I am grateful

After tossing and turning in bed for a couple of hours (it is about 3am right now), I decided to get up for a quick therapy (writing) session and write about the events of the past few days.  But after reading an email from my dad, all I can think about are miracles and gratitude. 

It's been a while since I've talked about my mom and her current fight with breast cancer. With all the emotion of the China trip and adopting Anna, it was almost more than I could bear. My parents have always been my biggest supporters and when I first talked to my mom about traveling to China to adopt (almost a year ago), her first words were "I want to go!"  And her joining us in China was the plan until she was diagnosed with breast cancer this past summer.  While I was still in China, I received an email from my dad that my mom was going to have a double mastectomy.  She had that surgery last week and it broke my heart that I couldn't fly to California to be with her.

A few hours ago, my dad emailed again and said the pathology report from the surgery came back with very successful results.  The tumor had shrunk a lot during chemo so it was very small and they had clear margins around all of the tumor - meaning they got all the cancer.

My mom is one of the best human beings around.  Ask anyone who knows her and they will agree.  I don't know why she had to endure the pain and suffering that she did.  I do know that she and my dad have been the best examples of faith and hope that I have personally known.  They never waivered in their faith that Heavenly Father loved them and heard their prayers.  They never doubted that mom could be healed, although they knew that it was up to His will.  They never gave up hope, even through chemo sessions and surgery, that mom would be ok - whether she would emerge cancer free or not.

I am grateful I have a dad who took such good care of my mom.  I am grateful for both of them.

I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves us, who stays with us through our trials and who hears prayers.  And most of all, I am grateful that our prayers were answered and that my mom is on the path to recovery.  The worst is behind her and the best is before her.

For all of this, and so much more, I am grateful.