BRAVE

 There is a popular song out now by Sara Bareileus that each time I hear it and see the singer, I think of my daughter, Jennifer.  She was the bravest person that I have ever  known.  Today would have been her 52nd birthday.  However, she passed ten years ago this coming May.  Hard to believe.

It's not the words in this song particularly, it's the way that Sara delivers them.  Something about her reminds me very much of Jennifer.  It's her spunkiness and sensitivity among other things.

You would never know that, looking at the above photo taken just before her little brother was born.  This photo was taken in December 1963.  The bassinet in the background was for John.  Little did we know that some day he would be the person to give LIFE to her through a bone marrow transplant.  That transplant along with the doctors at MD Anderson along with Jennifer's determination and braveness extended her life for 5 1/2 years.

 She was brave, but she was also the most gentle person that I have ever known.  I remember her kindergarten teacher, Ms. Richards remarking that Jennifer had an "aura" about her.  I always felt it as well.
Well, most of the time at least, as mothers and daughters do have their conflicts from time to time.  Those pale in comparison though to the wonderful times such as this photo above that I took of Jen.

Jen became a butterfly gardener after she recovered from her leukemia.  She and Christopher, her little son, would watch the metamorphosis of the butterfly coming out of the cocoon and then eventually flying away.
With her gentleness, often, the butterflies would land on her before taking off.  I SO love this photo.  It says a lot.  This was taken in 2002.

Twice Jen was able to fly to Cozumel.  Once with Christopher.  She loved it so much and she swam with the dolphins.  The doctors at MD Anderson freaked out each time that she did this as her cell counts both times were fluctuating dangerously low.  However, each time she swam with the dolphins, her cell counts zoomed back up.  There actually, last I heard, was a scientific research project ongoing at MDA on this phenomena.

Christopher is now 15.  He's a fine young man who reminds me very much of his mother in his gentleness and that great smile that she had with her "apple cheeks" as we called them.  He was much loved by her.

So today, as her mother, I honor her with all good positive energy and thoughts as I'm sure her sister and brother are doing as well.  She was a unique woman who inspired many, many people including the doctors at MD Anderson.

Happy Birthday Jennifer.  You are still much loved and are always in our thoughts.