went in and had a full body scan by the dermatologist, and she noticed two moles that looked atypical, and would need to be tested. She removed those moles on a later date. This past friday i got the call from my Dermatologist telling me the results. I kind of knew it wasn't good news since it was her and not her nurse or something. She told me one of the moles was Melanoma and i would need to go see a Surgical Oncologist to have more tests and surgery done on the site.

When i got that call i was in shock and couldn't believe it,  i have cancer. . . . It was very humbling and i immediately had a different perspective on life, and how precious every moment is. I didn't know how bad it was and i didn't know what it all meant i was just scared. That day i was lucky enough to get to go to my wards Rough Out Camp at my parents cabin to get my mind off everything.

On the drive home i had plenty of time to think about everything. I had this weird feeling like when you have a strange dream that just makes you feel weird all day. That is how i felt, like it was all a dream. So I told myself that i didn't want to be sad or scared, i didn't want the cancer (if there was any cells left in my body) to feed off the fear. So i told myself i had to be positive and own it, take control, and for some strange reason it worked. My brain won't go to that place anymore, it won't let me think of the awful outcomes that might be. So I have been just fine and really have enjoyed my life so much since hearing the news.

Today i went to see Dr. Noyse to learn more about what is going on and what is going to happen. He told me that i have a Stage 1B melanoma. Which means i have to go in and get another surgery in the same site to take out a lot more skin to make sure there are no more cancer cells in the area. They also have to go in and take out the sentinel nodes to make sure the cancer hasn't spread to my lymph nodes. If those two surgeries come back negative (no cancer cells) i am good and will just have to go to a dermatologist every 4 months for 3 years then every 6 months for 2 years. If the skin comes back with cancer cells in it they will go in and take out more until they get a clean result. If the nodes have cancer in them, i will have to get body scans to see if there are any signs of tumors anywhere else in my body.

I am going to get these surgeries done next Wednesday and will know the results Friday.

I am honestly telling you all of this not for sympathy because i really feel positive, but to hopefully encourage you to get any moles checked by a dermatologist that you might think looks weird or different. I would also love your prayers! i am really praying that after the surgeries everything will come back negative!

I hope you don't think i am weird for posting this on my blog, i just wanted all of you to be aware, and i want all of your prayers and i feel like this is a good place to let you all know.

Picture Post

I have a bunch of pictures that i want to put on here, so here ya go!
Russ and Halle in Daddy's Baseball Gear!

Halle learned to ride her tricycle. She loves it!Miller is just such a cutie pie! He has stared on solid foods and loves it! He is moving so much and we think he will be crawling soon. I am scared for the day when he can crawl he will be into everything! Halle wants to go "swimming" every day! It is great to be outside and enjoying the sun!We had a family reunion for Russ' side of the family this last weekend. It was so good to see all the cousins and aunts and uncles and everybody.

do i or don't i?

so just recently i have had  a little spark of interest in piercing my ears. If any of you don't know, i have never had my ears pierced before. I play sports i have kids and i usually wear my hair down which renders any earrings undetectable.
I just love earrings, they are such an easy accessory and would make me feel that much more lady like.

But, for some reason i feel like getting them pierced would be letting go of some unique thing about me that i have never had my ears pierced. It's funny too because (he might kill me for saying this, but it is too good not to share) Russ actually pierced his ear when he was 16. I know I am laughing too. He said it lasted about a week and . . . lol sorry i am just laughing thinking about it. oh how much i love that man!

So it is a pride thing i guess.

What do you think? all of you ladies out there with your ears pierced, should i do it? or should i go my whole life without ever having earrings?

ps. Click on the pictures to go to the different shops where you can get those earrings!

Happy Fathers Day!

Dads, what can i say but that i love them!
My dad is amazing and i have learned so much from him. He has been such an amazing friend, someone whom I can always go and talk to and he just listens and helps me come up with the solutions to my own problems. Thank you dad for always being my dad and always being my friend and for loving me and teaching me in a way i can never thank you enough for. I LOVE YOU DAD!

Russ is the love of my life as well as the father of my children. He is the best Dad and makes Halle giggle in a way that no one else can. He gets looks from Miller that could be telling him important truths about the future, and they both completely adore him. I LOVE YOU RUSS!

My Father in Law is also an amazing Dad. He is really just a big kid and everyone loves him! And when i say Everyone, i mean everyone. He has the biggest heart and would do anything for anyone. Halle loves him so much and told me once that when she gets married in the temple Papa Wayne will be there, it was adorable! I LOVE YOU Papa Wayne!