Between having cancer and dealing with a divorced family, it sometimes feels like everyday involves some sort of fight or struggle.  It becomes far too easy to get caught in the muck and forget just how good those good days can be.  Today was a good day.

After a couple of months of absolute craziness and constant feelings of trudging uphill – getting ready for my daughter’s confirmation and graduation, working on the project of our careers (my husband and I work together at the same company, same jobs), and frantically looking for a place to live by Taylor’s new school – it suddenly felt like everything fell into place.

There is not much to be said about the confirmation.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a very special and meaningful day.  I just don’t have the words to convey the details of the day.  Taylor was confirmed by the Auxiliary Bishop Tom Daly (of San Jose) and it was a lovely ceremony.  Graduation also took place in the church; after all, this is a Catholic school.  Eddie and I had the foresight to sit in the back where there was an open door and therefore an occassional breeze.  We were very happy about that as we watched everyone else fanning themselves with their programs.  All went as planned until the end when the graduates presented their parents with a letter (which was so poignant and rendered us completely unable to read it aloud) and a rose (which my cat later tried to eat).  As our daughter came up to us, my husband quickly brushed away a tear.  Taylor saw this and stopped in her tracks with her eyes instantly welling up at the sight of her proud daddy.  This of course triggers a chain reaction and the dam broke.  I felt my own eyes – dry just a moment ago – lose the battle and giant tears fell into the tissues I had at the ready.  This was not to be the end of it!  Taylor fanned her face in an attempt to stop the tears as retook her place amongst her fellow graduates and they all noticed.  The next chink in the chain broke as her girlfriends started to cry.  The cries quickly turned into laughter as they got up to sing their farewell song and silliness ensued.  Couldn’t be prouder of my girl.  Excuse me, young lady.  Aw screw it – she’ll always be my little girl!

We spent a great deal of this week going back and forth between home and the new school as my overachiever was testing to skip a couple of freshman classes.  Fortunately we also found our new home for next few years, so we were able to drop her off for her tests and go handle paperwork for the new place instead of twiddling our thumbs in the parking lot.  Happily checking pending items off our lengthy to-do list.

Eddie and I have been working our tails off to justify a hefty expenditure for software that we are in need of for work.  This project could very well define our careers.  We’ve been approved for the go ahead and are just waiting for the official ink on the page.  What an affirmation of the company’s trust in us!

So on to today.  Today we got the news that Taylor has passed the Algebra exam and will be taking Geometry as a freshman.  Today Taylor and I “sneak attacked” Eddie in Gallagher Family style with an early Father’s Day celebration (as we’ll be mid-move on Father’s Day this year).  Since we have to deal with a divorced family situation, Taylor is sometimes with her mother on days when we would normally celebrate something special, so Eddie and Taylor would often hit me with a “sneak attack” which has included incredible roses (which, as much as I love fresh flowers, I’ve asked them not to get anymore because the cat promptly tries to eat them), cards with sweet and funny sentiments, and one of the best – a song and dance.  Life’s greatest pleasures are not necessarily in the most momentous of events, but can be found in the sweet simplicity of everyday happenings (like finding the magazine/book of 1Direction – the band that Taylor is head over heels in love with).  Don’t sweat the small stuff people.  Life’s too short to get caught up in the muck.