"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so"
Jenny has a 4 year old daughter named Katie. Katie has cancer.
Well, if you want to be technical Katie has "Stage 4 Nueroblastoma" - Google it at your own risk... it ain't pretty.
For the most part, my job is to document the BEST part of peoples lives, I am there when people vow to love each other forever, hold hands in delivery rooms, and blow out first birthday candles. But once in a while I'm asked to document something that bores holes into my soul. Like the still born baby that was born last May, or the father of the groom last year so riddled with cancer he passed away the day after his sons wedding.
There are moments in life I've captured with my little black box that will last with me forever. I thought all those moments had "toughened me up" you know how a doctor or surgeon can step out of the "personal experience" and just do his job.
But I was wrong.
When Katie arrived at her BBQ benefit last weekend, she took my breath away. It literally felt like someone knocked the wind out of me.
Maybe it was because she reminded me so much of my daughter Luci with her sparkly shoes, or maybe because I'd never been up close and personal with a child with cancer. We've all seen them on tv, or passed them in a store and have that moment where your heart beats in your throat and your chest aches for the parents. But then you go home to your healthy children, give them an extra hug and kiss and carry on with your day. Your normal day.
It will take you all of about 30 seconds to fall in love with her. When her mouth smiles her eyes smile too. What a perfect little beautiful face.
Hopefully this wont be the last time you see Katie on my blog. I've talked to her mom and I plan on documenting some more of her journey. She is in her 3rd round of Chemotherapy now and has another one in a few weeks. I hope to be there with her, her story is worth telling, and I am honored to do so.
So if you find yourself at the end of a "Normal Day" you know, the ones where your boss is crabby, the traffic stinks, the kids fight all day, and you don't know what to make for dinner, LOVE those days, those days rock.
Katie, and her mom Jenny, would give anything for a "Normal Day"
If you would like to see more photos and the slideshow from her BBQ CLICK HERE
I know there is a fund set up for Katie and her (single) mom. I will get the information on here soon.
