Wednesday, May 18, 2011

A Day of Silence

Yesterday my aunt passed away. Half a year ago she was diagnosed with cancer, and she spent every second from then on fighting for her life. She was always a feisty person, and we were all pulling for her.

Sadly, the cancer was too strong.

We prayed for her as she struggled and fought against the cancer, never giving up hope that a miracle could happen and that she could beat this deadly and aggressive opponent. It was hard, sometimes, to keep that hope alive, because as anyone whose been touched by cancer themselves or seen a friend or loved one with cancer, the fight is never a pretty one, and it is never easy - for the patient and also their friends and family. It is long and difficult. And very, very sad.

We never gave up hope.

She was such an amazing person. She was a fantastic wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. She was always the life of the party, smiling and laughing about one crazy thing my family's done or another. She was one of the funnest people I've ever known, so full of life and vigor. She was always making everyone smile and laugh, and over the years she wasn't just a sister-in-law to my mother, she became close friends with my mom - they were always getting together and calling each other up about one thing or another.

And she never forgot what it was like to be young, broke, crazy, and in love. She was the only person who asked me if Tom was "the one" right after we started dating. And when I said "Yes, I think so", she just smiled and nodded.

4 years later and we were wed.

She had experienced it all. She was able to make me feel better when, as newlyweds and college grads, Tom and I had no job and no money, and moved into his parent's basement until we could find our feet. She told us her own story about how she and my uncle had gone through that same exact thing - they were married, poor, and lived in my grandparent's basement for the first few months of their marriage. She assured us that we'd figure it out and be fine.

And we did.

Her and my uncle were one of the funnest couples I've ever known - they were so full of laughter, fun, life. They truly loved each other, and valued the important things in life.

They were the type of couple that inspires you to strive to be like them and have a fun and healthy relationship with each other, and those around you.
Aunt Debbie, I love you and hope that you have found peace in heaven and in His arms. You will be missed by everyone who knew you and were touched by you. You fought for so long and so hard, but now you can rest. You inspired me in many ways throughout the years, and I, like so many others, will miss you dearly. I'm glad that you are finally free of pain, but I, and our family, won't ever be the same without you in our lives. You inspired me and so many, and will never be forgotten.
__________________________________________

Tomorrow and Friday, we will be taking a day of silence here on the blog, in her memory. It is a time to remember, reflect, and be with family as much as possible. And as you browse decorating or home improvement or other blogs, please take a moment to reflect on the more important things in life - the people you love.
Did you enjoy this post? Please subscribe for free updates in the future and to see what we're up to next!

7 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry for your loss, Chelsea. She sounds like she was an amazing person. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Reading this post made me tear up. Your aunt sounds like such a wonderful and inspiring person. My grandma has been battling cancer for the last couple of years, and it's been a tough time. This post is a good reminder that we need to take time to appreciate and spend time with the people we love. I'll be thinking of you guys!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm so sorry for your loss. It's never easy losing a loved one. Praying for you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for all your kind words. This is a tough time for my family.

    ~Chelsea

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm so sorry. Nick's mom is a cancer patient (on an incurable cancer) and it's such a horrible disease. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family. She sounds like a truly wonderful woman.

    ReplyDelete
  7. i am so, so sorry for your loss. unfortunately we are dealing with cancer within my family as well. such an epidemic of unreal proportions, and no end in sight. it's unbelievable, really.

    ReplyDelete

We love and read all comments, but please no spam, hateful/hurtful comments, drama or bashing. Thank you!

Related Posts with Thumbnails