Mother

It remains hard to believe that it was almost 10 years ago when I huddled at the end of my parents bed as they broke the news that Mom had been diagnosed with Chronic Meyloid Leukemia, a form of cancer that leaves you asking questions of how much longer does she have instead of how can she be cured. Leukemia is a viciously, pervasive form of cancer that reaches all corners of your body as it dominates your white blood cells...those cells that are supposed to fight for you, have somehow turned against you.

I vividly remember hearing all of the conversations about possible courses of treatment and how our family would go from here. Talk of chemo, bone marrow transplants, etc. became my world at that point in 10th grade. Right about the time that we found out that Mom did not have a bone marrow match, we heard about a new drug that was still in the testing stages but that was aimed at treating CML, the exact cancer that my mom had. Over the course of several weeks, we received word that Mom had been accepted in the study for this new "miracle drug" called Gleevec, and with no other options we went for it. We could have never imagined that this was indeed a miracle.

Praise the Lord that we can say that after almost 9 years of daily medications, unexpected side effects, and many many trips to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mom has officially been taken off of her medications and declared CANCER FREE!!! She will be monitored closely, but we could not be more thankful for the Lord's provision of the right treatment at the right time.

I am thankful every single day to be blessed with this incredible woman as my mother.

She is a beauty:)

I see that the life of this place is always emerging beyond expectation or prediction or typicality, that it is unique, given to the world minute by minute, only once, never to be repeated. And this is when I see that this life is a miracle, absolutely worth having, absolutely worth saving. We are alive within mystery, by miracle.

- Wendell Berry (Life is a Miracle)

We are home from the wonderfulness of seeing family and friends during the two weeks that I had off from class and Adam had in between work and the beginning of school. I cannot tell you how precious the time was that we had to be home in Chattanooga.

Every time I go home, I am reminded of how blessed I am to be so in love with my family. I am thankful for the mornings, afternoons and evenings spent communing on the front porch or battling it out over an intense game of ping pong...the delicious meals we shared with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden....the cuddle time I had with my beautiful little sister who amazes me with her joy and enthusiasm for life and for loving others....watching my dad and Adam slave away building a fabulous chicken coop where we anticipate gathering many delicious eggs from in the coming years....

It was hard to come home to DC and to leave so many people that I love. It was hard to face the reality of a new semester with the demands of late night studies and caffeine over doses. However, despite feeling the ache of saying goodbyes, I am excited for my new classes, reunion with friends, moving into our new home, and continuing to find our place in this beautiful city where we dwell.

Quite the team at work brewing a pale ale to be enjoyed this fall!

Skyping with Anna who we missed terribly this week!

Dad and Pat at work laying beds in the garden.

A little early birthday celebration for Susie Q who will be 12 in Sept!!!

I love these two more than I can say.

This photo is a reenactment of our christmas photo about 10 years ago.