10

Happy 10th Birthday, Liam.

We miss you so much, still. I think of you very often, and wonder what you would be like at ten... I truly have a hard time picturing you past the perfect five year old that you were.

Brave, Strong, and Courageous... I will always, always strive to be just like you.

I love you.

Kristen.

Music

I've picked up/been introduced to some really sweet music in the last few weeks. Here's a small portion of them, in case any of you are searching for some new tunes!

Noah and the Whale - Blue Skies
Santigold - Lights Out
Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
Jay Brannan - Bowlegged and Starving
OneRepublic - Good Life
Ingrid Michaelson - You and I
Amos Lee - Sweet Pea
Jens Lekman - Your Arms Around Me
Mike Posner - Cooler Than Me
The Weepies - Gotta Have You
K-OS - I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman
Dan Black feat. Kid Cudi - Symphonies (remix)


Big update coming up soon... lots of exciting news. :-)

Catch Up!

I know, I know. I'm way behind on updating about actual events in my life. Let's start out with the biggest one...




















Yes! I graduated from college! It was a great week - I had a lot of family come down for the ceremonies and celebrations. We had an amazing time, and even though H. had her graduation the same weekend, she was able to make it to my departmental graduation and spend the rest of the day with my family. It was so nice to be able to spend time with her and my family at the same time - they really love her.




















Walking across the stage was pretty anti-climactic, actually... the part that meant the most to me was checking my final grades for the semester, seeing my final transcript, and actually being very, very proud of myself - despite being SO close to graduating with honors. (If only I'd studied harder that one semester... etc.)





















After graduation, I promptly spent exactly one week sleeping, doing laundry, and resting my brain. I actually read a book for fun for the first time in months. I caught up on lots of blogs and caringbridges. It felt good to be a real human again!!

After that, I went on an adventure to Los Angeles with Dan as a graduation gift!! That story, however, will have to wait for next time, because it's 2:15am and I am leaving tomorrow for Charlotte. Monday we fly out to Boston, and that story will have to wait as well.

Hope you're all enjoying your summer so far!

Way, way too many.

Ever since Liam was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, I have been keeping up with other children who are battling Neuroblastoma/other cancers and and their families. At first, it was a good way to learn more about NB, understand treatments, read about new therapies, and express my support through messages and guestbook entries. Soon after I began keeping up with children other than Liam, I learned how attached I became to many of these children, even though I'd never met them or their families. Although I am not as involved in the NB world as I used to be, I continue to learn of new children who are diagnosed and continue to keep up with their treatment progress, triumphs and sadness.

It continues to shock me when I learn that a new child has earned their wings. This morning, Kayla passed peacefully into the next world after her battle with cancer. It continues to break my heart and fuels the fire deep inside of me to help contribute to the FIGHT against pediatric cancer.

Too many sweet children have been lost to this disease. Emma Grace, Stanton, Christi, Erin, Katie, Penelope, Sam, James, Austin, Sydney, Max, Lucas, Eden, Kendall... to name a few - and that's just off the top of my head. Children who I followed closely, prayed for, cried for, wished for...

I've been thinking about Liam a lot lately. On the 29th of this month, he would have been 10 years old. It's absolutely mind blowing to imagine him at age ten. I almost can't do it... to me, he will always have a high-pitched little voice, tiny hands and toes, and still have some of his baby chub (except for when he became so very thin due to his treatments). It makes my heart ache just thinking that he's not here to experience grade school, sports, being a big brother, etc. Just the other night, tears streamed down my cheeks as I realized that my concrete memories of Liam are beginning to fade. I have a collection of memories, and I won't ever forget them... but the details are becoming hazy. It's been 4 years, 8 months, and 2 days since the last time I saw Liam, since he hugged me goodbye. Luckily, I have been blogging since before Liam was diagnosed, so in a special place out in the interwebs, I have a lot of posts about different experiences I shared with Liam. I am very thankful that I have those.

Please keep my dear friend Olivia's little friend Ylaria in your thoughts. Her family received devastating news a few months ago, but made the brave decision to try a new therapy- the one in Vermont. Ylaria's neuroblastoma is progressing, so please, send some prayers her way.

FOOD!!

I've always been one to enjoy good food... but I had no idea what I was in for!! My girlfriend is an amazing cook - she can just look in the fridge at whatever random items are there and come up with a yummy meal, improvising for what she doesn't have. It's pretty impressive actually, because I usually take one look in the half entry pantry or fridge and assume that I don't have the ingredients to make anything. She knows how to make everything taste better, and even how to make meals much healthier. On my birthday this year, she wasn't supposed to be able to come to Greensboro because of prior work commitments... somehow, she worked it out to not only completely surprise me and be there for the day, but she also cooked an amazing dinner! I am sooo lucky!

This week I drove back down to NC after a totally fun and relaxing last minute vacation with my friend Dan. (I'll update more on that later..) The night that I got here, H. outdid herself and made one of the best meals I've EVER eaten!

















Seared tuna steak over avocado with a lime/cilantro/jalapeno/garlic sauce, steamed asparagus with pasta, and an arugula salad with goat cheese, walnuts, beets, and a balsamic/olive oil dressing. Plus, awesome red wine. YUM!

And just when I thought it couldn't get much better than that in the same WEEK, last night H. chose a recipe off of the Old Bay website... (I can't say that I can think of any recipe involving Old Bay that I wouldn't enjoy immensely!)

















Shrimp (that had been marinated in beer and Old Bay!) wrapped in bacon, steamed bell peppers and asparagus, plus a great salad that we used my special homemade dressing for. And awesome peach beer!

I am spoiled and lucky.