A tribute to two boys...two young men

"NICOLAS & MARK"

Well, we've been at home now officially for one week and believe it or not, it has actually taken some getting used too! When we were in the process of radiation and chemo we were always planning to go back to the city at the end of a weekend and then when we were in the city we were always planning about coming home for the weekend.

The one thing that I miss the most in the city is our son Nicolas. Living with him in his one bedroom apartment was needless to say 'cozy', but it was a very special time for the three of us. Wes and I slept on a Canadian Tire air bed (actually it was very comfy) in the dining room and with the table shoved to the side it had become our clothing rack. When Nicolas got up at 6:30a.m., well, so did we because, well, did I mention it was a one bedroom?

Being able to be a part of Nic's day to day life was a privilege and I miss hearing all the details of his time at work. Talking on the phone or MSN is OK, but it doesn't give you the same picture as watching his face. He is a great story teller. He is known for pulling off infamous one-liners on his co-workers (he has his father's sense of humour) and I could hardly wait to hear about his day.

Even as a little boy Nicolas loved people and cared deeply about people. He has grown into a young man who has shown the ability to open his heart and his home to not only his mom and dad for 6 1/2 weeks, but also to the people around him. He's a wonderful Christian man who wears his heart on his sleeve and is not afraid to show that he cares. I saw the tender side to him that has always been there, but to see it in action day in and day out has been an honor and I am very proud of the young man he has become.

Coming home has brought with it a contentment and some difficulty of adjusting back to a different routine. But the best part has been coming home to Mark and reacquainting ourselves with him. He is also a funny storyteller and we had a lot of catching up to do with all his stories. He too has the exact sense of humour as father and brother. Mark has also shown the caring side of his personality just like he has done since he was small (and if you've seen Mark lately you know that 'small' was a long long time ago!) His phone calls while we were in Winnipeg were always filled with concern for how his dad was feeling and if there was anything we needed done he never hesitated to do it.

Our sons have shown such compassion and concern for their father, they spend as much time as possible with him and share everything with him. They are as close to their dad as any mother would want her sons to be and I'm so grateful that Wes has cultivated such a deep relationship with both of his boys.

Both of our sons have helped us more than they will ever know. Nicolas allowed us to barge into his world and take over his apartment without complaint. Mark kept the home fires burning and took care of the house 'issues' that came up unexpectedly. It's hard to believe that those tiny little babies that we held in our arms twenty-odd years ago now hold us in their arms of support and love.

How does a parent thank their children for walking with them, caring for them and loving them through a major shift in their life? For the first time since this whole things started....I'm at a loss for words. But, I would like them to know that we love them both so very much, we are proud of them and we know that whatever happens they will stand by us and we will continue to walk through this as a family.

"...you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other." 1 Thessalonians 4:9