An intimate memoir of love, loss, and enduring grief.

Maura McGee's life turned upside down when, in the span of months, she found herself facing both the sudden loss of her mother and her husband Dave's shocking diagnosis of a rare and aggressive cancer. With six young kids, Maura and Dave were at a loss, unsure of how to move forward in the wake of this devastating news. In the throes of pain and fear, they had to relearn how to exist in a new reality as Dave battled this unforgiving disease and Maura confronted the fact that she may become a widow sooner than she ever thought possible. Dave, Maura, and their children were thankfully supported by their community, allowing them to find brief moments of happiness and acceptance of what was to come.

About two years after the diagnosis, Maura became a young widow and single mother, losing her childhood sweetheart the day after celebrating his forty-fifth birthday. As Maura would soon learn, motherhood pauses for no tragedy, but through faith, love, and support, she found the strength she needed to persevere. Because of Dave's example and their experience, Maura and her kids now try to pay forward the kindness and support shown to their family-encouraging Maura to finally share her inspiring journey of devastating loss and transformative resilience with the hope that it might offer a helping hand to those in need.

What began as an exercise in journaling to deal with her own grief, combined with timely social media posts and emails, turned into a beautiful recounting of her family's journey. It Is What It Is offers a vulnerable look into the painful world of grief and how one widow turned to her faith, family, and friends to help her move forward, one step at a time.