Stalking, Cancer, and Why I'm Starting a Blog.

Last week I noticed that Peter Sagal posted he was going to be reading at Malaprop's in Asheville. Since I heart Peter Sagal, I decided it was time for a roadtrip! E and I packed our bags and headed west.

5 minutes before arriving at the book signing, I got the phone call that my stepmom's cancer has come back. She battled breast cancer 4 years ago, and until now, we thought she had won that fight. It's now back in her liver, her bones, and the prognosis doesn't sound good.This would suck for anyone... but it 'specially sucks for Mary. She won't be the only one fighting cancer in her house- my dad is currently fighting it, too. He was diagnosed this summer with colon and rectal cancer and is currently on chemo. (And, btw, throw in the fact that Mary's mom just had major surgery and is in rehab in Asheville.)

All of these things are running through my head as I pull up to Malaprop's. And I'm struck with what to do. Do I go in to hear Peter read? Do I go home and try to process? Do I just ball up in a heap and cry?

Everyone I've retold this story to in the last 3 days had the same response: "Mary would have wanted you to go." My dad even said just after telling me about the cancer "I hate to tell you this before your 'book thing'." But through all of those things I realized I needed to go. (And, you'll notice from my recently added pictures, I did indeed go... and got a picture with Peter... and apparently I make him sweaty. Or the heat in Malaprop's did. Whatever.) I realized that in moments like these, we begin to think about what's really important to us, and what it means to us to really LIVE life. And what's important to me is stalking.

Well, not really stalking, but meeting people that I find important. Like Peter Sagal. And like Roy Williams who I met this summer. And Sean May. And Rashad McCants. And, yes, even Paula Deen who I stalked last year. Dan and I have joked that in our new house we can decorate the kitchen deli-style and put up pictures of me with the famous people I've met. Already, we make Miis of them on our Wii. (Peter, you're next.)

That night it was hard to focus on all of the great stories that he shared- some from the book and some impromtu. But the night itself summed up what I value in life. Not *just* stalking, but experiencing. I value life in all its experiences. And, thus, I've decided to create a blog. My friend Beth Roberts told me when I moved to Winston that she felt God was calling me to write. Maybe this is it. We'll see.

But life is a great experience, and as you may know, talking (writing?) helps me figure out what I've just experienced.Driving home from the stalking... I mean...the book signing, I got the call that a dear woman I loved in Asheville had died. We got home to Winston, turned right around, and went back to Asheville. At Sarah's funeral, Dr. Yelton said these words: "Her life wasn't easy, but it was meaningful." I want that to be said of me. And I want to share some of those meaningful experiences with you. In a blog. Stay tuned...