Be The Match

Back in early May it was announced that Ohio State baseball LHP Zach Farmer had been diagnosed with leukemia. I actually knew about this a few days before it was announced by the team because Zach is from my hometown of Piketon and even though I don't know him personally, I had watched him play football, basketball and baseball for years for my beloved Redstreaks. And in a small town, good or bad, word gets around pretty quick.

Piketon is a pretty small place. Small town, small school. It's kind of a big deal when someone from your town signs to play for THE Ohio State Buckeyes when he's only a junior in high school. So it was extra exciting when he was doing so well in his first season as a Buckeye. I was in the process of organizing a night for all of the Pike County peeps at Ohio State to go cheer for him while he was pitching at an upcoming game. Zach hadn't been feeling well and went to the doctor thinking he had mono, only to find out he had a form of leukemia instead. You can read all about that by searching him online. Everyone from our small hometown newspaper to ESPN covered the story.

Like I said, I don't know Zach personally but he is good friends with my cousin and many people I know. Just knowing someone from your hometown is going through something as challenging as this is tough. Especially when he's a great kid, doing amazing things. Everytime I read about the awesome things people are doing to support him, I cry. I cry over everything anyway, but to reading encouraging tweets from college and MLB players all over the country and teams wearing bracelets and patches for him makes me loose it. Heck, I'm crying right now.

Yesterday, the OSU baseball team was on ESPN as they all registered for the bone morrow registry. I registered today and my kit for me to do my at home swabs will be here in about 2 weeks. Even if I'm not a match for Zach, I could be a match for someone, someday and save their life. 70% of all patients who need a transplant don’t have a matched donor in their family. A patient’s likelihood of finding a matching donor on the Be The Match Registry is estimated to range from 76-97%.

(I took those stats from bethematch.org)

I'm a big chicken when it comes to medical procedures, but if I ever get the call saying I'm a match for someone with a life threatening illness who needs me, I won't think twice about giving. Wouldn't you want someone to do that selfless act if it was you or a loved one who needed their help? I remember reading in January about this Penn State player that donated for someone he doesn't even know.

You can register in honor of Zach by going to join.bethematch.org/Zach and filling out the form. You can make a difference – whether through bone marrow donation, giving a financial gift or volunteering – and turn the impossible into the achievable for a patient in need of a cure.

 (Last sentence also from bethematch.org)

Piketon retired his jersey in January. (Took this from the web.)

Official OSU photo. (Took this from the web too.)

He couldn't have two better communities supporting him through his treatment - the Redstreak Community and Buckeye Nation are the best! #fightfightfightfightfight

Cedar Point

 Last Friday was Ohio State Day at Cedar Point. I went last year and had a grand time, so I was excited to go again this year and take Molly too.

This year was a lot different than last year. Most of the rollercoasters were not open, so therefore the ones that were had really long lines. Last year I rode Millenium Force, Magnum, and Blue Streak. This year I went with Iron Dragon, Coal Mine Ride, and Corkscrew. Towards the end of the day they opened Maverick and Mantis, but the lines were extremely long, so we passed. Adam and Caroline road Top Thrill Dragster, so props to them. While the whole ride is actually only 16 seconds from take off to end, the 1.5 hours of waiting in line would have killed me. :)

So while I didn't ride the most thrilling rides this year, Corkscrew does have a loop and two screws, so that's something new I'd never done before!

We also rode the horses, the bumper cars, and the train. For $25, it was a day of good entertainment and thrills. Maybe next year I'll do Dragster. (Highly unlikely, but ya never know!)

No Aaron Craft this year, but we did get a picture with Brutus. Adam, me, Brutus, Jill, Caroline, and Molly.

The group in front of Corkscrew.

Molly and I riding Iron Dragon, in the front seat.

All ready to go on the Cedar Creek Mine Ride. My first roller coaster of the day.

I was bracing myself for the drop. haha.

I also worried Caroline would drop her phone!

While Away During Lent

This year I did another leave of blogging, social media, and time wasting iPhone apps during Lent. I will unfortunately admit that I didn't do that great at sticking to my sacrifices. :( Some I did well, others I did not.

Because I again crammed a ton of fun and exciting things in the past month and a half, I'm just going to do one post of what I did and what I didn't do. Beware for 56 pictures, mostly selflies.

What I didn't do during Lent:
I totally failed at completing my bible study lesson for each Monday. Because of OSU's spring break, BSF's spring break and conflicts, I only attended a few BSF's during that time anyway. :( I also didn't go to church on any Sunday except Easter Sunday. I need to get better at this.

My goal was to give up social media for Lent - facebook, twitter, snapchat, instagram, blogging. I did ok with this the first half, then not so great the last few weeks. One day I just randomly found myself reading Jenny's update on Lucy, not knowing how the heck I even got to her page. So while I didn't blog or post any instagram pictures, I was lurking for a while.

What I did do during Lent:
I went on vacation! Molly and I left on a Saturday afternoon and drove to Southern Georgia. We then went to St. Pete Beach on the Gulf of Mexico, then Disney World for two days, St. Augustine Beach, Savannah, Hilton Head Island, and Charleston. We had such a good time. Everything was spur of the moment - hotels, cities, driving. We ate out only once each day since we packed food to eat for breakfast and lunch. Our only fast food experience was a McDonald's Sweet Tea run as we were leaving Hilton Head on our way home.

We waited in line for more than an hour for this picture. I am not kidding.

Cinderella.

Sleeping Beauty 

Rapunzel, who recorded the cutest video message for our nieces.

Snow White, she's never heard of Ohio.

Molly's thoughts on the day.

Katie was a great host at Magic Kingdom.

and at Hollywood Studios...

and at Epcot!

Beautiful house in Charleston.

Rainbow Row

Dinner pic in St. Pete

Dinner pic in St. Pete

"It's a small world" - my dad's favorite ride

I rode Tower of Terror!!!!! I'd totally ride it again too!

Love me some hydrangeas!

St. Augustine Beach

Savannah

Molly and her Spanish moss.

Hilton Head Island

I visited the University of Florida. I hate those Gators, but their university campus was actually quite charming and Molly and I loved the abundance of Spanish moss hanging from the trees. We may have taken some.

Holding hands with Tim Tebow! :)

Stomp the Gators!

I went to my first Columbus BlueJackets game. I've been to several OSU Hockey Games, but never a CBJ game. It was also a plus that I got to sit in the OSU suite. Former CBJ player Rick Nash was playing for the visiting team and this game was not short on fights! Woop! Woop! I love me a good brawl. The canon on the other hand, I could have done with out.

You can't tell, but there is an ice rink in the background.

I was sooo busy with work. I planned an entire banquet, coordinated our ag-olympics, went to multiple other banquets (one with a masquerade theme), welcomed new brothers into the fraternity I advise, showed cattle for the first time in 8 years and was just on the go all the time. I was too busy. I wore myself out and it showed. Most evenings I didn't get home until after 9 or 10pm, then would go to the gym to run after that. I was tired. One week I was late for work every day because I just laid in bed not wanting to get up because I knew how much stuff was on my plate. Thankfully I survived and now that school is out I have lots of time. (But this also means the students are gone and that makes me sad!)

Pano of the guys at the Pearl Ceremony.

Little sis making me proud at Ag-olympics.

These boys take competition seriously. And this year it brought them first place.

Second place!

She's graduating. :(

These girls are graduating too! :( :(

You have no idea who we are!

I turned 29! It was my last birthday before turning 30. The last one in my 20's. But I didn't really care at all! I have nothing to be sad about. I have an amazingly happy life and have no fear that the next year is going to be equally, if not better, for me. I celebrated with dinner at Marcella's and then went out with some friends at the piano bar. Per tradition, Alicia gave the pianist my name and told him it was my birthday and I had to go on stage for what seemed like 78 minutes while he sang a pretty vulgar song. I was mortified. I wanted to die. Creepy old men I didn't know were taking my picture!!!! But I smiled and soaked up the many "Happy Birthday"'s I got from the strangers all night. My favorite was the young girl who told me she felt so bad for me up on stage because she knew I was better than that song. Yes, dear, I am. ha. But it was a great night with great friends.

Big Bang!

Seesters!

Everything about this photo makes me laugh! Love these two gals!

Abra and I took a selfie during the Selfie Song.

13.1

On Saturday I ran my second half marathon! The first time I did it back in February of 2013, I trained a lot more than I did this time around, but I still think I did pretty good this time too!

My time ended up being about 45 minutes faster than at Disney, but we also weren't stopping for photos with characters and I didn't wait in line for a bathroom half way through. My official time was 2:33:36, which I was pleased with. Before the race started, I really thought I would be closer to three hours, but looking back I think I could have been closer to 2 hours!

My friend Caroline came out to cheer for me and brought me two cookies! Yes, I ate cookies while running the half!

I ran with Lindsey. I do better running with people because if I am running by myself and get a little tired, I stop. But if I'm running with someone, I keep going because I don't want to disappoint. Lindsey and I ran (and walked a few times) for the first 11 miles. Around Mile 9.5 we ran into my friend Mara and then at 11 I was feeling good, so she and I kept going. I felt horrible for leaving Lindsey and really wanted to meet up with her after the race to get a photo, since we'd ran the whole thing together! But my phone died! #iphoneproblems

Overall, I felt good most of the race. I really tried to hydrate myself throughout the week and I think I did pretty good at that. I think I should have done better at hydrating myself after the race though. And by that I mean beyond just downing water right after I was done. I should have had more to drink Saturday evening and all day Sunday. But I'm drinking Gatorade like nobody's business today!

Stacie and I before and after the race!

Bowie was exhausted after I ran the half, so she and I took a nice long nap.

After the race I went to lunch with my Mom, Stacie and Derek at Katalina's in Victorian Village. It was so good. I had Nutella pancake balls and it's definitely a new 'go to' place to eat. Saturday evening Molly and John took me out for a little celebration dinner and we shared these nachos that were delicious. I had been craving them all afternoon. Then we went and celebrated with a few students who were graduating.

Sunday was Ohio State's graduation. I didn't make it to the actual graduation, but I did attend the breakfast that morning for my department and did my best not to cry in front of any of the students. There are a few girls that have become such good friends over the past year or so and I am going to be so sad to not see them on a regular basis. And to top it all off, they're moving out of state! At least I'll have new fun places to visit! Omaha, Fort Wayne and Columbia, here I come!

Going to miss this girl!

Sunday afternoon was a spontanious trip to Cincy to go to Ikea and the Reds game. Molly had never been to Ikea before. I knew she'd like it, which she did. I was hoping to get a nice tan at the Red's game, but woke up this morning looking pale as ever. Time to get the tan towels out again.

Go Reds! Go!

Go Redlegs!

Overall, it was a great weekend. My knee is still bothering me today, so I need to get that checked out. It's the pain that's been here before with my torn meniscus. :/