Sitting beside Anne at our children’s end-of-year music concerts tonight, I leaned over and whispered to her, “This is a better day than this day a year ago.”

Sure, I should have probably waited until the song was finished, but I simply couldn’t hold back.

Her eyes fixated on our sweet kiddos, Anne stole a quick glance my way, just long enough for me to see that my words registered with her in the way I had hoped.

One year ago today, we learned that she had been officially diagnosed with breast cancer.

Today?

Boy are we in a better spot. We’re not staring down the barrel of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery. We’re seeing the sun begin to rise.  Day by day, Anne’s walking the path of recovery.

Today was a better day.

With great gratitude,

Van