Avett Brothers at Red Rocks!

When Kate was first diagnosed with cancer back in May, she was initially hoping that the surgery wouldn't get scheduled until mid July for a couple reasons. First, she didn't want to miss our annual trip up to the ranch that happens around the Fourth of July, and second, she didn't want to miss out on seeing the Avett Brothers in concert at Red Rocks (also an annual tradition for us) on July 12th. Of course the urgency of the surgery was the priority, but it was both a disappointment and a reality check when they scheduled it for late June. With recovery, a trip to the ranch was out. But Kate wasn't ready to give up on the concert.

For some context, we've been big fans of the Avett Brothers for a long time. The best intro I can give you, other than just listening to their music, is to check out their documentary May it Last. They have a massive loyal fanbase, and their shows at Red Rocks are an amazing experience. In 2014 they actually started doing three shows, three nights in a row, every July. And every year, every show sells out. As our friend Niki said when she came with us for the first time, "That's the bucket list item I didn't know that I needed on my bucket list until I went!" We've been almost every year for the last ten years. It was the first concert we ever took our kids to. And our kids love the band as much as we do. This is not just a concert; it's a family tradition.

So after surgery, as the date of the concert inched closer, Kate remained determined she was going to go. As the constant "realist" I wasn't so sure. Pain management has been, and continues to be, an issue. The nerve pain in her chest just isn't going away. Getting up for a shower or walking down the block has been the extent of Kate's activities the last three weeks. So the thought of her walking up all those steps to our seats on row 32 at Red Rocks felt like a real stretch. I was nervous, but she was determined. Why? Because screw you cancer - you don't get to steal our joy! And she did it.

It wasn't easy, and she's pretty wiped out today. There's been more pain than usual, which hasn't been fun, but she still says it was totally worth it.

There have been so many gifts of grace among the difficulties - all the meals, the flowers, visits from friends, the notes of encouragement. And getting to enjoy a band we love, together as a family, was a huge gift. And just in case it wasn't obvious who we have to thank for these moments, the band closed the show with It is Well With My Soul. It was like God was winking at us.