Cody…

I don’t have the gift of words, my blog posts are usually short and sweet.  The words that are in my head don’t easily flow on paper (or my computer screen).  This being said,  I will try to put my emotions into sentences but I know that they will never express the pain that I have for my friends around me.

This month has been one of many tears for so many people I know.  Three weeks ago a great man left this world long before his time….

We met Cody & Shadia through my sister and brother-in-law about 3 or 4 years ago.  We never really got to know them very well back then, besides the occasional party or passing and chatting on the street but even if you only met Cody once, he always made you feel like you were his best bud!  And Shadia, she is also a person that you would never forget.

When Christine and I decided to collaborate on a project, the first woman that came to both our minds was Shadia!  She had everything that we imagined, personality, fire, a love for life and a killer smile.  As we snapped pictures of her , sipped wine and sang Black Eyed Peas that beautiful evening, I couldn’t help but be in awe of her…what an amazing woman!   I remember editing her pictures and blogging them while I was at the campground the next weekend.  Cody walked up after they were blogged and I will never forget the look on his face when he said “Isn’t she beautiful” 

This summer we spent a lot of time at the lake where my sister, mother & Cody and Shadia all had summer lots.  We spent weekends with them having fires, BBQ’s, fight nights & get togethers, while all of our children played and are great friends. They welcomed us into their new home and treated us like long time friends.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

I always tease my husband that he is “not a people person”.  Meeting friends doesn’t come easy to him and since his best friend Dean passed away 2 years ago I can count 2 times that Chris has had a night with the guys. One was with my dad & cousin out playing pool last year and the other was with the guys at the lake the weekend before Cody passed away.  It was UFC fight night and all the guys were pumped.  Cody was at the Margarita machine making drinks for everyone, I don’t think that I have ever seen him sit down.  He was the host with the most and his smile lit up everyone around him!  That night my  husband walked me to the camper and I knew that he already had one to many but he was determined to stay up with Cody & Brian.  When I rolled over in the morning to ask my husband what time he got in,  he looked at me with the biggest hangover and said ahhh, 4:30, and then he said  ”Cody is awesome, he set up flood lights and we played horse shoes all night”.  As we drove from the campsite that morning I drove a different way so that I could say bye to Cody & Shadia.  Little did we know that that was the last time we would see him.  He had a huge smile on his face as always!  All that week my husband continued to make comments to me about Cody & what a great guy he was! 

As with so many lives cut short, little did we know that his would be one of them.  2 years ago I was at my Moms when my husband called me about Dean and then 2 years later I was there again hearing the news about Cody.  Along with us, I watched my husband, father & brother breakdown and cry! We all sat silent in shock and mourned together for him and his wife and 2 daughters.

Cody, you will be greatly missed!  It was an honor to know you.   Your beautiful wife and daughters will carry on your spirit.