2015 brought our first day of being a family of four.
2015 has been a hell of a year but this right here is what I will most remember from it. Giving birth to Shiloh, watching Dexter become a big brother, and seeing my husband's enormous heart grow even bigger, all in one perfect moment. Our year may have been touched by hardship but it was defined by love. Thinking about 2016 is like staring directly into the bright sun. It feels good and hard and it makes me cry a little bit. Finding out I was sick was the easy part. We knew exactly what we had to do and so our life in Hawaii, my masters program, Chance's professional goals, and all the rest of our big plans were set aside without hesitation. But now here we are, so close to finishing treatment, and I'm left to wonder, what happens next? Here is the gift of it all: I now understand, in the deepest part of my soul, what used to be a simple cliche. Family is everything. And so, while there are many things I may hope for in 2016, there is nothing I need that I don't already have. Happy New Year, sweet friends!
-Anna