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erin

erin

I'm Erin Jo. I'm thinking, writing, dreaming, mothering, loving, living, praising, BLESSED to be Fiona to my Shrek and Mommy to my four amazing kiddos.

dave

dave

Shrek is "like an onion with many layers" but has a heart of gold. He's my husband and my friend, and we just get better all the time.

lily

lily

Lily is my first baby and only girl. She's smart, funny, tall and kind. Keeping up with this girl is a challenge and a joy. She's terrific!

max

max

Max is one part ogre, two parts lover and all boy! Our little man has a temper but gives the best hugs of anyone I know!

colby

colby

Colby is as ornery as he looks. He flirts shamelessly, even with strangers. He's all mouth and curls and the loudest by far.

luke

luke

Luke is the baby of the family, but holds his own. He's happy and adorable. And he's a terrible sleeper. =)

Losing and Finding My Mind


Ava and her beautiful momma….

So I told my mom tonight during my day-end report that every day I lose and find my mind several times. It’s true. I couldn’t seem to get Max out of the house today. While he’s getting better, it’s baby steps, baby steps. Oh, unless you’re a baby I know named Colby, and then it’s leaps and bounds into your big brother…

But I thought a lot today about our good friends who have a five-year-old battling a cancerous brain stem tumor. They were at St. Jude’s today for yet another follow-up MRI to see what’s happening. And early reports look good. Now they can enjoy the holidays and keep pressing on with treatment and living life out loud with their beautiful girl, Ava Cole.

And I thought about how they’ve lived with this diagnosis for more than seven months, and how their minds have had to wrap around it. How they have had to strive for balance among statistics, hope and parenthood. How they surely have lost and found their minds many times.

And my road is so easy in comparison.

So I send my continued prayers, love and affection out to them tonight and to our angel, Ava Cole, who brought together a community in such an amazing way, who has proven to all of us that you can affect change just by being what God made you.

If you’re a parent, be sure to give some extra kisses to your own blessings tonight. In the hustle and bustle of this day and the holidays to come, let us strive to keep it all in perspective.

To read more about Ava, check out an article I wrote back in March while we waited for a clear diagnosis or www.avanichols.org.

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