First Brazilian party without you Beth Hall

What a beautiful Sunday! Sun is shinning , life is good :)))

Yesterday we had our Brazilian get together party and had lots of fun. Each one cooked a Brazilian dish and we celebrated Springtime at Juliana and Greg's home. It makes us feel good  and appreciate that even so far away from home, we have each other to speak our Language, laugh, eat, drink and have fun together.  This is how Brazilians are, we always get together there in Brazil, we forget about work, problems and everything else, we enjoy life. When I lived  In Brazil, on the weekends, we always did something fun like having barbecue, going fishing, dancing, having friends and family over, it was a lot of fun. We miss that type of lifestyle living in the USA, so, whenever it is possible our Brazilian community get together and we always find a reason to celebrate. Life goes to fast we have to enjoy it while it last, do the best we can, help others, laugh and be happy. Last year, we lost one of our members and dearest friend Beth Hall  who battled against cancer. She found out she had it when her second child was born and she fought for 17 years straight. She was one of the people who helped me in so many ways when my daughter and I moved to the USA in 2003. She knew about everything, whatever I needed, all I had to do is call Beth.

Last night we missed her at our first get together after she passed away. Beth was always present at our parties, always cooking good food, always full of energy, always laughing, joyful, always looking for something to help with. She said she couldn't stop moving because if she stopped she knew that the cancer would kill her. Last year my friend finally gave up, the cancer got her liver and took her always from us. Although I was making people laugh last night, what I know how to do the best other than my embroidery work, I was feeling her presence with us. I told only to another one of our friends that I was missing Beth because I didn't want to cause sadness to everybody but, God knows I was thinking of Beth, her contagious presence will always be among us. I am so glad that in her last years of life we started this Brazilian group and we got to spend time with her. At the end Beth and I so close, I didn't want to let her go, I wanted her to stay longer but she told me she was ready, she was tired of that fight, her two boy were in college, all grown up so, she felt she was ready. A day before she left this world, she called me and invited me to her house to eat a Brazilian dish that her mommy had made, she knew I loved "coxinha" she called at 4:00 o'clock in the evening and asked me to come over. My husband, my daughter and I went to her home and when I was living to come back to my house, she held me very tight and I felt like that was going to be the last time I would see my friend alive. I was right...

At the end my friend Beth didn't look like herself no more, her skin had turned dark, I guess it had to do with her liver shutting down... Just want to say Beth, right there where you are in heaven, I know you were watching us with that big smile of yours, I knew you were there. I've promised you to run the Relay for life every year in your honor and I will do that. You will never be forgotten my friend...

There is no more chemo, radiation, surgeries, medicines, no more suffering, you are in God's arms. I was so glad I could tell "I love you" before  you left. God bless you!