Remembering Julie.

Today I remember, Julie, my Mother-in-Law. It has been one year today since she passed. I still can't believe it sometimes. I remember all of it like it was yesterday. She passed away from complication from chemo. {she's the reason Donnie and I chose the treatment we chose in the beginning} Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery to remove the lumps. She was considered cancer free when they decided to do a couple cycles of preventative chemo. Well, that chemo caused a blood clot in her bowel and wound up rupturing her bowel on Thanksgiving day last year. After many surgeries, highs and lows, she went into cardiac arrest a couple weeks later. With the loss of oxygen to her brain, the doctors considered her brain dead and she was on full life support. I remember that day that Don, my father in law, decided to take her off life support like it was yesterday. I was at the hospital, with Amie, waiting for her son, Max to be born. It was such a bittersweet day for me. I was watching this life be born into the world at the same moment I was mourning one leaving this world. I can't tell you how much of a miracle watching a baby being born is. Unless you have experienced it, you will never understand how amazing it is. I have had two babies myself but I have never experienced it from the outside and trust me it is a beautiful thing! But my mind was never off of, Julie. I couldn't stop thinking of her sweet smile and her sarcasm that made her so much fun to be around. She was a safe harbor for me, especially in a family full of boys! We would gossip and laugh and go do girl stuff, and for that she will always be missed. For all that knew her, she was just Julie, she had a certain way about her that you just couldn't help but enjoy. And her love for Rock music and Golf is just a whole other topic :) There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her. When I go to their house I wait for her to walk out of the back room, even though I know she won't, it's like I still wait. I couldn't have asked for a better mother in law and we lost her too soon. Today, I wanted to remember her not only in my mind but also in my words! Here's to you, Julie :)