Growth

There's a huge aspect of receiving chemotherapy starting at the age of 5 and stopping at the age of 7 /12 that matures a person.

Tackling cancer head on when you don't even understand what cancer is.

Taking medications, sitting on MRI tables, living in ICU, not being allowed to eat because spinal tap #12 is coming up in the morning.

Being forced to grow up quicker than anticipated is hard on a kid's psyche.

So, we have tried extra hard to make sure that the other aspects of Zoe's life are as childlike as possible.

We have tried to create a magical world, a magic that was there before cancer.

A magic that I hope she will remember as she gets older.

Something that she will pass along to her children.

Memories of her youth that will always make her smile...

Knowing that fairies live under the toadstools that pop up in the yard.

Cherishing a note that Mother Nature left her when she was out in the yard.

Naming all large spiders that make fantastical webs on our porch Charlotte A. Cavatica.

Writing a letter to Santa every year and anticipating his reply that always comes.

Endless hikes in the woods, sometimes with only her and her sister doing the wandering.

Naming the deer that often sit in our yard, eat the birdseed, and who prance around with one another making us laugh. Names like Haykin, Fat Face, and Lizzie.

Hoping we see Haykin, Fat Face, and Lizzie each new spring.

Growth is important.

Whether it's mental growth, physical growth, or magical growth.

We have a lot to worry about still in terms of her health.

But we don't let her know too much about that.

Instead, we focus on whether or not the garden fairies will be able to plant enough lilies to wow us this summer.

I know they won't let us down.