So Proud!

For several months now I've been hearing about a club for kids who have a parent with cancer.  It's run locally by an incredible woman named Honor, a cancer survivor herself.  The group is called C.L.I.M.B. and stands for Children's Lives Include Moments of Bravery.  Having lived with my kids for the last 6 months, I can tell you that is the truest statement I've ever heard.  When I first told Bennett and Olivia about this club I purposefully played up the part about the pizza and all the cool kids they'd meet but it was unnecessary ~ they were on board from the start.  It took several months for enough kids to sign up and all throughout that time they surprisingly continued to ask me "when is that cancer club going to start?!"


Last night the club finally met for the first time but sadly Bennett and Olivia were the only two in attendance.  Honor and her co-leader Sara were as charming and welcoming as could be and despite the lack of other "cool kids" my kiddos walked right in and made themselves at home.  This was no big feat for Bennett but for Olivia this could have been a huge stumbling block ~ thankfully, her big brother was with her and our preparations in advance of last night's meeting served us well.  


On the way there we told the kids they could feel anything at this club and there wasn't anything they couldn't talk about.  Bennett asked if that meant he could say bad things about us and we said yes, as long as he didn't use disrespectful words.  He said he was angry at Dad for having cancer at one point, not angry at the cancer.  Hooray!  He was naming his feelings and talking about them.  Olivia chimed in about feeling mad and sad.  Oh happy day ~ this is what I personally have been striving for.  All those nights spent reading to them and having pillow talk about their days, talking about what is going on inside of them, retelling it to them so eventually they can name it for themselves and tell it to me, or someone else.  Eureka and thank you Jesus!


When we picked them up after having a great sushi dinner ourselves, they told us all about the feelings they talked about and the pizza and cookies.  All in all, C.L.I.M.B was a huge success and worth the wait.  With Phil's chemotherapy starting in 2 weeks, the timing couldn't have been more perfect ~ once again, God has shown His genius and His timing is perfect.  He has put these two women in place to love on and help support our children through Chapter Two and beyond.  


Again and with more sincerity, Thank You Jesus!