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Aja

@aja_lives23

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Alaskan wife,mom & Jesus follower
beating metastatic breast cancer
Artist & Knitwear Designer

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I figure it’s time for another introduction post!
Hi, my name is Aja (pronounced Asia) and I live in Alaska and I love it here. I’m the proud wife of Ian and mama to our four, wonderful children. We have a cat named Quill. I love all fiber arts but you can mostly catch me collecting yarn (🤣), knitting and spinning. I also enjoy other crafts such as making polymer clay and resin goodies. I was diagnosed in early September 2025 with stage IV metastatic breast cancer that’s in my liver. I completed treatment for breast cancer in mid 2025 and was cancer free for a few months in the summer. But I’m a fighter and I truly believe that God is healing me so I’m not too bogged down by the diagnosis. At least not as of writing this. Fun fact about some metastatic cancers at this point in history: where metastatic cancer used to be a death sentence, it’s now treated as a chronic condition that people can live long, full lives with, thanks to the advances in medicine and cancer treatment. I have the best cancer treatment team here in Anchorage. I’m so lucky to have them! Thank you for being here and supporting me on my life long adventure of seeking and creating beauty. I live to worship Jesus and I’m so thankful I can look to Him for hope and healing.

Lastly, the song playing when you click on this post is Aja by Steely Dan and the song/album I was named after.

If you feel so inclined, I’d love to “meet you” in the comments or send me a DM sharing something about yourself! taken in Anchorage, Alaska by @aja_lives23

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a year ago

I know, AI art is the worst but I wanted to share my family in a way that would still protect my kiddos’ privacy in a public space. That being said…

Last week I had a liver biopsy after a CT scan showed a few masses in my liver. The biopsy confirmed that my breast cancer is now metastatic. It isn’t curable, but it can be treated like a chronic illness, and I’ll be starting an oral chemo pill called Xeloda on Friday to help control it. This is the absolute worst news for my children. Having to tell them that this cancer is worse and incurable was a particularly painful experience. However, I can be a stubborn and feisty person when necessary. I flat out refuse to let this disease take any years of my life from my husband and children. I will live. I will grow old and see my children become the amazing people that God put them on this earth to be. I’m also asking for a miracle every day-that Jesus would remove this cancer from my body. There’s a song by Travis Greene called The Hill that is about the fact that God, “still has the power, wonderful power, to heal our diseases and cover our weakness.” I truly believe that. I’m also trusting God too much to give up. I know what the scans say but by Jesus’ stripes I am healed. Please pray for Ian and I as we navigate this and please keep our precious kiddos in your prayers. And on a “funny”/ironic note, last week I changed my bio to say, “in my cancer recovery era,” the morning I found out about the masses in my liver. lol and also 😭😜 taken in Anchorage, Alaska by @aja_lives23

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a year ago

I do a smidge of decorating for birthday gatherings and it brings me so much joy. My son’s 14th bday party is today. He’s a big time baller. Also a mini, main level tour of my house. We moved in a little over a year ago and I meant to give a house tour back then. So we’ll just do these randomly. The final installment of the birthday decor is that I’m putting up a ton of photos of my son, including a poster size photo of my son on probably his 8th or 9th bday, decked out and being extra. He asked that I not use a photo of him on his birthday invitations that I made so my revenge is putting a bunch of photos of him up as part of the party decor. I’ll surprise him with it when he comes back from errands with my husband and they’ll get home when the party starts so nobody can remove the photos. 😈😈😈 by @aja_lives23

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7 days ago

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8 days ago

Stolen Moments from Autumn 2026. What a beautiful life that I live.

Quill being cute and photogenic.

Waiting Room knitting.

Homemade ramen which slapped SO HARD.

A material lover. taken in Anchorage, Alaska by @aja_lives23

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10 days ago

It’s a crisp, Autumn, WIP Wednesday! I thought I’d share my active wips with yall.

What’s your WIP (work in progress) today? It could just be yourself because honestly, same🤡 taken in Anchorage, Alaska by @aja_lives23

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10 days ago

Wishing my angel the happiest birthday today! My life is so much richer wish you in it. Thank you for loving myself and my family well, and for truly being the best friend/sister to me. I hope today you’re reminded by all of the people that love you that you are so special and wonderful. I love you lots!

“A BROWNIE!” by @aja_lives23

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11 days ago

First try on since separating for sleeves! This is always an exciting place when knitting garments.

I did an awful job defining ease in the video, so I asked ChatGBT to define it for me:

Ease is the difference between your body measurement and the finished measurement of a knitted garment.

✨ Positive ease: The garment is larger than your body measurement, creating a looser or more relaxed fit.

✨ Negative ease: The garment is smaller than your body measurement, creating a closer, more fitted look.

Anyway, Happy Monday!

What is something that you are excited for or looking forward to this week? Lmk in the comments please! taken in Anchorage, Alaska by @aja_lives23

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13 days ago

This year for my birthday I am practicing self control. For no other reason than that I apparently like to torture myself? Either way, I am in LOVE with my @shopknittingnellie project bag that my wonderful friend @meredithmakesmagic snagged for me. I shall cherish this forever! taken in Anchorage, Alaska by @aja_lives23

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13 days ago

Knitting and sourdough? This weekend rocks.

What’s something lovely about your weekend? Lmk in the comments please😇 by @aja_lives23

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14 days ago

I think I’m allowed a few, swear words when it comes to fighting cancer. I’m holding onto my hair at the moment. I’m fully expecting to lose my hair any day now, Enhertu can cause hair loss/hair thinning and I’d be shocked if I kept my hair. I have been praying every day that I get to keep my hair this time. But also, gauging expectations is helpful. If I lose my hair it’ll be the third time in 26 months that I’ve lost my hair. I’ve made peace with it but I do always have a nice, big cry when it starts falling out.
Also I’ve really grown to hate the phrase, “cancer journey.” It makes it sound like cancer is an adventure someone chooses when it’s absolutely not that.

Moth earrings by @iliacreations

#metastaticbreastcancer taken in Anchorage, Alaska by @aja_lives23

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16 days ago

Sweater info:
Pattern: Franky Sweater| Genser by @sandnesgarn
Yarn: @dropsdesign Drops Air, Parrot Green

Moth earrings: by my girl, @iliacreations taken in Anchorage, Alaska by @aja_lives23

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17 days ago