Sorry for Not Posting!

Hey guys,
 

Sorry I haven't posted in the last few days! Just wanted you to know that I have not forgotten about! My dad has been very sick lately and I thought I was going to be able to dodge the bullet and not get sick as well since I have been doing so well. Turns out, I should've knocked on wood. My asthma is pretty bad, I can barely walk around the house without my oxygen dropping into the low 80's. So I am taking breathing treatments every four hours or so and just resting for now. My throat is a bit sore but I think that's from all the coughing I've been doing. I'm hoping by the end of this week I'll be feeling better because I don't have the time to get sick and I always hate how it feels! Although with my lung disease (PH) and my heart defect (ToF, PA) when I get sick, I usually get sick for a long time because it makes my heart and lungs work even more than they already are and they just get so tired. My mom thinks I may have a cold, but I'm hoping it's just my asthma acting up. I don't need a cold to complicate things for me. Especially when finals are coming up!

I will keep you guys posted on how things are going. But just wanted to let you all know that I haven't forgotten about you!

Hope and Love,
Becca

What Are You Thankful For?

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. A day for family, food and being thankful for all the things we have. Although I do find it a bit ironic that the day after the day we give thanks for what we have, we go out and buy more things that we don't necessarily need but just want... How thankful are we really being if we do that? 

For the first time, I actually went shopping on Black Friday. It was exhausting, packed and to be honest I only bought one thing. I saw people walking around the mall with bags and bags filled with new toys, clothes, shoes and who else knows what. I think the whole idea of Thanksgiving is a wonderful one. Sit down with loved ones and give thanks for what you are fortunate enough to have. But I wish people would let that carry on into every single day of their life. 

My mom has always taught me that the most important things in life aren't things. And on a day like Thanksgiving, it's wonderful that people take time to remember that. But why is it that the day after we say we are thankful, we as a society seem to forget that and we push and shove people just to get a good deal on the next big thing? 

Instead of posting a 'I'm Thankful For...' List on Thanksgiving Day, I decided to post it the day after to encourage everyone to remember to be thankful every day. No matter if its National Holiday telling you to do so or not. I encourage you all to post what you are thankful for after reading this. Lets be thankful every day. Not just on one day out of the year. 

Hope and Love,

Becca 

What I'm Thankful For: 

• My parents - for loving me and supporting me 

• My siblings - for always being there for me 

• Being put up for adoption - I may not be here today if I hadn't been put for adoption 

• Medical technology - for saving my life 

• Miracles - I've had quite a few in my life 

• My doctors - for saving my life 

• The nurses who have taken care of me - for saving my life and becoming part of our family as they did so 

•  Dr. J - a women who helped me through the tough times 

• Child Life Specialists - for understanding what it feels like to be a child in a hospital 

• Camp Del Corazon - for giving me best friends that I still have to this day and a place to call my second home  

• Mrs. Worthen - for giving me a coping mechanism that I still use to this day without even knowing it at he time 

• All of those who have ever prayed for me or kept me in their thoughts during the tough times in my life. 

 

Music Monday

I heard this song twice on the radio today. The first time I thought to myself, 'Oh this would be a good song for the music Monday segment I do.' But then on my way home, I heard it again and I knew I had to post it for this week's Music Monday. 

This song is a great reminder that things can and do get better. Don't lose hope and keep on going, things won't always be bad. I have a friend who last week told me about their depression and how things just weren't good for them right now. If you are in that same spot as my friend where you just want to quit or give up, listen to this song, read the words, and remember that things can and do get better. 


"Every Storm (Runs out of Rain)" - Gary Allan

I saw you standing in the middle of the thunder and lightning
I know you're feeling like you just can't win, but you're trying
It's hard to keep on keepin' on, when you're being pushed around
Don't even know which way is up, just keep spinning down, 'round, down…

Every storm runs, runs out of rain
Just like every dark night turns into day
Every heartache will fade away
Just like every storm runs, runs out of rain

So hold your head up and tell yourself that there's something more
Walk out that door
Go find a new rose, don't be afraid of the thorns
'Cause we all have thorns
Just put your feet up to the edge, put your face in the wind
And when you fall back down, keep on rememberin'

Every storm runs, runs out of rain
Just like every dark night turns into day
Every heartache will fade away
Just like every storm runs, runs out of rain

It's gonna run out of pain
It's gonna run out of sting
It's gonna leave you alone
It's gonna set you free
Set you free

Every storm runs, runs out of rain
Just like every dark night turns into day
Every heartache will fade away
Just like every storm runs, runs out of rain

It's gonna set you free,
It's gonna run out of pain,
It's gonna set you free

Share Your Story!

Dear Readers, 

I am on the e-mail list for Photobucket which is an online free photo editing site where you can upload your pictures, edit them and share them with others. Its an amazing site and I have found some amazing photos that are beautiful on there. Although I myself am not a very good photographer and don't really have the patience to get any better - I thought some of you might like to share your story through photos on this site. 

Photobucket is holding a Stories Contest called 'Life is an Adventure' and the winner will get $25,000! There is no limit to how many stories you can enter - but each story should be different as should the pictures. I thought that through this contest we could help share our stories of survival, triumph and hope. Help spread awareness about CHD, PH or any other illness you feel strongly about.

If you want some more information, go here. Please note though - all photos must be your own!

If you aren't a good photgrapher (like myself!) feel free to comment below though and share your stories of adventure, survival and hope!

Hope and Love,
Becca

Wonderful Words Wednesday

"Every day may not be good ... But there's something good in everyday." - Unknown

I saw this quote while scrolling through Facebook and it just made me smile. I decided to post this on my blog  so every time one of my readers (or myself) start to feel like the day just isn't going right, we can pull this post back up and be reminded that there is at least one thing in everyday that is positive. It might be something small, something you might not even realize on any other day. Something that on a good day might not even cross your mind on a day that is considered good. This quote really reminds me and I hope it does so for my readers as well, that its important to remember to stop and appreciate the good things in your life. Or as my grandma says, "Count your blessings." Yes you may have an off day, but that doesn't mean your life is coming to an end. Every day may not be good but that doesn't mean there isn't hope or the chance for something positively to come out of that day. 

Was there ever a time in your life where you thought things just weren't going your way? Was there ever a time when things weren't so good but once you started to count all the good things in your life, you started to feel better about your day and maybe even yourself? 

When there comes a time when things aren't so good, I encourage you to stop, look around and find something positive in the negativity that surrounds you. Once you start to find the positives, its hard not to notice them and its even harder to stop counting them. 

Hope and Love,
Becca 

Music Monday

This song is one that my mom found and put into a slide show for me when I graduated high school back in 2011. This song made me cry so hard, not going lie. I think it describes the way parents see their kids in general. But especially those who have CHD and other chronic illnesses or disabilities. Our parents are able to see our hearts... and they know how amazingly wonder their children are - no matter what society might say about them. If you ever need a way to reassure your children that you love them, no matter how "different" they are, this song will surely touch their hearts and make them see just how much you love them. 

My favorite part is the part is the verse: 
"Believe me when I say
It's not about your scars
It's all about your heart " 

 As someone with many scars and who has struggled with accepting my body because of them - this verse was when my tears started. My mom reassured me with a song that my scars aren't important. My heart is. The way I treat people, the way I accept others and being kind - that is what makes someone beautiful; even with all my scars. And to those of you who have scars, just know that the same applies to you. To those who are considered "different" or "odd", I don't see you as that and I bet your parents don't either. We see your heart and how wonderful it is - because that is all that matters. 

"All About Your Heart" by Mindy Gledhill

I don't mind your odd behavior
It's the very thing I savor
If you were an ice cream flavor
You would be my favorite one

My imagination sees you
Like a painting by Van Gogh
Starry nights and bright sunflowers
Follow you where you may go

Oh, I´ve loved you from the start
In every single way
And more each passing day
You are brighter than the stars
Believe me when I say
It's not about your scars
It's all about your heart
You´re a butterfly held captive
Small and safe in your cocoon
Go on you can take your time
Time is said to heal all wounds

Oh, I´ve loved you from the start
In every single way
And more each passing day
You are brighter than the stars
Believe me when I say
It's not about your scars
It's all about your heart

Like a lock without a key
Like a mystery without a clue
There is no me if I cannot have you

Oh, I´ve loved you from the start
In every single way
And more each passing day
You are brighter than the stars
Believe me when I say
It's not about your scars
It's all about your heart

Hope and Love,
Becca 

Dolls House = What I Hope To Have

Not sure if many of you know this, but when I was around nine years old I had a Make A Wish done. Now, 11 years later they have asked to do an article about me and other Wish Kids who have since then grown up. It's called 'Where are the Wish Kids Now?' Some of you might be wondering; what did she wish for? Well, I got a life sized doll house in my backyard. Also know as, a play house. Some of you might now be wondering; why a doll house? Let me tell you why. 

From a young age I have loved doll houses. I have loved being able to decorate them and make life for my dolls perfect. Maybe it was because my imagination could take me away from the difficulties of my own life. Maybe it was because I could make my dolls be healthy and live a normal life unlike I was able to do.

To this day, I have loved cute doll house like houses. I have often thought about what my future house would look like. And I know that I want my own house to be as beautiful and as perfect as my own doll houses. Maybe its because of how wonderful doll houses in my life have made me feel and the idea that a doll house or a perfect little house represents a normal life.

And sure everyone little girl wants a cute perfect little house and they want their future home to be beautiful. Its all normal and natural. But to me, having a cute perfect home means that I lived long enough to get married, graduate college, get a job and start a family.

Doll houses when I was younger let me have what I never thought I’d live to get.
But as I grew older and medical technology became better and the surgeries and medicine started to help me live longer, I realize that maybe my picture perfect doll house home will be obtainable.Maybe I will live longer to graduate college, live long enough to get married and live long enough to raise a family in my perfect doll house home. 

Hope and Love,
Becca  

P.S. Yes that is a picture of me and my doll house back in the day. 

Dream Team

As many of you know, I am a peer mentor for incoming freshman and that requires me to sit in on one of their classes - that way I am at school at least once a week when the students are in case they need to talk to me. The teacher in charge of this class talked about motivation during one of the class sessions and I wanted to share what she said with you all. 

We all have people in our lives, some that move us towards our dreams and goals and some that hold us back from them. She gave the students (and I asked for one as well) a handout called Dream Team. The directions read: "List ten people with whom you spend the most time. On a scale from 1 to 10, rate each relationship. A score of "1" indicates that the relationship completely pulls you away from your goals and dreams. A score of "10" means the relationship completely propels you towards your goals and dreams."

Once every one in the room had filled out the paper, she asked them a few questions to think about. Here they are: 

1. Why do I spend so much time with someone who doesn't help me towards my dreams and goals? 
2. How does it feel when I hang out with the people who don't help me towards my dreams and goals? 
3. Why haven't I tried to find a new relationship with someone else who will help me towards my goals? 

She didn't ask for anyone to answer them aloud, but instead asked them all to think over the questions and hopefully make some decisions (if needed) about who they hung out with and the negative choices that some of these relationships influence them to make that pulls them away from their dreams and goals. I invite you all to do this excersize, either in your head, in the comments below or on a sheet of paper in the comfort of your own home. Do the people you associate with motivate you and support your dreams? Or do they hold you back, put down your dreams and prevent you from going after them? If any of them do, I invite you to answer the questions the teacher had us answer. 

"Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another." Napoleon Hill 

Hope and Love,
Becca