Incredible News!

If you were only given six months to live, how would you react? What would you do? Where would you go? Who would you see? These are questions that I personally find myself reflecting on quite often. As many of you know, in 2018 I was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer. I took much of the year off from speaking so that I could go through the prescribed treatment. At the end of it all, I received the world’s best news that I was cancer free. However, every six months for the next few years I must go in for a scan to see if anything has returned. Each time I have gone in, I have been given the thumbs up and the green light to go live the next six months of my life as I please. I am provided an opportunity to assess and renew how I want to live my life, expend my energies, foster the gifts provided me, every six months. What a rare gift!

This led me to a very ambitious 2019. I was back out on the road, speaking everywhere from Oregon to Ohio, equipping educators with the tools they needed to be successful. It was a whirlwind of a year that pushed me professionally in ways I had not anticipated, but it was a blast! Admittedly, it was that busy schedule that kept me from regularly posting on my website. My apologies for not hearing from me for so long.

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2020 has turned out to be a very different year for all of us. But if I am forced to stay home, there is no one else I would rather be with than my own amazing family. Below is a picture of us at my little sister’s wedding back in February, just weeks before everything closed down. If these six months that I am living through means more time with them and less time driving and flying across the U.S., I do believe that is something I can manage. I am so thankful for having such a wonderful crew.

As difficult as this time is on so many, I take solace that this is only temporary, what we are doing will save lives, and when this is all over life will go on. Much like with my cancer treatment, I believe we will all emerge from this with a more positive appreciation for many things and many people. It will be our new, new normal.

How do I know this? Well that leads me to my incredible news. Right around the time I received my cancer diagnosis in 2018, my wife and I were wishing to add one more life to our wonderful family. With my illness all such thoughts were put on hold, and after my very intense regime of chemo we became concerned that having a fourth child was no longer a possibility. Well, guess what? We are pregnant! Coming this Fall, we will be having our fourth child! We could not be more excited! I love all of my kids, but this one is going to be truly special.

I am so happy to say that my next six months will involve making space for one more in my home. Life will go on, just as it will for you. Stay the course, help out others as you are able, and stay healthy. On the other end of all of this there will be kids waiting who will need all of us at our very best.

Patrick