Recently, I was reading through posts I made last year and the beginning of this year about updates on my mom’s battle with a cancerous brain tumor. I, of course, got a little choked up as I remembered that this time last year was not my favorite, or my mom’s for that matter.

Last year, we were arguing about having Thanksgiving dinner at her house because she had a stomach bug. After some tears and frustration, Thanksgiving was at her house but she spent several hours asleep while we were all there. Later we found out it was more than a stomach bug, it was complications from chemo and a surgery she had had that summer. Following all of that, she got pneumonia, and yet again, spent time in the hospital. In between all this somewhere was Christmas and she was sick again and missed our family Christmas with my aunts and uncles and cousins and babies. The new year started and things continued to be tough through more hospital visits and a move for my mom.

In all of those moments it felt like a lifetime. Like the bad news was never going to turn into good. Everything was piling up, and it felt so incredibly hard to stay positive. There were plenty of times we were mean and wouldn’t let her quit. I was pregnant (let’s blame it on those hormones 😉) and all I wanted her to do was hold her grandson when the time came. There were plenty of times my husband had to remind me I was pregnant and breathing for two.

Fast forward a year later and we have this.

Photos taken by K.Fischer Photography

Does it even need any words? Four grand babies , one Grammie-Cakes, and an unreal amount of love.

People, I wasn’t sure we’d make it here. Those trenches were rough to climb out of. Standing at the bottom and looking up felt like too much work in itself. You know how we got here? You guys. Our people. Our village. (And a whole lotta faith 😊)

My husband who let me cry, my sister-in-law who took care of two little babes on her own when my brother was gone so much, my mother-in-law who watched Brantley at the drop of a hat, my dad who is just a down right saint, my cousin who made sure we had dinner on the table too many times to count, my friends who let me be angry and let me just not talk when needed, co-workers who didn’t leave my side, a babysitter who kept Brantley longer than normal hours, and a mom who decided to fight when things got tough.

My mom just came back from a trip to Florida where she travelled by herself. She continues to make improvements and get her life back after the chemo nearly tore it apart. If you would have told me last year this is where we would be today I️ wouldn’t have believed you. Never in my life did I think I would be thankful for those trying months, but I am. They gave me this. A family that can be in one picture. A picture sure is worth a thousand words.

Photos taken by K.Fischer Photography

Whatever you may be going through right now I hope soon you can look back and realize why you kept pushing. When it feels like this world is way too much, take a breather and lean on your people. Lean on all of them. The weight is easier when it’s spread out. We can speak from experience, and I promise the fight is worth it. ❤️