A Different Kind of 4th

This 4th of July was different for so many reasons. First we would not be on our annual Port Austin trip with the Pattison's and Second because John and Michele are no longer together. It has been three months and this is the first time I have been able to blog about it.

John and Michele were supposed to be engaged by now. For the past 2 years it has been a question of when NOT if! I have grown close to Michele not because she was around our family on Holidays and trips but because I love being around her. We just click, she makes me laugh and more recently cry. She is an open book with her close friends and see’s nothing wrong with sharing her emotions. She was had even told us the ultimatum John had received from her back in July. It was a “no brainer” and we all and by all I mean family and friends truly believed that we would have a great time at the wedding. Time went by John was heading to Thailand on his Globe Trip for USC. Michele was at home planning him an awesome 30th birthday party. He returned the weekend before Easter so we were all invited home to Murrieta where we had family filled weekend. They seemed to have tension between them and he seemed very stressed. He did not seem present as if he had so much on his mind. Dennis and I suspected something but we really did not know anything was going on. The following weekend we celebrated his 30th and again noticed tension between them in Pasadena. A week later Michele called me crying saying it was over. I was so confused and frankly she was not making much sense. She was a complete wreck and I only assumed he was feeling the same way. She made me promise not to tell Dennis so I kept my word, then a few days later she said it was ok to tell him. John had not really informed anyone and was being very private. Michele was my neighbor in Redondo and so I tried to be a good friend but really there is nothing a friend can do to help with heartbreak. It was also a difficult situation because Dennis sat me down and pretty much threatened me about getting involved. He said “I know she is your friend and we all love her but he is my brother first. If you ever give John a reason to be mad at you or at me I will not forgive you. They are adults, let them handle it.” I know right! I know he meant it because his brother means everything to him. My goal with Michele was to be there if she need me but to stay neutral..hearing one side of the story that is really difficult. Needless to say Michele went through many boxes of tissue it was so hard to watch but she is such a strong girl, and she was in pieces over John.

Fast forward to July 4th…..John and Michele are now “friends.” Again I am still confused. Saturday he picked her up and we went to Mama D’s to celebrate Dennis’s birthday. Then he came out again on the 4th of July and we all hung out all day. So we did not go to Port Austin but we were together and I was happy about that. I know they are going through a hard time. They may look back at this and laugh because they will be married to one another or they may look back and laugh/cry because they are not. I hope it all works out because I selfishly want her to be part of the family but in the end I just want two amazing people to find happiness.

One thing that have taken from J and M's break-up is to really appreciate the one you love. Sometimes we take our significant other for granted assuming that they will always be there. Through her tears Michele told me.."nothing matters to me without John. I don't care about work, family and nothing without him." What powerful words those were! It broke my heart but that is life nothing matters without the people that we love to share everything with!