No one chooses to go on a cancer journey. It's certainly not an easy one, nor is it the same for any two people.  It's filled with low lows, and I'm looking forward to the high highs, I can’t wait to hear that the chemo is working and am excited to ring that darn bell! I've found that the every day "whats in the middle" has been a real blessing.  Something we might not have seen or experienced without the heavy burden of cancer.  And that blessing and being able to find the joy in the darkness has been because of each of you. 

It’s a humbling and extraordinary feeling to be overwhelmed by love, and while I would not have chosen this journey, I am grateful that my family has felt and experienced being truly loved. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts.

I've shared that losing my hair has been one of the most anxiety inducing, emotional things that has been heavy on my heart during this journey.  I have a friend who is a talented photographer reach out and offer us a family session before I went through chemo and my hair stylist of 15 years offered to come to my home and cut my hair in preparation of losing it.

So yesterday, we combined these two generous gifts and I wanted to share the amazing way my perspective changed.  First, the family photo session.  Short, sweet and in our very own backyard, a reminder that everything we would EVER need in this life can be captured in one picture.  Well, captured in multiple perfect, beautiful pictures that I will forever cherish.

Next, cutting my hair, my self proclaimed crown jewel.  I just felt like cutting it short would help reduce the trauma of having it fall out by the handful.  Garrett has also been very upset about me losing my hair so I wanted the kids to help cut it and try to make it a fun memory for all of us.  

I realized that if it was going to be a “fun” memory for the kids I couldn't cry and the last thing I wanted was for the boys to feel bad about cutting my hair.  So I put their feelings first, isn't it what Moms do? But the gift I received in return was ten fold.  I was able to watch them cut and shave and laugh and have fun.  Seeing Garrett use my braid as a tail and shake his bottom and laugh lifted the burden from my heart and I just felt happy.  

How was that even possible?  What was going to be one of the darkest days for me ended up being the most special, fun memory that I will cherish forever.  It was still hard but it really is just hair.  And I surprisingly pulled off the edgy short hair cut I was fully prepared to put a wig over.  They say you learn a lot through a journey like this and I can honestly say that I think I could be in an all-girls rock band if I ever learn to play guitar.  It doesn't hurt that my incredible husband just keeps calling me stunning either.  I love him.

So friends, that is the story of my hair.  It's short, just like my hair now.  It's gonna fall out in the next 2 weeks and we're ready. I have two amazing wigs on stand by and all the love I could ever need.

If you're curious about what’s next. I am waiting on my lab results now to see how low my platelets and white blood cells are.  That will tell me how social or how distant I am able to be over the next few days. Regardless, we're heading to Chattanooga to cheer on Gavin in his soccer tournament this weekend.  I am looking forward to one more "good week" as I continue to recover next week and am hoping we might even be able to sneak away for fall break.  We have a meeting with a new pain management team next Tuesday that will be helping to reduce the pain from chemo that I experienced last round.  Then I'll have another round of labs on 10/14 and round 2 of chemo will be Tuesday 10/15.

If I don't post anymore updates until after the next round just know that I am out living, loving on my family and thanking God for this beautiful life I am able to live.  I hope you are doing the same.  Love you all.

We Got This 🩵

PS - Special thank you to the incredibly talented Karina Schraft Photography and magical Viola at Spencer Malay Salon.  More pictures on IG as I can only share one per update.