Sarah was one of my favorite people and I already miss her so much. Our bond really began about 11 years ago over infertility and IVF and then grew through parenting and dealing with everyday parenting and life challenges. After I adopted my daughter, Sarah jumped at the chance to join me on an adoption related charity board of directors. Giving time and effort for causes that mattered to the people she cared about totally epitomized Sarah and her character.  Over the past few years, we have had some of the most fun girls’ trips, girls’ dinners, couples dinners and family dinners squeezed in amongst our regular lives of work and loving on our families (and boy did Sarah love Nolan).

It never mattered what was going on in Sarah’s life, she was always one of the first friends to reach out and check in after a surgery or a big life moment, even in the midst of her battle with ALS.  I wish I could meet her now for a bottle of wine and some Mexican food to talk about our parenting struggles and how much we love our kids.

Watching her suffer from this terrible disease these past few months has been excruciating and I can’t begin to imagine how hard it was for her and her family, but she still managed to do that with grace, even when I was a mess. I’m so glad she’s no longer suffering and I believe she’s in a much better place watching over us. 

Nolan and Ryan - my family loves you so much, just as we loved Sarah, and we have you in our thoughts and prayers. I know we all can’t wait to hear her beautiful voice again in heaven.

Tonight, Lisa, Shannon and I went to dinner at one of our favorite spots to go to with Sarah (Rusconis). I wore a “girl gang” bracelet that said “blessed” that Sarah gave to me there a few years ago at Christmas and admittedly cried most of the night (the waiters thought I was nuts). Together we told stories of our time with Sarah, ordered the Mac and Cheese and Short rib, Lisa and I drank probably too much wine, and we all finished it off with bread pudding. The empty chair was heartbreaking - she was so missed tonight and from here forward and is so very loved. Just like the bracelet she gave me said - I was so blessed to have her in my life even if it was way too short a time!