Today, tomorrow and....

Tomorrow is a day of celebration and great gratitude for me..... Tomorrow marks four years since I had that big 'ole stroke that tried to steal my physical life...... Four years ago tomorrow I spent much time sobbing, trying to make sense of it all and wishing I could just die so I wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.....

Today, like everyday,  is a day of celebration and great gratitude for me too.  That big ole' stroke shoved it in my face that life really is short and you better soak in every single moment, for the moment is all we have.  Today I still know how to have a really good, ugly cry but the difference is today there is joy beyond and even in my tears and today I WANT TO LIVE these moments the very best I can. 

Life is hard.  Life is so, so hard.  Oh but life truly is amazing and wonderful.  There really is beauty from the ashes, always. 

Tomorrow morning my dear heart sister is taking our family pictures, as she does for me on every 'strokeaversarry' or 'birthday' or 'life celebration' that I have.  November 9.  Family Picture Day.  Love really big day.  Be kind to myself day and love like there is no tomorrow....just as we have the opportunity to do every day.  No need to wait for a November 9 of your own.  Say what you need to say.  Love.  Hug.  Celebrate.  Laugh.  Cry.  Find solutions more important than being right.  Share your heart. Be honest.  Be real.  Be raw.  Did I say love?

I almost put pictures off tomorrow, because you know....it's a HARD time in life right now and I don't want to fake anything.  But I am not faking the love I feel for my precious husband and our lovelier than anything I've ever known children.  We have love in our family.  We have love in the middle of the hard and we are still writing our story.  We are given this moment, and as long as we have this moment, we are writing our story.  What happens when our moments here are over?  The opportunities to make the most of the moment will vanish and what will be left is a legacy....your legacy....my legacy...our legacy.  But the legacy is made only of how you spend these moments now....cheers to spending them well.

Be blessed,

Sarah