devon

today a marks a year since she passed. she is still in my thoughts and i still have a good cry at least once a month thinking of her. whenever i see a good sale i flinch to call her...whenever i miss her i go to her blog and read some of her first posts and crack up.

when i think over this year and think about how her life and death have influenced me i realize that it is immeasurable. i feel like i have learned a lot about friendship and the value in it and the value in the celebration of friends, like Devon liked to celebrate - any time she could - any reason she could - it was all a party...one that she couldn't wait to plan! when bryson was first born she was so supportive - she organized all our friends to get gift certificates to restaurants and take-out places and included menus and everything! it was such a help during those first months...she also babysat and helped out any way she could... i missed that with Bodie being born. i also felt a little guilty that here i was with 2 little ones experiencing something she was robbed of.

i have many funny memories of Devon and they pop up in my mind here and there and cause simultaneous waves of joy and sorrow. i miss her because she is no longer here, but without sounding too cheese...she helped change a part of me that needed changing. she helped spawn a lot of change in my life - she influenced me a lot more than she will ever know and i will always remember her for that and always thank her and always remember this day.

i included this last pic because it was such a funny night out - everyone was complaining because we couldn't get into the Sky Room - i just tried to get everyone a drink so they would stop complaining...that night my old band director from high school was playing at this place...anyway - sounds silly but ruthie and devon and i would crack up for many days to come about this night....look at my purse on the table...i still use that purse - and this is from 2006...oh dear...Devon was always trying to get the girls together for a girls night - again any reason to celebrate and any reason to plan something!

i miss my friend. i miss her laugh and her friendship and her planning and her knack for sales and menus and knowing where to go in long beach for anything! i miss her humor and her love for people and her generosity - of herself - her time, her anything you might need without ever asking anything in return. i will continue to honor her and remember her and cry for her and hope that we do meet again someday for a big girls night out!