Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Kim died March 16, 2017. Here is what we posted on her personal Facebook page followed by her eulogy.

Kim you have left us with hearts ripped open, but you left us better off than we would have been without you. You will live on in us and your impact in our family will last for generations. Thank you for giving all you had. We are forever changed by you.Bye for now sweet baby. We will love and remember you forever. Danny, Shea, Christa, Bethany and David.

Here is Kim's eulogy written by her husband Danny:

First off I'd like to acknowledge the complete impossibility and the absurdity of summing up a magnificent human life in a short thing we call a eulogy.  It's such a disservice to a very full and well lived life and to God's wonderful creation.  You simply cannot begin to even touch the surface of someone's lifetime in a 5 to 10 minute speech. 

But because it's what we do, here is an incredibly incomplete attempt at remembering Kim. 

Kim lived with stage 4 breast cancer for 11 years. That is so, so, much longer than we had anticipated and far longer than typical.  In the end she had over 13 different chemo therapies and most of them worked for a time.  We have to thank the doctors, nurses and staff that made this happen but we attribute the multiple successful treatments to God who in His mercy gave us and Kim a little more time.   Here is a little bit of how Kim chose to use that time. 

Kim sure did know how to live.  She was always eager to move ahead and get on with life. She was quite the planner.  Nothing made her happier than planning a vacation, a party or a holiday get together.   When she was first diagnosed with cancer 17 years ago, her planning went into high gear.  

Vacations, parties and all kid activities were now mandatory.  There would be no taking life for granted.  Life for Kim had changed. 

Almost all vacations included invitations to extended family.  There was also no more relaxing on vacations or weekend trips.  Every day would be packed with seeing God's creation or doing things that might just get you killed if you are not careful. From zip lining over canyons in Texas, to white water rafting in Washington state, to day hiking down into Talullah Gorge in Georgia and even, with the help of her husband, forcing her mom and young children head on into a 5 to 6 foot Hawaiian surf in small kayaks.  Whatever it was, it had to be done because you may never get the chance to do it again. 

Christmas was Kim's favorite time of year.  So as expected, Christmas parties grew to unexpected sizes.  You never know when it will be your last.  So there would be lots of food and lots of people.  Someone once asked Kim, "so if you just talk to someone once, they get invited to your Christmas party?"  Kim thought, "what a crazy question... of course they get invited."  Unfortunately like so many things, those parties eventually had to stop. 

She was also a gift giver and Christmas allowed her gift giving to flourish.  Every gift she gave no matter how small came with much thought and love.  Nothing made her more happy than finding the perfect gift and she worked hard to make sure everyone got something from her.  This last Christmas, even in the troubled state she was in, her main focus was to make sure everyone she cared about had a gift from her.

But Kim's number one priority was her children.  She is their number one fan in anything and everything they do.  Nothing makes Kim more happy than to watch her kids flourish; and flourish they have.  From cheering Shea on as a young cheerleader, to bravely entering creepy dives of New Orleans to watch her sing and make music with her future husband.  To now seeing her become a mom of her own to six kids and counting. 

For the last 7 years Kim has been a football mom at almost all levels.  With two daughters in band and a son on the field, August through October put Kim in the stands multiple times a week and she loved every minute of it.  She went to almost every game she could, and she was always disappointed those rare times when she couldn't be there to support them.  This last year had Kim going to Freshman high school games during the week to watch David in one of the best seasons of Kingwood freshman football.  Then the next day heading off to the Varsity High School games to watch Bethany rock the stadium with the Kingwood High School Drumline and band.  Then waking up on Saturday to head down to the U of H game to catch Christa and the Spirit of Houston band fire up the crowd for the Cougars.  Then finishing off the week with family and NFL football on Sundays.  This last year, though sometimes exhausted and barely able to climb the stands, Kim pushed on with a smile and a love for her children that cancer and chemo therapy could not yet stop. 

So how does a loving God allow someone like Kim to die?  If He is good, how could He take Kim away from us, away from her family and away from her children?

It's a feeling or thought many of you may have today.  But that's not the way it is.  God was not surprised that Kim got cancer.  He was not caught off guard by her original diagnosis in 2000 or cancer's return in 2006.  And He was not unaware of how and when she would die.  When did He know?  Did He find out a few months ago?  No, He knew at her birth.  He knew from the beginning of time.

So what is a loving God to do?  Should He have hidden her away so that no one would have to face the heart ache and pain of losing her?  

No, instead, He gave her to us.  We are all here today because we knew Kim or were blessed through her in someway.  I think we would all agree that it was better to have known her than to not.  

There is also another side to that. God gave us all to Kim.  You have all made Kim's life so full of love.  You have all in your own way made Kim happy and brightened her days.  God arraigned your life so that you would have an impact in Kim's life.  Whether you directly blessed Kim or you cared for and befriended one of her children or are now here to comfort her family members, God put you here today because of Kim.  Then He went one step further and gave His only son to die for Kim and us so the we could escape the total death we deserve and have eternal life and live with Him and each other forever. 

We do have a loving God and He made sure to surround Kim with loving caring people.  There is nothing more sacred than to care for a child of God.  She belongs to Him and she always has.  Thank you for being a part of her life.  

I'm not sure exactly how things will be in heaven. But if God allows parties, vacations and gift giving, I promise you, Kim is already overwhelmed with the possibility of what she can do for you when you get there.  And know that if you just talked to her once, you are her friend.  I personally can't wait.  

Through the redemption of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, may we all join her again one day in the biggest celebration of all.  


Danny