Just An Iowa Woman

A little over a month back, I blogged about a health scare and being your own best health advocate.  Fortunately I was able to update everyone that the initial biopsies came back cancer free.  That is still true today, however, after going forward with an additional biopsy at the recommendation of my doctor, I did get a final diagnosis of Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia (ADH), which is considered a pre-cancerous stage of abnormality.  I was very much overwhelmed with that diagnosis and kind of buried my head in the sand this past month.  My Dr. recommended that the lumps be excised (basically a lumpectomy) with the goal of making sure there was no cancer hidden within the lumps that the biopsies somehow missed.  I went ahead and scheduled the surgery but also kept my follow up appointment to give me a month to process the information and allow me an opportunity to discuss any follow up questions I had.  That appointment was yesterday and here is where I am at today: ADH is not  a canc

I never grew up with a Church based background, it just wasn't something that my family did because it wasn't something they did as kids either.  Over the past few years I have really developed a strong relationship with God - I may not attend Church every Sunday but I certainly pray daily! I pray when I am thankful, which I have a lot to be thankful for!  I pray for others who are struggling emotionally, physically and even spiritually!  I took a month last year to pray for a person who I have never been on friendly terms with, but I said a prayer for them each and every day that month and while circumstances with that situation have not changed, my outlook and response certainly has.  I also pray when I am feeling stuck, insecure, sad and lonely! Last week was a long week of feeling all of those things, especially stuck and lonely, and I prayed.  Sometimes the words to my prayers do not always come easily but as I stumble through trying to find the right words, I emb

I started to write about this a few days ago and wasn't sure what direction I wanted to take it, but I think I figured it out today.  My kids have been so attached to me since day one, and we have been in such close quarters for the entirety of their lives that they are literally up my a*! every moment they are with me.  For the longest time, I felt I owed it to them since I was a working Mom and only had so many hours to spend with them to begin with and they are only little for a such a short time.  I know they miss me and I also miss them, but at the same time - we need to figure out how to have our own space and our own time without "needing" the company of each other.   I've been very irritated looking into their bedrooms and seeing all of the toys they have and they don't spend an ounce of time playing with any of them.  But that is on me too !  It's so easy to turn on the t.v. and give in to their demands to get a minute to unwind from my day with

This has been a hard week, my mother-in-law died and I feel so lost.   She was a woman who was always there no matter what.   She was strong without really knowing how strong she was.   She was the anchor to her family and did so with a smile, but she also wasn’t afraid to swear when she was pissed off either.    She lived a tough life, but you rarely ever saw her without a smile on her face! She is the most amazing grandmother ever!   She was there for almost every sporting event she could, every time she went shopping she would come home with a bargain for one of the grandkids, she would give lots of baths and lots of kisses!   She was selfless and so very kind, and her bars were amazing! She’d put together goody bags or a card for every little holiday. She would always be there to watch the grandkids when you needed her to, and she enjoyed it as much as they did.   In Church, which she helped guide me and introduce me to – which is now a very important role in my life – the ki