May- Forever Sunshine

Hi friends and family,
I know I am a month behind on blogging, but part of me has been putting off writing this blog. It is almost time to write our June blog and yet I am struggling with writing a May blog. May was a difficult month. I was tempted to skip a blog for May all together, but then I was convicted with the thought that myself and others would be missing out...not missing out because you wouldn't know what we were up to in the month of May... but missing out on a story of a girl who has changed the lives of many, including ours. This special girl is my friend, Sara Swenson.

Sara and Chary at Heidi's Wedding, I think in 2007.

Sara and I were what we have heard called "bossom buddies". We grew up together since we were born. Our parents went to college with each other and then moved to Palmdale shortly after. They served together in a local church. Our mom's became best friends. Sara and I were both the youngest siblings so it was just natural for us to always be together. I remember going to her house when she lived in Palmdale and we would play with barbies, dance to music with her sisters, and do other things little girls do. I saw Sara, Kari, and Heidi as the sisters I never had. Our families would take beach trips every summer when we were young. This is where the infamous Zegan/Swenson Pyramid would take place between the 7 kids. Our parents would help us figure out how to best put ourselves into a human pyramid and they would quickly snap a picture before we all collapsed on one another. Another special memory is the chosen bathing suits for me and Sara for these trips. My mom put me in a cute little one piece bathing suit that showed a little bit of my belly. Noreen put Sara in a one piece bathing suit with a large elephant on the belly. Sara was the cutest chubby little girl and this bathing suit accentuated that. As we grew up Sara would ask her mom, "why did you have to put me in a bathing suit with an elephant on it when I was already chubby?" haha...we had many laughs over this topic.

Chary and Sara

Then the Swensons moved to Nevada and it was really hard to be so far away from our friends. Our mom's kept in touch by writing emails, talking on the phone, or through hand written letters. They helped Sara and I do the same thing. Sara would come back every summer to stay with her grandparents so I would stay days and sometimes weeks with them. We would swim pretty much all day long and then her grandma would make us bagel bites and strawberry kiwi jello with whipped cream. This became our summer tradition until her grandpa and grandma moved to Apple Valley.
I always looked forward to seeing Sara. Our mom's decided to start a new tradition...mother/daughter weekends in Bishop, CA. This was a mid point between Fallon, Nevada and Lancaster, California. We would meet each other in Bishop for a weekend of nothing but girl time. We went out to eat, watched chick-flicks, went shopping, went swimming and visited the salon/spa. It became a tradition for Sara and I to get something peirced on these trips. The last trip we took I got my nose peirced and Sara got second wholes in her ears. We always had such a great time!
When Sara was 19 years old, almost 20, she discovered something was wrong in her leg. Her doctor informed her that she had a tumor by her knee. This began a very hard, long, exhausting journey for Sara. I remember praying with Sara before her very first surgery and after she found out she had a tumor in her knee. She was stronger than any of us could have been at that point. We cried and she encouraged us that it would be okay. She had surgery to remove the tumor. The doctors put a bionic bone in replacement of Sara's femur bone. The cancer spread into her lungs. She endured through many rounds of Chemo Therapy. She over came many lung surgeries. She even returned to college out of determination to graduate. Sara never gave up hope and she was fighting so hard.

I asked Sara to be a bridesmaid in my wedding, not knowing if she would be able to physically. She was sooooo excited and she was determined to be by my side on that day. She was such a trooper. After chemo and many surgeries she was on her way to recovery just in time to be a part of the wedding festivities. Praise the Lord! She came to my bachelorette party and tried to do whatever she could. She spent the night with me on the last night before my wedding. She walked down the isle with no crutch and stood beside me as I took that huge step in my life. She did her best to dance and have fun at the reception. I am so thankful God gave Sara the strength and the determination to be there with me. It meant the world to me!

Zach (my brother) walking Sara down the isle

Me and Sara on my wedding day

The Zegan and Swenson (minus Heidi) kids grown up 

After we moved to England, Sara and I would try to skype once a week. She returned to college and was thrilled to be living a somewhat normal life again. Then things took a turn for the worst. The cancer was back and it was spreading. I decided to make a trip out to see Sara in January since I was already in the states for Carsten's cousins wedding. That was such a special trip!

The last Chary and Sara picture

It was the last time I will spend time with Sara until I go to heaven. On May 2nd, Sara went to be with her Lord and Savior in heaven. What a joyous day for Sara! She is now pain free and able to dance again!
May was a very difficult month for all those who knew and loved Sara. Yes, we rejoice at the fact that she is experiencing eternity in our heavenly father's presence but we mourn the lose of a friend, a sister, and a daughter here on earth. I was not able to fly back to the states for her service, which was extremely hard for me. I miss her so much and it has been very difficult to wrap my head around the fact that she is gone. I can no longer skype with her or make new memories with her. She kept telling her mom that she wanted to come stay with me in England for the year that Carsten is deployed. I can't help but think that the year would have been so much easier and more fun if she were here with me. I keep hoping that I would get an email or some sort of message from her so we can have another skype date. Selfishly, I want her back! Selflessly, I have to let her go and share her story with those around me. I will forever be changed by her death, but most importantly her life. Sara had JOY that permeated throughout any room she was in.  Amongst pain, she put others before herself. She wanted to love and be loved. She trusted the Lord's will for her more than her own. She rejoiced with those who rejoice and she mourned with those whose mourn. She is and was a godly example for others to follow.
I'm not really sure how to end this...so I will say to Sara, So long my friend! It is not goodbye, but see you later! I will forever miss you and I will look forward to seeing you again in Heaven! I love you and miss you!