Friends » The Chronicles of Munchkin Land

Thank You, Judy

Friends 10 Responses »

Dec 092011

Judy passed away yesterday evening.

2007: Me, pregnant with LB, Dawn and Judy, a few months before her initial diagnosis.

As with anyone who dies, there are things left unsaid. And so…

Thank you, Judy, for the laughs.

Thank you for the books for my sons; so many of the ones you bought became fast-and-forever favorites.

Thank you for being snarky.

Thank you for accepting me.

Thank you for your voice.

Thank you for learning and growing.

Thank you for your ear, your shoulder.

Thank you for the emails, the comments, the tweets, the connection.

Thank you for days on the beach, even if it was in the middle of Ohio.

Thank you for befriending my mom.

Thank you for loving my family.

Thank you for touching my life.

Thank you for being you, Judy.

A Pause for Judy

Friends 7 Responses »

Dec 082011

Please take a moment and say a prayer for Judy of Just Enjoy Him. Today she entered hospice.

–

Judy and I met years ago via the adoption groups on LiveJournal. When we realized that we lived close to one another (an hour and twenty minutes is close in Ohio, you guys), we struck up a friendship. She is an adoptive mom, and was one of the first real life adoptive mom people who embraced me for who I was. Over the years, she attended birthday parties and hung out with us at a local state park. We had lunch and exchanged snarky messages about everything from adoption to books. She remains my favorite snarky librarian.

In December 2007 she was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. She was actually diagnosed with cancer just after my mom was in September of that year and the two also forged a friendship over some shared experiences — and some differences.

Today I am sad and angry and praying and all that goes into not wanting to lose a friend. I ask you to do the same. Judy has been a voice in the blogosphere for years. About adoption, about ethics, about books, about faith, about cancer, about life. I encourage you to pause today to read a bit of Judy, to say a prayer for both Judy and her family and to cover them all in your love today.