Curing Cancer, Dancer by Dancer

 

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010

Curing Cancer, Dancer by Dancer

Through the last 4 weeks of radiation, one of the thoughts that have kept me from going crazy is that I knew Kaitlyn was coming to visit this weekend. Haleigh had her final dance recital at Highland High on Thursday and Friday night, and Kaitlyn wanted to be here for it. When I picked up Kaitlyn from the airport, she got in the front seat. Then suddenly the back door opened and it was Brian; they surprised us all with him coming. What a great end to a long week. We had the most relaxing weekend; I'm sad now that they're gone. I miss Kaitlyn and Brian so much and look forward to when they move back to Arizona.

Friday night, I was on cloud nine, having Kaitlyn and Brian in town. I was happily surprised when I went to the school dance recital. Haleigh is a senior this year and is also the President of One Image (the dance team) at Highland. She had been working so hard on the recital we had no idea exactly what she was working on until we got settled in our seats and the program began. The theme this year was Curing Cancer, Dancer by Dancer.

Haleigh wanted us to be surprised, so she didn't tell us anything about the recital. It was such an emotional night for both Eric and I. Haleigh dedicated one of her dances to me and called it Monya's Song. She danced to the song that plays on my blog. She told me later that she was allowed to hand-pick all the girls that danced with her.  I love all those girls. Haleigh knew they would dance like it was their last dance, and they did. It was beautiful. Eric and I were touched by her spirit, this is her senior year, and she has had to deal with her mom having the VILLAIN the entire year, never complaining. I could tell that this journey of ours has really affected her. This is what she wrote in the program as a dedication to me:

This dance is dedicated to my mom, who was diagnosed last year with breast cancer. She is the strongest person I've ever met, and I admire her so much. Thank you for being the best mom in the world; I love you.

It was overwhelming to see her with such courage and strength as she cried while she danced. She is not a hugely emotional person, and I have seen her be so quiet during the last year; I have been worried that she was not processing, and I was wrong. She was; she just wanted to be strong for me. It's incredible to me the love families can have for each other and the support my children give to one another. I thought it was so sweet for Kaitlyn and Brian to fly down from Utah to see Haleigh dance one last time. Kayla, Jeremy, and Recker were there; my good friend Jenny her daughter and husband Ashley, and Scott Petty and Jamie Patterson all sat with us supporting Hales. The only thing better would have been to have Blake there too. I truly am blessed to have beautiful children, not perfect but excellent; I am also blessed to have the most incredible friends who support me through the good and bad I love you.