Life is MAGICAL...

I warn you, this post might get a bit serious. I might say WAY too much about my personal life and feelings. I might share more than I think I should. The reason I started a blog is to share my scrapbooking with others. And that is primarily what I do. The only people that read my blog (that I know of) are scrapbookers. So again, it makes sense to stick to what people come here for, doesn't it?

But today I was thinking about this and my hesitation to share anything too personal on my blog and I realized maybe I should share a little bit of my heart and my thoughts as well. And if I lose all my blog readers after today's post, please know that as of tomorrow, I will be back to posting just creations and photos!

Ok, so now to the point of this post. Life is magical. That is what I have to say and have been holding back for so long. Very personal there, huh? Stay with me...this might get more interesting as I spill my thoughts today about WHY life is so magical.

I suspect that most people that see my scrapbook pages think I have a pretty darn good life. I scrap the happy and fun times I have with my family. I live in a beautiful area and am as some call me "an Orange County Housewife". I mean, life should be magical just based on all that alone! And it is, but NOT based on just what you see on my scrapbook pages and my happy blog posts and for that matter, my dang happy blog header! I smile every time I come on my blog too - hahahaha.

The point is, my life is magical because I make a CHOICE to enjoy life. I was told by a marriage counselor years ago that love is a choice.  I told him he was full of crap. But I have learned that he was right. Many things are choices - love being one of them. Happiness is also a choice. Enjoying life is a choice. Finding the JOY IN LIFE is a choice. And yes, giving your heart and loving others IS a choice.

I have had one heck of a tough couple of years. And guess what? It has made my life so much happier and richer because I have learned to realize how awesome being ALIVE is! I don't share the tough parts. I don't even SCRAP the tough parts (and I should!). In the past two years, lots of things have gone wrong. I've had my last of seven miscarriages and have had to give up on having any more children. I've had to deal with the fact that my beloved dad is really sick and will be dying of cancer soon. I've found the sister of my real mom who I never knew and seen pictures of her with me and my sister and learned that she loved us. This meant SO much to me. She took her life when I was 21 and I hadn't seen her since I was a small child. I have held sadness in my heart over this for most of my life wondering why she didn't love me and why she would do this. 

And the toughest thing I have gone through is finding out a year and a half ago I have a benign brain tumor (key word benign). When I first found out, I was devastated! Before I truly understood the condition, I thought I might die. I cried all night on my closet floor thinking how could I not be here to raise my kids? Suddenly life became VERY precious. That night changed everything...but primarily my perspective. 

The tumor is on my hearing and balance nerve (called an acoustic neuroma) and it causes daily issues that are uncomfortable for me with oversensitive hearing and balance problems. But this tumor has been such a blessing in my life. I get my six month MRI in a couple of weeks to see if it is growing (so far, it has not been!). Eventually I will have to have brain surgery and get it removed which will likely cause me to lose my hearing in that ear as well as experience worse balance issues, loss of much of my hair and possible facial paralysis. So I just pray it won't grow and the surgery will not have to come any time soon! And maybe by then, they will make better looking wigs...

Only my close friends know about all this. I never have wanted to say anything publically because I am so not looking for sympathy. But the lessons I have learned from it are bottled up inside me and I want to share them! I found out my neighbor has breast cancer this morning and it just made me feel enthusiasm to share with her how I understand what she is feeling - the fear that you are no longer invincible. That life as you know it could end.  

So I decided to blog about it today. And thank you for listening if you have read all this. Life is magical because I love living. Life is magical because I realize how precious it is. Life is magical because even if everything is going wrong or you are depressed or scared, you can always find things to bring you happiness and focus on those. Life is magical because every day is a new beginning and every day can be wonderful. One day at a time. And this is why I love to go to the beach. This is why I love photography. This is why I adore my children and family and love spending ALL of my time with them. This is why the blessings in my life bring me SOOOOO much joy! This is why my life "appears" to be so fun and HAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPY! Because it is. And that is all I have to say.

And just to make sure no one is disappointed with all this heart felt stuff, here is a scrapbook layout about exactly this subject!  Enjoy YOUR life and make the best of every day! Because...one more time...say it with me...LIFE IS MAGICAL!!!!!!!!

This layout is made entirely with the new lines by Little Yellow Bicycle I received in the mail this week - they are so cute! And I made this layout yesterday, thus it inspired this entire blog post and my new favorite saying. So thank you to LYB for making such awesome products that inspired me to divulge all my life secrets on my blog! 

  

I wish all of you magical days and happiness no matter what you are going through! (And please no one bring up any of this personal stuff in the future - I'm going to pretend I never mentioned it! hahahaha)  Big Huge Hugs to All!  Suzy

Comments

[jen]

Thank you for sharing...life is indeed magical.

[Lisa VanderVeen]

Love you darlin. Did you ever get your oatmeal cookie??? Off to get the magical dents in my car taken care of :) XO

[Diana]

You are AMAZING! Thank you....

[NancyD]

WOW. Thank you so much for sharing this... I too believe love is a choice, but needed a reminder that happiness is a choice, too. Thank you!

[Tina]

THANK YOU !!! for sharing your story !! You truly are amazing !!! xxxx Tina

[Karen]

Suzy,

I don't know you except through scrapbooking. I've bought a few of your kits at the Oasis because I love your style. I have always loved your blog b/c not only do you share your scrapbook pages (which are always awesome) but also, because you share part of your life with us. I loved your blog already, now I do even more.

I've had more tragedy this year than any other. My oldest son was diagnosed with a rare pediatric cancer. We are at Childrens in Los Angeles more than we ever at home (in San Luis Obispo). Today, marks the 23rd day in a row that we've been in the hospital due to him being in transplant. I look at LIFE so differently now too. I also no longer assume people have perfect lives...you never know what someone else is going through. Thank you for sharing your story..

I wish you the best with your treatment and hope for no growth on your upcoming MRI.

with love and hope,

karen borges
[email protected]

[Leslie G]

Wow! Who knew? You are amazing (I have always thought that though) and to hear all that you have been gong through -- Wow!! thank you for sharing your blessed life... my philosophy is a bit different from yours "things happen for a reason" -- you are there because your neighbor needs you. . .your family is there because you need them -- etc. Love you and your positive outlook -
YOU GO GIRL!!!
Leslie

[Keshet]

Thinking of you and wishing you the best! I definitely admire taking on life with the approach that you have:)

[Nikki M]

No sympathy, I promise but a big shout out to you for being so open, honest, and life-loving. Thank you for your beautiful inspiration in your LOs and in your blog posts. I haven't been a subscriber for very long, but so glad that I am. Bless you and please update if you feel like sharing.

[Cary Vanos]

Suzy, I have always loved your blog and your obvious positive and happy outlook on life. Not to mention your fantastic scrapbook pages! I am sorry for what you have been going through, but I love your attitude about it all. I couldn't agree with you more. My son was diagnosed with autism last week, and while it wasn't a shock it was still so sad and heartbreaking. I spent a night like you did, crying in pain. I gave myself that one night to feel sad for me and for him, but I also believe that happiness is a choice and that life is indeed magical. I love to find the magic in the everyday. Thank you so much for your brave, honest and uplifting post.

[lori renn]

I thought I would just sign on and look at pretty blogs before going to church. Little did I know I'd have tears running down my face and feel my heart burst with joy and inspiration. I thank you for sharing, Suzy and I will lift you up in my prayers. We all have so many challenges to deal with in life but instead of letting those things define us and get us down we must see them as gifts. Wishing you so much joy!

[Victoria in Ohio]

WOW! That was just the wake up call i needed to hear this morning. You are so right and life is too short. I am a Breast Cancer survivor and have 2 young daughters. I have appreciated life more this past year too, but will even more starting NOW! THanks for that inspiration and i will pray that your tumor will not only not grow but will shrink and go away - if it would be God's will. I will purpose (with God's help) to live more, love more, forgive more and enjoy more! Love the LO too - so cheery and fun!

[Colette]

What a beautiful post. You are an inspiration!!!!!

[Lisa]

Life is beautiful, and precious. I am not able to live the life I had imagined (infertility) but am embracing the life I have.

Good for US! And you last comment about making pretend you never said anything... SO me.

[annie]

Hope you found something magical to do yesterday!! I am sure you did!

Glad you shared your feelings.....must have felt good to write it all out and don't be embarrassed, we all think you are fab no matter what!!!

So lucky to have you in my life!!!
chat soon!

[Judith PInon-Menendez]

Thank you for sharing. I also go to your blog for inspiration but now I will also look forward to inspiration in how I choose to live my life. Thank you for the wake up call. I always knew that it was magical but I need to remind myself each day how luck I am for my life.

Wishing luck in your next MRI and please do share more of your self in your blog.

[karen]

suzy i just wanted to say thank you for sharing all this and you are always such a happy person. it's obvious from your posts, your layouts and seeing you in person. It is always the one thing I remember about you, how much joy you exude and how contagious it is when people are around you. thank you for reminding me that it's a choice and that you practice it and choose it daily. if i can be even 50% as happy and joyful as you, I know my life would be magical. thank you for sharing and thank you for being you.

[Kimberly C.]

You're MAGICAL!!!

[Liz kartchner]

you already know how much I love you... Just didn't know I could adore you even more!! xoxo

[Rene' Sharp]

Thanks for sharing your story with us Suzy. It certainly does make you more a "real" person to all of us. Sorry that you have been going through such a hard time, but the bottom line is that you have come out a better person at the end of it. I do try and live each day being grateful for all that I have. Your post has made me realise that I do need to try and "live" more and get out there and do more things. Life is too short to just sit at home all the time!

[Mich]

Thank you for your story, and the reminder to enjoy life! You are an inspiration!
A Kiwi fan

[Letty]

Bless your soul...You keep doing what you do and believe IT, GOD is mighty. He takes care of the talented scrapbookers.

[Jennifer Camplin]

First of all thank for share this post. I have been lurker on this blog..

all happy pages posted I have seen.

I just know that we all (everybody) no way to have perfect happiness life.
We all have up/down times.

With you well with health going on. Hugs.

Thank for wonderful LO's and all that you have show here.

[amanda fuentes]

Wow, you are an amazing woman! Just through your pages and blog you are so right that you are the "perfect O.C. Housewife"! Truly sorry for all the sorrows you shared, but you more than make up for it in the way you live LIFE! Thank you so much for sharing! Prayers and blessings for you and your family.

[laura vegas]

it's nice to get to see the personal side of you a bit. but one would never know that you've been going through these hard times. you really do have a love for life, and it shows in your spunky personality and your fun layouts! will be thinking and praying for you :)