Wife,Mom,Grandmother,Aunt,Friend...Cheryl. She has been a big part of my life for the last 29 years. I met her in 1989 through work. But James and Cheryl became Uncle and Aunt when Josh was born in 1997. They were involved in the most important events of our lives. Josh's birth, Josh and John's Baptism and Our Wedding (Yes in that order). Cheryl was there through the good times, on our many trips to Jamaica, we shared a lot of good times and I have the pictures to prove it. Through the struggles of a new relationship, family and everything that goes along with it. She was, My Adoptive Mother, My Interior Decorator, My Therapist, My Party Planner and My Maid of Honor, most of all Cheryl was my Friend. No one person can ever fill those rolls for me. Cheryl was Feisty, yet Kind, Honest, yet an exaggerator of the truth, Giving of Spirit yet unforgiving of hurtful people, Tough yet Gentle. If you were lucky to be counted as a friend, there was nothing she wouldn't do for you and if she couldn't do it, she would get James to. Cheryl would give you the shirt off her back...Literally. Everytime I visited she gave me something, one time a jacket, another time paring knives...I even left  with two of her bra once. Something. Anything. But always the leftover Jamaican food (James doesn't eat leftovers).  Cheryl is a big part of our memories, always will be, I will miss her so very much. Just knowing she was a phone call away and she had my back meant the world to me. Cheryl would always end our phone calls with "I love you and make sure to tell Josh I love him and if he needs me both James and I are here for him, I love him so very much, I hope he knows that."  John, Josh and I did know she loved us, truly loved us, because of, or in spite of our faults. I think that is what I'm going to miss most, you could really be yourself with Cheryl, no judgement, and she could be herself with us. John and her shared many a  banter, with the use of a few descriptiive words...OK they swore, they swore a lot! But they always ended with a big laugh, a hug and another FU!

I am sorry for your loss....But Selfishly, I'm sorry for Mine, Josh and John's even more.

All my Love, Terri