It's been awhile ...

but I'm back. I've had a rough couple of weeks behind me. I had planned a trip home (to Belgium) to visit with my best friend (Erna) and my family and then things went wrong. See, my best friend Erna, whom I've been friends with for 40 yrs has been fighting breast cancer for 17 yrs. Can you imagine, non-stop on chemo for that many years! I don't know how she did it ... but she did ... strongest women I've ever met, never complained until about 4 weeks ago. She mentioned to me then that she didn't think she'd be around when I would arrive in Belgium. So we did what we thought was right ... we said goodbye to each other just in case she wasn't going to make it till then. The hardest thing I've ever had to do ... but I think when we did it, it made us both feel better about the situation. Then every evening and morning I texted her, she ended up in the hospital only 2 days before my arrival and the evening before my flight she wished me a good and safe trip and a happy face and that was it ... that was the last text message I received. When I arrived in Belgium she went into a comma and peacefully passed away shortly after my arrival. I didn't make it to the hospital in time so you can imagine how sad I was not have seen my friend before she passed away but I'm so glad we did say goodbye the week before and were still able to communicate up until the evening before she died. I'm so sad I lost my best friend, sad for her family and especially sad for her two wonderful daughters. She was a fantastic mom and I know that those 17 yrs she fought breast cancer she did it to see her kids grow up. It's hard to loose a loved one, 51 yrs old is just way too young to die but I do thank God for letting her be part of my life. I miss her e-mails, chats and messages but most of all I miss my best friend.

These are flowers from Erna's garden, purple lilacs are my favorite and since they were from her garden they are even more special!