Day 10

I have designated Thursdays this month to introduce you to the people that make my life such a gift.  Last week (and a few other times), I wrote about my husband, Blake. For today my son, Kekoa Li is my inspiration.

I have discovered that one of the neatest advantages to making a big deal of October as Breast Cancer Awareness month is the opportunity it provides for conversations with my kids about my cancer journey. The other day, I was asking my five year old son, Koa if he remembered when I was sick. He was quiet for a minute so I wasn't sure what was coming next. His only memory from that devastating, life-altering time in my life was a happy one sitting at the kitchen table with his baby sister eating a snack watching Daddy “cut” Mommy's hair. That feels like a huge mark for the win category!

See, as we navigated through the emotion of those first few days after diagnosis, we (especially my husband) went into full on protection mode. We were determined that they would not know the anguish were feeling. We were determined their world remain just as it had always been.

I pray that as they get older and their understanding grows, so will the depth of our conversations concerning those days.  

I wish that one day they grasp that in the face of such uncertainty, we had Hope because of a God that wouldn't forsake us. 

I plan to explain that while cancer has the power to steal away life on earth, our eternal life in heaven is secure with faith in saving Grace.  

I will use the example of the way my husband took care of me to explain how they must love and be loved by their future spouses. 

And I will re-iterate that because tomorrow is never a guarantee, how we love people today is of greatest importance.

For now, the sweet memory of Teddy Grahams and a haircut are just fine by me.