my heart is different since cancer and the vision i have for my life, my family, and anyone reading this blog is to not waste your life. not even a little bit. not one moment. it is all a gift. my hope is that this place provides perspective, insight, and hope for our own life.
my name is libby ryder. i am 30 year old and i am a wife and a mother. i am a broken sinner in need of forgiveness, grace, and love. i believe jesus is the one thing that means everything. my friends are spread all over the country and i am so thankful for texting and social media to be able to feel apart of people's lives whom i love that we no longer live near.
i am from grand rapids, michigan where i lived for 22 years. i went to calvin college and graduated with a bachelors in social work. i moved to lexington, ky to attend graduate school for my MSW. i also went there for a boy. he is now my husband. you can read about how we met HERE and view a few pictures from our wedding the love of my life. we were marred on may 12, 2007. not all men can walk through cancer the way justin did with me. he walked, ran, crawled, and stumbled right alongside me. i love him more now than ever. justin and i have been married for 7 years. we are partners. we are a team and life without each other would just feel off. we live in highland park, nj where justin is the metro director for young life.
i am from grand rapids, michigan where i lived for 22 years. i went to calvin college and graduated with a bachelors in social work. i moved to lexington, ky to attend graduate school for my MSW. i also went there for a boy. he is now my husband. you can read about how we met HERE and view a few pictures from our wedding the love of my life. we were marred on may 12, 2007. not all men can walk through cancer the way justin did with me. he walked, ran, crawled, and stumbled right alongside me. i love him more now than ever. justin and i have been married for 7 years. we are partners. we are a team and life without each other would just feel off. we live in highland park, nj where justin is the metro director for young life.
we have two sweet girls. ava (4) and lyla (1.5) who are so sweet and fun but also loud, outgoing, and a bit strong willed ava was 7 months old when i was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma in july of 2010. she provided me such joy and purpose while i was sick. she may never fully understand how the Lord used her in a very special way through that season of life.
i love the Lord. my family. friends. coffee. the beach. shopping. breakfast. clothes. scarfs. eating outside. candles. traveling. decorating. movies. reading and much much more. but that is a little glimpse.
this blog is going to share our story of when i was unexpectedly diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma in july 2010. be sure to start from the beginning if you are new. i did not know the passion i had to write until this blog started the week i got sick. it has become such a creative outlet and way to connect with people from all over the world. thank you for reading and entering into our life and our story.
we've decided that nothing will ever be the same again, ever. but in the best way possible. we are excited for this new path in our journey as a couple and as individuals. i told justin this past week (back in july 2010) that i was thankful this was all happening now and not in 60 years when we were older and had missed out on loving Jesus this much, or each other this much, and everyone around this much. life. i guess that is what you sign up for when you decide to give your life...we are talking your life here...to Jesus Christ. it means trusting Him with everything. i thought i did though. but now i know that i didn't. i mean i did a little. but not like i do now.
we've decided that nothing will ever be the same again, ever. but in the best way possible. we are excited for this new path in our journey as a couple and as individuals. i told justin this past week (back in july 2010) that i was thankful this was all happening now and not in 60 years when we were older and had missed out on loving Jesus this much, or each other this much, and everyone around this much. life. i guess that is what you sign up for when you decide to give your life...we are talking your life here...to Jesus Christ. it means trusting Him with everything. i thought i did though. but now i know that i didn't. i mean i did a little. but not like i do now.
thank you for joining us on this journey. many of you prayed us through cancer. we felt it and it changed everything. please follow us as continue to follow Jesus and not waste another second of our life. it is all a gift. it can change in a second.
my disclaimer: it's important for my readers to know that i do not like to use punctuation when i write. i am not very good at knowing where to put commas and stuff. so words will mostly be lowercase and i will use a lot of periods. sorry if that frustrates you. enjoy.
