A new journey...

A year ago today, my sister made a decision that would forever change her life, and ours... FOR THE BEST!! She entered rehab...  I watched for years as she unraveled and spiraled down a dark and horrifying path.. She went from being my sister, the one I loved, trusted, adored, laughed with... To this lifeless, lying, stealing, cold and dark stranger... Oh but I didn't stop loving her, NO WAY!! There were so many times we saw her at deaths door, and begged God to give her one more chance... He did... The last year has been anything but easy for Whitney... I cannot even begin to imagine the loss, the hardships, the loneliness she must have felt.. But never, not once did we leave her side.. We got through the first year, but most importantly SHE got through the first year...

Today for her "Birthday," we attended an AA meeting with her.. She was going to be getting her one year chip.. My mom and other sister had been to one before, I had not. This was my first.. It was very humbling and very touching... Men and women, just like me and you... Just like the ones you see at Target, just like the ones you see at church, just like the ones you see at the grocery store... For some reason I had always pictured "addicts" to have a certain "look.." They don't... My heart ached for those men and women, for their stories of what they had been through.. And admired them them for being there and willing to share their stories... There was not one person in the room who was not in awe at the support that Whitney had sitting next to her.. That made my heart hurt.. I kept thinking how on earth could they do it alone? How could somebody not love them enough to be there for them.. There was another woman there, getting her one year chip, not one person there for her.... That made my heart hurt... Some of them had been going there for many many years, for some it was their first meeting.. I was beyond proud when Whitney went up to get her chip... My heart was full, was happy, was humbled.. She has had an incredible journey, and in doing so is the Whitney I had longed for to come back. The Whitney I had missed for so long.. Today SHE'S BACK!! She is doing amazing.. I could not be more proud of her... However this is a battle she will fight daily, she takes life day by day. Thanks Whit for another 24!!

Nothing beats dinner at the Cheesecake Factory... This was mine and my moms dessert..

Nancy & Whitney's Red Velvet Cheesecake...

That brings us to the tattoo parlor.... We had always said that "when" she reached her one year we would all get a tattoo in honor of it... Well she showed us all... A good friend of ours is a tattoo artist, he said he would be honored to do it.. The saying is Latin and it means "she flies with her own wings.." Kinda fitting for the occasion... What a fun night... Lots of laughs... A night to remember that's for sure... Here are a few pics of my mom and sisters getting inked.. As to the question did I get a tattoo?? We decided that what happened at the tattoo shop will forever stay at the tattoo shop... ;) Thanks Mom, Nancy and esp Whit for letting us celebrate your continuing journey... Love you all!!

Miss Whitney went first..

Time for Madre... :)

Then Nancy... I was worried that she was going to pass out, she was as pale as a ghost.. :)

The finished work.. Whit's. Nancy's. Mom's..