That Scary, Six Letter Word

One year ago today, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Kind of ironic that she was diagnosed in October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I remember sitting on the couch at my parents house and thinking that something was weird. Then my mom dropped the bomb. The six letter word that you never want to hear.

I was SO mad at her for telling me in such a it’s-not-a-big-deal kind of way. I was mad that I was the last to know because she wanted to tell me in person and not over the phone. I was mad that I had to be in my cousins wedding the next day and pretend everything was okay, when really all I wanted to do was cry.

I remember laying in bed that night crying, unable to sleep. I’m pretty sure I even begged God not to take my mom – I was about to become a mother and I needed her.

I look back and smile. At one of the darkest times for my mom and our family, God was planning to give our family a miracle – a baby boy named Jackson. I don’t think it was an accident that he came into the world in the midst of my mom’s cancer journey. It was one more reason to fight hard – and fight she did.

I’ve always known my mom was tough. One look from her and you’ll be shaking in your boots. She’s also the girl who threw a desk at a boy in grade school because he wouldn’t stop picking on her.

When she was diagnosed she told the doctors that she would be at my sister’s wedding and at the birth of her first grandson.

My mom had a double mastectomy and two weeks later made the four hour drive to my baby shower.

She made it to my 30th surprise birthday party after chemo.

She mowed the yard after chemo.

She stayed up late at night with a crying Jackson to give John and I a break.

And don’t tell the doctors, but she held that baby boy when she probably wasn’t supposed to!

Today she’s enjoying the Grand Tetons and I’m sure taking a thousand photos of moose and elk. She said she would go on this trip one year ago after she beat cancer and she’s done just that!

Celebrating my mom today!