Bittersweet.

A quick trip home is a putting it mildly, due to the 6 hours of driving that it takes to get there. But in this case, I needed to be here. I needed to be home.

Today is September 21^st. On this day, ten years ago, my first niece was born, Lauren Michelle. I cannot believe she is ten years old. Time goes by so quickly, and my baby girl is becoming a young lady… wow. I am so very proud of her for many reasons; she is super smart and practically obsessed with her school grades, she is a dancing queen, a gymnast, a ballerina, a spelling bee champ, and a crafty little gal, and I love her more than words can say. Happy Birthday to my precious Lala!!!

The reason I journeyed home… my dad has been diagnosed with cancer of the lung, and possibly the lymph nodes and a fear has taken over our family. Though at this point, we are all helpless and playing the waiting game, I had to be with them, all of them… my dad, my mom and my sisters. You always dream of moving away, breaking away from your life and starting in a place all your own… that is until something happens that would make you crawl your way back, on your hands and knees if that’s what it takes.

So here I am… at home. And my dad will be ok, this I know.

Regardless of any situation going on in the Smith Household…my mom will get to work, take charge – and make an apple pie like nobody’s business! God love her!

On a brighter note, I was blessed last week with my seventh niece, Ava Victoria. And she is an absolute beauty!!! Being home gave me the opportunity to spend 
time with her, Savannah, and Christian.

I will be leaving on Wednesday to go back to South Carolina, then will have a short amount of time to pack and sleep before flying to California. I have excitement about going, but I’m also reserved with fear about missing something. I know there is nothing that I could do to make anything better, but leaving is so hard when you have a very good reason to stay.

I love my Dad because he is the epitome of what a father should be, and always has been. I just never thought cancer could affect him. But then, who really does? I will end with my favorite picture of the two of us, one of us laughing, as we both always do.