Roshelle

Yesterday morning my dear friend Roshelle passed away. All day yesterday I couldn't stop thinking of her and her family. It wasn't a surprise, since she's been battling cystic fibrosis her whole life, and had been in the hospital for quite a while now, but it was still a shock. She was 28. I've known her since both our families moved to Boerne the same summer, 1993.

There's so much I can say about her! So many memories! But I will keep this somewhat short. What a strong, determined girl she was, and such a hard worker! You wouldn't have known she had CF, she never backed down from anything and never seemed to feel sorry for herself. She was always working at least one job, and always so full of fun and life. She was an awesome dancer, I always wished I could dance like her when we were at the stake youth and then single adult dances. And so funny! She really had a zest for life and was up for anything!

One thing always bugged me about her though, and she knew it...how early she got up! Anytime one of us would stay the night at the other's house, Roshelle was always laying there, dressed and ready to go, before EIGHT AM. I would groggily peer over at her, and there she'd be, patiently waiting for the rest of us to get up and start the day! Well, she claimed she was being patient, but someone sitting there "waiting" for you tends to get ya moving a bit quicker. Sneaky. Once in a while I went on her family's early morning paper route with them, her older sis Cara driving her big blue pickup. They all were hard workers.

We took Driver's Ed together, and then Roshelle called me "Fi-nyo-na" for the longest time, since our instructor could never say my name right. Roshelle was actually in the car the day I FAILED my driving test...darn parallel parking... She was very compassionate, and afterwards was quick to point out that the instructor she just tested with (and passed with) had skipped the parallel parking bit. I did pass later, but I still avoid parallel parking unless absolutely necessary. But when I have to do it, I always think of her and how mortified I was that she witnessed my failure, but how nice she was about it.

Roshelle was so funny, she was sweet, until you got to know her, then she was sassy and sarcastic, while still retaining some sweetness. She was always teasing the boys, we got along well in that regard, too. Especially once we hit Singles' Ward age. Oh, the wild and crazy days of Singles Ward! When I would come back in the summers from college, before R moved up to UT, we had such fun!! We were sooo righteous, six hours of church every Sunday. We went to Boerne Ward, and then zipped out to the singles ward from 3-6. Some of my fondest memories with Roshelle are those singles activities, FHEs, etc., and then going to Sonic or Taco Bell with a group of friends afterwards and hanging out. I remember sacrificing and going out with a fellow I really did not want to go out with so that she could go out with a fellow she really did want to go out with. And then the double date where neither of us wanted to go out with the guys, so it made for an interesting evening...Yeah, we had good times! Oh, I could go on and on and on, but I won't.

She moved up to UT while I was still going to school there, and we got to hang out more. She became a hairdresser, an amazing one! and did my hair for free so I could "model" it for her. I loved when she would cut my hair, she was really, really, really good at her job, and loved doing it! She met and married Jeremy, and they were the cutest couple, so in love. The last time I saw her in person was in 2004, when I went back to UT for my old roomie's wedding. Since then, we've only talked on the phone, emailed, and blogged, but she's one of those friends that you pick up with right away, and I have really treasured our friendship. She was a great inspiration to me and many people, she had a wonderful testimony and shared it often.

I'm glad she's out of pain now, and can breathe again, and can see her two brothers who also had CF and passed on before her. But I miss her and I know her family and friends are missing her a lot. And those of you who didn't know her, but have commented on our blog, you might recongnize her as "jnr" or jerNro" or even as "me" (for a little while), with the cute picture of her two little dogs. She was one of my best friends, someone who really did make me want to be better. Roshelle, we will miss you!

Edited: I found that cute picture of Jeremy and Roshelle on another of her friends' blogs, I think they got it off her blog, but I'm not sure...anyway, I wanted to include it. She always spoke so highly of Jeremy, he's a wonderful guy, and we are thinking of you/praying for you.