Steph

My dear friend Steph passed away this month. We played soccer together in high school, visited each other in college and the years after, were in each other's weddings, and then ended up settling down and raising our families about 20 minutes from each other, and her son Kelby and Ben are buddies. Steph was diagnosed with stomach cancer in May 2014 and bravely battled it with chemo and surgeries. She is in heaven now and no longer in pain. We will be comforted in this time of great loss by all the wonderful memories she left behind.  Nate counts Steph and her husband Chris as his very first friends. She would always play board games and spend good qualify time with him and the kids.  Steph was so sweet and always listened and gave great advice. She loved to garden and the outdoors and had a beautiful smile. The last time I saw her, on July 29th, she told me she was dreaming about having bubble gum ice cream - the good old fashinoned blue kind with the actual gumballs in it that came w/ a small paper cup to spit the gumballs in.  She wasn't able to eat or drink anything at the time. I vow to always eat bubblegum ice cream when I come across it and to think of Steph. Her brother-in-law made sure that it was served at the lunch after her funeral.    Please pray for her husband Chris, her son Kelby, her parents, her sister, her in-laws, and all of her family and friends.  We love you Steph-always.

Riley, Ben, Steph and Kelby in 2011. I love this photo of her big smile.

Steph, Kara and I at Ben's 4th birthday party in May 2014. She was diagnosed with cancer the next day.

Gig Harbor girls - May 2015

With Kelby at Steph's funeral - the kids found an angel.

Note-I'm posting this on 8/31 and back dating it. It has been hard to even think about writing this post. I miss Steph very much and my heart is broken for her family. I make a blog book at the end of each year and it was important for me to include this post in it.