Never give up. Never surrender.

It's been a while since I've posted.  I guess I was waiting for the right time or until I found the right words.  They haven't come to me, so I am just going to babble on.

I found out recently that I am no longer in remission.  Last week I went in for another bone marrow biopsy and a needle biopsy to my neck to confirm my worst fear.  Starting in November I will receive a more toxic chemotherapy to put me into remission once again before undergoing a stem cell transplant.  

When I initially found out I was angry.  Maybe it was the emotional roller coaster my oncologist was taking me on over a period of 2 weeks, "there's no way it can be cancer.  there's a 50% chance it's cancer.  there's no way it's not cancer."  Maybe it was because he said I could be cured, "again".  Either way, out of my anger I found the motivation to look death in the face--again, and started preparing myself for battle.  

That's really all I know for now, I will update when I can.  You can find my original post from when I was diagnosed last year here.

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  ~Eleanor Roosevelt

When something bad happens you have three choices.  You can either let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you. ~Unknown

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. ~Unknown

But sometimes it is necessary to do that which is too much. 

- Pope John Paul II

If you're going through hell, keep going. 

- Winston Churchill

Never Forget

Never Forget.

9-11-01

Seaside Summer Mantel

Since summer is soon coming to an end, I thought I better post pictures of my seaside mantel.  I incorporated shells and coral from our honeymoon.  The shells in the ball jars were found on the beaches of North Carolina decades ago by my Great Aunt "Boo".  I never got a picture made for the shell frame,  so that may have to wait until next year.  

Have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend.  I'm ready for pumpkins and sweaters!

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

Our heat wave has finally let up a bit, and we've been airing out the house all weekend.  The cooler temperatures have left me craving fall comfort foods, so I threw together a batch of chili in the crock pot, and made these super easy pumpkin muffins.

Ingredients:

1 18 oz box of yellow cake mix

1 can of pumpkin puree

1.5 tsp of pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350, and line muffin tin.

2. Combine ingredients until well blended.

3. Spoon even amounts of mixture into each cupcake liner.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

I was tempted to throw in a handful of chocolate chips, but I resisted.  I did sprinkle the muffins with powdered sugar, though.

Do you see how much my lettuce is growing in the background?

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced into small pieces

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons ground flax meal

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

2. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, flax, and baking soda in large bowl and mix well.

3. Beat the eggs into the oil, then add the strawberries and mix well.

4. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, mix together until the batter is even.

5. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

7. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.

8. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. 

I found this recipe online, and it's a great way to use up strawberries.  The texture is kind of crumbly, and it didn't slice well for me.  But it did taste good!  I may have added a little more chocolate chips than called for.  :)  Enjoy!