Kim Velting: Today She Is An Angel

Kim Velting passed away today at home, surrounded by her family.  It's a sad day here in Lowell.

My sister and I were out and about going to yard sales this morning, we went to lunch at Macarroni Grill with Sami and Laren.  I found all kinds of good deals on clothes and shoes for Sami.  We decided to pull into the neighborhood by Meijer since they were having a bunch of yard sales.  I was looking at little girl shoes when I saw an ambulance drive up. 

I thought that a blue hair must've had too much heat or something.  Then it hit me, and I asked the lady who owned the home next door, "is that Kim's house next door?"  And she said it was.  She felt terrible because she didn't know that she would be home today, she wouldn't have had her sale.  Kim's illness had obviously affected her neighborhood as well.  Doesn't surprise me because she was always such a kind person.

Well, as I was getting back into my truck, the back doors to the ambulance opened and they wheeled Kim out and into her home, where her family was waiting.  I saw Ginny, and probably another neighbor standing on the sidewalk holding hands and saying a prayer. 

Kim has two young boys and that just breaks my heart.  Kim is my age and I look at how much I've been bitching and complaining about stress, too much laundry, too much housework, and the kids driving me crazy....all while someone I have known almost my whole life was losing her life to cancer.  It really makes a person think about how blessed they are.

So, for the second time in about a year I'll be going to the funeral home for a friend from school.  I'm so incredibly sad about it.  I cried after leaving the yard sale and told my sister that it's just a big slap in the face!  REALITY!  You don't always have unlimited time.  When you love someone, tell them.  When you have a fight, don't let it go on for years and lose precious time with loved ones.  Tell your husband (or wife) and your kids how much you love them, every single day.

I just told Scott the other day that he sleeps too much.  He's an 8 hour a day kind of sleeper....then add in naps it's closer to 9 hours.  A person has to rest, but you don't get those hours back.  I've been thinking more and more about this lately.  I just told Scott last week that we need to increase our life insurance and update our wills and beneficiary stuff.  A person just never knows what the future will be, so we shouldn't waste the time we have here.

Tina and I were just talking about the fact that Jason and Dani will both be 18 years old in just a short time.  Jason is a Senior and will be graduating in about a month.  I feel like he should still be about 8 years old.  Where did the last 10 years go?  Another example, and maybe I already talked about this.  When Scott and I got married we said that we were going to go on an Alaskan cruise for our 10th Wedding Anniversary.  That's next year.  Where have 10 years gone so fast?

Sami is 2 1/2 and in the blink of an eye she is going to be 18 and graduating.  She is laying here next to me on my pillow.  She woke up crying and came stumbling in and wanted to lay in bed with us.  She is wearing pink flannel spongebob jammies and she looks like a little angel.  I also know that she is going to be all grown up so damn fast. 

It's my goal to slow down a little bit.  Don't get me wrong, the kids still drive me crazy.  But I want to remind myself often that life is so short.  The little crap in life just can't get you down.  I know it's a hell of a lot easier to say than to do....but if you commit yourself to focusing more on your family and learning how to manage your time and stress better.....you won't have any regrets when the time comes for you to go home.

Rest in peace Kimberly Velting.