A time of "Lasts"

It's been a period of "Lasts" in our house recently. Jacob will be finished with 5th grade today. It doesn't seem possible that my little boy is already finished with elementary school. I've been at Pilot for the last 13 years between both my kids. Today will be my last day walking those halls and helping out there. I've had a last lunch in the cafeteria with my lunch buddy, last field day, last time going through the school line, last PTO meeting. Today will be the last awards assembly, last day watching Jacob raise the flag at school, last day watching him walk into school as an elementary school student.

On Saturday, Caylin will graduate from East Davidson. It seems like just yesterday we were attending her 5th grade awards assembly. We've had the last athletic banquet, last Beta club banquet, last prom, last day of regular class, last day getting her "here love you" text to let me know she was at school. Saturday will be an exciting and hard day. I am so proud of her and cannot wait to watch her accept her high school diploma!

While, it's an emotional time, it's also exciting as I'm also looking forward to fall for all the "firsts" we will be experiencing...first day of middle school, first day of college, first day dropping Jacob at school, first time meeting the teachers.

Enjoy all those "firsts" and "lasts" with your kids. Believe me, they grown up way too fast!

My baby is 16...

It's hard to believe my baby girl went from being this little to this amazing 16 year old posing with her favorite WF #2 volleyball player, Megan!

My little frilly girl loved carrying her purses filled with her play makeup, cuddling each night with a bed full of stuffed animals (that had to all be placed a certain way before bedtime each night), who loved having stories read to her every night even though she hates to read books herself!

Now, she prefers t-shirts, converse tennis shoes and jeans over dresses most of the time. She loves volleyball, Wake Forest and any tv shows involving medicine. She has seen a lot in her 16 years and lost 2 people that meant a lot to her, Kate & Paige. Yet because of Kate, she is determined to be a Pediatric Oncologist to help other kids.

She is an amazing young lady and I am continually thankful that I can be her mom and watch how God continues to work in her life and watch her dreams come true.

Happy 16th birthday Caylin!

Reading ahead

Have you ever started reading a book and just had to jump to the last chapter and read ahead to see how the story ends? I have a bad habit of doing this with every book that I read. I always want to know how it's going to end before I even really get into the story. That's probably why I love the book of Revelations so much...it tells me exactly how the end is going to be. Don't you sometimes wish we could do this in real life? Find out how our life story will play out? How our decisions or just our life will impact those around us?

I've been thinking about this a lot the past few weeks. Pretty much every since Paige left us for her Heavenly home. I still don't understand why God needed her with him.  I see so many of her close friends and family that are broken, angry and so confused. This is one of those times I wish we could see years down the road to see why this had to happen. Or will we ever truly understand until we get to Heaven ourselves? I know Paige made an impact on so many lives, mine included. I find myself worshiping more freely now. One of my favorite memories of Paige that I will never forget was watching her on Sunday before SWTA. We were on the back row beside the sound system and she was standing in front of it worshiping and singing the songs only to God. She didn't care who was around, she was just worshiping her Father. It brought tears to my eyes, still does.

None of us are guaranteed another breath, we don't know when God will call us home. Am I living each day to bring others to Christ? Am I showing my kids that nothing is more important than God and showing his love, grace and compassion to others? Am I being bold for Christ? Will my life be an example of Christ?

Even though I didn't know Paige as well as others, she has changed my life. I want to be more like her, more like Christ.

So what will my legacy be? What about yours?

To My Husband...

December 22, 1990...the day I had waited for since I was a little girl...my wedding day. The day I became Mrs. Brent Byerly. That started this journey we are on together. It's sometimes hard to believe that we've been married for 21 years. The years have flown by. You have been beside me through so much in our 21 years of marriage. We've been blessed with 2 beautiful kids and lots of family. You've held me while I cried after suffering 2 miscarriages. You anxiously awaited the birth of our son after that heartbreak. We realized again just how fragile life can be after learning that our friends after their daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. You supported me so I could be there for Susan. We held each other and tried to be strong for our kids, especially Caylin, after Kate passed away. We have since tried to help others with cancer as they fight their battle and made some great friends along the way.


I love that after 21 years, you still call me beautiful and look forward to coming home each evening. I love our monthly date nights and spending time just being with you. You are a wonderful father and husband. I cannot imagine my life without you. You know I'm just a simple country girl who loves her big back yard, living in the house my grandparents built and cuddling up with you on the couch. I'm so thankful that God brought us together.

You are my best friend and I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you.

I love you,
Vonda

The World of Cancer

A little over 2 years ago, I became aware of this horrible world of cancer. Sure, I knew of and had prayed for those with cancer. I gave to organizations that helped fund cancer research and thought I was doing my part. Boy was I wrong. Some of my closest friend's daughter was only 3 years old when she was diagnosed with leukemia. I learned just how hard it is to deal with cancer and the daily, sometimes hourly struggles just to make it through another day as you watch someone you love fight this horrible disease. I watched Kate fight for 2 years and I learned so much from her. I learned that life is precious and not to take the days we have been given for granted. To stop and be silly with my kids (no matter how ridiculous I may think I look!) When she passed away on my birthday, September 5th, I knew I couldn't stop helping. I couldn't turn my back know that I had been there and knew just how hard it was to fight cancer.

Everyone of us can help in one way or another. Whether it's taking canned and snack foods to Brenner's to fill the pantry for those that stay for many days & nights with their kids. Participating and raising money for your local relay for life events. Attending fundraising events for cancer patients. Knitting prayer shawls for cancer patients and delivering them to local hospitals. Taking meals to family members while one parent is at the hospital with their sick child. Providing babysitting services for parents so they can be at the hospital. I could go on, but you get the idea.



So, here's the challenge to all my friends...I know of 2 events that you can participate in to help those fighting cancer. The first is a benefit for my good friend, Suri. She is 5 years old and also fighting leukemia. She has 2 older brothers and her mom & dad. We are hosting a silent auction, bake sale, craft sale at Monkeez Brew on Saturday, November 13th starting at 5:00. There will also be a pancake supper beginning around 8:30 until midnight. If you can't make it that evening, please coming during the day since Monkeez Brew will be donating 10% of their sales from the day to Suri's family. Did I mention there would be live music beginning at 7:00. Perfect night to come out and do some Christmas shopping, enjoy great music and drink hot coffee to warm you up!

The next event is Relay for Life. This will be held on May 20-21, 2011 at Lexington High School. Our team, Kate's Krew, is already working to prepare for this event. If you're interesting in joining our team, please let me know. We were voted as "Most Inspirational" team last year. Wow, what an honor! We creating the team in honor of Kate and walked for her. This year, we are walking in memory of Kate and in honor of all those still fighting.

It's a hard road to walk into this world of cancer, but you wouldn't believe the joy of watching these kids laugh and show you how to truly live each day. Please consider walking this road with me.

Why?

I been asking this question a lot since Wednesday night. Why God? Why now? Why Kate? To anyone who has ever read this blog, you've heard me talk about sweet Kate. Her parents are some of my closest friends and I'm an "honorary aunt" to the kids. Kate was diagnosed with leuekemia at 3 years old. She went through chemo, relapsed in January and then went on to receive an experimental chemo to get her into remission again. She then headed to Duke and received a bone marrow transplant from her brother. Everything seemed to be a success and she was scheduled to be discharged today. However, instead she has relapsed again and now comes home for the weekend and then heads to Brenner's for a more agressive chemo. Her chances aren't good, but I know that God doesn't work in statistics. He is a God of miracles and I know he can heal her whether it's here on earth or by taking her to Heaven. It's just so hard to accept, even harder to explain to my kids, especially Caylin. She thinks of Kate as a little sister and they love playing with barbie's and polly pockets. Caylin gave her all her polly's to have so she could play with them all the time. I know that we may not ever understand why all this had to happen to Kate. But I know that it makes me appreciate and be so thankful for my kids. I realize each day just how precious life is and how I need to use what time we have here spending it with my family and friends.

So, I'm asking everyone that reads this to please pray for Kate and her family as they continue to fight this horrible disease. Pray for strength and courage for them as they face the days ahead.

Need a Kikoi? I know where to get one...

Ok, so what is a Kikoi you asked? Well, you'll have to click on over to Jessica's blog to truly find out! But you better hurry because she is running out fast! I just bought one myself (although I'll be wearing mine as a skirt) and I'm looking a another one that I really like too!
So, go to http://themakingofmom.blogspot.com/2010/07/giveaway-strike-while-iron-loom-is-hot.html for your chance to get one of your very own and also help out some friends bring home sweet babies!