Today is my wife’s birthday and the last 364 days have proven that she is, not just an angel, but perhaps the strongest angelof God’s army. Her smile never changed even though this last year brought her a cancer diagnosis and a surgery to remove it. Yet, Ceej never lost even a smidge of joy. Maybe others would have given up and allowed fear and doubt to remove hope and trust, bu Cherelle never, ever, lost her faith. She has remained strong in her trust, not only of God, but of love as she knows it.

And boy, does she know love. She embodies it, actually. Everyone who knows her recognizes that she doesn’t just use the word, “love,” she practices it as a way of life. She breathes love and joy into everyone she knows. There have been too many times to count in which she says a simple, “hello” to someone and they can’t help but smile and giggle. It’s as if the child within them sees my Ceej and instantly remembers a time when happiness flowed. She doesn’t just radiate joy, really, she is joy and i should sue Disney as they used my Cj as the model character for their version of Joy that saved the day in Inside Out.

Loving her is the easiest thing for me to do in my life. When she sings, I feel all that is good and strong and beautiful vibrate in my spirit. She simply brings good into my world and i have learned, and continue to learn, what love really is from her actions. Cancer was no match for her. Her love is bigger than any stupid sickness.

Yes, today is her birthday and if you’re reading this and know her, please send her a message. I know she’d love to hear from you, as I also know that she loves you. While this last year was a bit rough at times, all of people’s prayers and loving thoughts carried her, at times, and her love only grew. However, she is an angel in human form and although we celebrate her birthday today, I know she emerged from a light that only angels know. I will spend the rest of my life attempting to learn love lessons from my blessed querida, mi amor, Cherelle Jessica Armijo Blea.