Girls Night

Girls night at Longhorn Steakhouse last night. Fun!!!! Our group included Kelly, Teresa, Denise, Linda, Jennifer and Me:) We are slowly adding to our group. Next month we are meeting at Stix. Can't wait. I told these girls they are good therapy for me. They make me laugh and we have good food.

I get to talk about Shirley when I need to ... and some of the girls have been through their own bad stuff so they have good advice to give me.

Anyway, it's been kind of a slow week, just working. Hope you all are doing good and enjoying life...

Love,

Teresa

P.S.

Hey Dusty, we are going to Keystone, Colorado. We will be going July 4th to July 8th. We will be going with Steve's brother and his family. My two nieces and nephew. And this is the niece that is named after Miss Shirley...Kaitlyn Marie. We haven't really taken a nice family vacation together and I think we really need one.

We are super excited!!!!!

Saying I Love You

I have realized that when somebody gets sick and may possibly die...it is so much easier to tell them you love them. I don't really know why I am telling anyone that, but it's true. I learned so many different things...good and bad when Shirley got sick. That is definitely one of them. I guess it should never be difficult to tell somebody that you really care about that you love them, but sometimes it is. It isn't when you might lose them.

Thursday will be 3 months. I'm not sure why my mind focuses on that date...I hate it. I really hate the #23, I hate the 23rd day. Grrrr... I have never hated a number before.

Had a good weekend with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law...Joe and Kelly and their kids. We actually planned a summer trip together. We will be going to Colorado on the 4th of July. I didn't plan to be gone on the 4th but when the opportunity came up, I jumped at it. I have spent so many 4th of Julys at Shirley's house. We would grill, drink, swim at Tom and Cindy's and then watch the fireworks at Shirley's house. One of the funnest days of the year. But not this year. And I would just rather be as far away as I can.

O.K. I have rambled on long enough. For all of my family and friends..if I don't tell you enough...I love you!!! Have a wonderful, beautiful spring day!!!

Love, Teresa

Yea!!! The Tree:)

I find it really funny that my whole life Shirley called me tree and today we planted a tree in her memory...right next to her. It was really, really nice. Two of my girlfriends showed up from high school..Kelly and Teresa. They are the ones I have been having dinner with...girls night. I will never be able to really tell them how much I appreciate them being there. I could thank them every day for the rest of my life and it would not be enough. To honor Shirley that way was awesome.

Pat, a friend of Shirley's showed up also. Thanks Pat...you are awesome. You have been wonderful through this whole ordeal.

Oh and we are pretty sure Shirley was being kind of ornery this morning. We could not get one of our cameras to work at first. We had new batteries and they all worked before today. But sure enough, as soon as we went to take pictures, my camera, mom's camera and Kathy's camera all quit working. Thank God we eventually got some of them working. Shirley hated her picture being taken after she got cancer. I think she was trying to tell us something.

The tree was planted right next to Shirley. And her headstone is there now too. Those are just symbols out there and I know her real home is in heaven. But I think that little spot she has there really honors her and it is really, really beautiful. Oh and of course we had a visit from a couple of geese flying over. We are sure that was her that came to visit.

I will think about her all day today...

Love,

Teresa

Good Morning

It seems to be a good morning. I have slept pretty good the last 2 nights. I have figured out if I talk about some of the bad things that I have been remembering then I do not think about them as much when I am trying to fall asleep. What sucks is that most people do not want to hear that bad stuff, especially people who love Shirley. So I have to make sure I don't do that too much.

On Tuesday I had lunch with Kathy and Cindy. We went to a Chinese buffet. I was glad we picked that and not the two restaurants we used to go to all the time that were right on that same street. Red Lobster and Olive Garden. I did get an email from Shirley's friend Pat who said they all went to the Red Lobster. That was definitely one of Shirley's favorites.

Tomorrow morning we will be planting Shirley's tree:) I have no doubt in my mind that she would love having a tree planted for her. I hope that the weather is good and that everything goes well.

Have a wonderful day:)

Teresa

I Welcome Any Comments

I am so not offended by any comments that are put on the blog. I welcome them. I can understand the person who wrote that 3 years after her brother died from this horrible cancer she is still reading about it. I promise you I will be doing the same thing. I feel like bile duct cancer has affected every part of my life...and not in a good way. But I feel the need to still follow other people's journey who are affected and I still read their blogs. I will still look to see if any progress has been made in finding treatments. And who knows, down the road I may be able to help somebody with what we have learned.

So even if you are a stranger and we have never met...or you are somebody I love dearly...please feel free to write whatever you want on the blog. This has become a place for me to still talk about Shirley and express my feelings when I am missing her...which is every second of every day.

When I was at dinner last night, I was talking about Shirley and I started crying. My husband felt bad because I was sad. And I told him that I will talk about Shirley every single day until I die. I know it may make people a little uncomfortable or sad, but that's how we remember people we love...or it was like they were never here. So even if I am talking through tears, I will still do it.

I love all of my family and friends and...

I love you and miss you Shirley....

Love,

Teresa

Shirley's Tree:)

Hey, they are planting Shirley's tree Friday morning around 8:00 A.M. If you are interested in being there, you are welcome. I will be there and I will take a lot of pictures.

I had a lot of dreams about her last night. She knew I needed a visit.

Love,

Teresa