Shock & Sadness

This morning I heard the shocking news of the death of my friend, Dawn. I still don't quite believe the news. Dawn was just 33 years old -- a young wife and the mother of a one-year old little girl. At this point, no one knows what caused her death, and the family has ordered an autopsy. This hits so close to home...literally. Dawn and her family are our neighbors. They live one street over from us.

I first met Dawn through work since our jobs often intersected. We got together for lunch in January of this year and began building a friendship, as we talked about her daughter, day care, and how much having children changes your life. I was pregnant at the time, and Dawn was so supportive throughout my pregnancy.

We were both thrilled when we moved to her neighborhood in March and were excited about being neighbors. We talked about our kids playing together and us getting together for barbecues.

After Grace was born, Dawn came over one evening, and we had a lovely visit. She recommended the day care her daughter was attending, and we decided that that’s where Grace would go. I trusted Dawn’s judgment, and she felt so good about the care that her daughter was receiving there.

Grace’s first day of day care was last week, and Dawn sent me the sweetest email, which began "I wish I could come by and give you a BIG HUG (SQUEEEZZZZEEEEEE). I know exactly how you feel, trust me it does get easier."

The next day Grace and I went to her house for a visit. I needed a friend who understood the struggle of those first days of day care, and Dawn comforted me and assured me I'd get through it. While I was there, we talked about us getting together more often and Grace getting bigger so she and Dawn's daughter could play together. It's hard to believe that was last week, and this week she is gone.

It's a harsh, painful reminder that life is so precious. We never know when God will call us home. We need to cherish each and every moment with our families and tell them we love them often. Tonight I spent most of the night holding Grace close to me and telling her and Martin how much I love them. The loss of a friend always hurts, but especially someone so young and full of life. I will always remember Dawn's smile and laughter. She loved to make people laugh, and all who knew her thought the world of her.

Please pray for Dawn's family and friends as they cope with her sudden death. And live each day to the fullest.