Kindergarten registration day

Joshy B had his kindergarten registration yesterday. HOORAY! Look how excited he is - playing his Gameboy on the way to school. Just like a real school kid would.

The school he’s going to gives the Brigance K-1 Screen to all incoming students to help identify those with learning disabilities, and to help place kids in the best environment.

Josh was so excited to go to school finally! He had no problem walking off hand in hand with a pretty little teacher to do the test. They came back about 15 minutes later so the teacher could tell me how he did on the test.

He did really well, but he got a couple of things wrong that he absolutely knows (where your shoulders, elbows, heels and ankles are). I proved his knowledge of putting my hand on his shoulder and, as if on cue, he yelled "don't grab my shoulder!" Or maybe it was his elbow. *shrug* Like mother, like son.

He did, however get perfect scores on the printing your full name, knowing your phone number, address, birth date, counting, letter recognition, tracing shapes, motor skills, blah blah blah.

I was very proud and then she said, “He had an issue with the color recognition.” What? Huh? Josh has known his colors for a few years now. Even pink, gray and magenta. WTF?

“He missed blue," she said.

“Blue?” I said, totally incredulous of the situation.

“Yes, blue. I tried to get him to say it numerous times, but he just wouldn’t do it.”

“What did he think blue was?” I asked her, trying not to sound defensive.

“Dark purple.”

Now, as Josh’s mother, this all made complete sense to me. I know the exact shade of blue the object must have been. It had to be indigo. We have a few things in our house that Josh insists are not blue, but dark purple. He’s absolutely right. I think he's a genius.

Apparently, the teacher said to him, “What might someone else call this color?” in a desperate attempt to get him to say blue. My child, the fruit of my loins, has my sharp wit, sense of humor and intolerance for ignorance. He says to her, “Well, it doesn’t matter. Because if they said it was anything but dark purple, they’d be wrong.” My son, the non-conformist. I'm so proud. Hand me a tissue.

He was sad that he didn’t get to stay for recess. I informed him that his whole life, until September, was recess.

Not to be outdone by his own brilliance, later in the evening, he got me good. We were driving to his gym class and were running a little behind. He announces that he has to poop. Like NOW. So, I pull over at a gas station, get him in the bathroom and nothing. Already late, I hurried him back into the car and set out on the way to class.

I was a little irritated and was talking to him about how it was ok that he didn’t have to go, but he should have told me before I cut across traffic, blah blah blah. We stopped at the red light and I was about to talk about wasting people's time when Josh said, “Look Mom…”

In my head, I just couldn't believe that this child was actually going to try and placate me. You know, something like, "Look Mom, I had to hold it for too long and the urge went away." I cut him off with a stern, “Don’t ‘look Mom’ me!”

I glanced back in my rear view mirror. He had a grin on his face as he calmly repeated, “Look Mom, there’s the money you could be saving with Geico.”

I looked up and sure enough:

Pain is temporary

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” --Lance Armstong

Sunday was a regular day for me. Mostly. I got up, did my usual Sunday morning chores, and decided to climb up on the roof.

Why oh why would I climb up on the roof? Well, I had to get the pine needles and miscellaneous tree shit off of my roof and out of my gutters. That shit doesn’t just dissipate on its own, no matter how hard you wish for it to.

Anyway, beautiful day, I felt productive and alive. There is nothing quite like sitting on the roof of a house to me. It’s very liberating. Possibly because no one can get to me up there. Who knows.

Later that evening it was time for my shot. You may recall I’ve come to really hate the shots because of the raised welts they’ve been leaving on my stomach and hips as of late.

But, the greater good. Means to an end. All that bullshit. You know. Anyway…

Did the shot (left side hip if you’re wondering) and headed to bed.

NOW, one of the most important things about the shot I do is the side effects. They can include “fever, chills, flu-like symptoms”. In general, if I do it before I go to bed, I sleep through the crap.

For some odd reason, I woke up around 1 am to pee. I got to the bathroom and the chills started. We’re talking muscle tensing, teeth chattering, uncontrollable chills. I high-tail it back to bed, snuggle under the covers and try to control my movement and breathing. No such luck. Teeth chattering more. I sneak my arm out of the side of the bed and reach my sweat pants and socks, manage to put them on under the covers, and I’m still freezing with massive chills.

When you have the chills, you know how your muscles tend to tense up, and the shaking doesn’t stop, and you just can’t seem to get warm? That’s what I had going on. All I could think about was if I could just get something with long sleeves on, I might warm up enough to stop it. Problem. I’d have to get out of bed** and I’m already warmer than I was 10 minutes ago. And so, I do what any self-respecting person would do. I pulled my arms inside my shirt and hugged myself. Still shivering, still miserable, but one step closer to warm.

An hour in, my neck and shoulders start aching like nobody’s business. I can’t even describe how it felt. It was the worst muscular pain I have ever felt. 30 minutes later, my back and legs start to hurt the same way. 30 minutes later, my arms are hurting. For those of you keeping score, at this point it is now 3:00 AM and I’m still chattering and tensing and, shaking.

Around 4 AM, sleep finally found me. When the alarm went off at 5:45, I tried to lean over to turn it off, but my arms were tangled up in my shirt. My boobs were free, and I was covered in sweat.

I tried to get out of bed and the pain that shot through my body was horrendous. I wanted to just hide under the covers. I managed to get up – at about 6:40. Nearly an hour later. I got Josh up, got him ready and took him to Kathy’s. I called in sick and returned to bed. I slept until 1:00 PM.

This morning, I got up and while it only took me until 6:30 to get out of bed, the pain isn’t nearly as bad. However, I’m due to take another shot tonight and I just don’t think I can do it.

Generally, when I get a little bit of pain, some yoga or some exercise fixes the problem. But what am I supposed to do when just doing those things makes the pain so strong that I actually cry?

Chin up, chest out. This too shall pass.

Here’s what’s important. I don’t want your sympathy. I don’t tell you because I want you to feel bad for me. I don’t want a “poor Kim” or “wish there were something I could do”. Know why? Because there is nothing anyone can do, and I’m not poor. I have the greatest family in the world, including a great 5 year old boy who helped mom put on her shoes this morning.

So then why tell you all? Because. I want people to see that you don’t have to give up. As shitty as it can be at times, it’s all temporary. You have two choices. You can sit back and let it win, be horribly miserable and waste your life away wishing it could be better. OR you can view it as a set back, even if it’s the most scary one ever. You can learn from it, make changes to try and avoid the same situation in the future and just be grateful for the good things in your life. I have a family that needs me just as much as I need them. I’ll be damned if something like this is going to get in my way.

Here’s to a better tomorrow. And a better day after that, and day after that. I’ll be changing my shots to a 7-day a week variety without so many side effects.

Jerry has his second surgery (and hopefully the last) tomorrow to put the battery pack inside of his body so he won’t have wires sticking out. If you’re wondering how that’s all working – he’s been able to reduce his pain meds by 50% and they say it should get even better with time. There have been some small issues with the device and the feeling it evokes, but we’re working on those.

I’ll end this the way I started it. Because it’s an incredible statement from an incredible athlete.

“Pain is temporary.

It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place.

If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

I refuse to quit.

**Many people are probably wondering where Jerry is. Jerry has found that it’s actually more comfortable for him to sleep on the couch. And so, he was asleep – on the couch. Where all good husbands belong.

Ask me if you want to donate to my MS Challenge Walk Team.

You want fries with that?

Josh LOVES to order his own food. So why is it when he smiles at the waitress and orders his own food do they NOT believe that he knows what he wants? Why do they always try and “fix” what he orders?

We went out to lunch today. When the waitress came over, Josh said, “I’d like a hot dog, with stripes, but no bun. I would also like applesauce. And to drink? Mom? May I have a Diet Coke?”

“You may.”

He smiles at the waitress and says, “and a Diet Coke. My mom wants one of those too.”

Now, this is the point where she should turn to ME and ask me what I would like. But no. Not Angela. She can’t be expected to leave well enough alone. “Wouldn’t you rather have fries with your hot dog?”

“No, Angela, he wouldn’t. He would like the apple sauce.”
“And milk to drink for him?”

“Um, no. He asked for my permission in front of you, got it and ordered Diet Coke.”

So, Angela goes away to submit our order. We’re busy planning our ice cream sundae desserts. Here comes our food.

Hot dog, on a bun. Strike one. And a big freakin’ plate of fries.

Josh looks at her and says, “But I wanted applesauce, not fries. Mom, I wanted apple sauce. Why can’t I have apple sauce? Are they out of apple sauce?”

Angela rolled her eyes.

Now, the angry, bitter bitch in me wanted to stand up, put my hands around Angela’s throat and choke the shit out of her. Let her know that this is MY child she is rolling her eyes at. My child who very clearly ordered a mother fuckin’ hot dog with NO BUN, and APPLE SAUCE. How dare she roll her eyes at my kid questioning her ability to do her job.

The mom in me, wanted my kid to have what he ordered, what he wanted. I smiled, and was about to open my mouth when Josh decided that he could handle this one on his own.

“Excuse me. I would like my apple sauce. When you go get it, take this bun with you, because I really didn’t want it.” And with that, he picked up his hot dog and set it on the plate. He picked up the bun, and held it in between his forefinger and thumb and presented it to her. She stared at him, he gave it a shake. She continued to stare. He dropped the bun on the floor.

The mom in me wanted to correct him, make him pick it up and apologize to her. The angry, bitter bitch in me thought the douchebag could pick it up her own damn self, when she brings back the applesauce. I just said half-heartedly, “Josh. You don’t drop food on the floor. Do you think you want M&M’s on your sundae or are you going for chocolate sauce as your third topping?”

In the end, the little slutbag tried to charge us for the fries she brought in error by adding “extra side” to our bill. I very kindly asked her to take the “extra side” off of the bill. She suggested that she saw my child eating a french fry and so, we would need to pay for it. I let her know that if she was concerned about people eating the erroneous fries, then perhaps the shouldn’t have sat on our table for the entire meal. I then suggested that I would happily pay the money for the fries, but that would mean that she would not receive much of a tip. You see, I know that when Josh and I go to Friendly’s for lunch, a $20 covers our meal and the tip. Knowing this, I had – you guessed it - a $20.

She didn’t make a move. I called her bluff. I left the bill as is, tucked the $20 inside and figured she could figure it out all on her own. She either has a $1.12 tip or she took off the charge for the fries and got her 20%. I don’t really give a shit either way. I know what lunch and a 20% tip our $16 bill is easily covered by a $20. Sure, I had some singles in my purse, but it’ll be a cold day in hell before the 19-year-old rude ass bitch gets any more out of me.

I was so irritated with Angela, that I was able to totally ignore the annoying 12-year-old girl having lunch with either a distant family member or a family friend, who spoke in run on sentences with that “I’m ALMOST a teenager” air about her. I got to hear all about how this year, she would be a Timberwolf AND a Star. Because she would cheer for her school as well as a local competition squad. You know, she just couldn’t understand why her mom would be irritated at the cost of the uniforms. It’s not like my dad doesn’t make enough money. And they pay for Alan to play ball in the spring and take karate in the fall. And they just got a new dog, but she doesn’t think she should have to ever walk the dog. I mean why would you get a dog if you were just going to make your children take care of it? She didn’t even want a dog. If she had chosen a dog it wouldn’t be one that looked like “a rat.” She would have gotten a big dog. One that would say that their family was important and could handle a big dog. OH JUST FUCKING SHOOT ME.

On the ride home, Josh informed me that his imaginary friend, Harold, doesn’t have clothes. He’s always naked. It’s ok though because he’s just imaginary and no one can see him, so he doesn’t have to wear clothes. I told Josh that was a pretty sweet deal – if no one could see me, I likely wouldn’t wear clothes either. That shut him up.

I wonder if the bun is still on the floor.

So, tell me what you want, what you really, really want

“What do you want?”

Such an easy question, yet the answer is liquid. It changes moment to moment for most people.



“I want a new job.”
“I want a good relationship.”
“I want a blow job.”
“I want a hamburger.”
“I want new boobs.”
“I want a million dollars.”
“I want to have a threesome.”
“I want to win the lottery.”

I’ve been thinking much more deeply these last few weeks. I have finally found the answer to that elusive question of “What do I want?”

I just want to be certain of what I want. That’s all.

I don’t need to know what it is I want. I just need to know that it, in and of itself, is exactly what I want; the thing I’m yearning for and all that it brings. Just to know I’ve spent my time chasing something truly worthy of my effort would be the most incredible gift.

The ability to say, “I want steak” and not have second thoughts about “or do I want a fajita?”

The strength to say, “I want to be a stay at home mom” and not wonder if that is the right choice.

The courage to say, “I want to be more assertive in every aspect of my life” and never once be concerned with the “what if’s” that go along with that.

The sense of adventure to say, “I’d like to drive cross-country and stay with people I’ve met here and there” and not worry about what if they’re really not all there and they're waiting for me with giant torture devices and a secret underground sex room. Wait - why would that second part be bad?

The ability to say, “This is what I want”, then go out there and get it, never once second guessing myself or playing the devil’s advocate.

I just want to be sure.

What do YOU want?

Don't take it for granted

We’re ½ way through National Multiple Sclerosis Week. Friday is the day for the legs. So send me yours clad however you see fit.

Recently, I asked people to answer a few questions for me. I’m going to share their answers, give you some commentary and share my answers. You should feel free to answer them yourself if you haven’t already. It’s long, so read at your own pace, glance through, or whatever you would like. It always amazes me what people say when asked about their lives.


WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO ON A SATURDAY?

Hit the gym
Hang out with my family: Park, Museum, etc. It's all good!
Play Basketball
Have absolutely no schedule or agenda and completely improv my day.
Ride my bike or walk in the park with my two puppies
Taking B to his classes; swim and/or karate. I love watching him learn and grow and have fun doing it.
Sleep in late and chill out.
Relaxing with the kids
Sleep late, hit the gym and do family stuff
Sleep late, stay in my robe till noon and then find a run if it's decent outside. Well, unless there's a hottie in bed with me then the answer changes.
Lunch w/ friends
Absolutely nothing! (2 people)
Assist with wedding shoot
Wake up around 10AM and wonder what I have to do that day. But that's not my favorite part. My favorite part is saying to myself, "Not a damned thing I don't want to."
Lay in bed naked
Read and play on my laptop.
Anything I want! Saturday is awesome because I typically don’t have any obligations or responsibilities to tend to. I actually get to do whatever I feel like doing.
Sleeping in and hanging out with my family
Go for drinks after work
Go out to breakfast with my friends.
Have a real breakfast, not just coffee.
I love spending Saturdays shopping and visiting family.
Get up early and go to dance class. Come home and enjoy some quiet time before "they" wake up.
Have friend over and hang in the hot tub!
9AM water aerobics followed by a warm, sunny day of soccer.
Be with my friends
Play with the kiddos
Take a nap, read, and go out to eat and for drinks.
Do anything other than work, which is what I do every Saturday.
BBQ and hang with the ones I care about.
My favorite thing on Saturday is the ability to choose! It all starts with sleeping in, though.
Walk for more than 10 miles as fast as I can.
Walking my dogs.
Sleep late then walk to a Farmers Market

answer: Not having to get up and take Josh to daycare or go to work. I rarely do anything special on Saturdays, but the ability to just stay home and not HAVE to be anywhere is amazing to me.

I look at your comments, and I see that the vast majority of them involve walking, movement, and energy. This coming Saturday, do me a favor. Imagine what your Saturday would be like if you couldn’t do these things. Don’t take your ability to move for granted. Enjoy every moment, every movement. I know I do.



IF YOU WERE FORCED TO GIVE UP ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SENSES, WHAT WOULD IT BE: SIGHT, HEARING OR TOUCH?


22 would give up hearing. 5 would give up touch. 4 would give up sight.

It would be difficult to live without any of these, but I guess the least suckiest would be hearing.

I couldn't stand losing the sense of touch or sight and I would really miss listening to music but could live without it if I had to.

Hearing, I guess. It would suck to not hear my girl's laugh anymore, but even worse to not see her grow up.

Hearing, definitely. I want to see the people I love, you can watch the world around you (and even TV/Movies) without sound and it barely limits your life. And I couldn't live without being able to FEEL the people I love; hugs, kisses, touches - they all can solve most any problem.

Hearing, because I don't always want to hear what people are saying anyway.

Hearing. I could learn to sign (Spooner, can you teach me?), but I couldn't live without sight or touch.

Hearing...I have way sensitive ears...quiet would be a welcome reprieve.

Hearing. Tough call, but I don't know how I could interact as well without sight and touch.

Hearing, but man, I would miss the sound of my son's laughter and music.

I'd opt for smell, but you didn't offer that option. Probably hearing, I would still hear music in my head. And, how do you masturbate without touch? :)

I don't like this question...but I will go with hearing.

These are shitty options Kim. Between the three I guess I would go with hearing loss but damn the silence would really fuck with me.

Touch- definitely. I can always imagine how something feels- I couldn't imagine my boys' faces or voices as they grow up.

Tough one...I would have to go with touch. I value my sight too much, and can't imagine not hearing my son's voice when he sings to me. I think I could live without the sensation of touch more so than the others. Even though my hearing isn't all that great to begin with, I want to hang onto what I have left of it.

A couple of you wouldn’t answer, and of those people this comment really got me: Couldn't see my babies, couldn't touch my babies, couldn't hear them laugh? I don't like that question. None please.

I’d give up hearing as well, if I could pick. It would mortify me to not be able to hear Josh laugh or tell me he loves me. I would hate not being able to hear the love in Jerry’s voice when he shares something with me.

The sad truth? The majority of patients with MS first go to the doctor with vision issues. I first went to the doctor because of touch issues. People with MS are more likely to lose their sight or their sense of touch than they are their hearing. True, any senses can be affected, but vision and touch seem to be the most common.

For those of you who wouldn’t pick in this hypothetical situation: sometimes in life we don’t get to choose either.


WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?

Making people laugh
Raising 3 (Plus1) amazing kids
My daughter
Changing patterns and witnessing my son enjoy his childhood.
Finally figuring out what makes me happy. Only took me 40 years!
Living my life the way I want to. (This encompasses everything from raising my lovely boys to loving the people I want to love to living outside of the lines, despite fear.)
Surviving for 33 years on my own.
Finally getting my career in order
Having 2 kids and raising them half their lives on my own.
Accomplishment, I have a happy and well mannered little girl.
Giving birth without medication
Have 3 healthy, happy kids.
Married 32 years to same man
Raising a caring, responsible child
The propagation of my genetic material.
Fully recovering from a mild form of brain impairment (in my 20's) from a car accident that almost sent me completely through the windshield. In the process, I had to engage other parts of my brain, and I discovered the body's power to overcome adversity and heal itself, if you choose to let it.
Motherhood
Raising mostly normal kids.
Being a good mother…but I’m not finished so I don’t know if that’s actually an accomplishment. Accomplishment sounds past tense. So far, though, it has been the most significant and worthy endeavor I have pursued.
I'm proud of my family/kids, but I like to think I can do something no one else has done or can do.
Besides my son, dealing with my MS and not returning to my very dark place.
Being content with who I am.
My greatest accomplishments will always be my three. They remain a work in progress though. *kinda like me*
Other than being a mom to 2 (occasionally) fabulous kids, I'm still waiting for it.
Finding the real me...the one that ran away scared when I was just a little girl. It took a long time, and a lot of work to bring her back so I could get rid of the facade.
Having a semi-normal life.
Raising two awesome kids by myself and through adversity
my children...having a loving relationship with them, and open enough they are not hesitant to be honest with me....that takes work and grit I tell ya.
My Children, DEFINITELY. They are absolutely the best decisions I have ever made
I think I will have to answer like almost everyone else, and say that it would be my kids.
Starting college with a 2 year old and 4 year old and finishing cum laude.
First Girl to play little league baseball
My two beautiful girls
My kids!!! They may drive me crazy but I wouldn't trade them for anything!

My answer: Throwing aside the whole my kid is great thing, I would have to go with managing to still be here, thinking positively (mostly) and my ability to use humor to make my life a little less stressful.

The rest of you? Bravo! You have all truly done some amazing things. Keep doing them. Love yourself and your ability to do all of these things!



IF YOU SUDDENLY COULDN’T USE YOUR LEGS ANYMORE, WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST?

Running
Freedom to walk everywhere I have gone
Cycling
Chasing after my kids
Playing basketball
Wrapping them around someone’s waist
Wrapping them around husband
Anything physical. I'm no good, sitting for hours.
Being Tall? Mmmmm, well, there are certain positions in sex that require legs.... and I'd miss walking in the mountains.
Everything
The simple ease of getting to the fridge and back on my own without a lot of drama
Sitting cross legged.
Wrapping them around someone. ;-)
Walking, that tense feeling in your thighs at certain times :)
walking...and maybe a few other extra curricular activities
Walking on my own
Being able to bend a girl over the dining room table and have my way with her.
walking/running/bowchickawowwow
Dude…I would miss rollerblading and hiking and jump roping but mostly I think I would just miss taking it all for granted.
Anything that requires using your legs. I just can't pick 1
I'd miss climbing. I love to climb- even at my age. :)
Running and Salsa dancing.
Grapevine-ham curl-chasse-mambo-pivot.
I love Virginia's answer for this, "mostly I think I would just miss taking it all for granted." I would miss the simplicity of getting from point A to point B by taking just a few steps.
Legs are good for escape when needed. I love them for that. Mine carry me on runs, walks and just sometimes out the front door for a few moments. I'd miss the transportation that often provides more sanity than wheels ever could. Being independent to go wherever I want, when I want
Dancing my drunk ass off.
Being entirely self-sufficient - I can't stand having to rely on other people for things.
I would miss walking...oh and wrapping them around someone (had to steal that one)
Wrapping them around someone.

My answer: Walking and any activity that requires walking. Think about that – you’ve all touched on them up there – going to the fridge, making your family food, going to the park with your kids or your dogs and walking or running. While what you listed is what you'd miss the most, you'd lose the ability to truly do ALL of those listed, and more.


I’m terrified of losing the use of my legs. While I try to stay positive and say “that won’t happen to me” the truth is I don’t know. However, I am stubborn and will not acknowledge the possibility outright.

Do me a favor? At some point in the next week, think about what YOU would miss the most and do it with passion, several times a week. At least.


TOP 5 THINGS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

See the pyramids, shop in Paris, do yoga in India, do a safari in Africa and have 6 months worth of personal training by a top Hollywood trainer.

Move to KW, win the lottery, visit Australia, parachute and swim with dolphins.

Travel to see the world, get my kids set for a good college education, deliver thousands of babies, design and build a house the way I want it, be healthy and fit with a pre-baby body to show for it.

Travel, be someone’s love slave, go on African safari, come home to clean house, win a body builder (fitness) tournament!

Visit Ireland, have a lesbian experience (seriously it's on there!), see my kids become productive, responsible members of society, travel the country and meet all my " internet friends" in person, become a psychologist.

Becoming a wedding planner/photographer, walk 50 miles in Wisconsin, travel to New Orleans. Own a beachfront cottage; be financially independent via lottery winnings.

Be debt free and financially independent. Raise and own a Great Dane. Perform an overwhelming kindness for a complete stranger. See my children as responsible self-sufficient adults. Donate an organ.

Take my daughter swimming with dolphins, Ecstasy in Amsterdam with the owner of my favorite toy, Watch my kids grow up to find their happy, successfully ditch corporate America, Find my creative medium.

I don’t know. I want to travel to a few foreign places and I want to find meaning and purpose, and I want to leave something behind, and I want to be able to go out without having any regrets or feeling like I didn’t have time to live. I want to live before I die.

(I'm not stating the obvious family/kids answer, we all want that) Help someone else accomplish a dream. Finally make perfect pasta from scratch. Hook up with an old grade school boyfriend who still gives me butterflies to this day, drive cross country and finally be able to let a few things go.

I don't have a bucket list.

Grow old enough to be a grandmother, swim without fear, backpack across Europe, skydive, and witness a miracle.

See mine grown with lives and children of their own. Find that acreage with a kindly man to sit and rock with me as we watched the corn grow for lack of anything better to do. Touch the lives of those I care for. Sleep more! (Had to add that one.)

Go to Australia. Have a granddaughter. (Gotta buy baby girl clothes for SOMEONE!) Have an honest-to-God library in my home. Teach my kids to live by the Golden Rule. Get all of my children through college and into careers that enable them to help others AND earn a decent living.

Stop being depressed, be able to do things I was good at, move to Delaware permanently, Backpack again in Europe, and learn to trust people again.

Have a meal on Antarctica, do a marathon on 6 other continents, celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary, learn sign language, do something (good) worthy of being on TV or a national newspaper.

Fall in love, Travel with my love, Watch my children become successful adults, have time to cook more/better, Have a 'traveling room' for visitors.

See both of my kids graduate from college, see the ..Great Barrier Reef, visit Pompeii, play with my grandkids, and finally be able to forgive.

Live in Arizona. Reach my health goals. Go snorkeling in Hawaii and see sea turtles and fishies. See my son become a happy grown man. The 5th bucket list item is to do as many things as time and money will allow me to do with my best friend Kim while she can...all the while hoping that she is granted some miracle to be able to continue to do them forever...and if not granted that wish in the future, doing as many things as time and money will allow that will help her find other ways to enjoy life....forever and ever.

Seeing Preston accomplish several goals as an adult, travel around Europe with Joe, drink beers in tiny pubs in Ireland, a Vegas trip with all my girlfriends, own a house with a pool and a few guest rooms, so my nieces, nephews and friends feel as if they're truly on vacation when visiting.

Go to NYC. Go to DC. Visit the Caribbean. Visit Europe. Meet KTPP in person.

Publish my book, skydive, travel around Europe, watch my boys become successful human beings - careers, love, kids, etc., and renew my vows with my hubby.

Go to Hawaii in March to see the whales, go to Egypt and go inside the pyramids, see all the Power Spots in the world in person, backpack and cycle across Europe, take my daughter to all 50 states one summer

Travel to Europe, publish a book, do a pin up photo shoot, play rob zombie cover songs in my band "roxy matress kittens", meet and hang with joaquin phoenix for a weekend.

My shrink asked me this last month and it made me cry. I seriously do not know. I know I want a house on a lake, and that's pretty much it. I just don't know

Drill wells for clean drinking water in Africa; Dive the Great Barrier Reef; Build a Habitat for Humanity House; Raise a lot more money for my charitable causes Enjoy my children and future grandchildren

Go to New Zealand/Australia; white water rafting; meet several people that I know only on my computer; live long enough to see my grandchildren grow up; take the couple classes to get my BS in Health Science

Visit South Africa, Live and work in London, Win the lottery, Be Published, Direct a B'way show. All do-able.

Traveling the country, going on a cruise, watching my children grow into productive adults, meeting my grandchildren, retire comfortably on the beach, change the way the Army treats the soldiers wife and improve what they consider is the standard for the quality of life, help find a cure for Cancer and MS...There is more but that is enough for the moment!

Be a Published Author without having to go the self-publishing route; live in England; see everything there is to see in Europe; Do a safari in Kenya and join a paleontological dig at Olduvai; be a good enough mom that my daughter only needs a few months of therapy when she grows up.

Of course I want live long enough to see my babies' babies. I want to travel the world, get a degree, become financially independent, learn to scuba dive and dive somewhere exotic, and learn a foreign language.

Visit Italy, Denmark & Belgium. See the Statue of Liberty. Be a grandma. Win an award. Write something substantial.

Go sky diving, be on Survivor, Travel across country, go to Australia, and run a marathon.

Go on a cruise, see my girls graduate college, be financially secure enough to enjoy retirement, lose 50 lbs., meet all of my MS friends

My bucket list:

Dance at Josh’s wedding (should he go that route). Do an MS walk in every state. Go to Ireland with Jerry. See the polar bears up in Canada at the big polar bear observatory. Be 100% at peace with who I am, mentally, physically, and health-wise.

I’m wishing for all of you to make your goals. There is no time like the present, so I hope you are working hard on at least one of these things. Life is short. We’re not getting any younger. What are you waiting for? Are you waiting until you're unable to do it so you can say, "I wish I had..."?

The only other thing I want to say is this: Look through these answers. Several people who answered have MS. They are just like you.


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MS Challenge Walk, 2009
Team: LaDorkas
Team Fundraising Goal: $16,500
Current Total: $6190 (38%!!)

Ask me how to donate!