'Tis the season for Thanksgiving, and I have never been more thankful than this year. Last year I was hospitalized with 25% kidney function, no bone marrow function and Stage IIIB lymphoma--without insurance. Because of the kidney and bone marrow failure, they didn't think I would make it through chemo--but I had an amazing inner peace and knew they were wrong. I never prayed not to have cancer, I prayed chemo would be easy--and guess what? It was. I felt better on chemo than I had in years! 

I was convinced by family and friends to put my three children, all homeschooled, ages 3, 5, & 7 at the time, into daycare and school so that I could take care of myself.  I learned that I had more caring friends around than I ever imagined. My homeschool friends and the local Mom's Club helped with meals, Christmas presents, cleaning my house, child care, transportation, and prayers.

I have changed a lot in the last year, and have begun to be truly thankful for the things we take for granted--like waking up for another day--even if it is a challenging one.  I am homeschooling again, and am much more at peace with it than I had been. I know that if my cancer comes back and I am not so lucky, that I have spent as much time with my children as I could, raising them in the Lord as much as I can, and they will remember that. If I live to be 90, I have the same comfort--that I spent as much time with my children as I could, raising them in the Lord and they will remember that. 

I wake up each day thanking God for the day, my family, friends and all my blessings, even those I may not be able to recognize. I pray for good decisions, kindness and His wisdom to guide me. I pray for Jesus to fill my heart and for me to live the way He wants me to live. I know I fall short and always will, but now I know I am trying and He will give me what I need as long as I remember Him.