Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back...

That's the new theme for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event. We celebrate those who are survivors, remember those we have lost, and fight back to beat cancer.

Thinking about the upcoming holiday season, starting my shopping, and getting ready to decorate a new house for Christmas has brought the memories back that always flood my mind at this time of year. I am thinking often of my mother, who passed away 2-1/2 years ago after a brief battle with cancer, and how happy (and simultaneously wildly stressed out!) she always was around the holidays. She loved to shop for Christmas and outdid herself every year... wore herself out...! But she wouldn't have had it any other way... as usual, I'm realizing that I am a lot more like her than I would have thought when I was younger... and as usual, I'm really missing her....

For Thanksgiving, we're staying in town, although we'd thought we might drive to see Shane's sister Jenny and her little boy Carlos in Kansas (14-hour drive!!!). I'm happy we'll be able to work on the house and have a nice simple dinner with friends Ariane and Adam and another couple, Doug and Nancy.

I'm thankful for friends and family and life and health this season. This week the Maryville College community mourns the loss of a former student and current assistant football coach, Cody Bowers. Although I did not know him personally, I feel for his family, friends, and colleagues and for our community in general.

On a lighter note, I am listening to our local "All-Christmas-music-all-the-time" radio station but have yet to hear "Christmas Shoes," the sweetest and perhaps also the cheesiest Christmas song (or ANY song!) ever... I hope to hear it soon...! :) [P.S. I just looked it up and listened to a clip on cduniverse.com... couldn't help myself... awww....]

Happy Thanksgiving to all!