2 Years

Two years ago today, Mollie was diagnosed with pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was the lowest, scariest day Matt and I had ever experienced. When we got the diagnosis, we were shocked. In tears. Afraid that we were going to lose our baby. We agreed that we would allow ourselves to grieve that one day, but the next day we were going forward, doing our best to adjust to the new normal.

I can hardly remember what life was like before leukemia entered the picture. Lucy was an infant, almost exactly the same age Liam is now. Mollie was a toddler, learning to adjust to being a big sister. Matt and I were learning how to parent two children simultaneously and contemplating future plans/career paths.


June 17, 2008 was kind of a re-birth for our whole family. Everything changed. Walking Mollie down the kicking-ass-on-cancer path became our focus. At times, it has been scary, stressful, frustrating, physically demanding, and emotionally draining. It has taxed all of our resources. But it has also brought us closer together. We've seen how fragile and tenuous life is. And what a blessing!

In the 2 years since her re-birthday, Mollie has blossomed into such a wonderful big kid ! She is so caring and concerned for others. She's bubbling with energy and thrilled that she can now express herself in writing and can read EVERYTHING around her. Like me, she doesn't remember life before leukemia.

I don't often use the term 'survivor' when referring to Mollie, but for this day I will. I don't generally think about our lives being that different from 'regular' families without pediatric cancer because if I go there, I start feeling sorry for myself. But today I will think about our struggles and our strengths. It has been 2 years of some really tough stuff, but I still feel lucky. And hopeful for the future.