I chose this picture because when I was young I used to stare up at it on the shelf at Grandma’s house and marvel at how remarkably beautiful you were.
As the years went on, every time I saw you, the first words out of my mouth were to tell you how gorgeous you looked. Because you always did.
You had the best laugh. One I know I’ll hear again someday.
The very best laugh of all your laughs came when you’d tell me something funny Joe did or said. How you loved Joe. You two had so much fun it was something to aspire to.
My favorite funny memory to this day is when Joe lost his lens out of his glasses and didn’t know it. At Brian & Sarah’s wedding. He’s just out there dancing, cutting a wild rug with you… and Alan finds a glasses lens and tells the DJ to ask whose it is.
The DJ tells people wearing glasses to take 2 fingers and poke at their eyes and if a finger goes through, it’s theirs! Joe did it and discovered it was his.
Oh my gosh how you laughed!! It still makes me laugh like I’m sitting right there.
You had a fantastic, smart, sense of humor.
You loved babies more than anyone I know.
Above all, you loved your family the most.
You were an incredible Mom.
And an incredibly fun Aunt.
Now that I’m a grown up I think of how cool one has to be to have 4 teenage girls in a small cabin for a night of fun. Several times.
You must’ve been tasting Aussie Sprunch spray for at least a week later. And probably had to have many salty dogs to get through.
One of your sayings we used over and over together…and I’ll keep using… “You’re too tense, go take a nap”.
I’m gonna miss you. Bad.
I have to be honest because I always am. These are getting harder to write. I’m having to rely on my own words in my own book more than ever, and sometimes I’m not even so good at that.
I wanted to write these to honor my loved ones but the fact is my heart breaks a little more each time.
I believe in everything I believe. But sometimes I just cry. Sometimes it’s a little much for those of us left here.
You’re gonna make an incredible angel Aunt Cindy. A BEAUTIFUL one at that.
I can’t thank you enough for those two girls you raised that have become lifelong best friends to me. They’re so special to me I can’t put into words.
And for those great boys you raised.
I know they, and all of your grand babies have the neatest guardian angel there is.
We’re going to miss you so bad. But ah you left behind the best parts of you for us to love.
They carry you on.
I’m going to end it with this picture of you in color, because you lived in full, bright, VIVACIOUS colors, and I know you’re living in colors we can only dream of now.
With Love always & forever,
Beauty (thank you for always calling me a beauty)