My Eulogy to Crystal

Is she really gone?? I keep waiting for my 6 am phone call. Yesterday Jason called and the caller ID came up as Crystal and if only for a second I forgot about the last couple of weeks and thought it was her. I am not one to question God because He has always taken good care of me but I lately I have been asking Him...WHY?? I want to crawl into a cave and stay there but instead I go about my life in a robot like manner. I wonder when the pain will go away, probably never. I miss her so much.

At the funeral a few of us gave Eulogies to Crystal. I asked to speak. I knew I had a lot to say, but I wondered if I could actually do it. I think we all did. Jason got up and did his Eulogy. I was next. Jason's Eulogy was a hard act to follow. It was so beautiful. However, I knew if he could do it, I could do it. I got up and took two or three deep breaths and started to speak and suddenly something over took me. I am certain it was Crystal. I think she gave us all the power, the strength and the courage to get up and speak without breaking down. Jason, Cindy, Cherie and Ellen gave the most amazing eulogies. Everyone spoke about different aspects of Crystal's life. In the end everyone wase filled with words, stories and personal memories about the amazing woman that we all knew and love.

We talked about posting all of the eulogies on the blog to share with everyone. Up until now, I haven't had the nerve, desire or courage to look at my eulogy. But I noticed that no one else had posted their eulogies and I really want to see everyone else's again so I figured I would go first.

It has been over 17 years since I last went to college. My writing is gramatically horrible. I just write how I speak. Sometimes the periods and commas are in the wrong spots. Forgive me for that and remember that I write from deep in my heart and soul.

{Trish}

My Eulogy to Crystal
The phone ringing at 6 o’clock in the morning isn’t most people’s idea of a great way to start the day. In my world, the sound of the phone ringing at 6 o’clock in the morning was the sound that put the first smile of the day on my face. Because I knew it was my Crystal and I would usually have her undivided attention for at least 30 minutes while she was driving to work.

Hi my name is Trish. I am Crystal’s cousin and her biggest fan although I think I would have to fight off a few of you who think you might be her biggest fan. But don’t even think about it….I would fight you until the bitter end and am sure that I would win. Crystal was more than a cousin. She was a best friend and the sister I never had rolled up into one great big package. I want to thank all of you for being here to celebrate the life of an amazing woman who did everything right.

Most of you know Colorado Crystal. Colorado Crystal was the mature Crystal. The responsible Crystal. The Crystal who came here to go to nursing school. The Crystal with a goal to accomplish. The nurse Crystal. The wife Crystal. The mom Crystal.

I am here to tell you about California Crystal. The single Crystal. The dingy Crystal. The Crystal that had more blonde moments than most blondes I know. She was goofy. She was silly. She was playful. She was a party girl. She was a free spirit. Our motto was “Work Hard and Play Hard” and we played hard!!

I wanted to come up and tell you some funny stories about when we were growing up. Let me tell you, I had a hard time coming up with things that were appropriate enough to discuss with you. I thought of a lot of things that I knew I couldn’t tell you. Some I couldn’t tell you because they were, well….illegal. Some I couldn’t tell because her mom and dad are here and they took place at their house while they were on vacation. The others I couldn’t tell you because I am sure she wouldn’t want her mom and dad to know. I know I don’t want them to know especially because a couple of nights ago at dinner Miguel said to me…..Tricia all this time I thought you and Crystal were good girls. I wanted to ask him…What is your definition of good?? But instead I crossed my fingers and toes under the table and assured him that we were good girls.

The California Crystal was the Crystal that I rescued at all hours of the day and night after she had been stranded from numerous places, the Crystal that bungee jumped in Rosarito, Mexico and walked away with huge bruises and welts on her legs, Alicia you were with her when this happened so you can take the blame for this one. The one that got caught using her sister’s ID, I was there for this one but it was Cindy’s ID so Cindy you can take the blame for this one. She was the one that ordered a couple of hundreds of dollars of room service not knowing that someone would eventually have to pay for it and that someone was her father..Dana you were there for this one so now I guess you owe Miguel your half and Crystal’s half of the bill. She was my partner in crime, the one that stayed intoxicated with me for an entire seven days on our vacation to Hawaii…this was only her and I so I guess I will have to take the blame for this one. Crystal was the one that heard a good song and ran onto the dance floor with or without a partner..usually without.

What I think is so crazy is that her precious Rylee is already displaying some of Crystal’s goofball symptoms. I think Crystal had already detected it, she knew it. She would often look at Rylee and say “My legend lives on”. Oh boy, I think she is right. I have already come to terms with the fact that I am going to have to spend lots of time in Denver when Rylee becomes a teenager. I will know all her tricks because her mom and I probably already did them.

Crystal until we meet again in heaven, I will miss your 6 am phone calls, our long talks about everything and your annoying giggle when you really got going. Heaven is a better place now that you are there. All of us are in a better place because you are watching over us.

On behalf of my Aunt Alma and my Uncle Miguel and my entire family, I would like to thank all of you who helped her get through this. Those who brought the family those delicious dinners, those who gave her rides to and from treatments, those who babysat, those who gave her moral support and those who prayed for her. I would especially like to thank Dee, Ellen and Cherie I only felt comfortable being so far away because I knew you were here taking care of her. I would rather have 3 friends like you than a million fair weather friends.