So I have wanted to write this post for the last couple of months.  A post dedicated to an amazing women.  My friend Gail.  Gail and I have only been friends for a little over 3 years but it seems like a life time.  She is our neighbor and well I really can’t image my little neighborhood without her.  Gail has been battling cancer.  That crazy ugly word.  The one when you hear it you just fall to your knees and pray that it won’t mean what that word often means.

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I will back up.  Our family has spent many days and even evenings on her front patio talking about life, friends, family and future.  She spends endless hours with my kids in the summer talking about nature.  I call her Snow White because of the critters that visit her patio put the zoo to shame.  She of course feeds them all and cherishes God’s gift of nature.  She is tough as nails but has the most tender heart I know.

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She is the first person to put me in my place and remind me of what is really important in life.  Life lessons, she has taught me a lot about them.  We went to lunch a couple months ago and she told me about the peace that she has found since the beginning of her fight.  She explained that worrying does no one any good.  Her words of advice were that our journey is written out the minute that we are born.  She told me to keep doing what I am doing but don’t forget to sit back and enjoy the ride.  (Insert a whole load of tears) We had a deep talk right there in the middle of Olive Garden.  Crazy right?  Not for Gail she is front and center with feelings and emotions, something I run far away from when they hurt.  Some thing about that conversation made it easy.  She is happy and I am grateful for her smile and happiness.

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She explained that with this diagnosis she has found a beautiful deep sense of peace.  She has a euphoria about her and she is living every second of every day the way she wants too.  I am so proud to be just a morsel of her beautiful and rich life.  My children are blessed to know such a colorful and amazing women.

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Gail visited me yesterday with peace in her eyes.  She received some bad news about her journey with cancer and has embraced it in a way that only Gail can.  She and her strong heart continue to fight and radiate  love as well as life to others.  I sat on the couch in a complete puddle of tears.  There is no strength here.  This is real life and I am cherishing every second this beautiful lady has to share with our family because honestly I can not image life without her.

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These images are prized possessions that will remain with us forever.  The love that she has for our kids (and our crazy dog) are well documented.  Gails partner and love of her life gave her a beautiful necklace that say’s Believe and she continues to do just that every day.  She loves and believes so deeply in her friends and family that she continues to fight so that she can be here for as long as God allows.

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She is a good one.  A person I am honored to have moments with.  She fills my heart up with things to think about.  Real things in real life.  Stuff that needs to be talked about.

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I am forever grateful for her friendship, love and unwavering support.  This world is a better place with her in it and she is now and forever in my heart.

So I will take this weekend and the rest of my life to love harder and deeper.  She taught me that.  She is wealthier then anyone I know in love and friendship.

So as she says to me with every one of her sign offs.

“I will see ya when I see ya, feel my hugs.”  I love her so much!

OXOXO Katie