When I was invited to view the film HOME and attend a press junket with the creatives involved that included Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin & Director Tim Johnson, I was thrilled. Such talent – such creativity – such legends. First I had to see the film to see for myself.

So, on a late Monday afternoon, I ventured into the city for a screening of the film. The film is about Oh, a misfit from another planet who lands on earth and finds himself on the run from his own people. He forms an unlikely friendship with an adventurous girl named Tip who is on a quest of her own. Through a series of comic adventures together, they both come to understand that being different and making mistakes is all part of being human. There are some great messages being relayed to the audiences watching, particularly children about being different, fitting in, nonformity. I knew the conversation with the group would be cosmic..and it was. A long time fan of several on the panel, particularly Steve Martin, who I have grown up with and followed my whole life, and Jim Parsons from the wonderful Big Bang Theory and The Normal Heart, which I saw on Broadway last year, and Rihanna for so many reasons- what can I say? There would be no other word to describe being in the room with them other than COSMIC.

Here are some of my favorite comments from the press conference – about everything from girlpower to feeling left out as a kid to the new technology to make the film.

On working alone in a sound booth without anyone to work off:

Steve Martin: I was delighted to finally work alone. I didn’t have to put up with those hacks like Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin and Marty Short. It was just me.

On creating a powerful female character:

Rihanna: I think it was both important to me and DreamWorks Animation for this to be as realistic as possible. We wanted little girls to feel empowered, little girls of any size, shape, color, race. It didn’t matter. We wanted girls to just feel strong and brave and empowered and beautiful and like they can do anything. And they can take charge of their life or their situation no matter what. I think we were really, really careful, especially with the animation and making sure that she wore the right things, that her body was not unrealistic, you know? And I think for kids, that’s going to be very special, for young girls especially. 

On lessons learned from the film:

Rihanna: I’m really inspired by Tip’s strength and determination because, you know, even in real life, there are those moments where you start to doubt yourself or you start to really feel like it’s not the right thing and going on the wrong direction. And you don’t know. Like, you start to lose hope. And you are right. This movie did kind of bring that back for me.

Martin: And I want to be more like Captain Smek, shallow and arrogant.

Jim Parsons: Oh has his own selection of them too, this optimism and eagerness and friendliness and hopefulness, that I don’t carry with me as in abundance and as much of the time as he does. And there’s not a good reason for–I mean, life gets in the way.

On working with Apollo, the new technology used to make the film:

Tim Johnson: The biggest thing I could do is I could bring the camera closer to the characters. And with voice performances like this, the classic film close-up is something animation didn’t usually do. An animation close-up would go from the middle of your chest over your head. But, a film would go in very tight. But, it used to kind of break down when you’d go that close on an animated face. And it would look kind of, frankly, a little bit like plastic. This new technology, we could go right up to Tip, right up to Captain Smek, right up to Oh. And the animators were able, by the tiniest squint of their eye or the little, little tiny glint in a smile. You would get so much more subtlety. And so, it was very empowering as a director to be able to do what I think audiences loved, get very intimate with the characters.

On the soundtrack:

Rihanna: There are seven full songs right now on the soundtrack. And it’s not just me on the album. We worked with a few other artists and collaborated with some people and some producers and scores. I mean even throughout the movie, the soundtrack, there is a lot of music from the soundtrack in the movie. Tim worked with some amazing, talented string players that really helped to score the film and tie all the emotions together, kind of just give the vibe or the energy, just to build the atmosphere of what you’re supposed to feel in that moment.

Johnson: Rihanna and a couple of producers, song writers, she’s had a long partnership with Stargate. We started working on music three years ago when we cast her as the voice.

On comparing acting in a animated feature to writing a play and using improvisation:

Martin: With a play, you get to try it out and maybe take it out of town, rewrite it, and rework it. And even during the run, during the previews, you can make changes. And it’s very much like that in an animated film because you could actually do a scene, animate it, try it out, and see if you like it. And if not, change it, unlike a film, which is a very hard thing to do.

Parsons: It’s funny. I know Steve was a bigger part of adding things to his dialogue and stuff than either of us were. I mean I never improv’ed, other than the “Boov Death Song”. I think there’s reason. I think Steve’s better at that than me, maybe not you, but me.

On giving advice to children who have been picked on or feel like insiders:

Rihanna: I have felt like an outsider ever since my first day at school. I mean I think that’s really it. Like, you’re at home. And you know, it’s the whole–not to go there, but really when you’re at home, you have this sense of comfort. You belong. It’s familiar. It is you. And not until you leave your home and you have to be in another environment supervised by completely different people and around different children who come from different homes, and you’re immediately exposed to all these type of things because just as strange as they are to you, you are to them. And it can be hurtful. It comes off hurtful for children. But, really, they’re trying to understand each other, or they really don’t understand each other because they come from a completely different background or culture. And it really is just about being who you are no matter what. Like, you just have to understand everybody’s not going to be like you, even in those horrible situations.

Parsons: I think that’s beautifully put. And I think that it speaks to why everybody in the movie is in to a degree, but specifically Tip and Oh are in is such a universal feeling. I love what you just said about you at one point leave your home, where you’re like everything’s natural and normal here. I can do nothing that’s weird.

We’re normal here. And as soon as you leave, everybody’s going to run into a situation where it’s like that’s not acceptable here. Okay. Okay. You know? So, to varying degrees, there are harder times to get through or not.

But, I think, too, what you say is exactly the truth. There’s only really one choice to get through that. And it’s to stay true to yourself and know that there are people who, if you’re running into people who think you’re a real weirdo right now and seem to judge you, there’s plenty of those who aren’t.

And eventually, that’s going to be your money maker, frankly. Embrace your freak.

Martin: At 12 or 13, I felt like an outsider at school. And then this new usage of a word came in, which was nonconformist. And you were lauded if you were a nonconformist. I thought I’m not an outsider. I’m a nonconformist. So, I was feeling pretty good at that point. I still had no friends. But, I was a nonconformist with no friends.

The actors found a lot of common ground with their characters, and after having spent very little time with each other producing HOME, the bond that was formed appeared strong and their banter seemed effortless.

Excited about HOME? Here’s how to stay connected:

– Follow DreamWorks Animation on Twitter

– Like ‘HOME’ on Facebook

– Visit the Official Website

– Get to know The Boov’s at Meet the Boov!

To celebrate the release of HOME, I’m thrilled to be giving away a $25 Visa gift card to inspire your next movie outing and HOME earbuds.

The movie takes place in various parts of the world. To win, just comment below and tell me what place your consider your home away from home.

For an additional entry, tweet this:

I entered to win a $25 @Visa card to celebrate #DreamworksHome via @hollychronicles! http://bit.ly/1Ex9Dd4

Disclosure: I was not compensated to write this post but received complimentary tickets to facilitate the review.  Giveaway is courtesy of Dreamworks. Open to U.S. mailing addresses only. Winner will be chosen Monday, March 23rd at 6:00pm.

Disclosure: I was not compensated to write this post but was invited to the screening and press event by the folks at Dreamworks.

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If you’ve read my blog before, you know of my passionate and fervent interest to help others. Using it and other streams over the years, I’ve raised large amounts of money for St. Jude Hospital and the Haitian Amputee Mothers Alliance. I’ve raised awareness for Every Mother Counts, Mothers 2 Mothers, Save the Children, Dress for Success and ONE. I write over at The Broad Side and BlogHer when given the opportunity and really try to raise the bar on issues I care about, most pertaining to women and children.

Yet I am not known for this work. I’m the quiet social gooder, raising my hand but perhaps not diving in deep enough. I have been searching for a new cause, an organization that will appreciate my efforts, and I think I have found one.

After several years of watching the significant and important work of Shot@Life through fellow members of the blogging community, I signed up to attend their summit in Washington, D.C., paying my own way, hoping it would bring me in deeper. I’ve been so impressed by their social media and marketing initiatives over the years but haven’t been able to jump in on the scale I would have liked to. This trip would inform me about what they are doing, why they’re doing it and how I can help. It would be a chance to jump in on a very real level by hitting my congressional leaders to advocate to protect children in developing countries from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Shot@Life does such important work, and the first day of the conference was spent zeroing in on what they do. There are 400,000 children born in America every year. Imagine 200,000 of them dying. That’s what would happen if we didn’t access to vaccines, and that is what’s happening globaly – not enough people have access. Vaccines are the safest and most simple and cost-effective ways to save children worldwide. Immunations give chilren around the world a chacne at more “firsts” – 1st words, 1st days of school. They are more likely to celebrate their 5th birthdays, do well in school and go on to become healthy, thriving adults.

Shot@Life raises funding in the U.S. to make this happen by working with policymakers in Washington, DC. Currently, funding is less than 1% of the total U.S. budget, but this budget saves 2.5 million lives every eyear.

After a day of learning, I ventured onto Capital Hill with other New York consituents. Several in my group were doctors, one was a nurse, one was the mother of a young girl who died from Meningitis, a preventable illness, but not one she was told to have her daughter vaccinated for. The look in her eyes went through me and stung my heart, and as a mother, our mission gained significance. We were on Hill and had real work to do.

Together we would inform our Congressman about how in other countries, mothers do not have the luxury of choice unless they walk many miles to get these vaccines. Many have witnessed the unnecessary death of tehir children under the age of 5. It only costs $20 to immunize a child and get the support they need. The campaign’s partners, UNICEF, World Health Organization, and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, are making this happen and their work has already contributed to a 99% reduction in polio, a 75% reduction in measles-related deaths and the introduction of vaccines for two of the most deadly childhood diseases, pneumonia and diarrhea. And the woman who had lost her child would look each congressman in the face and tell them that no mother or father should ever have to go through what she had been through.

As a mother, as a women, as an individual who believes that every person should have a chance, an opportunity, a shot at life, I feel that together, my group made a difference. When I heard that Shot@Life garnered 20 signatures from Congress on a letter to support and increase funding for critical global health and vaccine programs at the end of our day of lobbying, I was elated. Everyone who came for the summit, whether a new Shot@Life champion, had a story to tell and a voice to carry its simple but so important message.

Because that’s what it’s all about – our voices. Together, we can make a difference and change the world. I took the dive and I’m ready to swim. Stay tuned to this space.

To make a donation to Shot@Life, head here: http://shotatlife.org

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Meeting Olivia

I can’t believe that I had my first daughter 11-1/2 years ago.  It feels like yesterday, and for some reason, the images are more vivid than when I had my second child a few years later.

It was an induced pregnancy, so we went in to the hospital rather leisurely on a week night.  I laid on a table and was given medication to send my soon-to-be child a signal that it was time to come into the world.  After nine months of carrying her around in my belly and readying the house and my life to include a new child, my husband and I were more than ready to welcome her into our lives.

Once the contractions started, the experience went from easy to difficult. Those pains were serious and I felt like I had been transported into another universe.  She was born at 9am the next morning, and a new light came into my life.

However, she wasn’t brought over to me right away.  She was having trouble breathing upon entrance and was instead whisked away by the doctors. For a few brief moments, we were afraid that something was wrong.  But like with most babies in the U.S., she was okay and returned to me.

I have often thought about children in developing countries and whether they are given the same care and chance in life.

Mother and child in Ethiopia’s southern highlands

In 2000, world leaders adopted a series of ambitious goals–the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)–including commitments to cut poverty by half, get every child into school, and dramatically reduce child and maternal deaths by 2015.

Today, millions fewer people live in extreme poverty than a generation ago, most children complete a primary education, hunger has been cut by over a third and there are 90 million people living today whose lives would have been cut short, had child mortality rates remained at 1990 levels, the baseline year for the goals.

Mother picking up an insecticide treated bed net. Lusaka Zambia

However 18,000 children die each day from preventable causes and one million newborns die on their first day of life.  Newborns now account for 4 out of 5 deaths of children under the age of five.

Unless we urgently start to tackle newborn deaths, there is a real danger that progress in reducing child deaths could stall and we will fail in our ambition to be the generation that can end all preventable child deaths.

With 500 days to go before the target date, it is vital that the world acts to make sure more countries can get on-track to achieve MDG4-the reduction of preventable child deaths by two thirds by 2015.

Mothers and children in Morogoro, Tanzania

On August 18, 2014, Save the Children marked the 500 days left to meet MDG targets by showing the progress made in each country and also build a sense of urgency around the political action needed to meet MDG4 targets.

They want 500 Days to be the starting point of our push at the UNGA meetings in September where we will highlight the urgent need for more trained and skilled health workers critical to saving newborns and mothers as well as the Race for Survival in October with its theme of the “hardest to reach” highlighting the tough living conditions many children face and the lack of access to quality care. It’s important to remember that:

• Each day an estimated 800 mothers and 18,000 young children die from largely preventable causes.
• In the time left to the MDG target we need to accelerate progress toward achieving MDG 4.
• More than 1 million babies die on their first and only day of life across the world, and 2.9 million in their first month.
• The newborn crisis is much bigger than we may think, with a staggering 1.2 million stillbirths occurring during childbirth
• More than half of these maternal and under-fives deaths take place in locations beset by a high risk of conflict and/or natural disasters.
• 40 million women give birth without any skilled help – that’s more than 100,000 women every day. Even more dramatically, 2 million women a year are entirely alone when giving birth.
• Investing in mothers works. Maternal deaths and child mortality in the most challenging countries of the world are being dramatically cut when efforts are made to improve services for mothers and children.

We can stop this. Many of these deaths are preventable if the mother-to-be had a trained midwife to help them give birth safely. Newborn mortality rates can only be reduced through fairer distribution of essential health services and through universal healthcare access; this means making these more available to the poorest and most marginalized families, as well as to communities living in rural areas.

We must ensure that every mother, newborn and children under five has  access to high quality health care; invest much more in women and girls and ensure their protection; and build stronger institutions and stronger health systems that provide universal health coverage, and provide for the most vulnerable, as well as promote early action, social protection, disaster risk reduction.

Disclosure: I’m a member of Moms Bloggers for Social Good and this post supports their MDG4 campaign.

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Netflix has films for kids of all ages that dissect friendships, from sibling bonds to classmates. Here are a few suggestions:

Stand By Me

Based on the Stephen King short story The Body, Rob Reiner’s film is about a quartet of boys, inseparable friends all, set out in search of a dead body that one of the boys overhears his brother talking about. It had a slate of actors I followed in the 1980s including the late River Phoenix.

The film teaches kids to support each other, no matter what, and stand by each other.

My Girl

This coming-of-age charmer follows a summer in the life of an 11-year-old girl who learns about love and loss as she grapples with profound changes. It was about a close friendship that grappled with loss and the disillusionment of adolescence. It had some great supporting roles including Dan Aykroid, Griffin Dunne and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Ferris convinces his entire school he’s at death’s door, then hits the streets of Chicago with his girlfriend and best friend for a day of fun. I loved Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller, the best friend anyone could have. He’ll show kids what BFF’s are made of.

Charlotte’s Web

When Wilbur the pig discovers he’s destined for the dinner table, kindly spider Charlotte hatches a plan to keep him around. The story, based on the book by EB White, teaches kids the true meaning of friendship, especially when they are having trouble defining the true meaning.

Disclosure: I’m a member of the Netflix Stream Team and post monthly.

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My heroine of the week is Jennifer Garner. She’s the first celebrity I’ve ever seen admit that her belly grew after pregnancy and never returned to its normal size. I’m literally in awe of her for admitting that people are RUDE to ask her about it and tabloids have even posted headlines underneath her photo declaring her upcoming 4th child with Ben Affleck is on its way. It’s just goes to show you: Don’t believe what you read!

Ellen DeGeneres put the question out there on the table recently on her show and Jennifer said this:

“I get congratulated all the time by people that I know, saying, ‘I hear you’re pregnant!’ You know, this one woman who had babysat for us said, ‘OMG! I can’t wait for baby No. 4!’ and I thought, ‘What is going on?’ So I asked around and apparently I have a baby bump. And I’m here to tell you that I do—I do!” But before popping bottles to celebrate a new Garner-Affleck offspring, the mom explains that just because she has a baby bump doesn’t mean that she’s pregnant. “I am not pregnant, but I have had three kids and there is a bump,” she explained. “From now on ladies, I will have a bump. And it will be my baby bump. And let’s just all settle in and get used to it. It’s not going anywhere. I have a bump. Its name is Violet, Sam, Sera.”

I got asked if I was pregnant about six months after the birth of my second child – maybe a year, I don’t remember. It burned. I’ve never lost my baby weight – maybe some of it, but not all of it, and I never will.

I often look at celebrities and wonder how the heck they lost it all….Jennifer Garner being one of those beautiful women.

But hearing her boldly…and proudly…admit that the weight’s not coming off…maybe ever.

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Last week my daughter and I got treated to a very special “health” day by the wonderful women at Cool Mom Picks. She was treated to a cooking class; I was treated to an afternoon sipping mimosas and learning about a new app, LiveHealth Online, that can, quite simply, create healthier, safer lives. With the click of a button, you can have access to a physician who can advise, prescribe medication and help you save time and worry.

The event was held at Havens Kitchen in New York City, a beautiful space dedicated to the preparation and enjoyment of yummy, sustainable, seasonal food. Chef David taught two groups of children to make healthy dishes like granola and yogurt, chocolate ricotta and homemade spring rolls. It was satisfying to know that my daughter was learning about and using wholesome, organic ingredients. The menu really combined personal wellness and well-being and was a great tie in to the day’s mission – to learn about Live Health Online.

Have you ever needed medical advice urgently but had a hard time getting the doctor on the phone? I can think of that happening to me literally millions of times. There was that time she had a dreadful blister under her nose, which turned out to be inpetigo. It literally sat on her face for a week before I knew it was not just a spot but a virus. There was that time she had a croup cough and we ended up in the hospital, only to find out that we could have spent 10 minutes in steam to make her feel better. If only I could have connected with a doctor when I needed to. Sometimes it’s a matter of time – I simply can’t miss work or get away to get an opinion. 

Now if only I could have gotten advice, and medication, from a doctor on the Internet! (are you reminded of Lisa Kudrow’s Web Therapy, the show about the online therapist, too?) That’s why I find LiveHealth Online very interesting. I have had countless chronic sinus infections, for which doctors never prescribe medication for me over the phone. This app could have saved me so much time and energy. Let me explain how.

LiveHealth Online is a new (free) app that enables parents to easily and privately connect with a doctor of their choice from among 44 states when their own can’t be reached. The service can be accessed at any time and allows app users to establish a two-way, face-to-face video chat with a doctor who can both diagnose and treat them, along with their family members for non-emergency conditions such as the flu, cold, strep throat and ear infections. LiveHealth Online doctors in most states can also send prescriptions directly to the pharmacy used by the app user.

How to Enroll

Once you download the app, you need to enroll, which is really quick and easy. Then, each time you log in, you’ll see doctors that are available in your state. Bookmarking a doctor’s profile is easy. LiveHealth Online has a preferred provider section where you can store your doctor’s information.

Once you find a doctor, click Connect to talk with him or her right away. During your appointment, the doctor will review your health history, answer questions and prescribe medicines, if needed. After each session, you can even send a record to your regular doctor.

Before you see a doctor, you can view their star rating on their doctor profile. Simply click on a doctor’s photo to see this information. After your doctor’s visit, we’ll ask you to rate your experience.

Using Insurance

If you have a health plan, your visit may be covered – so you pay less. Check with your plan’s benefits to find out exactly how much you would pay. If you don’t have a health plan, visits start at $49.

Keep in mind, LiveHealth Online is not for emergencies. If you experience an emergency, you should always call 911.

Pretty brilliant, eh? Thanks for the ladies of Cool Mom Picks for introducing me to this helpful app and having my daughter and I for a day of learning, fun and inspiration (cause those ladies always inspire me).

The LiveHealth Online app is available for download from iTunes, the App Store or Google Play store.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post but I did attend a complimentary cooking class with my daughter, hosted by Cool Mom Picks and LiveHealth Online.

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Last week before school officially started (woot woot!), my kids and I ventured to the Palisades Climb Adventure in Rockland County for an afternoon of adventure and climbing. I’m not kidding when I tell you that it’s the world’s tallest indoor ropes course, standing 85 feet in height, and features 75 different challenge elements, designed for all ages and skill levels. My kids are brave, after all they’ve climbed the ropes in Atlanta’s Stone Mountain course, but watching them climb four-stories was FIERCE.

The course is located right in the middle of Palisades Center, a humongous shopping center filled every department store, chain store you can imagine. We needed to do a bit of back to school shopping, so the timing couldn’t have been better. The rope course is a really good break in the middle of or after a full day of shopping. It’s also a great way for kids to bond. Mine stayed together during the entire stint, helped each other and shared the achievement of doing it. To say there are brave is an understatement. Plus, it’s good exercise and I was pleased that after a month of lazing around (with trips to the beach and pool, and lots of bike rides, but ample technology), they were using all their muscles to stay on course.

They both wore a body harness, attached to a sling line which runs into an overhead track. The sling is attached to the harness using two belay clips, one of which locks. I wasn’t the slightest worried about their safety, there was no way they were going to fall. But I was sure impressed with their abilities and one proud mama standing on the sidelines.

The course contains 75 different challenge elements, including a tremor bridge, tension traverse, a vertical rope ladder, a quarter cargo net, a two line rope bridge, an alternating spaghetti handline and a three line lumber rope bridge. Each element includes a different ropes configuration such as bridges, tight ropes, loops and balance beams, obstacles present challenges of strength, balance and agility. The course is open ended, allowing them to chart their path and make decisions on which way to go and how difficult they wanted to extend themselves. It instilled a level of patience, confidence and pride in my children and I can call that a great day.

For more information, head to palisadesclimb.com.

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary admission to Palisades Climb Adventure but all opinions are my own.

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I’m a huge Spike Lee fan, but in case you were wondering, no, I am not going to be writing or talking about his hit 1988 film School Daze. I’m talking about the daze I’m left in after looking after two tween aged kids for one month straight. Don’t get me wrong, I do cherish this time with them and realize they are short, so please don’t misunderstand or misinterpret me, as some of you often do.

But as a mom who works from home, it’s hard to entertain two kids who still love and crave all my attention. And it’s a lot of work to keep two them content, fed and safe 24/7.  At ages 9 and 11, they’re very techno focused and it takes a lot of work to plan days keeping them out in the sunshine.

It’s hard to keep up! Today I went to a doctor’s appointment without a referral. My daughter’s piano teacher came to the house with my daughter nowhere to be found (she was at a friend’s house). My son’s soccer practice relocated with no email alert and we went galavanting around town looking for his team. I had work deadlines and phone calls and a locker to help decorate at my daughter’s new school (yep, middle school beckons).

I’m a daze, to say the least.

But this video will be me in 8 hours!!!!!!!!!!

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When you get asked questions like these, they make your heart stop:

“Do you have a living will?”

“Do you plan to donate your organs should anything happen to you?”

“Who will make decisions for you in the event you are not able to?”

Needless to say, as the mother of two children heading into my third surgery this year, these questions brought tears to my eyes. As I entered the operating room, and a nurse asked me my name to confirm my identity, I held out my wrist so she could check my information on my plastic band. I knew if I opened my mouth, I would erupt like a volcano. Standing before a room full of smart residents and doctors in a pool of tears was not my greatest desire at that moment, so I was happy when I was told I would be asleep within seconds.

It’s funny how just about a dozen years ago, life was just about me, and no one else. I was living in NYC, working in television, having the time of my life. When I met my husband, the adventure continued, only more trips abroad ensued. Life was about us and no one else.

Then one child was born, then the next. Damn, they came fast! Within seconds of their arrival, everything changed. Life was no longer about us. It became about them. As much as I’ve tried to put myself in front of them over the years, so not to forget who I was before they arrived, they are my everything.

I started this blog for that very reason. It was during a time of stagnancy. I wasn’t working and I was trying to figure things out. This blog pulled me out of dormancy and actually put me in a completely productive place in my life. I have been able to do things with my family that I never dreamed of because of this blog.

There’s always that something will go wrong during surgery, and you have to be realistic about life. The morning of my surgery, I thought about all the things I do for this family, and I wondered who would take my place in my absence…should I disappear. It was really hard to think about. I worried about my daughter and who would be with her to help explain puberty – when she gets her period, has her first crush on a boy. I worried about my son and how his development is occurring so much later than my daughter. I wondered what he’d look like with chest hair, a flat belly and long legs, none of which he has now.

My surgery was successful, really successful, and now I’m ready to embrace life like I never did before. I still complain from time to time – I’ve never been a big fan of putting my kids to bed. I like my nights. But now I don’t mind it. Not one bit. I don’t want anyone else to do it. I want it to be me.

My son actually never even wanted me to put him to bed, he preferred my husband. But now at the end of their time together each night now, I get called to his room for a good night kiss and it’s FANTASTIC.

Yep, I’m a mom. I started blogging as a mom via The Culture Mom, what this blog was called before. I realize since changing the name to The Culture Tripper, that I’ve lost a part of my soul. So, I’m bringing back The Culture Mom. The Culture Tripper was not truly meant to be. Stay tuned.

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I’m not going into too much detail, but I’ve spent the last ten months chasing life. I admit I’m stealing that phrase from the new ABC Family TV show, which I just happen to be watching right now, but when the shoe fits……

On the show, the main character is given a scary diagnosis just as she’s kicking off her career as a writer. She’s hesitant to tell her family and she wonders how it’s going to impact every aspect of her life.

Well, I had the same thing happen to me not so long ago, the difference between she and I being age. I’m older, I have kids, I’m not starting out. However, I have a family that the diagnosis impacted, and as I wait for the lead character to tell her mother, I completely relate to her dilemma.

I couldn’t tell my mom either when my diagnosis was confirmed. I knew it would hit her like a rock falling from the sky.

And it did, I won’t lie. I don’t think she’s ever fully recovered, as much as I try to convince her that I’ll be fine. But there is no way to know that for sure.

I’m Chasing Life

However, my prognosis is good. I feel great, and to be honest, I have a new lease on life. In the short time I’ve known about my condition, I’ve ridden in a 40-mile bike ride, gone swimming with dolphins, taken my family on a cruise, gone back to graduate school. Talk about a 360 degree turn!

You know why? I am chasing life. I’m chasing it so fast that I worry about catching up. Things happen in life that we can’t control and this was one. I have two young children who need me, a husband I adore, a life to live and so many places to travel. Next month I’m traveling to Brazil, and I’m already secretly planning that trip to India with a friend of mine (Shhh…don’t tell my husband!).

The moral of my story: ENJOY LIFE. Appreciate every moment. I had a wake-up call, and I’m not sure how long the call will last.

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