You Don't Look a Day Over 285...

Well well well... Happy 300th Post, Classy & Fabulous! Who knew we'd ever make it this far together? Certainly not me!

So I know that a bunch of you are new around here so I thought the best way to celebrate number 300 was to re-introduce myself.

So here we go.

Hi there! My name is Sarah. I grew up in a small town in Indiana and I actually still live there.

I grew up in a hilarious family - my mom, dad, brother and I.

I had a fabulous childhood characterized by tons of freedom - I biked and played and generally ran free. Basically, it was awesome.

I discovered at an early age that I didn't have any particular artistic or athletic or musical talents. It didn't bother me much.

A good combination of genes made sure that school wasn't too difficult for me, and I loved it. High school was a fun time for me, and I met some of my very closest friends during that time. We are close to this day.

Also in high school, I met The Boy. We were that couple that everyone was kind of puzzled by. I was the sassy but smart blonde... he was the football player who was also in the top of our class.

I think everyone wondered what we had in common... after all, shopping and sports rarely mix.

We stayed close and ended up heading to college together.

The only place I was interested in going to school was a private, Catholic, all-women's college. (No, I don't know what I was thinking, either. Other than the fact that I already had a boyfriend so what did I need boys for?)

He went to a rather prominent Catholic College that happen to be right across the street. (Notre L@me, anybody? I'm sorry, that was uncalled for.)

College was not all how I expected it to be. It was fun, it was exhausting, but even more than that - it changed me.

I learned a lot about many subjects, but for me - it was so much more than that.

During my freshman year, I got involved with an organization called Dance Marathon. At my small school, no large fundraiser like this had ever been attempted. The fundraiser, which raised money for Children's Miracle Network, was started by two of my best friends.

During our freshman year, professionals at CMN guessed we'd raise around $3,000 - if that.

We blew them away and raised over $21,000.

The next year? $47,000. After that? $85,000.

(I painted that banner. Who says I'm not crafty?)

And this past year, when I took the reigns of this organization, we raised $91,538.24.

Being involved with a Riley Hospital for Children (in Indianapolis) has brought so much hope into my life. Watching little children overcome illness and adversity has taught me that people are inherently resillent. And, most of all, this experience has taught me that we can achieve so much more than we can even dream of.

In the fall of 2006, my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer. Her father had died a few weeks earlier after a several-year battle with the same disease. My paternal grandmother had died a year earlier from lung cancer. Needless to say, it had been a few rough years for my family.

In short, the cancer was just too advanced by the time she was diagnosed. She had been to the meergency room countless times, been to multiple doctors... the doctors just didn't see people her age with colon cancer.

My mom died on November 4, 2007. I was a junior in college. They had found out on Friday that there was nothing more the doctors could do. She died on Sunday. In my heart I know she surrendered to the disease because she didn't want my dad, brother, and I to suffer.

(Basically the worst picture ever, but one of the last we have together. Taken June 2007.)

After her death, I did my best to pull my boys together. I went back to college, my brother went back to college, and my dad went back to work. We didn't fall apart, but we are forever changed. My mom was very much the glue that made us work together... without her, we just aren't the same.

I started this blog in March of 2008. I started this blog because I was lonely. I missed having my mom to talk to, to vent to. In the beginning, I mostly read mommy blogs. They comforted me and made me feel safe.

Since then, I feel like my life has been on fast-forward.

I threw myself into my College life. I met so many amazing women -and I am forever changed.

Though we are all very different, my college friends have seen me through a lot. We cover just about every end of the personality spectrum... and yet we make up one crazy, chaotic bunch. I love them.

In May, I graduated from college. It was probably the happiest and saddest day of my life. I was so glad to be done, but so so sad to leave.

(The sign out in front of my College. This is me hugging it.)

In June, The Boy and I broke up. We had just come home from a friend's wedding. The wedding was amazing and I, being me, caught the bouquet.

(Not a pic from the wedding. A pic of us at my College's Senior Prom.)

I could say it was a mutual decision and we're both happier now... but that just isn't true. I spent 6 years giving him my love, my energy, and my time. I/We had picked out engagement rings.

The truth is - he wanted to move on. And he has. He moved away to the East Coast to start his new life and new job. The last time we "spoke" was via a 2-line e-mail in late July.

I go back and forth about the situation. Basically, I think I'm in denial about the whole situation. I feel like any day now he's going to show up at the front door or on my phone and we'll go right back to where we were.

I just don't know.

In July, my dad sold our family home. In August he and I (my brother is at college) moved into the formerly-dumpiest house in the whole wide world.

And today? Let's just say I'm having a failure to launch. (That's one of my favorite posts so go read it, ok?)

I'm unemployed, single for the first time in 6 years, no longer living in my fabulous home... so I'm not quite sure who I am.

Times, they are a changing...

But one thing I do know is this: I feel so blessed and happy to have found this little home on the internet. I love reading your posts and I love hearing what you have to say about my life. I truly do consider all of you friends.

Thanks for sticking around.

There you have it, approximately 1200 words on me and my life.

Tell me something about you. Or ask me a question. Did I leave anything out? Cause I feel like I went on and on and on...

Happy 300th, Classy & Fabulous! Here's to a million many more!