serena.
what can i say about sweet serena?
to know her is to absolutely LOVE her.
she is genuine, loyal, honest, kind, compassionate, understanding, the BEST listener, full of humor, gorgeous inside and out.
i could go on and on. and on.
i just love her. we're soul sisters.
here's our little meeting story. it's a God thing. and when your meeting is a God thing, it just works. it's right. it is a friendship formed in heaven and carried out on earth.
i was a myspace fanatic several years back (forget myspace people- facebook is where it's at these days:) i had a friend on there whom i had only met in person a couple of times (because she became friends with some of my good friends after i moved to texas.)
this girl jamie who lives in hawaii is so cute. she emails me one day and says "you should be friend's with my friend serena here on myspace. she has a kid and YOU have kids."
(i thought it was funny how a single person assumed that that fact alone would bond us.)
i said "sure!" and i 'friended' serena.
serena was this beautiful gal who lived in las vegas, nevada with her hubby and daughter. we emailed a few times and i found myself laughing out loud at her humorous stories and sarcasm. i remember telling my husband that i met this funny chick online and she was just so cool. (he is the anti myspace/facebook man, so he thought i was insane. or pathetic. i'm not sure exactly which.)
after a couple of months of correspondence with serena, i noticed in her profile that she had once lived in socorro, nm. i only ever knew ONE GIRL in my life who was from socorro- and her name was natalie gallegos. instantly, i made the connection. serena was natalie's little sister! NO WAY!!!!! we grew up just a few blocks from each other. natalie and i were childhood friends. we had sleepovers, adventures, were BAND NERDS together, and we rode the same school bus for seven years! i vaguely remembered her lil sis, serena, riding her banana bike behind us as we walked through the neighborhood and natalie yelling "serena go home!"
i could not believe the connection made on the internet from states away.
so cool.
serena confirmed that yes, she was natalie's lil sis, and that natalie was now a mom of four living in east albuquerque.
a couple of months later while visiting her extended family here in albie-serena invited me to meet up with her and natalie, my long lost childhood friend.
i did, and of course natalie was as beautiful as ever. (she was always a knockout growing up. i don't remember her going through the gangly, brace face stage that i went through.)
we awkwardly and politely became reacquainted in the mall play place. "let me see this little guy" she said, and she reached for my chubby 3 month old asher. "oh YOU ARE CUTE!" she said as she held him in front of her. they were nose to nose. my heart fluttered and i knew we were going to become friends again.
fast forward to a few months later. serena calls me and says that her best friend, her sister natalie, has had a seizure. they think she'll be alright. tests are being done but the family really just thinks maybe it was stress induced. natalie was known for running herself ragged.
always on the go go go with her children.
but it was not so.
glioblastoma. stage three.
there couldn't have been a worse diagnoses.
brain surgery was had, but the outlook was still grim.
natalie was sent to a rehabilitation center for physical therapy to learn how to walk and gain strength after her surgery. the family asked me to spend the night with her once, and it will be one of my most treasured memories for the rest of my life.
we stayed up late talking and sharing our hearts- just like old times.
in the early morning hours i heard her awake with a sweet whisper to the Lord, "thank you Jesus." pretending to still be asleep, i smiled and cried at the same time.
i watched her work harder than anyone i'd ever seen- relearning how to use her right arm and leg. i could not wrap my head around the strength that this woman had. she was truly a survivor and a warrior. she had so much hope to live and to be a mother to her children. she gave ME hope. it was such a life transforming time to be witness to natalie and the exceptional person she was.
serena and her husband MOVED their family from las vegas to albuquerque so they could help in every way.
serena became a surrogate mother to natalie's four children.
she loved them, guided them, drove them and fed them--all the while taking care of her toddler daughter and newborn son.
i can't tell you how many times i thanked God that natalie had these two amazing sisters. carrie and serena, and a heavenly mother, lovely erlinda. her family is so close and everybody stepped in to help.
my good friends know i have something i refer to as "sister envy". having a brother is not the same as having a sister. i know this. i see this. i have coveted having a sister many times in my life. but it was never more powerful as when i saw the connection between natalie and her sisters.
many times i'd watch them crawl into bed with her and just snuggle. sometimes whispering lovely things in her ear. or sometimes just being.
and then she passed.
that was almost a year and a half ago. since then, serena has become what i refer to as "super aunt" and her husband tom "super uncle." they visit natalie's kids and husband several times a week. they grocery shop for them. they offer advice and guidance and love and hugs. they moved here for all the right reasons but just haven't caught that break they deserve in their careers. it's been difficult to say the least.
what can i say about sweet serena?
to know her is to absolutely LOVE her.
she is genuine, loyal, honest, kind, compassionate, understanding, the BEST listener, full of humor, gorgeous inside and out.
i could go on and on. and on.
i just love her. we're soul sisters.
here's our little meeting story. it's a God thing. and when your meeting is a God thing, it just works. it's right. it is a friendship formed in heaven and carried out on earth.
i was a myspace fanatic several years back (forget myspace people- facebook is where it's at these days:) i had a friend on there whom i had only met in person a couple of times (because she became friends with some of my good friends after i moved to texas.)
this girl jamie who lives in hawaii is so cute. she emails me one day and says "you should be friend's with my friend serena here on myspace. she has a kid and YOU have kids."
(i thought it was funny how a single person assumed that that fact alone would bond us.)
i said "sure!" and i 'friended' serena.
serena was this beautiful gal who lived in las vegas, nevada with her hubby and daughter. we emailed a few times and i found myself laughing out loud at her humorous stories and sarcasm. i remember telling my husband that i met this funny chick online and she was just so cool. (he is the anti myspace/facebook man, so he thought i was insane. or pathetic. i'm not sure exactly which.)
after a couple of months of correspondence with serena, i noticed in her profile that she had once lived in socorro, nm. i only ever knew ONE GIRL in my life who was from socorro- and her name was natalie gallegos. instantly, i made the connection. serena was natalie's little sister! NO WAY!!!!! we grew up just a few blocks from each other. natalie and i were childhood friends. we had sleepovers, adventures, were BAND NERDS together, and we rode the same school bus for seven years! i vaguely remembered her lil sis, serena, riding her banana bike behind us as we walked through the neighborhood and natalie yelling "serena go home!"
i could not believe the connection made on the internet from states away.
so cool.
serena confirmed that yes, she was natalie's lil sis, and that natalie was now a mom of four living in east albuquerque.
a couple of months later while visiting her extended family here in albie-serena invited me to meet up with her and natalie, my long lost childhood friend.
i did, and of course natalie was as beautiful as ever. (she was always a knockout growing up. i don't remember her going through the gangly, brace face stage that i went through.)
we awkwardly and politely became reacquainted in the mall play place. "let me see this little guy" she said, and she reached for my chubby 3 month old asher. "oh YOU ARE CUTE!" she said as she held him in front of her. they were nose to nose. my heart fluttered and i knew we were going to become friends again.
fast forward to a few months later. serena calls me and says that her best friend, her sister natalie, has had a seizure. they think she'll be alright. tests are being done but the family really just thinks maybe it was stress induced. natalie was known for running herself ragged.
always on the go go go with her children.
but it was not so.
glioblastoma. stage three.
there couldn't have been a worse diagnoses.
brain surgery was had, but the outlook was still grim.
natalie was sent to a rehabilitation center for physical therapy to learn how to walk and gain strength after her surgery. the family asked me to spend the night with her once, and it will be one of my most treasured memories for the rest of my life.
we stayed up late talking and sharing our hearts- just like old times.
in the early morning hours i heard her awake with a sweet whisper to the Lord, "thank you Jesus." pretending to still be asleep, i smiled and cried at the same time.
i watched her work harder than anyone i'd ever seen- relearning how to use her right arm and leg. i could not wrap my head around the strength that this woman had. she was truly a survivor and a warrior. she had so much hope to live and to be a mother to her children. she gave ME hope. it was such a life transforming time to be witness to natalie and the exceptional person she was.
serena and her husband MOVED their family from las vegas to albuquerque so they could help in every way.
serena became a surrogate mother to natalie's four children.
she loved them, guided them, drove them and fed them--all the while taking care of her toddler daughter and newborn son.
i can't tell you how many times i thanked God that natalie had these two amazing sisters. carrie and serena, and a heavenly mother, lovely erlinda. her family is so close and everybody stepped in to help.
my good friends know i have something i refer to as "sister envy". having a brother is not the same as having a sister. i know this. i see this. i have coveted having a sister many times in my life. but it was never more powerful as when i saw the connection between natalie and her sisters.
many times i'd watch them crawl into bed with her and just snuggle. sometimes whispering lovely things in her ear. or sometimes just being.
and then she passed.
that was almost a year and a half ago. since then, serena has become what i refer to as "super aunt" and her husband tom "super uncle." they visit natalie's kids and husband several times a week. they grocery shop for them. they offer advice and guidance and love and hugs. they moved here for all the right reasons but just haven't caught that break they deserve in their careers. it's been difficult to say the least.
so now, they are considering a move!
*more tears*
...back to las vegas for a better job market and more opportunities.
if they don't make a steady income soon, it is a given i will lose a new best friend- and natalie's kiddos one of their fabulous aunties and uncle.
*more tears*
...back to las vegas for a better job market and more opportunities.
if they don't make a steady income soon, it is a given i will lose a new best friend- and natalie's kiddos one of their fabulous aunties and uncle.
these guys are needed by many.
tom is a realtor-and as we all know- the real estate market is not at it's best.
he moved here with zero connections, and it has not been an easy road.
this guy works his BOOTY OFF and he is THE BEST at what he does.
without their prompting, i am going to give them an internet shout out and see if things can't turn around somehow.
do you need a realtor?
do you know someone who does?
tom heuser is your guy.
i wouldn't steer you wrong friends.
check him out.
k?
much love from me to you,
bri
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