Hi all!  Long time no blog!

I hope all of you are enjoying your summer.  I'm not sure if it's ever been this hot for so many consecutive days, but I'm pretty much ready for Fall.  And FOOTBALL!  It's just around the corner.  We cannot wait to watch the Gamecocks this year - we think it's gonna be a good year, but hey we say that every year don't we?  ;)  Ben and I tried to go to the pool on Sunday, and it was too hot to sit out there - you know it's bad when you can't even go to the pool.  I believe the heat index was 110 that day...what the heck?  Come on Fall, hurry up!

I want to let you all know about my nephew Phillips - he's had a tough month!  He broke both bones in his left leg right above his ankle on July 4th.  He's got a huge black cast on it that goes above the knee.  We pray for you every day Phillips!  We love you little man!  You're gonna be as good as new in no time.  We will do something fun to celebrate when you get that cast off!

Today marks 17 months since I finished treatment.  I can honestly say that I feel better than I've felt in years.  I'm not sure if that's because I work out more now, or if I my body is completely over the pounding it took from treatment.  My stress levels are so low all the time, and that has a positive impact on my health as well.  Ben asked me the other say "do you thank God every day for your job?" and I thought about it for a minute, and realize that I don't.  I need to start.  I really do have a great job that is not stressful at all, pays well, is 10 minutes from my home, and I design pretty things all day long.  It's nice to not have to worry about that part of my life, because I remember at one time that's all I worried about.  So, thank you God for my job!

I wanted to include in this post an excerpt from my friend Grace's "there is optimism in cancer" blog (you can see it on the right column).  She hit the nail on the head when describing the actuality of becoming a cancer survivor.  She is so awesome at putting thoughts into words!

"i think a lot of this recovery process, and becoming a survivor, is about acceptance. we do a lot of denial in our lives...from the initial denial that 'cancer won't happen to me' to the whole process of denying that this cancer could kill me, that i could have serious long term health issues from treatment, and my biggest denial...that cancer won't effect me negatively at some point.

now that i've started my journey as a survivor, i'm beginning to accept things as they are. i had cancer, i will live with uncertainty for the rest of my life, i had some pretty hardcore treatment, and i have some pretty serious emotional scars. i'm also learning to accept that it's not what has happened to you, or will happen to you, but how you handle it. we can't change the hand we're dealt, but we can control how we play it. it's about taking ownership of the things we do well, and the things that we struggle with. it's about facing our difficulties, looking them right in the eye and developing ways to overcome them...or at least to live civilly with them. it's about taking steps forward, despite fears telling us to stand still. and, it's about accepting that who we are now is different than we've ever been before...and embracing the new person we have become."

I just love her writing.  Grace - I hope you don't mind that I put that on here.  I had to.  It's brilliant.  I think of you often - you are an amazing person!  Thanks for being my friend.

So, I am nearing my 2 year D-Day.  September 2nd.  It was around this time 2 years ago I found the lump, and I instantly knew something was wrong.  I still wouldn't wish that feeling on my worst enemy.

Before my D-Day is a MAJOR milestone.  I am turning 30 years old on August 22nd.  Aggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!  WHAT?  When did this happen?  I graduated college 8 years ago.  Time just disappears.  I will say goodbye to a decade that included the start of meaningful friendships, falling in love, graduating college, marriage, major decisions, buying a home, 4 jobs, a cancer diagnosis, and overall just 10 years of epic fun.  It was a whirlwind of crazy times.  I honestly look forward to my 30's - after a cancer diagnosis, you really appreciate birthdays.  They mean a lot more than they used to.

We are gearing up for Kristen's baby shower this weekend.  It's going to be such a fun time!  Ben and Matt's best friend Mike and his wife are flying in from Baltimore for it, and also Lauren Jones will be in town from Boston.  We will get to see a lot of family and friends.  Talk about a good time ahead!

Thanks for reading!  Love to all,

Congratulations to Ray Tanner and the USC baseball team for bringing home the first major National Championship to the Palmetto State!  We are so excited!!!!!!  GAME!  COCKS!  GAME!  COCKS!  GAME!  COCKS!

We can't believe they beat Clemson twice this past weekend to advance to the finals in the College World Series!  The fact that we beat Clemsux twice made it even better!!!  Cheer on the COCKS tonight as we play UCLA...

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAME!  COOOOOOOOOOOOOCKS!

Check out this link as well - it will give you chills.

A Very Brave Fan Inspires Carolina

Love to all!

Summa summa summa tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!  It's finally Summer folks, and Ben and I wanted to beach it up for a late anniversary trip.  We traveled to Hilton Head, SC last Thursday for a long weekend...we had an absolute blast!  We stayed in a long-time friend of the family's place in Sea Pines - thank you Tim and Lail!  Here are some pics! Check out those sunsets...


I'm sure you can tell by the pictures that we had soooooooooooo much fun!  We honestly didn't want to leave.  Ben and I contemplated all weekend how we could sell our house and just move down there...haha!

Hope you are all well...I am feeling fantastic these days!  On the 27th I will be 17 months out from the end of treatment.  Oh life after cancer is FUN!

ps...seriously Tim and Lail, can we buy your place?  ;)  Thanks again, we absolutely loved every second of our stay.

Love to all,

I don't know about you all - but the more I see on TV about BP, the madder I get.  There shouldn't be drilling if they don't know how to stop it immediately if something goes wrong.  I am devastated about what it's doing to wildlife.  I just looked at a few pictures and had to stop - I started crying at my desk.  I won't even post them on here because if you see them you will be upset. Want to help out with the clean up?  Donate the the National Wildlife Federation or text "WILDLIFE" to 20222 to donate $10 through the NWF.  The charge will appear on your next phone bill.

Also, purchase Dawn dish liquid - Dawn saves wildlife caught in oil spills.

Pray for the people who lost family members in the explosion and pray for those animals that are suffocating in oil.  It's just not fair.

4 years ago today I married the love of my life!  Time sure does fly when you're having fun!  We had a great wedding, oh if I could do it all over again I would.  We loved everything about it.  The honeymoon too, seriously we had way too much fun in the DR.  Thanks for being my rock Ben, you are always there for me and I appreciate everything you do for me.  We've been through a lot in 4 years, and we've proven that we can handle a cancer diagnosis and come out on the other side stronger than ever.  That alone can tear some people apart.  Through good times and bad - you're always by my side.  I love you more than you'll ever know!  Happy Anniversary sweetheart!



We're off to Baltimore in the morning for another one of Ben's best friends weddings - it's going to be a great time!  Ben and Matt are co best men - how cute is that?  Kristen and I absolutely love going up to Baltimore and seeing all of their old friends from high school, they are so much fun!  Fresh Maryland blue crab, here we come!

Hope you all have an awesome Memorial Day weekend, and remember to think about our service men and women on Monday...I am really hoping I see one at the airport so I can give them a hug.

Love to all!

DO THE CARLTON!  HAHA!  That's what I feel like doing right now!

I got the news around lunch today...my latest CT Scans are CLEAN!  That puts me a little closer to cure.  I've made it 17 months in remission, and 15 months from the end of treatment.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you God!  Thanks for all of your prayers!  We are so blessed!

Love to all!!!!

MEEEEEEEEEEEE!  Next week is going to be a rough week at work, I have a CT scan next Friday, and our family is going through some hard times with sick members of extended family. So, who needs a laugh? I know you do! It's Friday people, let's laugh...

Gotta love some Wanda!!!!!!



Happy Friday Yall!  Hope all of the Mom's out there have a fantastic weekend!  Love you all!

Happy Monday! We woke up to 5 inches of rain this morning, and the storm that rolled through Atlanta kept me up for close to 2 hours last night. Talk about some serious thunder and lightning! Anyways, we had a really nice weekend. I completed my first 5k Saturday morning! We met Melanie and Matt over at their house at 7 am, and they surprised me with custom "Team Kerri" shirts. How thoughtful and awesome is that? Melanie is a graphic designer also, and she did the logo and then they ironed them on the shirts. They are so cute! The race started at 8 am in Brookhaven, and while it was not easy I made it! I could not run up the hills, but I ran the rest of the way. Ben and I finished 3.2 miles in 39 minutes...not too shabby. That's making 12 minute miles, which is alright with me. Matt finished in under 25 minutes, wow! He's fast! Mel and Matt were a few minutes behind Ben and I, and Mel did great...I'm sure that's not easy to do while pregnant. So - here's a picture of all of us, and also the Team Kerri logo Melanie designed.

Weekends...how much do I love thee?  Ben and I traveled to Charleston, SC this past weekend to visit my BF from college Kristie and go to my friend since high school Nicole's wedding.  It was a BLAST!  Here are a few pics!


Unfortunately it rained Saturday and we weren't able to go to the beach...oh well!  We made the best of it anyways!

I am slammed at work this week, and that's ultimately the reason why I don't blog as much as I used to.  WOW it's crazy around here now.  I guess that's a good sign?  Anyways, I saw this online yesterday...it's a link to the New York Times and it is titled "Life After Cancer"...so I decided to upload my picture and say a little something.  Check it out!

Life After Cancer

Hope you are all having a good week!  Love to all!