30 Days of Blogging: Day 27

Day 27 - What kind of person attracts you - kind of appropriate for Valentines Day, right? (I don't really know where to go with this one, but I'll try my best.)

This guy! He's been by my side for five and a half years now and I've loved every minute of it and look forward to many, many more. He makes me so happy, makes me laugh all the time, supports me, loves me, 'gets' me and through all of that he doesn't complain...too much. ;) I couldn't ask for a better husband! I love you, Tim!

30 Days of Blogging: Day 26

Day 26 - A photo of somewhere you want to go

California - Tim and I went there on our honeymoon, to the Anaheim & San Diego areas. I'd love to go back to other major cities that we haven't gotten to.

Hawaii - Tim's grandparents are there right now and they have some beautiful pictures! I've always wanted to go to Hawaii and I hope that I can make it one day. :)

Colorado - This is a picture I actually took when I was there in 2009. I went with some of my family for my cousin's graduation from the Air Force Academy. I'd love to go back with Tim to just do some sight-seeing.

There are many other places I'd love to go, I'm pretty open to anything. I'd love to go out of the country at some point, don't really care where. :-)

30 Days of Blogging: Day 25

Day 25 - Five of your favorite movies/books
Since I've already named several of my favorite movies here, I'm going to focus this one on my favorite books.

Robyn's Book is written by Robyn Miller who had CF and was born in 1964. This is an autobiography of her life and what it was like to live then with CF. It's pretty powerful and emotional, but I highly recommend it. Tim got me the book for Christmas several years ago, and I'm thinking I need to read it again because it's been awhile. I'm willing to lend it to anyone who'd like to to read it.

This is probably the best series I've ever read! The books are so well-written and so detailed! I cannot believe that one person could come up with all of this! I've read all of the books and I've seen all of the movies, and the books blow the movies out of the water! Highly recommend these books to anyone, any age.

The Guardian is written by Nicholas Sparks, but it's not his typical 'chick flick' style writing in this one, which is why it's my absolute favorite by him. It still has the love story in it, but it has an element of suspense which his other books don't have.

Something Borrowed is a total 'chick flick' book written by Emily Giffin. It was turned into a movie, which I never saw because it looked really cheesy. I really enjoy Giffin's writing style and I think I've read almost all of her books. Other books she's written include: Something Blue (sequel to Something Borrowed), Love the One You're With, and Heart of the Matter.

I know I'll probably get a lot of criticism for these, but I don't care. They're nothing compared to the movies, at all! I know they're definite chick books, and probably meant for 14 year old girls, but so what. I've read them all (twice) and I really enjoyed them. They're very easy reads but addicting. As far as the books go, I'm Team Edward. As far as the movies go, I'm Team Jacob...in case you were wondering! 

Right now I'm currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I'm about 100 pages into it. After I finish the three books in the series, I'm planning on reading the Hunger Games Trilogy. Any other great books that I should read, please let me know - I'm going to need something to do this summer!

30 Days of Blogging: Day 24

Day 24 - A photo of something that means a lot to you

My support system:

2007 - This was probably one of the coldest Great Strides
I've ever walked! 

2008 - Friends & Family in Chicago! That was a cold year!

2009 - Friends & Family in Chicago - at least the sun was
out this time!

2010 - Our friends Chris and Allie, me and Tim at the Chicago
Walk - it was gorgeous that day!

2011 - All of my family that drove an hour or two
just to walk with us in DeKalb! :-)

2011 - Friends & Co-workers!

Thank you to everyone who's ever attended a Great Strides walk with me! It really means a lot to me to see each and everyone of you out there walking with me.They've always been a great time and I hope that our groups continue to grow each year! I can't wait to post a picture of the HUGE group we're going to have this year!!!

30 Days of Blogging: Day 23

Day 23 - 15 Facts about you
This is going to be tougher than I thought, because as I sit down to write this, I feel like I've pretty much told you everything about myself through all of my posts, especially during this '30 Days' challenge.

These were my wedding flowers
and I LOVED them!

1. I actually enjoy running now - If you would have told me a year or so ago that I'd say this, I'd think you were crazy! It's still tough running for longer distances each time, but I'm so proud of what I've been able to accomplish this far.
2. I have 3 scars on my stomach, 2 tiny ones on my neck and a couple little ones on my chest from my meconium ileus surgery right after I was born.
3. I've never broken a bone. 
4. I love macaroni and cheese!
5. I hate very cold weather and very hot weather - if it could be anywhere from 60-80 degrees everyday, I'd be a very happy person. 
6. I'd much prefer flowers over chocolates. Orange lilies are my favorite. (See picture)
7. I love when I hear certain songs and they trigger specific memories! :-)
8. I'm absolutely terrified for when the day comes when I have to go to the hospital for the first time and get IVs. 
9. I love my CF doctor and nurse, Penny, and I don't ever want to move too far away because I never want to go to another clinic. 
10. My favorite candy bar is Snickers, but I enjoy them in moderation - I'm not a huge chocolate person.
11. My iPod is orange and my phone case used to be purple, until it broke, now it's just black.
12. I frequently have dreams where my teeth crumble and fall out - if someone could tell me the meaning behind this I'd greatly appreciate it because it totally freaks me out each time!
13. I enjoy writing checks, taking care of the bills and being organized, it makes me feel like an adult. :-)
14. I had a dream last night where I was going somewhere overnight, and two hours into the trip I realized I forgot my Vest! I made whoever was driving me turn around to get it because I kept saying, "I've been compliant for almost 200 days, I can't stop now! We have to go get it!"
15. I cannot wait for Tim and I to become parents! 

30 Days of Blogging: Day 22

Day 22 - A letter to someone who has hurt OR made you happy recently


To: Every one of my blog readers, every person who's ever donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, all of my family, friends and co-workers:

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for all of your love, support, and encouragement! Without each and everyone of you in my life, I'd be a different person and I wouldn't be where I am today. To my blog readers: thanks for all of the comments/encouragement throughout the past year of my blog - it definitely keeps me going to know there are people out there reading (and enjoying) my posts. To anyone who's ever donated to the CFF - you are making my life wonderful! Thanks to all of your donations, I now have Kalydeco as a treatment option for myself (I'll go more into detail about that in another post)! To my family, friends and co-workers: Thank you for listening to me when I complain about my CF, supporting me in my recently goal to be able to start exercising and run a 5K (I think I found one in the summer I want to run! - More about that later, too). Thank you for the continuous encouragement to do my treatments and keep myself healthy, and giving me a reason to live!

From,
A very healthy, thankful, Cyster! :-)

30 Days of Blogging: Day 21

Day 21 - A photo of something that makes you happy 
There are a lot of things that make me happy, but here's one of my favorites:

These are flowers that Tim got me for our one year anniversary when we were dating!

30 Days of Blogging: Day 20

Day 20 - The meaning behind your blog name

Well, the blog started out as "How I Live, Laugh and Love with CF" because I wanted to go off of one of my favorite quotes "Live, Laugh, Love". I wanted to show people out there that it's possible to live a 'normal' life despite having CF and how I make it work. I like to try to mention one of those words in every post to try to tie it in all the time, but it doesn't always work.
After I had the blog for about nine or ten months, I noticed there was a big focus on my CF in the blog (which is what I wanted), but I wanted the title to be something not blatantly "CF". So I played around with some things and came up with *Live*Laugh*Love*Breathe* because not only am I doing the first three all the time, but my other major focus in life is to breathe as deeply and best as I can - I just thought it was very fitting for me. I've grown to absolutely love this phrase and I wish they made things in stores that had "Breathe" tacked on the end of it, too...but Tim says we have enough "live, laugh, love" stuff in the house already! :-)
I always want it to be a constant reminder to myself (and him) that that's what life's about: living life to the fullest everyday, laughing things off and not taking them too seriously - basically, just relax!, loving each other through everything, and breathing deeply & being/staying healthy.

PS: This is my 100th post - I think this is the perfect topic to sum it all up so far! :)