Its cloudy here today and cold, very cold. Brad was sick with a cold and I had a busy morning planned. We decided to surprise Brad with a balloon and some soup for lunch to make him feel better. As we were dropping him off at work my mom called to tell me my cousin Catie died today. She is the exact same age as me, and has three kids. She was diagnosed with cancer when she was 4 months pregnant with her youngest. What a blow, to find you are pregnant with a little girl, but then to receive such terrible news. Caite is sweet too, she comes from that
good family, you know the kind where everyone is just plain nice and smiling and laughing all the time. The kids never got into trouble and they all loved and supported each other. Makes it even harder to hear the news.
Caite was a fighter the whole way through and really optimistic. There are two things that I think of when I remember my cousin: 1. her smile, and 2. She played the violin so well. When I was younger we'd have family reunion's and her and her younger sister would play for us all. And we have a large family on my mom's side so they were not playing in front of 5 or 10 of us it was like 80 of us! And they'd just get up there and confidently play the most pretty music. I appreciate that now more than ever.
Caite with her husband:
There she is with her two oldest kids. Do you see that happy smile? Her mom has said she has been really amazing through the whole battle. Last Tuesday she was having a hard time breathing and they thought she might pass on, but somehow she made it through the night. The next morning she told her husband and mom who were sitting by her bed. "Well I thought Heavenly Father was calling me home last night. But someone cut in line." It made me smile to think she was trying to have a sense of humor about her situation even at the very end. They both were crying and laughing at the same time. It speaks of her to try and make others laugh around you when your situation is so dire. I don't know if I would be that brave or selfless. Thanks for the example Caite your the best!
8 comments:
Every time I read or see a picture about Catie, I just start to cry. She was an amazing person!
Oh Dana, she is so beautiful. I'm sorry for your sad news today. You did a wonderful blog post - very upbeat. I like that about you - it must run in your whole family. My heart is aching for your cousin's family and we will keep them in our prayers. I love you all - hope Brad gets better very soon. Mom/Nat
So sorry for your loss Dana. What a tremendous woman. An example to all of us.
So sorry for the loss of such a wonderful woman. You and your family are in my prayers.
Dana, Thanks for your tribute to Catie. She was indeed an amazing person. We will miss her so much. We never got to have the mother/daughter get together that Jackie and I talked about. At least not during this life time. Love and miss you.
Mom
I was thinking of her the other day. I can't look at the picture of the kids kissing her bald head without crying.
I think I'm going to get off the computer and spend time with the kids.
Wow! So young! And what a beautiful smile indeed! These stories always make me want to spend a little more time with those I love!
Sorry to hear about the loss!!
Dana, I haven't been blog surfing in awhile so I didn't know that you had lost your cousin. I'm so sorry for this tremendous loss . . . there just doesn't seem like a good enough reason for a young mother of three children to be taken. Her countenance truly is full of light . . . thanks for sharing the photos and thoughts about this beautiful young woman.
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