Thursday, February 25, 2010

Big shout-out to my SUA peeps

I went to a small, private, Catholic girls' high school called St. Ursula Academy in Toledo, Ohio. GO SUA ARROWS! "WE ARE THE ARROWS AND THE ARROWS ARE GREAT!" (I always thought that cheer lacked a certain je ne sais quoi...) Anyway, I just realized that next Saturday (my 36th b-day), I'll have doubled my age since graduation, which was the last time I saw a number of my classmates.

AND YET... time and distance mean very little, apparently. (Quick! Someone write that down and send it to Hallmark before I barf on my keyboard.) I received two overflowing packages of letters from former SUA classmates, friends and teachers yesterday. I can't tell you how touched I was. As I opened each letter, I envisioned each girl, in her uniform, her 18-year-old self smiling at me. I remembered EVERYONE, even how they wore their hair, and if they were knee socks-girls or tights-wearers. I remembered inside jokes we might have had. I remembered classes we shared, trouble you may or may not have gotten into. Who you dated. Which group of girls you hung out with. What your parents looked like (if I ever saw them, like at Festa or something.) There's something significant about living through those 4 years with such a relatively small group of people. You get to know everyone really well and in a meaningful way.

Anyway, I wanted to write a blog posting specifically for you since it meant a lot to me that you wrote. And, I'm also grateful for other packages I've received from SUA girls, just out of the blue. (JDMOB, BAHC, MHH, JLD, JLMM, AFG, and I'm sure I'm forgetting someone and if so, I hate myself for listing initials in the first place-- I received it, and I loved it!! xoxo). And for your supportive Facebook messages and texts, thanks! You're hitting me from every media. And I can't believe how many of you are reading this blog! Awesome. And! And! And!

To reply to your collective comments:
Yes, it's crazy that this happened to me. I know. It makes no sense at all. It stinks that this is happening now, too, when I have two tiny kids, and when life seemed so perfect. I know this happens to people, but it happens to OTHER PEOPLE. I am not happy about it, in fact, I totally hate its guts. I didn't even really think about the fact that I had a colon before this whole debacle. For real, COLON CANCER? COME ON!! And seriously, if you just forget that I have this diagnosis, I am still really freaking healthy! Just with a few minor flaws. MINOR.

I have to say that I think midwesterners are just the nicest people. Ohio rules. (and I also have a strong love for Michiganers, in fact, I have at least 5 close girlfriends who grew up there.)

OK, you know when you start giving shout-outs to U.S. states that it's time to wrap it up.

In sum: Thanks for having my back on this one. I swear I'll do my best to obliterate it. You are helping!

3 comments:

  1. Woo-hoo, SUA! Okay, done with the cheering now. You and Laura were such a part of what made me want to go to that school...so thanks!

    And I agree 100% on midwesterners being the nicest people. The people on the east coast are just not the same.

    Hope you're having a good week Miss Shelly! :)

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  2. That is so sweet of your classmates to do that! What love :) Yea SUA! You and Laura were my reasons for going to St. Ursula! XOXO, can't wait to see you all in about 3 weeks!!

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  3. NDA! NDA! NDA! NDA! NDA! NDA!

    Anyway, yes - Ohioans rule. Regardless of where you went to high school...

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