Wash Away the Year and Celebrate the Happy!

Flat and fabulous - a few months ago, but I love this dress!
8/30/13 - 1 year of being cancer free since my bilateral mastectomy surgery!

This is a follow-up to my FUNNY How Time Flies post a couple weeks ago.  You can read that if you want to be up to date.  And if you're totally new to my blog, you can click on the Breast Cancer Survivor! tab at the top.

As mentioned, we are going to Sedona to celebrate my 1 year 'cancerversary' of being cancer free!  Take THAT breast cancer!  It's actually OUR celebration because Mark, as always, has been right there with and for me the entire time.  And what better place to celebrate than Sedona.  Well, okay a secluded island would be totally awesome, but we're perfectly fine with Sedona - our Happy Place.

Sedona Motel

We don't do fancy, expensive or elaborate.  We love simplicity.  We'll be staying at the Sedona Motel, which has been described by many as a "throw back to the 60's/70's style drive-up motels."  In speaking with Bill, the owner, when making the reservations, I knew right then that this was going to be a nice place to stay.  He seemed quite laid back, relaxed and friendly.  According to the online reviews, he's exactly like that in person.

The view from the motel is beautiful, judging by their photos which I have no doubt.  In fact, there isn't a view in Sedona that is not beautiful.  Red happy rocks and earthy scenery everywhere.  You'll see more of that when we return because oh yes, there will be pictures to share.

Rain is forecast on and off over next few days in Sedona as well as here in the valley, which will be absolutely perfect.  Rain is cleansing. Refreshing.  Hydrating.  Nourishing.  Healing.  What better way to wash away all the negative crud of this past year.

Okay, I can't deny that it will also be nice to simply be in cooler weather, with or without the rain.  Sedona is about 2-2 1/2 hours north of us.  We're looking forward to the enjoyable drive.

 

 

Rocki & Bullwinkle - let the adventures continue

 

This post isn't about the sad and ugly side of breast cancer and what it does to you and everyone around you.  Nor is about what I personally did and didn't have to go through.  This is a celebration!  With the one I love.  My best friend in the entire universe.  The absolute love of my life.  My soul mate and partner throughout eternity and beyond.

 

It's a time to be happy, as always, but happier.  A time to let go of any negativity that is clinging to us.  And, not that we haven't done it a million times already, a time to reflect on what truly is important. 

 

We're going to our Happy Place.  To breath in the rain cleansed air with every fiber of our being and breath out all the bad.  We're simply going to celebrate what is. 

 

Peace,

Rocki

FUNNY How Time Flies!

Fried eggs anyone?

It's hard to believe that in 12 days it will be exactly 1 year since my surgery, but more importantly... 1 year of being cancer free!  And we have a fun celebration planned.  Oh and for those that are new, I had a bilateral total mastectomy and sentinel node removal without reconstruction.  In other words, I'm flat as board.  More info in my Breast Cancer Survivor tab.

Before I go on, let me explain the pic above... and my humor for those who don't know me.  We went to Portland in June to visit my boys (awesome visit!).  There was a Goodwill store at the end of the street where we were staying.  I love and shop in second hand stores. Anyway, I spotted pink and when I pulled the shirt off the rack (rack... that's funny!)  I about doubled over with laughter!  Ha ha ha... fried eggs on the front!  Perfect!

There's more to this story.  It just so happened that the next day, Saturday June 29th, while we were enjoying Portland weather, everyone back home in Arizona was dealing with a toasty 119 degrees that day!  The hottest day I experienced was 122 back in 1990.  Fun day - not.  So I wore my pink shirt in honor of everyone frying eggs on the sidewalk that day and posted it on Facebook.

Get your melons!

Yes, I'll be getting back to my 1 year 'cancerversary' plans soon, but since I'm on the humor train...

True story.  I got me a pair of nice melons on sale for .48c at Sprouts!  Mark hasn't had melons in a long time so I figured I would give him a treat.

Ba-dum-bump. 

Perfect!  by Tales of a Broken Boobie

 

I'm guessing some of you may be thinking "OMG, breast cancer is not funny!" or "having your boobs removed is not funny!"...etc.  Trust me, I'm not making fun of breast cancer, any other cancer or anyone dealing with this ugly disease.  I'm also a melanoma survivor, among other life altering crud, so I know many roads of emotions.  Basically with all the crap I have been through in my life I have always used humor.  As cliché as this may sound, humor truly is good medicine.  Maybe not for everyone, but it certainly works for me.  Oh and no I'm not masking anything or hiding my 'true feelings'.  This is just a part of who I am. 

Me and Mark - my soul mate - the love of my life - my very best friend - my hubby

Okay now back to our big simple plans for our cancerversary trip.  I say "our" because Mark has been by my side from day one of our close to 20 years together and has never ever flinched.

We are going to our Happy Place - Sedona that is.  Yes, we call it our happy place as that is where we used to go when we needed a break from the craziness of life and to rejuvenate.  In fact, we used to go there a couple times a year, then once a year and then crud/life happened.  We haven't been there for the past couple years or so for a variety of reasons, not just because of breast cancer.  So what better place to celebrate this first year of being cancer-free than beautiful, peaceful, and mesmerizing Sedona!  Our Happy Place.

I'll save the rest of our plans for another post before we go as for now I need to get into the kitchen and uncook our dinner. 

I can almost feel the happy vortex vibes now!

Peace,
Rocki