So much has happened in the past few months.
For anyone who doesn't know, Ivan's sister Kelly has been battling lung cancer since the end of 2008. After a stretch of chemo & radiation, she had part of her lung removed in February. The cancer seemed to be gone. Things took a quick turn for the worse in the past few months. The cancer came back very aggressively and Kelly got pneumonia. She was hospitalized with problems breathing and fluid in her lungs. The cancer spread quickly throughout her body and the doctors told her there was no more they could do. Within a day of that sad news, Kelly passed away, surrounded by her family.
Kelly is survived by her husband (Darren), 3 sons (Jacob, Jared & Corey), parents (Ivan Sr. & Georgia, 2 brothers & sis-in-laws on the Johnson side (Ivan Jr. & me, Jeremiah & Kathy), and a host of loved ones on the Huddleston side. That doesn't even include the cousins, aunts, nieces & nephews, and many loved ones who adored Kelly.
Kelly constantly praised the Lord, singing almost non-stop. She was a wonderful mother, wife, friend, and (most recently to me, although known to Ivan & Jeremiah from birth) a true blessing as a sister. Jesus was her heart and she left this world with a peaceful understanding that she was on to bigger, better things.
I love and miss Kelly so much already. She touched my life in ways I can not begin to explain. I am sorry for the time we should have spent together but never did. She is an inspiration to me, and truly the example of love that Christ wants us to be.
