Surviving

2 years ago we were going through the hardest week of my family's life, watching my mom endure the most terrible suffering and being unable to ease it. I prayed fervently every night when I finally went home, that she would pass peacefully in the night so that her suffering would end. It is a tremendously hard prayer for a daughter to make for her mother. I changed from praying that my mom would somehow get better, to praying that she would die, death being the most compassionate option. 2 years later, I still cry almost every day watching the images pass through my head. Some things just can't be unseen or forgotten.

But we are surviving. And better than that, we are thriving. Here is an image from a quiet night in my home last night, enjoying our most precious blessings and not taking any minute of this for granted. My mom's death has taught me that- there are no givens, no assumptions of tomorrow. So I am fiercely appreciative of every day I have on this earth with my children and my husband.