Unfortunately, cancer has touched so many of our lives, and as many of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. For the past eight years, when I would start to see the pink cancer ribbons come out, I cringed. It reminded me of my mother’s fight. It brought back memories of those fearful days. It scared me that it would come back.

These life lessons are ones I continue to value more and more with the passing of time.  As much as I wish they were here to teach these lessons to my kids, I need to remember they live on through me.

They have to feel some sense of ownership and power in what is happening, but I am still the parent in charge.  So giving them choices throughout their day is our solution.  It seems simple enough, and I know many others do this as well, but we really make a conscious effort to use them all the time.  

She has mannequins decorating her front yard, rides a Gator ATV, can use a shotgun just as well as a sewing machine, and would rather go dancing than sit in a rocking chair.

It’s Grandparents' Day, the time of year when we are thankful for the extra people in our lives or our kids’ lives.   My parents are absolutely amazing grandparents, and I don’t know what we’d do without them.