25 Revelations and Life Lessons:

1. It's amazing the difference a new mattress can make!! Ahh! Why didn't I think of this sooner? Oh yeah, wasn't my idea. He's so smart!

2.  I have two seniors - wow - glad I don't feel like one myself! (yet?)

3. Kids grow up fast. The teen has been accepted at both KU and Pitt State for next fall. Will he follow in my/his brothers'/other family members' footsteps, or go the road less traveled? Either way, he will forge his own path, and I am so proud of him, of all my boys! Rock Chalk Gorillas??!! (I still feel old.)

4.  Life is good. It may seem crappy at times, but it's better than the alternative.  If you are thinking the alternative actually looks appealing, seek help; there are other options. I have been depressed and taken medication for it, and know of others who have as well. Sometimes you need help, so don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for it.

5. Finding someone who is almost as OCD as me = score. The fact that he not only accepts my "germophobic" ways but understands them = priceless.

6. Life is short. Be happy. Or stop complaining.

7. You will never ever know what someone else’s journey has been like. Don’t assume you do. You know what assuming does.

8. Sometimes you get a curve ball, and it can scare the shit out of you or turn your world upside down. But you have to stay positive. It's okay to break down sometimes but you have to be strong. And sometimes the curve ball can be just what you needed. At the time, it may not seem like it. But maybe it will all work out.

9.  I will NEVER regret being present in my boys' lives. I love them and they know it. They're stuck with me, anyway, the poor suckers. :-)

10. The person who stands by you through thick and thin, without complaint, who holds you when you cry after the bad news, and smiles and hugs you closer when you tell him the doctor said they got it all...he's THE ONE...finally. I AM the luckiest girl in the world.

11. FRIENDS. It's not about how many you have...they will come and go, and it's okay. At least that's what they tell me. I have managed to keep a few around, so….

12. I don't care what anyone thinks of me, with a few exceptions (my boyfriend, my boys, my boss). I've made mistakes, sure, and I've learned from them. Some I will NEVER make again! But they are MY mistakes, and I am happy with my life. If you feel the need to judge me, I can find you a mirror.

13. Think for yourself. Don't just drink the Kool-Aid. If you have an opinion, is it because you have valid reasoning or were you spoon-fed what you "believe"? Think about it. Do the research yourself. Look at the argument from all sides. You might be surprised what you discover.

14. Work hard. It pays off eventually. Or don’t. But be prepared to live like you haven’t worked hard if you didn't.

15. NEVER burn your bridges. If someone else burns it, fine. But don’t light the match yourself.

16. Wear clean underwear.  Seems innocuous though. Who doesn’t, right? If you’re in an accident, though, I promise you they are not concerned with the condition of your underwear. I've been in plenty of ERs, and know this first hand.

17. Let your kids see you fail at something. And then get back up again, get it together, and succeed. Do you think they learned a lesson there?

18. Always be grateful. Don’t be selfish.

19. Perspective. See # 4, 6, 7 and 12. If you still don’t understand, keep reading.

20. Malignant melanoma - two of the scariest words I could hear, but better me than one of the kids. Cells in the margins? Not good. But the second wide excision was successful - no more cancer. That's great news, but I will be cautiously, guardedly optimistic from now on. My scar looks kinda scary (a little Frankenstein-like to me) but I can't easily hide it, and I don't care. I guess I'm just not that vain. The look on my engineer's face at work when I told him I got knifed on Bannister Road? Sometimes you just gotta find the humor. Love you, Sai!

22. Now do you get what I mean about perspective? Find what is important to you and focus on that. And take time to laugh, even at yourself.

23. As my arm heals, I can finally start training for my next half marathon. I really miss running. It's great therapy. And now I have a training partner!

24. Take time to relax. The beach is still my favorite vacation spot…I just have to be more careful in the sun. Everything in moderation. Though I need to GET there again!

25. Take care of yourself. Ain’t nobody else got time to do it! (Sorry, had to say it!)

There’s plenty more life lessons out there. These are just things that popped into my head as I wrote in my journal and I thought some of them were funny.  I will end with one final movie quote, which somewhat inspired #13, and became even more poignant yesterday – O captain, my captain.