A Year Ago Today....

Several days ago I wrote about how with the passing years I have come more and more to believe that our response to the trials and challenges of life define us and define our hearts.

I wrote a little about the Mormon pioneers and their courageous journey of 1,300 miles on foot, pulling handcarts to escape persecution for their religious beliefs. I wrote a little about Jordan and his courageous 2 year journey to Brazil to teach the gospel to those who seek it.

I've known others who have chosen a courageous path and am in awe of their ability to hold on through the hard times, staying focused on the most important things.

And those most important things are never things.

They are the unseen things, the unspoken things, the little things. They are the things that matter the most and the things that keep us pointed in the right direction.

March 13th, 2009 -- a year ago today -- I am sure was of little notice to most people (except that it was a Friday the 13th!). But for us it was a day of great celebration.

No, we didn't have a party or go somewhere grand to pay tribute to the day. But if Tim could have, he would have kicked up his heels in celebration to have completed 7 weeks...count 'em....35.... radiation treatments!

It was a very dark time in our life and we didn't understand that it would get darker before the dawn would arrive.

But, in time, the dawn did arrive.

We were fooled by the end of treatment.

Usually the end of something signals that things will improve. Things did eventually improve but not before they became much worse. And "worse" lasted much longer than expected. "Worse" was worse for an additional 4-5 weeks after the end of radiation. And even then healing came slowly but the undeniable fact is, it came.

"....in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, buy joy cometh in the morning." ~Psalm 30:5~

Here we are a year later and life is good. Life is normal. Life is joyful and full of love. Life is a gift of time and time truly is a gift of love. We are so thankful for the gift of the morning and the joy that has come.

*While Tim was in the hospital just two days after his radiation ended, the kids made this from Scrabble letters on a cookie sheet for us. And Jacob even figured out that all those letters gave a Scrabble score of 144 points! :)

It is signed Perry, Jacob and Abigail...Annah's nickname is Perry for Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb. :)