Being Careful not to get lost in a sea of PINK!

I love hope!  If I didn't have hope my arthritis would have a cure one day I wouldn't have had children knowing there is a strong genetic link.  I currently have a sister who is in breast cancer remission and I have hope she will be just fine.  I am grateful for cancer research that helped put her and several of my friends in remission.  Each one is an inspiration in my life (you know who you are).  But after two straight weeks of a "Pink Out" at both NMSU and than Mesilla Elementary I have started questioning for the first time if our society have we lost our way a little.

When I was younger my 2nd older sister (who is six years older) did breast cancer projects through Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.  She put a card up in our shower to check your breasts while you are in the shower as a daily habit.  It taught me how and to this day I still do it.  With a mom and eldest sister who have had tumors, this could save my life one day or my daughters.  Education and research should always be the focus of our campaign.

But somewhere as a society we went from cancer awareness and walks to a total PINK OUT where every place you can imagine is hocking a pink ribbon product.  It's almost like Pumpkin products now.  You can't go anywhere with out a pumpkin spice anything being pushed in your face and while pumpkin is so yummy; what difference is PINK making in finding a cure.  When we buy these products are we really supporting breast cancer research?  Honestly, not always.  Most companies will not specifically disclose the amount of money that the product you are buying goes to research.  Some companies are suspected of donating no money towards research.

Companies have learned that pathos sells products and they make.  For example New Balance and Yoplait cap donations.  So for example Yoplait promised to donate up to 1.5 million in yogurt sales for their pink lid campaign.  They made an estimated 3.5 to 5 million from the campaign which led to significantly extra profit for the company.  Susan G Komen foundation has a CEO who makes on average $550,000 a year more than Arby's CEO does.  

Furthermore the biggest thing I've noticed this year is that we are losing the message.  It is no longer about: awareness, research, and support as the focal points of the campaign.  I mean really "save 2nd base" tees is a respectful way to share that message?  As a feminist, woman, and mom this isn't funny, yet all over NMSU and elsewhere in town I've noticed these items.  The "I love Boobies" bracelet was on a teachers aide at my kids elementary school causing my seven year old asking me why I he should love boobies.

After 3 straight days of Pink Week at Mesilla I asked my kids what have you learned about Pink Week.  Rachel responded it is about curing cancer.  So I asked her what cancer was... "I dunno".  Which was a better than when I asked my two boys who responded it (Harmon) is about getting out of class and my favorite (Cally's) "I dunno".  So yesterday I asked one of the teachers what they were teaching the kids, the teacher responded that it is our job as parents to teach kids what cancer is and what Pink Week means.  They are just sharing a message of love and hope.  It bugs me that we are doing PINK and yet we are not doing anything substantial to teach kids.  If it is too heavy of a topic to really talk about than what are the kids doing all week?

This month needs to focus on the survivors.  We need to teach prevention and education. Next do please donate, but choose carefully to donate donate directly towards specific groups rather than just buying second hand products.  Finally we should remember those survivors of cancer other than breast cancer and other diseases.  Breast cancer has become a trend and it's a good trend if done right but it doesn't take away from the fact that there are other cancers killing people everyday that don't receive attention.  This summer due to early detection I was blessed to catch Melanoma in it's earliest stage.  I lost my mother to a brain tumor last year and my husband lost his aunt to colon cancer.  Lung, pancreatic, colon, leukemia, and so many others are also killing our mothers, daughters, and sisters.  With diligence I do have hope we can find cures but some hookey little fad campaign isn't going to do it by itself.  It has to be more.

Saying goodbye to Dance for now!

 This past September I made one of the saddest decisions I've made in a while.  I quit my job as head of the Gym Magic Dance Program and to be honest I miss it every day since.  I loved my girls so much and it was the happiest job ever.  The problem was that this semester as I am finishing up my masters I am also taking a mix of PhD course as well as I'm transitioning into it.  Between that and work staying at a dance studio for several hours each week was too much.

I once read a talk by a inspirational leader named Dallin H Oaks, called "Choosing the Better Part".  In it he stated in life we must choose between "good, better, and best".  My education is the best thing I can do for myself and for my family in the large scheme of life.  It doesn't mean though that I don't miss my girls everyday!  Hopefully one day I will be teaching dance but if that doesn't happen again I will always cherish my memories and all the beautiful girls I taught.

Our Summer Scrapbook :)

From research in Las Vegas NV to being off the grid in Show Low or just being home, here are some photos to share of all of us this Summer.

Hello Again!

I was only planning on taking a couple of months off from blogging.  You see for the first time in a long time I spent the Summer not working (well sort of not working, because I was still teaching dance) and so the kids went off the grid slightly with me (still posted the occasional Facebook post) but in general I made a point that unless I was writing or researching I was spending my time with my kids.

Why?  Well to be honest my kids are getting so big so fast and there is stopping it.  I feel like if I don't make some time to just be with them than I will be missing out.  I also know that I am incredibly busy and crazy normally.  So since I'm blessed to work and go to school in a university system I should treasure that time away.  I worry so much that with all our being busy that my kids don't know who I am and worse I might not know what is in their hearts.

So this summer we learned those secrets.  My son Harmon (who I always thought was Daddy's mini-me) is my soul twin.  Rachel OMG that girl is just such a beautiful hurricane, so much power and determination mixed in with sensitivity and sweetness.  Callum, how do you describe a little boy filled with so much gentleness and thoughtfulness.  The kids learned my love of water and my goofy side.  

We spent hours in used book stores, art museums,  and explored our small village that we live in.  We went completely off the grid at the family cabin in Show Low with daddy a couple of times and it was delightful.  We did dance and gymnastics together.  They did a sports camp and a Jewish camp with our lovely Chabad House.  Rachel and I went to Las Vegas as I continued my academic research on prostitution there.  It went by so fast!  I have always valued my title as a working mom but it meant a lot to me to reaffirm the value of being a stay at home mom as well.   How blessed I am to be able to do both!

So I planned on blogging again once the kids went back to school but than (oh yeah I'm not a stay at home mom full time) and the work/school crunch hit me over the head with a mallet.  Oy vey!  It never stops.  But than BAM, my son Harmon broke my toe and with Halloween this week, I've taken a little breather from the work side this week (no driving allows a lot of extra time) and school is a chugging on nicely so I've decided I will try and write more of everything going on.  It will be a lot of blogs all at once but after this week I have promised myself to set aside at least once a week to update our family.