A Christmas Miracle.

I've always told Bayla I thought she had Susan's hands.  I am glad I had the chance to take a photo.

We were given a Christmas miracle.  It’s one more Christmas with Susan.

Susan is my husband’s sweet, lovely sister.  She was diagnosed with cancer in September, after waking up paralyzed.  The paralysis was caused by the tumors in her brain.  But there are many others in many parts of her body and they are growing faster than a teenage boy in puberty.

I called Susan as they were shaving her head for surgery and I got off the phone feeling loved and appreciated and special.   Wow.  She is one of those people who has the sweetness of spirit to make ME feel precious during HER mortal struggles.

The afternoon I spent alone by her bedside talking was an afternoon I will treasure forever.

These are conversations I would never have had if she hadn’t gotten sick.

It is the gift cancer has given us… time and deep connection.

I am the least of it.  The whole Yale family has swarmed in and created a team of loving, serving kindness.  As I stay in Charlotte and care for my children, the rest of the tribe have swarmed the little town of Traphill and cared for her like no other family I’ve seen.
The are feeding her, caring for her physical needs, renovating her house, handling her finances, buying her stuffed animals, holding her hand, gazing into her eyes, combing her hair…

It’s one big intense love-fest.

These are the meaningful conversations that give life depth and texture.
These are the illnesses that make us stop and grab the time while we have it.
The time we have left may be a moment, or weeks or months.  Any length is enough.
This is the human experience, and I’m so thankful that Susan has stopped us all and given us this gift.

Christmas is a time to love.  I am off to visit my Christmas miracle.