Best laid plans don’t always go as planned. Sometimes they can go completely off track. We were headed to Florida for a fun spring break with friends. They had already flown out the day before and we were to meet them later that day. We arrived early and waited to board the plane, only to … Continue reading Detours
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Fun Summer Read!
This was too good to wait for this weekend's post. You won't likely see me sharing a lot of my picks for reading. I can tend to be kind of particular in the books I choose and what I enjoy. Typically, they tend to be nonfiction and first-hand accounts of people’s stories. I know, not … Continue reading Fun Summer Read!
When the Ground Falls Out From Beneath You
I met Garrett a few years ago after a stranger told me about his remarkable story of resiliency and perseverance. I then had the opportunity to hear his incredible story when he volunteered to speak with a group of middle-schoolers I was mentoring in their strengths. What struck me most in his story was how he … Continue reading When the Ground Falls Out From Beneath You
The Versatile Blogger Award
I’ve been nominated for a Versatile Blogger Award by Mitch Teemley from The Power of Story! Here is someone who speaks my language: Stories. The Versatile Blogger Award was created to introduce people to up-and-comers. My task is simple: To tell you 7 Things About Me, and to introduce you to other Up-and-Comers (or new … Continue reading The Versatile Blogger Award
Seeing Past the Pain
Art can tug at your heart. It can capture an emotion, a time, or even a season. When I saw this particular piece of art it was all of the above to me. It captured my attention. It took my breath away. This painting was what breast cancer looked and felt like in my life. … Continue reading Seeing Past the Pain
This is Our Story, Part Four
This is the fourth part of our story as written by Patrick Durand. After we informed our girls of the new diagnosis, I immediately felt relief from the constant tension I had felt over the preceding weeks. I had been so worried about how they would react to the news, particularly Emily, since she was … Continue reading This is Our Story, Part Four
This is Our Story, Part Three
This is part three of our story as written by Patrick Durand. We faced a situation we hadn’t remotely considered only three weeks prior – stage IV breast cancer. And more specifically - death. After the diagnosis, Melissa and I were in a complete daze; we could not concentrate on anything. Our minds continuously processed … Continue reading This is Our Story, Part Three
Trusting God’s Plan
When you travel through life you meet special souls along the way. One example for me are Gavin and his family. I met Gavin and his mom, Nicole, in a Target parking lot when Nicole was my daughter's math teacher. Meeting Gavin was uplifting. He wanted to know who we were and was genuinely interested in meeting us. … Continue reading Trusting God’s Plan
This is Our Story, Part Two
This is part two of our story by Patrick Durand After Melissa completed a battery of tests: EKG, Echo, CT Scan, Pet Scan, etc. we met with Dr. Thomas to review the results. Over the past two weeks we had come to terms with the cancer. We accepted it. Of all the cancers to get, this … Continue reading This is Our Story, Part Two
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This is Our Story, Part One
I will be weaving parts of my story throughout this blog. How can I challenge others to bravely share if I am too timid to do the same? My husband, Patrick, and I have had the chance to share our story with our church a couple of times over the past year or so and he has a gift … Continue reading This is Our Story, Part One
Strength in Our Stories 