In memory of Tiff

On July 17th 2007 I was transferred to Murfreesboro TN, I met someone my first day there whom I will never forget.
As we came in from our first night in town, I saw a beautiful blonde woman with a big smile sitting on her porch visiting with friends.(she lived below us) She stuck out because she had what looked like 2 green friut loops glued to her forehead. We started visiting and found out that about 4 days earlier she had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was still happy and cracking jokes about how she had had her first scan that day and how she looked like an alien with her "fruitloops" on her head. I will never forget how optimistic she was,and determined she was to survive.
I was in Murfreesboro for 5 1/2 months. Everynight when we came back to our apartment, Tiff was out on her porch we would stop and talk to her. After about 2 weeks we could see how her treatments were taking a toll on her spirits, but she remained hopeful and faithful even though the DR's told her there wasn't much they could do. We started having "story time" with her. Everynight we'd share a scripture with her ( from the Bible at first then gradually with the B of M too) After our "story" we'd sing her a hymn I was serving with Sister Arnell who has a killer voice so we sounded pretty good. then Sister Nelson came and she had a killer voice too) This went on for the 5 1/2 months I was there. We met many of her family memebers and friends that would travel to spend time with her. Her mom Sandy was a huge rock, and stregthn, She was by tiffany every moment, and had rock solid faith. Tiffany was baptistand was very was faithful and allowed some members of our ward to give her a blessing a few times during the 5 months I was there. There was always so much peace, and she said she could feel something. Tiffany started to get sicker and sicker untill eventually she couldn't even walk, so at night we would come inside her apt and sing to her, but i always missed seeing her on her porch. I remember the night I left murfreesboro, tiff was really sick that day but i was able to go in her room and sing one last time as she layed in her bed. We both sobbed the whole time, I knew would miss her so much, I had seen her everysday since i'd came to Murfreesboro.
After I left i didn't hear much, but 8 months later I went home and I started getting e-mails from her family updating me on how Tiff was. I even texted her a few times, and Sandy (her mom) called me once to update me. then After Christmas I stopped hearing from them.
Today I found out that Tiff passed away Jan 14, 2009.I was sad but filled with peace and happiness, I am so glad that she is no longer suffering, she's free of pain! I am so grateful to know that someday i will se her again and be able to hug her and thank her for her example.

Tiffany was only 28 but she had lived a long and hard life, when she was 25 her boyfriend of 5 years died in a motorcycle accident, her family said that since then she was never the same. she had been through so much already before her cancer,and sometimes i wondered why she had to go through that, she was still so young. But tiff was an example to so many people and she taught me a lot. She taught me the importance of family, she taught me about staying positive, and she taught me about enduring! I will never forget her, and I will always be thankful for having her in my life even for a brief time!!

I love you Tiff!!