Almost Over :(

Sorry I got behind on what we were doing. We have been super busy on our vacation and our days have been packed full! Here's what we have been up to since Sunday.

Sunday, Aug 2nd.
We ate breakfast @ our hotel and it was a wonderful bar that had waffles, fruit, eggs, oatmeal, and other things as well. Mom and I made a quick run to Target, which so happened to have a Starbucks as well!! We then picked up my dad's cousin Virgina Ray (VR) and then went back and got dad and Aunt Faye at the hotel. Then we all loaded into the car and headed North into Philly for our tour. One of VR's grandsons had agreed to be our guide since he lives in Philly. When we pulled off the interstate and headed to his house, we were surprised with the streets, not only do they park on both sides of one way streets but they double park on both sides of the streets, parking is very limited in Philly. We were lucky enough to park right beside his house. We all had to use the bathroom before our tour, and by the time we were done it had started to storm.
Mom, VR, Aunt Faye and I were all in the explorer and Dad and Tommy were stuck in the house until it finally calmed down enough for them to come out. We then drove around Philly and saw all the important sites and took what pictures we could because it continued to rain. Some of the roads flooded it was raining so bad. Once we finished our tour we stopped and got some Philly Cheesesteaks from a place called Tony Luke's I believe, they were good, but I don't think the best. We then headed back to where we were staying and after a short stop and a few moments of rest we went to VR's daughters house for supper. We had Popeye's Chicken and Pizza. It was delish, then we sat around and talked for the rest of the evening.

Monday, Aug 3rd.

We left Glen Mills, PA around 10 am headed towards Hershey. We had no real time schedule and just enjoyed the country and drove through the Amish Country in Intercourse,PA. It was neat seeing all the sites. We had some wonderful ice cream from the LAPP family dairy, then we drove on into Hershey. We visited Chocolate World which was neat and smelled Heavenly . Mom and I got some goodies and then we headed south towards to Gettysburg. We drove through Gettysburg, which was simply amazing. So much history, I couldn't take it all in. Definitely somehting I would like to go back through and learn more about. I stood on North Carolina soil in Pennsylvania. After that we continued South towards DC. We got into Stafford VA around 10 pm. We are staying at Staybridge Suites, but the cool thing is, it's a BRAND NEW Hotel. We are the first people to stay in this room.

Tuesday, Aug. 4th

We called our friend Kenny around 9:30 that lives outside of DC and then went to his house, and then headed into DC for the afternoon. We stopped at a Buffet for lunch and drove by the airport and stopped at the place where the planes fly directly over your head, and then went to Arlington Nat. Cemetary and took the tourmobile around. Then we left and drove to the National Cathedral and took some pictures there and walked around. We then drove by the Wall, and WWII memorial. Then Kenny drove us around Haines Point which runs right along the Potomac River. We then drove into Maryland to the National Harbor and saw the Awakening which is really neat its like a man coming out of the ground. We saw several other spots. We made it back to Kenny's around 10, had coffee and then came back to the hotel.

Wednesday, Aug 5th.

Kenny came to the hotel this morning and picked Mom, Aunt Faye and I up and we drove into DC and went to the Vietnam Memorial Wall, then we drove to President Lincoln's Cottage and did the tour there which was full of information and so neat to hear. I was glad to finally get to do the tour because I had been there 2 other times and had not been able to tour. AFter that, Kenny dropped us off at Union Station, the train and Metro station, because he had an eye appointement on the other side of the city. We ate lunch @ Johnny Rockets in Union Station, then walked around and decided to take the Metro(subway) to over where the Smithsonian is and plundered around I saw the Hope Diamond, and a exhibit of butterflies. The cool thing was the huge Elephant that was in the rotunda of the Smithsonian we went into. We then took a break outside on the bench and then walked up passed the Washington Monument to the WWII memorial and waited for Kenny to pick us up. We then drove back took showers, I took a dip in the hotel pool to cool off and went to dinner @ Bonefish Grill up the road. Then we came back to the hotel after making a pit stop for me @ Starbucks, everyone else had regular coffee at the hotel room. Now its time for bed. Tomorrow morning we leave and head back to NC. I'm not sure if we are going to Charlotte or Williamston to take my aunt home first. We shall see..

Goodnight!!! :) :)

We Made IT!

Friday, we left Mt. Pleasant around 230 and made it to Williamston around 7, we ran into a few rain storms. On the way we decided to name the woman who talks on the Garmin, and we came up with Mabel as her name. I know very random, but thats the story of my life.

Well we made it to PA today. We left Williamston around 9 after stopping at McDonald's and eating and spending some time with one of my uncles and one of my cousins. We drove for a few hours stopped for gas and a bathroom break. Then we drove a little further and made it to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, which is 17.6 miles long with 2-1 mile tunnels that go under water. It was beautiful to look out and see nothing but water and a bridge. I wish the sun would have been out, but it was still aesome to see God's creation like that. Mom doesn't care much for bridges, but she made it like a trooper until we made a wrong turn and to go across a bridge that goes from Delaware into New Jersey, and then to get back where we needed to go we had to go back across the other side of the bridge. We drove about another 30 minutes and made it to Glen Mills in PA around 615. It was a long day in the car. After getting things into the hotel we went to pick up Dad's cousin, Virginia Ray, and then went to eat at the Concordville Grille. It was delish! Then we took Virginia Ray home and came back to the hotel. Mom, Aunt Faye, and I went to the pool, but it was little chilly so we didn't stay long.

Tomorrow, we are going north into Philly to see the city and get a Philly Cheesesteak!! :)

Goodnight from PA!

Our Vacation

Today marks the day that I have been waiting for, for several months, my vacation. My mom and I normal travel somewhere every summer and we try to go to places we've never been before. Last summer we went to Siesta Key, FL and it was absolutely amazing. This year we tossed around several ideas, but nothing seemed just right until we asked my dad if he would like to go with us, and he agreed and said he would like to go see his cousin outside of Philadelphia and take my Aunt Faye as well, we also plan to go to Hershey and Gettysburg,PA before heading to DC to see a few friends and take in some sights.. So I started planning and have worked hard to plan this trip to make sure everyone was happy and that it would be some what relaxing if possible. I am going to do my best to track our travels on here so you can here about our days and what we see and do.

So today we are leaving MP between 2-3 and going to Williamston to stay the night and leave in the morning to head towards PA. I'm excited also because we are going to be going across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge which is like 20 miles long and has 2-1 mile sections that go under water!!! :) :) WOOHHOO.. Peace out till we arrive in PA because I will not have internet till then.

Have a Great FRIDAY!! :)

I'm not really sure....

I realize that I haven't written in about a month, but I just have been busy and I just haven't.
Today I write with a heavy heart and really don't know where else I want to share my thoughts and feelings... so here they are.

Almost a year ago a highschool classmate contacted me about another classmate who had just found out she had cancer and wanted to know if I'd be willing to share my experience of going through cancer with her, and just listen or whatever she needed. I agreed because I am willing to share with anyone who is willing to listen. Her name is Melissa Lewis, we talked back and forth a few times and stayed in touch. Her situation in ways was similar to mine, but everyone has a differnet experience. As far as I knew she was doing well and all, but then I found out she had been in the hospital for 40 plus days. I can't even imagine having to do that. Then I knew she had started chemo again a few weeks ago. I was praying and hoping things were going well for her and she was winning this battle. Then on Sunday my friend who contacted me to start with sent me a note letting me know that she has passed away at 12 on Sunday. My heart was broken. I really hate seeing anyone with cancer die, but really hate to see it when it is somone who is young. I just don't understand. I know God has a purpose for everything He does, it's just hard having been through it. It's in moments like these I realize that God has soo much more out there for me. I wish everyone could understand how important it is for you to support the ones you love and let them know you love them every chance you get. You never know when it will be your last time seeing them. Cancer is a horrible disease that effects a ton of people everyday, I don't know all the stats but I know its a lot. Cancer can do a lot of things to the people it affects. I have posted this before but feel I should post it again. It's called what Cancer Cannot Do.

What Cancer Cannot Do
Cancer is so limited...
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit.

Please keep this in mind everytime you hear the word Cancer. Also please keep the family and friends of Melissa Lewis in your prayers as they have lost a dear and special person....

UNCC RELAY FOR LIFE

Last night was Relay for Life @ UNC Charlotte, and this year I was the survivor chair as well as our team captain. There was a lot to do, but I did it and enjoyed it. Another committee member was able to get all the food for the survivors donated from macaroni grill and olive garden. It was yummy to my tummy:) LOL! I took the time to write each survivor a little hand written note thanking them for coming out to be a part of Relay. I was also asked to share my story of being a survivor and how impartant doing the survivor lap was to me and then ask all the survivors there to walk the first lap with me. Not only did I start the Relay for life with the survivors but this morning at 6:00 am I walked the final lap with a few other committee members! It was great staying out there for the whole event! Below is the speech I shared with everyone. Have a good one !!!!:)


Hello and good evening! I too would also like to thank you for coming to the UNC Charlotte 2009 Relay for Life. My mom, Jan has been involved with Relay for years because her mom passed away from cancer and then in 2003 my dad’s mom passed away with cancer as well. I would never get involved because I really didn’t know what it was all about and always thought I would never be the one with cancer, honestly who does? Well, I am here to let you know, you never know, because 10 days after my 25th birthday, on August 31st, 2006, I was diagnosed with a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I had 1st noticed a knot in my throat at the end of July and just thought it would go away, well it didn’t and I finally went to the dr. because I couldn’t eat or even drink water. The next day I was sent for a CT scan and then to see an ENT dr. Which after doing a few tests sent me straight to ICU where within 8 hours I had a trach in my throat breathing for me because they were scared that I wouldn’t make it through the night! Well that was a huge wakeup call this was real and I had Cancer. 4 days later it was determined what type I had and how it would be treated. After a week of being diagnosed I started my first round of chemo. Thankfully, before coming home 11 days after being admitted the first time the tumor in my throat had shrunk enough for them to remove the trach. Each of my treatments were done inpatient where I had to be admitted to the hospital for 4-5 days every 3 weeks for a total of 6 chemo treatments. As of December 29, 2006 I have been cancer free. Had it not been for my faith, family, and friends I wouldn’t have made it through those 4 months of chemo and all the dr.’s appointments that came along with it. In April of 2007 my mom convinced me to come out to relay and walk the survivor lap, finishing that survivor lap and each survivor lap since has been a huge since of accomplishment. It is great to do something with people that have been through a similar situation and you can all stand together and complete this lap. It also reminds me of how important it is for each one of us to Celebrate, Remember, and Fight back so each year there can be more survivors here to start the relay with the Survivor lap!

Another Good Checkup!

Today I had my next follow-up with Dr. Schwartz, my oncologist. It went wonderful and I'm still good to go! I go back in 4 months. It's hard to believe it has been 2 1/2 yrs since diagnosis and 2 yrs and 2 months since I finished chemo. The dr. and I were talking how nice it was that I was actually able to finish my chemo early and didn't have to do the last 2 treatments. Wow, God is soo good! I can never tell you how good He is. I hope and pray that you can see how good He is through the life that I live.

Life has been pretty busy for our family this month. Mom's birthday was March 7th. Will's first birthday was the 14th, and KC was on Monday the 23rd. Also in just 2 weeks we're going to Gatlinburg as a family. It's going to be a super fun trip and I can't wait to go and spend time with them. I am truly blessed with the awesome family I have!!!

God is good!! ALL THE TIME!!! :)

May God..

I saw this tonight and I thought it was great so I wanted to share..

May God give you..
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.


Enjoy have a great rest of the week!!

Kim :)