8 years ago today, my oldest son was born. As with every child born, he changed my life forever. But his birth also changed this week from one of uncertainty to one of joy.

Anniversaries and birthdays are emotional events. The anniversary of the bus accident is always an unknown day for me. Time does heal, but there are always scars, however faded.

When James was born, and for a few years afterwards, my entire focus these few days was on his birthday and that celebration. I never forgot the 24th, but it was overshadowed. Over the past few years while writing the book and since its publication, I relived the story and that night over and over - and it returned to be a part of my daily life…but in a different way.

As I celebrate James’s birthday - with true joy and through the excited eyes of an 8-year-old, it is with pride and honor that I look towards tomorrow. Life is funny, and I have learned to embrace the uncertainty and change. Those are the lessons I have learned from my children. Those are the lessons that have carried me through this January anniversary.