Graduation

Some things are really hard for me to accept...Mary was diagnosed with AML in April of 2014. She was in 5th grade. She was happy, thriving in a new school and making new friends. She was diagnosed and one of the hardest things for her was not being able to go to school. We were able to see her graduate from elementary school which was a miracle. Everything fell into place between her treatments. She felt great, was relatively healthy and we were able to attend the 5th grade graduation celebrations. It was a memory I will forever treasure. She was able to see friends, laugh, dance and just be a kid. For a short time at least. I remember being a nervous wreck and trying to just let go and let her live for a few hours.  Mary loved school, every single second of it. She took nothing for granted, ever. We believed and prayed she would one day make it to middle school. She tried so hard to keep up with her school work when and where she could, although it was impossible to do with her grueling treatment schedule and setbacks. Her only hope was that she could be a normal kid again. And just like that, in what seems like a blink of an eye, her friends are now graduating from middle school...without her. I actually blocked this fact out until one of her friends texted me and told me the middle school did a beautiful tribute to her at graduation. It broke my heart into pieces. It hit me like a ton of bricks that we are missing another important milestone in Mary's life. Something she would have treasured and made the most of. Watching her friends mature and grow and thrive is a beautiful thing but it also tears me apart because a special someone should be enjoying these life moments as well. I am grateful her friends remember her and keep her in their hearts. But talk about another gut punch I wasn't quite prepared for 😔. Cancer sucks. #takenothingforgranted