Life is what you make it {Happy New Year!}

Wow! Where do I even begin?! Happy New Year! May 2012 (and all the years that follow) bring you nothing but health, happiness and love!
Our New Year's Eve was incredible. I would actually say this was my BEST New Year's Eve! Sean and I spent the night in center city Philadelphia at the GORGEOUS and ELEGANT Loews for our friend's Jessica and Jim's wedding! I wore a floor-length spaghetti strap red dress (my junior prom dress, thank you! - 10 years later!), and we literally danced all night long. We spent the night with Sean's sister Julie and her boyfriend Dan, and our friend Alissa and her boyfriend Peter. The food was incredible. The cocktails were incredible. The music was incredible. The view was incredible. It was a joyous occasion, and one of the few times I remember dancing freely, for hours on end, in virtually no pain, with not a thought in my mind except that I was happy and lucky and healthy and had so much to look forward to this coming year. 2012. Less than three months until we get married!
So let me run with that thought. Let me take that. That feeling I had on NYE. A carefree feeling. Sure, my chest was sore in the morning (did I bounce a lot or something?) but it was worth it. It was everything and more. A dream come true. So beautiful. Yes, I'll even go as far as to say it was a magical night. A beautiful event with the people I love. Who could ask for anything more?! Honestly.
Oh! And we got a dog! I'm not sure how much I actually touched on this in the blog, but Sean and I have been wanting a dog for a really long time. Pretty much since we started dating. We've been to our local SPCA a few times, but nothing worked out. And then a few weeks ago my co-worker Buffie told me her dog just had puppies. So I called her up, and on our way to Philadelphia Friday afternoon, and we stopped by. We said "hello" to some of the puppies, and pretty much fell in love. They were seven-week-old chocolate labs. One in particular took to us more than the others. So we told Buffie we'd think about it and talk it over, and then give her an answer Sunday. On the way out of Buffie's driveway, I looked to Sean and said: "What do you think?" And he replied, something along the lines of, "do we really have a choice?"
One of the puppies (we later named him Campbell. More of that later), came up to us and was licking our faces, and he even let us hold him without a fight. He was just so cute. We looked at the picture we had of him all weekend, thought of names, and called both of our families. Then it was decided by Saturday afternoon. We were getting the dog! We were in love with the squishy-faced puppy with the purple string tied around its neck.
I called Buffie and told her the news, and then Sean and I immediately went to Petco and got everything we needed to start a home for little Campbell, who, now is only 7 weeks and maybe only 10 pounds or so, but will grow to about 70 or 80 pounds! We got a crate, some food, some bones, a toothbruse (and peanut butter flavored toothpaste, of course!), some treats and some balls. And a leash and collar. Blue. We brought him home yesterday, and ever since then (besides him crying hysterically in his crate until after 3 a.m. this morning) has brought us nothing but joy. Buffie was kind enough to give us Campbell for free as a wedding gift!
I honestly have no words. I'm so happy. And still letting it all sink in. My first doggie! I know this will take a lot of work. (Training a puppy, especially). We'll have to do things a little differently now. Campbell will take up time, energy and money. He'll need to be trained, taken to the vet. But I know it will be worth it, and I know we're ready. We had originally wanted to wait until after the wedding, until things "settled down." But can I say this? Will things EVER really "settle down"? Sure, it's a lot to take on right now, but this opportunity came, and we took it. And as far as the "settling down?" Our lives aren't going to slow down for a while. Not after the wedding, not ever. Because after the wedding will come the honeymoon. After the honeymoon will come my other mastectomy. After that (multiple surgeries and a long healing and recovery process) will come time to start a family. So now is as good a time as any. We want to live life fully. And we want to do so now.
So we started 2012 with a new puppy! This year is going to be amazing. We're getting married in three months and we have a new dog! So much to be happy about, so much to be thankful for. So this shows me (both the NYE wedding and getting Campbell) that life really IS what you make it. I still have physical pain and I still have worries and anxieties, and I know I've said it a million times, but the LFS diagnosis really threw my off course and forced me re-think a lot of things about life. Mostly what I thought I knew, but didn't, and what this all meant for my future and the future of me and Sean and our potential family. But today, in thinking about how great New Year's was, and in thinking about this little addition to our family, I realize, yet again, life (the really, really amazing things in life) ARE bigger than all this other stuff. Life is what you make it. I could be sad every day that I have LFS. I could be worried every day about getting cancer again. I could wither in pain and choose not to move. Or, I could dance. I could get a dog. I could move forward, above and beyond. Sure, sometimes we have to try a little harder to make ourselves happy, or not stressed out. We are always trying, but sometimes it take more effort than other times. But I've learned that we must always, ALWAYS put into our lives things that are good for us and people who love us unconditionally. When we do we are reminded of what really matters. And when we are reminded of what really matters, our spirit strengthens. Our hope soars. Our hearts brighten. And we can keep going on, keep living. Keep living in an inspired, strong way.
So enter 2012. A new year. A year of hope. The year we got Campbell. The year we'll get married. The year we'll go on our honeymoon. The year I'll take the next step in taking control of my health and get another mastectomy. The year of 2012. Of good, happy things. Why? Because I'll make it that way.

And to conclude this post, here is Dear Abby's Jan. 1 column:
DEAR READERS: Welcome to 2012! While the last year has been tumultuous for many of us, a new one is here, bringing with it our chance for a fresh start.
Today is the day we discard destructive old habits for healthy new
ones, and with that in mind, I will share Dear Abby's often-requested list of New Year's Resolutions, which were adapted by my mother, Pauline Phillips, from the original credo of Al-Anon:
JUST FOR TODAY: I will live through this day only. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once. I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.
JUST FOR TODAY: I will be happy. I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me. If my mind fills with clouds, I will chase them away and fill it with sunshine.
JUST FOR TODAY: I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things that I can correct and accept those I cannot.
JUST FOR TODAY: I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.
JUST FOR TODAY: I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I'll not speak ill of others. I will improve my appearance, speak softly, and not interrupt when someone else is talking. Just for today, I will refrain from improving anybody but myself.
JUST FOR TODAY: I will do something positive to improve my health. If I'm a smoker, I'll quit. If I am overweight, I will eat healthfully -- if only for today. And not only that, I will get off the couch and take a brisk walk, even if it's only around the block.
JUST FOR TODAY: I will gather the courage to do what is right and take the responsibility for my own actions.