My mom found out she had stage 4 lung cancer when I was 2 and passed away when I was 6. When she got diagnosed, she was given 6 months to live so, needless to say, she gave us lots of amazing memories and really lived in the moment.

The one story I always tell when talking about my mom was how one day she let me and my older sister stay home, which was a big deal in 1st and 3rd grade already. We went to Bulk Barn and got EVERY item we wanted. When we got home, we snuggled in my parents’ bed, spread out what felt like a never-ending amount of bags of chocolate/candy, and watched Disney movies all afternoon. When my dad came home from work, he just jumped right in and joined us.

It was right before she went into hospice and the last “good day” I remember her having before she passed so the memory holds a special place in my heart.