What a whirlwind of emotions these last couple of weeks have been as we head into the final stretch before surgery.

Two weeks ago, Taylor played in the Tropical 7s rugby tournament in Tampa, Florida—one of her non-negotiables when it came to scheduling her surgery. She worked incredibly hard to earn her spot representing Team USA West, and getting there was no easy task. Between the pain and nausea from pancreatitis, practices were tough, and the road leading up to Tampa was anything but smooth for her.

While in Tampa, Taylor put on a brave face. Behind the scenes, she was managing her symptoms, doing everything she could to show up for her team. There were moments she had to step away, missing out on some of the fun with her friends & teammates because her body just wasn’t cooperating. But when it was time to take the field, TJ gave it everything she had—making powerful plays, delivering hard tackles, and pushing herself to the finish. She proved not only to her teammates but to herself that she is a force to be reckoned with.

When that final match ended, the tears came. She did it. She finished strong, not letting her pancreas dictate her ending. Taylor and her team took 3rd place on an international stage—an incredible accomplishment for these girls in the elite division

We returned home, and TJ jumped right back in—preparing for her first and (for now) last high school rugby 15s match as an East Angel ♥️ She earned a starting spot and took the field under the Friday night lights. Once again, she showed her heart, her instinct, and her love for the game. And then the final whistle blew. Her teammates quickly huddled for coaches remarks and then surrounded her—tears in their eyes, tears in TJ’s eyes, and tears in ours as parents. This was it…

But we keep reminding ourselves: this is just “for now.” This is temporary.

These past two weeks have reminded Taylor what it means to push beyond limits, to lean on an incredible team, and to know she has a place where she belongs. As a mom, nothing compares to seeing her smile, hearing the laughter, and watching her teammates rally around her with so much love and support as she prepares for TPIAT surgery.

Now here we are—one week to go.

Taylor has wrapped up her schoolwork and put herself in a great position to finish the year strong with As and Bs. More importantly, she’s in a good headspace. She’s been surrounded by so much love, encouragement, and positivity, and we are beyond grateful for every message, prayer, and kind word we’ve received along the way.

We head to Cincinnati at the end of this week with just two more things to check off TJ’s list before surgery… Skyline and Graeter’s—if you know, you know. 💜

special thank you to @JAmanda_Photos for some great shots of TJ at Tropical 7s