A Tribute to a friend

These are all the pictures I could steal from the Internet of my friend Mehgan Porter. I would like to call her my friend, even though that's a stretch. More accurately, I could say I am an admirer of hers and a friend to her Mom. Mehgan is only maybe 32 years old, the oldest of 6 kids and after battling stage 4 colon cancer since the fall of 2010, died tonight surrounded by all her immediate family in California. Her mom emailed everyone just now with the news. Just last week their family was told Mehgan had 6-8 weeks left. I know they used this week wisely to help her know their love for her to make her transition smoother.  I can't go to sleep without documenting my own feelings about it all.
Her mom, Mari, was my Young Women's leader in my youth. I even got to babysit their then, 3 kids a couple times. When I became an adult, we became friends and when Mike and I were living in California with my parents, Mari was my Visiting Teacher (the best one I've ever had in fact) and Aldric was our home teacher. Mari has been sending updates on Mehgan's set backs and triumphs for the past few months and I'm so grateful as we were really able to help pray and send our love and support. The kids even sent a 'hug' to her of their hand prints to help cheer her up after a round of especially tough treatments.
Mehgan accomplished much in her life that I am aware of. Somehow, she had alluded marriage-maybe cause she was sort of a no nonsense tom boy lol but she is, what I know, so smart-hard working, passionate about life and her family, funny and kind among many other traits I'm sure. I'm not sure how long she practiced but she worked hard and earned a law degree and passed the bar. She was working as an Attorney at her diagnosis I know. I was told she also enjoyed helping her dad Aldric Porter work on the films he was working on. She got to go to the North Carolina set for Hunger Games for a month or so and on her blog said she loved the experience. I think she also wrote her own screen play, finishing it up despite her treatments. I don't know what it was about or if it's intended for t.v. or film but I admire that she was dedicated to write.... Anyway, I want to remember her here on my journal so I don't forget that I loved her and love her family so much. Her parents have always been generous with Mike and I with their friendship and our hearts hurt for the earthly life they have lost but are grateful to know they are at peace that she isn't suffering anymore. They have an amazing resiliency in this hard time, including their understanding that she is in a perfect place, free from pain, with loved ones and because she had a strong faith in God, they know she is with him too.

"She brought out the best in all who knew her, and she will continue to inspire us to be our best selves. We know she is being joyfully welcomed by those who have gone before, and is wrapped in the arms of our Savior, who will easily say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." - her mom Mari"

This is an article I found written about her this year: http://www.californiaysa.org/featured/it-doesnt-take-much/
I'm sorry I will not be able to go to the services but I have a great mommy who will send our love and report back to me on what will be, I'm sure a beautiful service this Saturday. Bless you Porter Family, we are praying for your peace. xo Mike & Lila