The Anniversary

What a quiet house we have!

We sent the three girls off this morning to Camp Rainbow Gold's

Cancer Siblings camp.

 It was much easier this time around to say goodbye since we went through it last year.

It took quite a while to get them registered-- between last minute

paperwork, medicine check in... vitals check

 and an examination by one of the nurses (Kean's nurses from the hospital

by the way).  The girls begged me not to take a picture of them getting

their hair checked for lice or their feet checked for fungus.

So here they are just looking excited!

 It's gonna be pretty mellow around here with them gone.

But they were so excited to go back to this wonderful camp.

 Good timing too.

The girls heading to cancer camp marks the exact day

that we have two years of this journey under our belts. 

 Two years!!!  Hard to believe on July 13, 2012

Kean was sicker than sick, on tremendous levels of pain killers

and about to begin the fight for his life.

 What a crazy, horrific, painful, beautiful, educational

and spiritual journey this has been.

The two years really feel like twenty.

And while, if given the choice, I'd take Kean's cancer away from him

in a second, I can see so many good things that have come out of this trial.

We've met and made dear friends with other cancer families, nurses, doctors, volunteers

and strangers who have blessed our lives.

We've been surrounded by a truly staggering amount of support, love and pure kindness.

It has been beautiful to watch.

We've all learned to be more compassionate, less judgmental and more thankful

for the good in our lives, the roses-- not the thorns.

Tiny, spindly legged Kean has become a giant in our eyes.

It is not in his constitution to feel pity.

He rallies from feeling lousy to smiling and playing through

days when most adults I know (including me) would be on the couch whining and whimpering.

I really could go on and on.

While this is a journey I would never wish on anyone-

and I mean anyone.

It is also an experience I can honestly say I am grateful for.

We have all learned to be better people because of this.

At least I hope so.

Yes, we have two years under our belts.

Now 14 more months of Chemo to go.