Happy One Year Anniversary.... very happy!

Well, it was exactly one year ago today (Sept 10) that I was diagnosed with stage 3 NCIS breast cancer. Just last Wednesday, Sept 4, I had my port-a-cath removed. This chapter in my/our life is over yet the lessons and gifts will remain.

Seems almost unreal that a whole year has passed, or that only a year has passed.

We have come so far.

We have learned to value our health.

We have learned to honor our bodies as the temples they are, seeking to serve God more completely with our vitality and strength and energy, those things that result from good nutrition.

We have made so many memories, done so many fun, cool things... things that at one point I never thought I'd get to do.

We've come face-to-face with death and embraced the concept, the reality, that each of us four will die away from this life and that one of us will be the last to go. We've talked about how sad or joyous or bewildering or upsetting that will be. No matter how great and deep our reliance on our Lord, even Jesus wept when Lazarus died. We too will weep.

We've prioritized. We are living so much more fully in the present that it is sometimes hard to get too irate about dirty socks on the floor or dishes not washed or dogs not walked.

We've regained focus and energy. We are motivated to do as much as we can without wasting a minute.

We've learned that family is precious and that friends are amazing, some of them so much like family that we treasure them as such.

We've learned that people want to help and we need to let them.

We're reminded that running is fun, exercise is essential, and good is contagious.

And finally, we've learned that broccoli isn't so bad. Really!

shrimp with BROCCOLI and other yummy veggies

SO good!

Apparently Annie's Cheddar Bunnies are also good

fresh-caught rockfish - yum

sunny iceberg

seastar and Amy

Can you see that little harbor seal sneaking up on the seagulls? He was just cruising by that iceberg looking for trouble.

These pictures are from our recent trip to a cabin several hours by boat away from us. It was an amazing, magical place.

Thanks for continuing to check in here. We've had incredible weather this summer so blogging has been at a minimum, but it's still a joy to be able to share.

Please feel free to share this blog, comment below, or ask questions.