Don’t Wait Until Tomorrow

How many times have you told yourself you’ll call a loved one tomorrow? I am very guilty of it and now I am heartbroken because tomorrow is too late for me to talk to my beloved friend, Melanie.

My beautiful friend passed away last week at just 47 years old. It still seems impossible to process and I’m not sure I will ever fully accept that she is gone.

Melanie was larger than life. She was so beautiful and lit up every room she entered. She had a great sense of humor and you knew she loved you if she made fun of you. I feel so honored she made fun of me, a lot.

When we lived in Austin, we were inseparable. The Palmers moved there a year after we did and our families did everything together. We ate countless meals, spent time on the lake, endless pool days, dancing on 6th street, and spent holidays together. 

The Palmers were our Austin family and I will always cherish those amazing times. Our kids were all great friends too. The summer of 2014 my first cousin’s teen daughters came from Spain to spend a month with us. Looking back, almost every photo is us, the cousins and the Palmers.

On July 4th of 2014, we had the Palmers over for a party and the kids were jumping into the pool and Lexie cut up her leg. I was inside at the time doing the dishes and Melanie had the wherewithal to come tell me and very calmly said, “Lexie cut her leg and is bleeding a lot and will need stitches.” Then she grabbed a towel to stop the bleeding.

She must have known that I would have panicked and fainted without that warning. That was so classic Melanie, to know what everyone needed in a situation. She was steadfast and quick on her feet.

Melanie was funny and smart and strong and sweet and giving and had the voice of an angel. She was loyal and attentive, always checking in on friends and family to see how they were doing. 

Melanie made fast friends with everyone she met. No matter what we did, it was always full of shenanigans and lots of laughter.

I could go on and on about what a great friend Melanie was, but above, all she was the most incredible mom. Every time we spoke on the phone, she would tell me what the kids were up to and say how proud she was of them. I pray they will always feel her close to their hearts.

They are all such great people and her legacy will live on in them forever.

I have a nickname for almost everyone I’m close to. My kids have all kinds of crazy names, everything from “Amor, Baby, Babe, Spruce, Lu, Kimmy, Jimmy. I rarely call anyone I’m close to by their actual name and unironically, my nickname for Melanie, was mama. 

I never thought about the significance until this week when I spent hours crying and looking back at photos and texts and realized that’s what I called her because that is who she was, above all else. 

The most loving amazing mama and her kids were so blessed to have her for the time they did.

There are hundreds of loved ones mourning beautiful Melanie. 

I am so heartbroken I will never get to hear her voice again or her infectious laugh, her inappropriate jokes or her singing. I’ll never get to hug her again or make any new memories. I will never get to hear her say what she always said to her loved ones, “I love you more.”

Last August was the last time I saw her in person. We got together for dinner at the Domain and as always, we had an amazing time. At the end of the night we took a bunch of pictures and I made a Facebook post of our funny poses. The end of my caption said, “Salud to the next time.”

I’m so devastated there will be no next time, no tomorrow. We all get busy, but I am hoping losing a friend so young will remind me to never wait to text, to call, to see a friend or family member.

If you’ve been meaning to call someone and haven’t made the time, don’t wait until tomorrow. Sadly, it may never come.

The only solace that has gotten me through this week is knowing with 100% certainty that Melanie is up in heaven. She was a saint of a woman and I have no doubt she is watching over everyone now. I hope there’s lots of Karaoke, boating, dancing and laughing in heaven. 

There are not enough tears in the world for this tremendous loss. Love you mama. Fly high beautiful angel…you will be forever missed.