Our friend Amber

It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I write this post today. While I usually have no trouble at all finding words to write or say, I am at a loss now... over the loss of my friend.

Over the last four weeks, Amber fought so hard to conquer the Leukemia that consumed her body and while the first round of chemotherapy worked, the internal bleeding was too much for her body to handle. Yesterday morning, the internal bleeding went into her brain and there was too much damage for her to recover. Her sweet husband Eric removed her from life support and she slowly drifted to heaven, where we know she is in no more pain. But unfortunately for those of us left here on Earth, we are in a tremendous amount of pain thinking about how we will move on without our friend. We are especially hurting for her husband Eric who can't make sense of it all. The loss of a spouse is more than I can comprehend.

Susie and I got the news simultaneously from our husbands yesterday while we were driving back from Memphis. We were out of town for a girls weekend and the guys got together and decided it was best to call us at the same time and let us know. Unfortunately it was a 7 hour drive home and we did not make it to the hospital in time to say our goodbyes. But while I wish I had the chance to see her and hold her hand before her time had come, it could be a blessing from God that I will always remember her as a healthy and vibrant young woman who had a tremendous amount of faith, a passion for decorating, and a very strong desire to be a mother. I only wish she'd had that opportunity. She would have been an amazing mother.

So for those of us left here to figure out why this happened... we may never have an answer. But we must try to carry on with our lives and hold onto our friends and family a little tighter. I hugged and kissed Chris a little more when I got home from Memphis. I snuggled a little longer with my kids. And I know I appreciate my best friend more today than I ever have.