Four

Today Elena is FOUR! As I've been working on various birthday projects, invitations, etc., I came across last year's birthday party invitation where I wrote how huge it was to us that she was celebrating another year of life. It was her first birthday after diagnosis and we really treasured the fact that she even got to have another birthday at all.

Well, boy.... if I felt that feeling at all last year, I feel it ten times as much this year. I don't know why I feel it so much more this year. Maybe it's because we've seen a lot of loss this year and I have seen firsthand that each birthday these cancer kids get to celebrate IS really special. Whatever the case may be, it is a miracle that we are celebrating her second birthday since diagnosis and that she has made it to four! Through the grace of God and the amazing advances in cancer research and treatments, she is here with us. If we lived 20 or 30 years ago, we would likely not be celebrating this birthday with her. I'm so grateful to have my sweet, crazy, smart, brave, always-keeping-me-on-my-toes Elena! She is such a joy to us!

Happy Birthday, sweets! Here's to many, many more!