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The dawn of a new day, a new school year, and a new schedule. This time of year always fills me with excitement and anticipation for what's ahead. What is ahead? I have no idea but I am looking forward to it for sure. The summer has passed with it's loose schedule and lingering time frames in which to accomplish something, no more sleeping in (well, for the kids! I was always up early to feed the chickens!)
A few projects got done here and there amiss chauffeuring the 'vacationers' around, but nothing substantial on my To-Do List. We did clean out the garage, big kudos to the family! But now..... Ahhhh, I have uninterrupted time. I can hardly contain myself from squealing with delight as I write this (okay, I just squealed, but come on). This is huge in my world! Now, I love my kids and hubby, ALOT, but I am one who needs quiet every now so often and to actually finish things I start, finish as in complete, completely complete. This is something no one in my house understands, they think I'm weird. Okay, so I'm weird, this I can handle.
I relish in the "new calendar". I dream of how pretty and efficient it will be when I have it all filled in with the times of each sports practice, school function, Orthodontist appointment and event to plan. Oh, the glory! Any question that will come up for the next 10 months will most assuredly be answered by "The Calendar". It has that much power, it is the future decider of "yes, you may" or "no, you can't" sharing the weight of parenting, I'm very glad to have the help!
Yes, I love this time of year, when we get to shake things up a bit and change into a new routine to meet the growing demands on our family of 4, now with 2 of them in High School. Although it gets busy and crazy, all life does, I love the whole thing. I love the football games and creating new lunches, I love hearing the school gossip and making sure every one has a water bottle and a pick up time, I even don't mind the school lines, probably because they have wireless... Twitter time! We will see how I adjust to the 6:00 am Cross Country Team time, but I'm sure we will do fine.
The biggest pay off for Back-To-School? The time at home to complete all those wanting projects, Oh yes! How stunning will my Linen Closet be after a few hours focused on nothing but that, and my office will be clutter free and all updated for faster retrieval of whatever I may need (that's going to take a week!), clothes closets?, Food Pantry?.... whose next? with all the organizing going on in here I am going to need to plan a Garage Sale... yeah, more planning!
So, here I go to start the process of our new adventure for the year starting with our trusty road map, The Calendar. I am looking forward to it!
In a minute, Debbie Vineyard’s world changed. As she held her 6-week-old baby and her 3-year-old son scurried about, Vineyard learned she had cancer.
A woman known for calling and e-mailing friends to wish them a “Happy First Day of the Month” or “Happy Monday” would begin chemotherapy the next day, Feb. 1, 1995.
Of cancer, Vineyard simply says, “I got the good one. Isn’t that funny?”
According to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the survival rate for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a blood cancer involving the body’s lymph system, is generally 90 percent or higher when the disease is detected during early stages, as it was for Vineyard.
Vineyard knew the odds were on her side, but the unknown haunted her.
“I wasn’t worried about me,” she says. “I was worried about my kids, my husband. I felt like I could beat it from the start. I knew God had a plan for me and I was going to be fine.”
Fifteen years later, Vineyard is cancer-free.
“Everyone has their own story,” she says. “I had to go through cancer to get my story.”
Her story began with a cancer diagnosis, but Vineyard was determined to make her next chapter one of new beginnings. So, Happy First was hatched.
The egg-inspired clothing line offers women’s and children’s apparel with unique messages. Four years ago, the line began with eight products. Today, Happy First offers dozens of products with vendors in 15 states and online at www.HappyFirst.com. Best sellers include “Happy Chick” and “Freshly Hatched” organic infant onesies, adult wraps and “Happy Hour” hoodies.
“(It’s) just like you are bursting out of a shell,” Vineyard says. “I like the idea of a fresh start every day.”
Friends say her enthusiasm is addictive. College friend Amy Fuller says Vineyard radiates something special.
“I think she’s exploding with the need to explore life and not waste a minute,” she says.
Lori Dale, another longtime friend, admits that she often needs “a dose of Debbie” to brighten her day.
Others appreciate her contributions as well. This year Vineyard has been nominated as the Pi Beta Phi Woman of the Year.
As her company grows, so does Vineyard’s commitment to giving back. In addition to donating a portion of the Happy First proceeds to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Vineyard is also an advocate.
She says her clothing line is more than just a shirt or jacket.
“It’s an opportunity to connect and share my story and encourage people to live life to the fullest,” she says. “I tell them to be positive. Many cancers are curable. Watch the blessings that come from the challenge.”
Vineyard says she wants people to embrace the Happy First mentality, which is to simply find your passion and pursue it. Spend a minute with her and you’ll see just how she celebrates life each day.
Melanie Henry co-founded 918moms.com, a community Web site for moms who swap stories, save money and share advice. Learn more at www.918moms.com.
A woman known for calling and e-mailing friends to wish them a “Happy First Day of the Month” or “Happy Monday” would begin chemotherapy the next day, Feb. 1, 1995.
Of cancer, Vineyard simply says, “I got the good one. Isn’t that funny?”
According to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the survival rate for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a blood cancer involving the body’s lymph system, is generally 90 percent or higher when the disease is detected during early stages, as it was for Vineyard.
Vineyard knew the odds were on her side, but the unknown haunted her.
“I wasn’t worried about me,” she says. “I was worried about my kids, my husband. I felt like I could beat it from the start. I knew God had a plan for me and I was going to be fine.”
Fifteen years later, Vineyard is cancer-free.
“Everyone has their own story,” she says. “I had to go through cancer to get my story.”
Her story began with a cancer diagnosis, but Vineyard was determined to make her next chapter one of new beginnings. So, Happy First was hatched.
The egg-inspired clothing line offers women’s and children’s apparel with unique messages. Four years ago, the line began with eight products. Today, Happy First offers dozens of products with vendors in 15 states and online at www.HappyFirst.com. Best sellers include “Happy Chick” and “Freshly Hatched” organic infant onesies, adult wraps and “Happy Hour” hoodies.
“(It’s) just like you are bursting out of a shell,” Vineyard says. “I like the idea of a fresh start every day.”
Friends say her enthusiasm is addictive. College friend Amy Fuller says Vineyard radiates something special.
“I think she’s exploding with the need to explore life and not waste a minute,” she says.
Lori Dale, another longtime friend, admits that she often needs “a dose of Debbie” to brighten her day.
Others appreciate her contributions as well. This year Vineyard has been nominated as the Pi Beta Phi Woman of the Year.
As her company grows, so does Vineyard’s commitment to giving back. In addition to donating a portion of the Happy First proceeds to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Vineyard is also an advocate.
She says her clothing line is more than just a shirt or jacket.
“It’s an opportunity to connect and share my story and encourage people to live life to the fullest,” she says. “I tell them to be positive. Many cancers are curable. Watch the blessings that come from the challenge.”
Vineyard says she wants people to embrace the Happy First mentality, which is to simply find your passion and pursue it. Spend a minute with her and you’ll see just how she celebrates life each day.
Melanie Henry co-founded 918moms.com, a community Web site for moms who swap stories, save money and share advice. Learn more at www.918moms.com.
This article originally appeared in the February 2010 issue of TulsaPeople Magazine.
