365 days

Look closely at these faces can you see the change two photos from before the Big C came into our lives and two photos after the Big C decided to make its new home inside of my mom. Before the Big C yes we were a family. Yes we could be found most of the time laughing, smiling and having a good time. Yes we found the glass of life half full. Yes we enjoyed to be in each other's presences. But 365 days later after we were told Mom has stage 4 breast cancer and its spread to her spine and liver we are different, we have changed. 365 days ago we all had hair. By August 4 out of 6 would not. (let's be honest Dad has already lost most of his). We have grown as people and as a family. We have grown closer, we have slowed down and enjoyed the moment. We are taking notice of the simple little blessings, we find ourselves grateful to just be here. 365 days later we are stronger. we are more compassionate. we are more forgiving. we are more caring and understanding. The rushes to get things done has left us and in its place the peace of just enjoying life. Its funny how it takes a thing like cancer to get us to stop and make the changes we need to make to truly LOVEthisLIFE. Its funny how death - just the thought of it can change how you view life and live life. For 365 days we have been living like we were dying. And let me tell you its been the best living we have done.






Yea there have been some out of our hands scary moments, moments that were filled with fear, worry and what if's - but there were also moments that we found laughter that made our gut ache and huge smiles across our faces that I swear wrapped around the back of our heads. Yea there were times we wish the heaviness in our hearts and tears in our eyes would escape us but there were also times where our hearts felt like they could burst from the love support encouragement friendship we were given by oh so many we could never name. 365 days later we have changed, we are different. But I believe those 365 days have forced us to grow and become BETTER - MORE. The greatest personal growth often comes from the hardest of lessons the most difficult of times. We have found we can bare more than we think. We are capable of more than we know. We are stronger than it looks. 365 days later we are left amazed how one woman could teach us so much more about life. We are left amazed that she is now teaching us the lessons we so needed to learn - how to live. how to fight. how to not give up. We are left amazed at her will, her strength, her hope, her faith, her determination. 365 days later we find the honor, the gift, the blessing it is to still have her here, to simply still call her MOM.