Scrappin' Good Times

Caring For Crystal

I just returned from an unexpected trip to Denver. My cousin Crystal has just been diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer. Crystal would like nothing more than to have some scrapbooks created for her children to remember their wonderful mother. Please click here for a page we have made on our website for Crystal.

You can also go directly to Crystal's blog here.

Sad News

The day I hoped would never come has arrived. My beloved cousin Crystal finally succumbed to the cancer. She fought a long and difficult battle. She fought hard. The whole time she was fighting she thought of us. I think she may have been fighting more for us than for herself. I always felt like she nurtured us more than we nurtured her. Up until the bitter end, she thought about us. I was told that at Crystal’s request three people were using their cell phones and dialing friends and family so she could say her goodbyes. I received my phone call at about 4:30 last Thursday afternoon. She told me that she loved me and asked me to take care of her children. She also called my mom, dad and brother to say her goodbyes.

Crystal passed away Thursday, April 23 at about 11:15 pm Colorado time. As much as we rushed to get the first flight out, we did not make it to see her before she let go. Crystal passed in the same manner that she lived her life...It was not long or drawn out, absolutely no drama with grace and dignity.

I know you all only know Crystal through me. I feel all of you understood what an amazing mother, wife, cousin and friend she was. I am so lucky to be connected through our wonderful hobby of scrapbooking to thousands of women who “just understand”. There are no words to thank you for all of the scrapbook pages that you donated. We didn’t even put a dent in the scrapbook pages. I honestly thought we would have a lot more time before Crystal left us. I guarantee you that they will all be put to good use with pictures that I have and pictures that are still yet to be taken. Your generous hearts will always live on through Crystal’s Scrapbooks.

I thank you for always calling, emailing, sending cards and coming in to the store asking about how Crystal was doing. Thank you for the gifts, donations and words of advice and encouragement. Nothing has gone unnoticed. Everything went straight to our heart and will remain there for always and eternity.

I thank you all for the thoughts and prayers and graciously ask that you continue to pray for my family as we make our way through this difficult time. I leave you with this beautiful poem that was forwarded to me by one of our Design Team Members Susan Bugelli.

God saw you getting tired,

and a cure was not to be.

So He put his arms around you

and whispered, "Come to Me."

With tearful eyes we watched you suffer,

and saw you fall away,

Although we couldn't bear to lose you,

we could not ask you to stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,

Hard working hands laid at rest,

God broke our hearts to prove to us,

that He only takes the best.