A whole lot more than just a chalk paint project

Ok, so just before I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, I decided to start this refinish project for our table and chairs in our breakfast nook.  Unfortunately the black leather seats had some tears and the finish on the table top had been well "loved" by our girls, lots of fork marks and glitter glue that would never come off, you get the idea. So, after a late night on Pinterest, I had this "vision" that maybe instead of selling this gem on Craigslist and buying a new one, I could actually turn it into something I would love again. If y'all knew me, you would know this is not something I would typically do, but I was on this "I can do anything, I'm running a half marathon soon for the first time in my life" high and decided it was a good idea. March 22nd of last year, I posted this picture on Facebook of the first chair that I refinished and reupholstered.  I was SO excited and so proud of this project, I couldn't WAIT to finish the other three and then tackle that table, this was gonna be AWESOME!  And then, on Good Friday last year, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, 9 months after my youngest, Lainey, had been diagnosed with leukemia.  Needless to say, my project was put on hold......

That one, very lonely, very pretty chair kept the other three "old" chairs and that pitiful table company for many months in our breakfast nook.  My husband thought it was a lost cause and would always comment about it, saying how he wanted to bet me $50 that I would never finish them all.  The truth is, every time I looked at that dining room set with one finished chair, it was a reminder for me that I had cancer and my life had been abruptly interrupted, just like my refinish project.  There were days I was going through chemo and I would sit at that table to eat and wonder if I really would ever see it finished. Not because I didn't want to finish it, but because maybe I wouldn't be around to finish it.  Doubt and worry are a devil to fight when it comes to cancer.  There were definitely times I felt like it was winning, but I always relied on my faith that God had a plan and everything would be ok.  At some point after I finished chemo, I slowly started tackling one chair at a time.  Fast forward to two weeks ago when my parents were here helping while Dave was traveling for work, I decided it was time.  God love my dad, he never has been able to tell me no, so I asked for some sanding help/advice for refinishing the table top and dug right in.

Well, drum roll please.....I would like to introduce my BRAND NEW dining room set that I absolutely LOVE now!!  Y'all, I have FOUR matching chairs, count 'em, FOUR!  I have a beautiful refinished table top that will probably take my kids 3 days to destroy again, but I don't care, I will savor this moment!  This Friday is the one year anniversary of me being diagnosed with cancer and as I sit here and type this, I am CANCER FREE with only two more sessions of Herceptin ahead of me and have reconstructive surgery scheduled in June!!  Life is good friends and now I have this super duper, fantastic, do it yourself project under my belt and can't wait to enjoy it with my beautiful little family.  I'm already looking around the house for what else I can redo!  Oh and to my lovely husband, you get paid this week and I'll be looking for a nice, crisp $50 bill laid right in the middle of this shiny table top for me, ha, love you Babe!  Blessings to all of you for not just a Good Friday, but a GREAT Friday, because I know that's what I'll be having this week!