Tomorrow Is Never Guaranteed. Today Is All You Have. Make The Most Of It.

When I met Lisa, she was 28. I was 23. That was over 2 decades ago. I remember coordinating a surprise 30th birthday party for Lisa. This year, we'll be celebrating Lisa's 50th birthday in August. In December, I'll be hitting the halfway point milestone between 40 and 50. Often times, we have discussions about then versus now. We're older. Wiser. Lisa's head of hair is 75% gray. I'm starting to sport strands of gray. Lisa has already gone through menopause. I'm in the pre-menopausal stages and suffering from night sweats, hot flashes, and the occasional mood swings associated with this change of life.

During these discussions, we talk about the friends and family members who we have lost in the past few years. Both of Lisa's Grandmothers have passed. My Grammy Deloge passed. My Grandfather passed away. We've had a few close friends who have lost their battle with cancer. Lisa's best friend took her last breath in July of 2015. It's been so hard. Our hearts have shattered into a million pieces more than once.

Yes, I'm writing this blog post through tears because it's not easy to talk about this stuff.

On occasion, during family snuggle time or when we're on the floor playing with the kids, Lisa and I talk about how long the kids have been part of our family. How old they are.

Sophie is our oldest kid. She'll be 9 years old this October.

Coco will be 7 years old.

Lobo will be 5 years old.

Willa is 2 years old.

During this time, we talk about our age too. Lisa is going to be 50. I'm going to be 45. Those are hard pills to swallow. Not in a particularly bad way. It's more along the lines of, "Where did the time go..."

Over the past few weeks, I've been watching 'Parenthood' on Netflix. Originally, I had chosen this show to create noise while I work from the sofa after I tuck Lisa and the kids into bed.

I usually end up dozing off and missing several episodes. Which, is no big deal. I'm not entirely into the show.

However, certain aspects of the show have caught my attention.

Last weekend, I watched a few episodes that involved Kristina Braverman as she battled with breast cancer.

In one episode, she had a cough. It turned into sepsis. She almost didn't make it. Her husband, Adam Braverman, sat by her side the entire time. At one point, he watched a video that his wife had taken for the kids just in case she didn't make it.

I sat on the sofa crying. Hard. Sobbing. Really. Really. Loud.

When the episode was over, I just sat there.

Thinking.

I thought about the family members and friends we've lost over the past few years.

I thought about our sweet Remmy.

I thought about Lady.

I thought about a sweet pup who had been part of our Bodacious Community for so long. He took his last breath last week because of a tumor on his heart.

I thought about our kids who are getting older.

I thought about Lisa and me.

Life is short.

None of know when we're going to take our last breath.

Or, when our kids will take their last breath.

Or, when the sporadic hard news of a health ailment will hit.

All of this, the past 6 years or so, has changed me.

I used to be a person who prided myself on giving the silent treatment if someone pissed me off, including Lisa.

Now, nope.

Lisa and I get in our occasional tiffs. To be expected.

However, at the end of the day, we still kiss each other goodnight. We kiss our kids goodnight. And, we extend gratitude for what each other has done that day for our family and our home.

When it comes to our kids, sure, they all have traits that irritate us from time to time.

Coco will pull the blankets down to the bedroom or living room floor. Lobo will pee on stuff hanging to the floor. And bark when one of us goes towards the back door. Sophie, anytime after 7 p.m. will snarl at her siblings because she wants her space. And Willa, she cares about none of this as long as we play fetch with her.

Not to mention 'The Howl Song' Lobo, Sophie, and Willa sing to their cousin Willie early in the morning or late at night.

It can get crazy at times, but we embrace it all.

This is our crazy Bodacious Dog Mom Life.

We treat each day as if it was our last. With each other. With our kids. With our favorite humans. With the people in our circle of friends.

Tomorrow is never guaranteed.

Today is all you have.

Make the most of it.