There is immense joy in these pictures. Look at us laughing and smiling through tears of absolute joy. I cherish the joy in all of our smiles, even when there are tears making our eyes sparkle. I made it through 17 chemotherapy infusions and five surgeries, I promise that I could not have done that without your help, without your love.
Cancer is hard. I didn't have any tangible experience with Cancer until it was me going through it, it was like all of life's true struggles - you just kind of get thrown in. There isn't a pause button, or time to stop and catch your breath. From the moment of diagnosis there is one goal, to survive. For me that drive was so strong, and re-enforced each and every time I looked at my babies.
They were so young when I was diagnosed, Elayna was 4 and Tommy was 7. My biggest fear was (and is) that Cancer will steal me from them, that they wouldn't remember me. I remember spending hours in the beginning of my journey with cancer trying to conjure up my first memories, the earliest ones to test myself and see if I could recall anything from their ages. I found that my memories were all fairly scattered and blurry until about age 10. That struck a terror in me that I never talked about, but that I am sure was apparent to anyone who was watching. I did my best to fill our days with love, laughter and magical memories, just in case.
It was about halfway through my infusions that I got the notion that I wanted to dress up like a princess for my last treatment. I mentioned the idea to my sweet friend Christine and immediately a plan flew into action. It is pretty spectacular to have someone like Christine in your life. She set a a series of events into motion we invited everyone to come celebrate dressed as a princess, or dragon slayer, or just as themselves to celebrate my victory. My last chemotherapy treatment.
I remember explaining my idea to the nurses at the Virginia Cancer Institute, I can remember them smiling and saying that it was okay. I don't think they had any idea just how big the celebration was going to get.
I am so very thankful to be here a year later writing this post to you. I have poured over these pictures for the last two days remembering being cloaked in so much love and kindness. I am so blessed to be counted as a survivor. Thank you all for your love, for your friendship, for your words of encouragement, for your prayers, and most of all for your kindness towards my family.
Today was breathtaking, it was a spectacular anniversary of my last chemotherapy infusion. The kids finished the week at Vacation Bible School. If you have been following our journey you may know that it always seems that VBS weaves its way into our lives in the most magical of ways. This week Tommy and Elayna had to look for God Sightings. God Sightings are when you see God in your life. My beautiful, brave little six year old stood before an entire congregation and told them my story. I wasn't there, so I don't know what her words were - but I do know how proud her brother was of her for talking about it. He was beaming when he told me.
She made this to go on the display for all of the parishioners at church to see this week.
Please continue to spread light and love in the world, be the change that you want to see.
#fightlikeamommy
#itisstillmyfairytale
Special thanks to Rachel Kurtz for the amazing pictures, you truly captured the essence of the day!!
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