9/10/13-Two years ago to the day today our lives were changed. I was surprised though by my reaction to the impending anniversary last night. I had a clear thought in my head weeks ago on how I would handle this today. I had built up the courage to be positive and look at this situation like an opportunity instead of a setback. I thought to myself all day yesterday that it would be ridiculous for me to be upset because of today. It's just a day, right? I wrote a post last night on my Facebook that pretty much summed it up:

"To most people, tomorrow is just another Tuesday or just another day in September. But to me it's the anniversary of the day that The Lord chose to keep my husband on this earth to serve a greater purpose than what he was born for. It's the day that has broadened our horizons more than any other day in our lives. Its the day that has taught me and family to be strong and trust in the path that has been chosen. It's the day that has given us power to accomplish and overcome. It's the day to rejoice and be thankful for what we have and what we have been given. Be gracious, be kind and be thankful."

But the more I read it and the more I thought about everything that has happened in the last two years, I really doubted my strength and my ability to deal with it. I thought to myself how unfair life was and what did we do to deserve this. Needless to say, I bawled like a baby for the rest of last night and into this morning, and even writing this blog. Every kind post and every like on Facebook and every tweet really set everything into place for me. I have not been alone through this and neither has Scott or the kids. We have support seeping through the walls.

Opportunity is defined as a favorable juncture of circumstances. Opportunity is also defined by what you make of the circumstances. If never given the opportunity to do something, you never will. The opportunity to take what has been given to you and making something out of it, is what drives us all. It's what shapes us and makes us better, stronger and brighter people. No one asks for bad things to happen but it's all about how you take that circumstance and put it towards something positive. Something meaningful.

Purpose is defined as an end to be obtained. Isn't that what we all wonder everyday? What is our purpose? What are we trying to obtain? Fortunately for me, I think I can see that now. It's taken two years but I see the big picture, I see the light at the end.

My entire life I thought I knew my purpose, I thought I knew the purpose for my husband and for my kids. I had it all planned out. Even though absolutely nothing that I had planned has happened, it doesn't matter. It just means that how I thought my life would play out, wasn't the right path for us. There is a better path for us. I'd like to think that I am right ALL the time, but I was wrong. Don't tell anyone, I hate admitting that. But at the same time, I'm completely okay with it..

There's a small group of people who "think" they know our story and what they don't know about us, is that Scott has had 23 surgeries (the last one being fifteen days ago), weeks spent in hospitals, hundreds of miles traveled to doctor's appointments, dozens of setbacks and countless hours of sleepless nights.  But that's okay with us. We expect that most people will not understand because most people will never go through what we've been through. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, right? It's okay with us and we wouldn't wish this on our worst enemy.

I have an enormous amount of empathy for those who there that day. I cannot even imagine what they went through emotionally, to witness something like that. I am, to this day,  indebted to those who were there and took care of my husband and my son. In debt to the point that I can never repay them.

There was a specific opportunity and purpose for us moving to North Carolina and leaving our family and friends. There was a reason for us to take advantage of the opportunity that was given. What we thought our purpose was then, has now changed to something much greater....