Kendra's Wedding Gift

Best Friends:

Lauren, Kendra and Jae

One of the things which was hard about the loss of Jae was that we had to endure watching normal activities of teenager life pass without her being a part. All of her friends enjoyed homecoming games, proms, graduation ceremonies and other happy teenager milestones while our family was left with only our imagination, our regrets, our grief and a longing for our lives to be a part of the normalcy that others enjoyed.

What would have been a huge moment for Jae happened this past Sunday. I've dreaded anticipated it for a long time but we found a way to make Jae a part of it.

Back in 1987, Jae, Kendra Huffman and Lauren Burton were all dropped into the church nursery within three months of each other. They were best friends throughout their entire lives, even though they often grew apart or became involved in activities which took them different directions. Without a real plan to do so, they remained "intentional" friends. They remembered each other's birthdays, exchanged gifts for Christmas and ran to join each other if one needed a "friend therapy" session.

Jae was a collector of pigs. Don't ask me why, but she loved stuffed ones, glass ones, paintings of pigs, photos of pigs, pig calenders, pig slippers, pig costumes, pig tails, etc. Growing up, some of the best pig-gifts Jae received were from Kendra or Lauren.

Kendra is getting married.

Jae is supposed to be involved doing the things that best friends do for brides.

Instead, there were other good friends hosting the shower and attending to Kendra.

I longed for Kendra's best friend with all of my heart and soul.

The last gift Kendra opened was from us.

I don't know if you can see the detail, but the picture is one of a very calm serene country pond with a little pink pig running wide open and leaping off of the dock into the water.

Kendra honey, I believe Jae is celebrating with you.