Thankful

I will start out this new year of 2013 with one word and one word alone. . . . THANKFUL!  I am so thankful for all the many blessings that 2012 has brought along this crazy ride.  It has been a very eventful year this past year, filled with days of joy and of course some days of sorrow but overall it has been a wonderful year!

My heart is so full of appreciation and humbleness that God would grant me with a second chance at life again.  In 2010 I had come to peace with spending the rest of my life alone and never hearing the words "that is my wife" again or never saying "yes, this is my husband" again.  And for sure had given up the dream of a family and children of my own.  I knew God had a plan and I had prayed about it and I knew God knew the desires of my heart and if He felt like this journey was to be walked alone I was okay with that.  In fact the week before I met Keith I had the "talk" with my parents about them accepting that I may never find someone and that they needed to come to peace with it as I had.  Just like normal, God had a different plan, one that was beyond all my expectations and hopes!  I got to marry a wonderful man this past year that loves the Lord with all his heart and loves me with everything he is.  He has walked the very same journey that I have, having the love of his life ripped away and realizing that all plans, hopes, and dreams for his future now may never be realized.  Would the hurt ever really go away?  No, really it hasn't for either of us but having someone to share it with has lightened the load.  Honestly, on our first date, it was unlike any date I had ever been on.  We talked about James & Anna almost the whole entire time and both of us were just amazed at how similar our journeys were.  We both commented on how it was really nice to talk to someone who knew exactly what you were talking about when you talked about IV lines, different forms of chemo, remission, relapse,  getting counts checked and all the other "cancer" lingo. 

Needless to say I fell head over heels for this man and he has been literally my lifesaver on so many different occasions!!  He is always there to pick me up when I am sad or having a bad day with that sweet smile and the arms that I love coming home to that hold me when I'm happy or sad.  The arms that I know will always have my best interest at heart and would protect me until the end.  I honestly lay there sometimes at night and watch him breath so easily, with no machines attached and put my ear to his chest to hear that wondeful thump thump, thump thump, of that heart that I hold so dear and precious to my own heart and I can't help but be . . . . so very thankful for him, his life, that precious life that we all take for granted so often. I am so thankful for this love that we share, none of us are guaranteed tomorrow and it is so important to not take one moment for granted. 

I am so thankful for family, friends, and co-workers who never cease to amaze me with their love and support!! My life, our lives, would not be the same without these wonderful jewels of light shining everyday.  They are each precious souls to us! 

I know that we each face different battles everyday and each day is not going to be a walk in the park but when you start feeling overwhelmed and down just start counting your blessings and I'm sure that you will end up just like I have today. . . . . thankful!

So here's to Second Chance Blessings in 2013!! :)