ONE YEAR.....AND WHAT A YEAR!!!

You know that saying "life can change in a second"? Well, I can tell you I know about that first hand!

One year ago today, October 1, 2008, was the worst day of my life ......no, seriously it was! It's not just a saying! I flew to New York to spend the weekend with my Mom after what was to be a routine gall bladder removal. What happened late that afternoon wasn't supposed to happen.......The Dr's. found a rare and deadly cancer. I'll never forget the abrupt way the news was given to me and my Dad. Basically the bottom line was to take her home and let her get her things in order. He wouldn't even say that she might live till Christmas. He offered no alternatives, no hope.

WOW, October 1, 2009...........We celebrated life with dinner at Red Lobster! We celebrated the fact that Dr. in NY didn't know that GOD is hope, that prayer works and miracles do happen! The shear fact that Mom is still alive today is because GOD is the GREAT PHYSICIAN!!!!!!

Life as our family once knew it is forever changed. Dad and Mom live with me many weeks at a time while Mom undergoes treatment. Their world turned upside down. Dad had limited his ministry work and they've been uprooted from their home. The countless trips to Duke are too many to tell, the unbelievable amounts of meds given, the side affects of chemo and infected drain lines, the crazy amount of testing each week, the stress of getting those test results back, and the list goes on. The five of us kids have all dealt with it differently but have been united in doing what's best for Mom. We've amazingly been able to keep positive and upbeat and really embraced the each day is a gift attitude.

And what opportunities would have been missed if we hadn't taken the "Prayer Changes" attitude. All the Dr's, Nurses, staff we've come in contact with at Duke, other cancer patients, random people we've met in stores, etc. that we've been able to demonstrate that our GOD is an AWESOME GOD!

So, our family knows life is unpredictable, changes in a second and the future is unknown.......but we have chosen to live it to the fullest with the understanding that God knows what is ahead and has our best interest in mind.

Mom...........we celebrate with you this incredibly difficult year you've had and your wonderful spirit and look forward to many more years!!!