Happy Birthday to this dear lady!

Happy Birthday to this dear lady!

I find such comfort in rediscovering this blog from time to time and had a lovely time revisiting these memories today.

And above all things...Love -

Dear Rene - I miss you every day. Your legacy stands strong these many years since you joined our Lord in heaven and you are now joined by your mom and dad, and with your brother, aunt, uncle and many more loving relatives and friends. I am still in awe of the love that you have given the world and that the world gave back to you in return. You were in many ways a model, in many ways the glue that held together people, and family and friend culture, and of course those Spirit Week floats at school! You weren't perfect because you are a human after all...but we couldn't really tell the difference. To us, you were an angel on earth and an angel in heaven.

I am grateful to know you. Grateful to be your daughter. Grateful to be your friend. I am grateful in the moments when your voice comes out of my own mouth, or your impact to others plays out in front of my own eyes.

You remind me to try harder, to be better, but ultimately to simply be - not to worry so much. You remind me to love on others more than I love on myself. You remind me to be there to support those around me. You reminder me to love. That is your legacy. Above all things...Love.

Thank you for the beauty that you still bring to this world. Thank you to our maker who gave you to us, and us to you. Thank you for the sincere and glorious kindness and the warmth that you bestowed on everyone in front of you. Thank you for being a mentor to those young leaders around you. Thank you for loving our furry friends (you would have loved our hoofed friend too!). Thank you for being a loving daughter, sister, cousin, niece, wife, mother, grandmother and friend, and so much more.

Here's to you on your birthday dear one. Happy Birthday Rene!!! We LOVE you!