Every Moment Counts

The breeze was just right across my face, blowing the few wispy pieces of hair hanging down in my face. The Colorado sun was hot but the air was thin. Overlooking the top of the parking garage we saw hundreds of people in multiple colored shirts. Masses of blue, green, tie die and so many others...masses of teams put together, each to support their own person or persons. My family wore red in honor of my aunt Chris who survived open heart surgery just five months prior. Walking the race was such a rush of emotions. I felt like I wanted to savor the moment with my family as a small group of 13 of us walked together for a much bigger cause than any of us could even really comprehend. I watched my aunt walk and laugh as she took a picture of herself and every single one of us walking with her. She looked so radiant and happy. This healthy, carefree woman. You would have never guessed she had her heart replaced in January.

Ahhh...January. I think back to the day when she had her surgery. I was so scared. Sure I had prayed and had faith in the Lord and the doctors working on her but I had never been faced with something so real before. I remember thinking that day that I could lose my aunt. My mind started racing. What would happen to her boys? Would Donnie (her husband) be able to handle all the boys and grieve on his own from the loss of his love of 25 plus years? Would she know how much she inspired me and how much I looked up to her? Would she realize that I wish I was more like her and that I loved her very much? I remember opening up my bible and just journaling prayer after prayer and just reading and reading. 4 hours passed and before I knew it she was awake, alive and healthy.

And now here she is walking in a 5k for heart disease. I am so proud of her. All these thoughts just made me realize that every moment counts. Even the little ones that we take for granted like helping my grandma cook dinner or setting the table with my little cousin, Garrett. I want to hang on to every word my cousin Hunter says to me and give all my attention to my only girl cousin from Colorado, McKenna. And I want to savor every hug Nick gives me because the mean the world to me. Maybe I am thinking these things because I don't see my Colorado family very often but even for my family that I do see everyday, it is so easy to take the little moments for granted. I know I have had similar thoughts in other blogs lately but I think it is something worth hearing...

So stop...and just live your moments because every moment counts.