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| Kylynn Aria |
Over the past month I have managed to cross off a number of items on my "bucket list". The biggest of those has to be seeing my Kylynn Aria make her First Communion. When I was first diagnosed and sat looking at my sweet girl, who then was only a year and a half old, it broke my heart to think about all the events in her life that I may never get to see. Her First Communion, her Confirmation, her high school and college graduations, her wedding, the birth of any babies she may have. It's a long list and I still worry about seeing many of these things, but I feel so blessed that I was there to see my baby make her First Communion. When I traveled to
Medjugorje all those years ago in 2007 the only thing my Aria asked me to bring her was a pink rosary. I picked out the cutest pink rosary that I could find and brought it home to her. But my mom and I also searched all over that small village buying all the different pink rosaries that we could find because I wanted to have them to give to Kylynn on all the big occasions that she had ahead of her. When I brought those rosaries home it was hard to imagine that I would ever get to hand my Ari one. She was so small then and her First Communion seemed a lifetime away. I cannot begin to tell you what a joy it was to put that first rosary in her hands and telling her the story of how I looked all of Medjugorje for these special rosaries for her. Kylynn may not have understood the huge significance of the moment, and that's okay, she will remember it when she is older and understand. But for now, I knew what a big deal it was and that's enough. Another special thing about Kylynn's First Communion is that we had my wedding dress made over into a communion gown for her. It turned out beautifully and looked like a smaller version of my dress. Kylynn also wore my veil.
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| Kylynn and Me |
The second item that I recently crossed
off my bucket list was seeing my little Aria in her first feis. (A
feis is an Irish dance competition.) Kylynn loves Irish
dancing and, in my humble and perhaps a little biased opinion, she is
really quite good. I thought that perhaps competing might make Ari a
little nervous but it didn't seem to faze her at all. In fact, my
little dancer has told me a few times how much she likes to be on
stage. I am so proud of Kylynn and her dancing and I love the
confidence that it has given her and all the wonderful dance friends
that she has made. Kylynn's circle of support has been growing by
leaps and bounds and, while that is an item that will never be fully
crossed off my list, it makes my heart happy to know that she
continues to gain true friends who will be there for her if I have to
leave her earlier than I would like.
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| Kylynn Aria |
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| Kylynn and Sydney |
These
last two items that recently got crossed off of my list are, in the
grand scheme of things, smaller, but still very important to me. By
now you must know of my love for the singing group
Celtic Thunder
and
the delight that they bring me. I have previously had the opportunity
to meet most of the guys in the group but the two that I have wanted to
meet the most, Ryan and Neil, have managed to elude me... until
recently. As luck would have it, these to talented and not bad looking
men teamed up to play at some smaller venues with their Acoustic By
Candlelight tour. Last weekend that tour brought them through the
Chicago area and I was able to see them two nights in a row! After the
show the guys took time to meet with everyone, take pictures, and sign
pictures and, in my case, a shirt for my Aria. So that was one item
checked off my list.
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| Neil, Me, & Ryan! |
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| Neil & Ryan holding a message for Kylynn |
The last item that I recently checked off my bucket list was also at the Acoustic By Candlelight concerts. Ryan and Neil sang a mixture of their own songs and ones that were written by others. Because of the length of the concerts, the guys couldn't possibly sing all their songs but I was hoping for one song in particular of Ryan's. Ryan wrote a song named, "The Village That They Call The Moy" and it was written about the village that he grew up in, in Northern Ireland. I've never been to The Moy, my family that is from Ireland is not from the north but rather way down south in county Cork, but for some reason I adore this song by Ryan above all the others that he has written. Luck favored me again and Ryan sang "The Village That They Call The Moy" not at one concert that I went to, but at both! I was a happy girl!
So, that is four items crossed off my list in the matter of a month. It makes me nervous to check so many things off so quickly. I think I need a longer list! I am so blessed to have gotten to see all of these wonderful events take place, and let's face it, I am extremely blessed to still be here and doing so well. I love joyful days like those I have been having and I will keep that joy with me as reinforcement for my umbrella so that I may be able to weather even the rainiest day.
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