Summer love

Reflecting on this past summer all I can focus on is how bittersweet it all was. The summer started with the Johnson family reunion! We rented a beach house right on the beach and expected a week of relaxation, mingling, and pure fun! Seventeen adults, sixteen kids, and extra family friends flowing in and out did cause for quite a bit of craziness; however, in all we all had quite a good time.
Halfway into the week my dad was taken to the hospital for some complications, we thought common to old age. We all figured a good prescription would fix whatever ailment my dad was dealing with. The ER doctors temporarily fixed the problem and told mt dad to follow up with a urologist the following week. We were able to finish the reunion now bouncing between my parents house and the beach house with only a few "miner" frustrations. As the week closed and each family packed up to leave we all decided it would be best for someone to stay and help my parents out until my dad was fully recovered. Thus the beginning of my amazing summer.
That following week at the urologist appointment we found out that the complications we were expecting to be quite normal were actually prostate cancer! This salidified Todd's and my decision to stay with the kids at my parents house and help manage my fathers treatment plan. Knowing I was going to be extending my stay I was also determined to improve my mothers quality of life... 20+ years of cancer really has taken quite a bit of a tool on her body and her mind.
Fast forward three months and several doctors and physical therapy visits, water aerobics, diet changes, and a very slow and grueling recovery from a prostatectomy, I would have to say this summer was quite eventful. Looking back, I am so great full I was the one to stay and take care of my parents. I have never had the opportunity to just enjoy my dad and mom as much as I did this summer. My favorite time was the late night movies and the long chats with my dad on our drives to UCLA. I have a new appreciation for my dad and know he is an inspired man.
It is now April and a new summer is approaching. My dad has nearly fully recovered from his surgery with only a few side effects and, for now, a nice low PSA level and my mom, well she is typical stubborn Julie, has returned to all of her old habits.
I have a new appreciation for both my parents. They have been through a lot over the past 20 or so years. Because of my moms cancer, my parents have had to embrace the possibility of death many times . All of us kids have had to embrace this and accept this too. I believe that this trial my family has endured has united us and has strengthened our personal beliefs in the lords plan for us. Our parents have proven that the Lord does not give you trials you can not face. With each bump in the road my parents testimonies get stronger. They are two amazing individuals and I was so lucky to spend the summer, as grown adult, with them. No longer am I that ignorant teenager, thinking her parents couldn't possibly know what they are talking about. I have grown and am so thankful I got that time to really know who my parents are. I thank the Lord for the trials he has given. There is truly something to learn from every one.