Julie has been gone for two weeks and three days. Why does it seem like forever and yet seem like yesterday at the same time?

The celebration of life service on Saturday helped with some closure but I'm still missing her. I know that it takes time to get over losing someone you love but how much time? How do we know when to stop grieving? The answer for me is: You don't EVER stop missing them - you just get used to it.

Julie would be the first one to say, "Okay, now it's time to get back into the swing of things." Only she would say it in that wonderful English way of hers. Michelle and I are soldiering on without our little general but it feels as if a piece is missing (besides my leg and Michelle's spleen!) - we were the three muskateers for so long! But before that, we were the FOUR muskateers until we lost Bonnie Holmes on March 28th, 2010 - can it really be less than a year ago when we were all together? Maybe I feel a little overwhelmed with loss but there's this wonderful book called, 'Choosing to Smile' that will help me work through my grief!

I know that it's okay to be sad - it's okay to cry - it's okay to miss someone almost more than you think you can bear - but it's also okay to enjoy coffee with a friend, smile in the sunshine, laugh at a joke, eat, drink, love, and be happy without them. Because before you know it we'll have had our day in the sun and we'll be traveling the same road they took before us.

So, my two wonderful friends Bonnie and Julie are likely having a fabulous time catching up and rejoicing in finally feeling 'good'. And you know what? I plan on rejoicing NOW because I once had these two exceptional people in my life rather than cry over the fact that they left too soon. And you know what else? I am so very grateful to still have such an abundance of exceptional people in my life here and now to share every remarkable moment until it's my turn to leave!

Thanks to everyone who came to Julie's service on Saturday to celebrate a life well-lived. She will be missed - now, let's all go out and smile at someone and make Julie proud!