This is my first attempt at blogging. It will be interesting to see how quickly I will catch on. My prompt for this site is simply ... loss. I have known my entire life how the loss of loved ones influences your life. You will lose special people that influence you in any number of ways for multiple reasons; disagreements, moving, life changes and ultimately death.
2007 proved to be a very difficult year in our family. I have lost an aunt and two uncles to cancer followed by a new diagnosis of breast cancer in my mother-in-law. I was anxiously awaiting the new year and as Christmas approached I began to delicately prepare for the holidays. As I do every year, I took out my address book and paged through the names recognizing the cards that would no longer be sent. As I came to a name that had been overlooked for a few years, I decided to confirm that the address was still correct. I typed my college roommates name into a google search and I found a lovely blog with a photo of a beautiful face that I could never forget. Sandi http://www.eachdaynew.blogspot.com/ was someone you couldn't forget. We had lost touch over the years, but I was overwhelmed by the emotion that came over me as I read that she was gone. A flood of memories rushed through my mind. A happy and glowing young woman; passionate about education, desperately in love with her highschool sweetheart and consistently motherly to the three other girls sharing a suite with her. She was my rock. She believed in me, especially when I didn't believe in myself. I will always remember her and the influence she had on my life. Oh, Sandi ... I wish I could have told you how great you were, I wish I could laugh with you about how you used to push me out of the bottom bunk with your feet as you held onto the top bunk (of course, because I was going to be late for class), I wish I could thank you for the yarn covered hangers (your Grandma made for us) that still keep my clothes from getting wire marks. You are still with those of us that loved you because I still see you everywhere!!! Thank you for planting yourself so firmly in our hearts and minds.
Sandi deserves the credit for whatever rekindling of relations may come from the use of this blog. This blog will serve as a space for opening lines of communication with those that are important to us. It will allow us to share moments with my family in North Carolina, my friend in Pennsylvania, and our humorous Texan friend LeRoy.
Well, 2008 please send us an uplifting year!!!
3 comments:
Kathryn,
I can't tell you how great it was to hear from you. I knew all of Sandi's other roomates and had heard lots about you but never met you. It is still hard for me to think of her with roomates in college because that was in what we have affectionately termed the "Black Hole" years.
When we were in the hospital with her yours was one of the names that came up that she had lost touch with you. I know that she loved you and your time together was one of the great memories in her life.
The timing of your message was crazy, Our Mom brought Logan and Lauren to visit for the first time since Sandi died and they arrived just last night. I have missed having daily contact with her and knowing what is going on in their lives. On the drive down mom and Lauren were talking and Lauren said that she missed her mom. Mom asked her what she missed the most and Lauren immediately said "sitting on her lap" When they arrived, we met at a basketball game and Lauren climbed into my lap and started cuddling and told me that it was like being in her mom's lap. I had to try not to cry right there in the high school gym!
I am so glad that you have started blogging. Sandi did it under duress at the beginning, she hated the idea of journaling but found it to be a great way to share her thoughts and feelings about her illness with a lot of us without having to talk to each one of us and repeat herself over and over. I don't know if you did this but if you haven't you need to go back to the beginning of the blog in Dec 2006 and read it through in order. I still go back to read it as it sounds just like her at the beginning. Good luck with your blog!
Kristi,
I'm so glad that Lauren can find comfort in your lap. I know Sandi would love that! I can't even imagine how hard every day is for everyone. Thank you for your reply. I am so glad to have had a chance to finally meet you, even if it is just electronically. I will scan in Sandi's composition paper from college and send it to you. You are all in our thoughts daily.
Sincerely,
Kathryn
Kathryn, I'm so glad to read and be a part of your blog. I'm looking forward to the pics and being able to stay in contact with everyone alittle,hopefully.Ashley is still away at collegeat Northwest Univ., Josh and Jason are both attending the local comm. college full time now. I'm still on medical leave from work.Bob is busy with end of year for the farm. All and all we are all doing well looking forward to a new begining with 08. Hope your mother in law is doing well.
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