I have missed a number of days of the "Month of being thankful." Trust me, it isn't for lack of being thankful. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I will try and make up for the missing days this week. I think I missed the days because I couldn't find the right words to convey what I really want to say.
Recently Nana and I attended an end of chemo party for our friend Maddy. This was a joyful and emotional day for everyone involved. At this party, Maddy's mother Amie forgave cancer. This is a woman who has lost her mother to cancer, who has watched her daughter battle cancer, and she can forgive this terrible disease. Well, to take Amie's lead, I would like to thank cancer.

Cancer, we thank you.
We thank you for teaching us the strength and resilience of Patrick
We thank you for teaching us how strong our family can be.
We thank you for showing us the generosity of our friends who stood beside us.

We thank you for bringing this amazing community together.
We thank you for giving us the opportunity to share warmth through the hats that we send to children in need.
We thank you for helping us understand what we TRULY have to be thankful for.

We thank you for bringing amazing doctors, nurses, and Child life specialists into our lives.
We thank you for the incredible families we have met along the way. Without Cancer, we would never share this connection, and we would have never met.

We thank you for giving us the opportunity to support OTHER families facing similar diagnosis.
And most importantly, we thank you cancer for leaving. You have overstayed your welcome in our family, and we appreciate your graceful exit from our lives.
So thank you. Thank you cancer. Thank you for the strength you have given us. Thank you for what you have taught us. Thank you for the people you brought to support us, thank you for bringing us to the people who need OUR support, thank you for bringing us together, and thank you for leaving.