Bring it on baby!!

I saw this picture on Pinterest the other day and I thought "wow, how true is that!"  

For all of us that were affected by Mom's illness...for all of you out there surviving through your own journey, this is true! 

This journey of Cancer, has been traumatic to say the least, but it has also been quite an eye opening experience. I think it has reminded us that life is precious and short...and that you need to cherish your loved ones and the time that you have with them.  

There were times when Mom was in the ICU and all I would do was pray for just one more day with her, one more moment...for one more memory, or conversation, or smile...I remember thinking back to our "rocky" past during my teen years and regretting how much I didn't appreciate having her in my life, or appreciate the things she always did for me.  

As I've gotten older, I've worked through with myself and her those years that are now behind us..but when her survival...or chance of survival was our reality,  I couldn't help but go back to those emotions.  Now at the "outcome" after this journey of Cancer, I cherish even more than ever every single minute I get to spend with her...every single conversation we have...each and every "back to life normal" event she accomplishes and I get to witness..I cherish it all.

This journey has made me realize that I needed to slow down, that life needed to slow down a bit so that I could appreciate what was in front of me everyday.  

The transition back to "normal" life...or the outcome now has been hard for us all I think. 

We..I, are learning a new way of life..a new way to live really and it is scary.  I don't think any of us can really go back to what life was like before.  We've learned to truly not take life for granted, and we are getting a chance to start over. 

I still don't know what the outcome for us all is going to be. 

Maybe there never will be an outcome..maybe we are always just living through a journey.

Which ever way it is, I welcome it all with open arms.  I welcome the chance to live each and every day and be thankful for my life and will continue to embrace this second chance at life we have all received. 

Moving forward I know there will always be bumps in the road, challenges I may have to fight like hell to overcome..heartache and tears...lessons learned..missed opportunities..memories made, good and bad...chances to take...fears to face...

I guess those are all things we do every day right??? Well this time around I'll be more prepared and  ready to look each and every one of those things in the face and say bring it on!!!