Very recently, our good, sweet, wonderful friend, Michelle, passed away from a brain aneurysm. She was 36, and left a husband and 3 kids behind. It is still such a shock. She was one of the funniest, loving, giving people, that I have ever met. Our friendship started at the Shell gas station by our home, where she worked. She was our favorite cashier. She worked afternoon shift. She ALWAYS had a smile on her face, and always had something witty to say to Pete and I. Last spring, her hubby and kids started visiting her at work, so we met the family. Michelle told us that she wanted Pete and I to come hang out with her family at THEIR house. We accepted the offer, and the rest is history. Last summer her job at the Shell ended, but our friendship just kept getting stronger and stronger. Her family lived (still does) just up the road from us, a 4 minute drive. Her kids are my friends on Facebook, and it tears my heart out, to read their status updates, since she has passed away. They miss her SO much, and they long for her, especially the two youngest. Michelle had many struggles in her life, and had a hard life, until she met and married her husband. I know that he is still in shock, as we all are, but Pete and I are going to take the family under "our wings", and look out for them, I know Michelle would have appreciated that. During the day, I find myself about to text Michelle or send her a message on Facebook, and then I realize she's gone. I feel that a really "good" part of my life is gone now. We went for coffee just 3 weeks before she died, and we laughed SO hard together, and she told me some things, from her heart, that she felt were important. In a way, I think God was preparing her, in His own way. My last memory of her, is her walking to her front door, from my car, she turned her head and said good-bye, and was laughing SO hard because she was struggling with her shopping bags but didn't want my help. I'm glad I have that last memory of her :)