Celebration of Life

Thank you Nana B and boompa for watching Madison Tuesday and Wednesday. I know she can be a bit cranky. We really appreciated it.

Yesterday I buried one of my best and dearest friends Kristen. It was a sad yet beautiful celebration of her life. While her life was lost at the young age of 35 she lived a rich and beautiful life. Kristen was and is a rare gem.

As the old saying goes when you get served lemons make lemonade. While the saying is easy to say it is not easy to do. Kristen was served lemons and she not only made lemonade, she made lemon spritzers, Lemon coladas, lemon margarita's, etc... (you get the point) She made the best out of every thing she did. She was always happy and smiling no matter what was going on.

Kristen and I had been friends since childhood. I remember her on the school bus with her blue figure skating jacket. I remember playing softball together in grade school, soccer in high school, partying and growing up in our twenties. Our twenties were crazy times. In our heydays we pretty much ended the evenings singing "Friends in Low Places" and then cooking at my apartment on Lafayette St.

I actually hated country music until Kristen forced me to go to the Alan Jackson concert. She made me listen to his CD over and over so I could at least know his songs. Then she would bargain with me in the car country on the way to "Thirsty Thursday's" at the Henrich House and Top 40 on the way home. She then dragged me to see Garth Brooks. I laugh because it is practically just about all I listen to now. Eerily funny and sad when Dave and I were leaving the cemetary the song on the radio was "Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox". I started crying and said to Dave this is just like her. Here are the lyrics.


Well I ain't afraid of die'n,
It's the thought of being dead
I wanna go on being me once my eulogys been read
Don't spread my ashes out to sea, don't lay me down to rest
You can put my mind to ease if you fill my last request


Prop me up beside the jukebox when I die
Lord I wanna go to heaven but I don't wanna go tonight
Fill my boots up with sand,
put a stiff drink in my handprop me up beside the jukebox when I die

Just make your next selection and while your still iin line
You can pay you last respects one quarter at a time


Prop me up beside the jukebox when I die
Lord I wanna go to heaven but I don't wanna go tonight
fill my boots up with sand
put a stiff drink in my handprop me up beside the jukebox when I die

Oh prop me up beside the jukebox when I die

The last time I saw Kristen was at my baby shower and she was vibrant, happy, serene and complete. I have never seen her quite this way. She had everything she wanted in life beautiful kids, a husband she was madly in love with. She and I talked with our friends about her happiness. She beamed when talking about her and Sal's first house. She couldn't contain her excitement. She was describing her feeling of freedom and independence of ownership. She was excited because Sal was fixing it up and she said it was looking so good. She was thrilled to tell me Tori started figure skating. I believe she was at a lesson at the time. She was so proud of her daughter sharing her passion.


I asked her how her valve was doing and she said she was great. She joked in her usual manner saying how she may need to do something in a year or so and she should probably start walking because she had gained a few pounds (though she looked great). This was her cheery spirit that I loved her for. Who knew the last jokes we shared would be the very same reason she is on her way to spice up heaven. I have so many great memories of her. We shared many laughs and a few tears. I am thankful that the last time I spent with her was a beautiful fun day. Though god is cruel and unusual and I just can't figure out his reasoning (I probably never will). I thank him for allowing our last time together to be blissful. Those of you who were with us that day have agreed that she never looked happier. I am glad she found her happiness.


Rest in peace Kristen, I love you.