My beautiful Aunt Ellen passed away this morning in hospice care. My dad called me this morning as the babies were having their morning bottles. I certainly tried to keep it together for my son Zach, but I just couldn't. Zach decided to leave and go to his basketball game with his friend, I think he was uncomfortable. So I had my time to cry. Then I had to pull it together to take care of the babies and go on with our plans to visit relatives (on Scott's side) from out of town. This is our family's 3rd loss in 2 years, and it is by far the hardest. Ellen was young and so full of life. I HATE cancer! I will forever support Breast Cancer Awareness. I will forever wear my pink. I am so glad I went to see Aunt Ellen this past Monday. I am so glad we talked and that we told each other we love each other several times. My memories of my Aunt go back to when I was a little girl and she was a teenager still living at home with her parents/my grandparents. I remember watching her save $$ and keep it in a shoe box under her bed. She was 16 years old and saving for a car. She was so excited when she finally bought her car. Someone must have helped her, because I don't remember there being that much $$ in the shoebox:) I don't know the make and model, but it was a compact ugly olive green color. LOL I think I might have been her first passenger. I remember her as a teenager always so thin and pretty with long hair pulled back in barrettes. We did all sorts of fun things together, we went on a family trip to Disney World when I was 4, we went to the beach, to swimming pools, bowling, putt putt... the list goes on and on. I remember when she met my Uncle Rocky. They were so in love and always together. After they were married, I used to spend a week here and there during the summer at their apartment and then later at their house. We had SO much fun!! She would always buy me flavored lip gloss... in all sorts of cool flavors like bubble gum, watermelon, Dr Pepper...I don't remember how old I was when her first child, Erin was born, but I remember visiting during that time also and playing with my new baby cousin:) She later had 2 more children, Devon and Hunter. When I was a teenager, I still liked to go visit and stay with my Aunt. I loved Virginia and wanted to grow up and settle in Virginia. It just so happens to be that I did do exactly that, with a few detours on the way. I ended up in Northern Virginia, usually just 30 miles away from my Aunt Ellen. So we have been able to stay close and have GREAT family get togethers! I have kids, her kids have kids, it has been great. Aunt Ellen's daughter, Devon (my cousin) gave birth to TWIN girls just a little over 2 years ago. Boy was Ellen happy watching those girls grow in her home. She also has 2 grandsons from Erin. She was a very proud Grandma! Some how my cousin passed her TWIN mojo to me... LOL. I believe we were each blessed by a great great great grandfather or uncle from generations ago. My Aunt Ellen and I shared 2 passions.. SHOES and jewelry! LOL We were always complimenting eachothers shoes and jewelry. We have traded shoes several times. Well, it feels good to put down some thoughts and memories. I have so many more AWESOME memories, but this post is long enough:) Thank you Angel for making this beautiful picture for me.
3 comments:
I don't know what you're talking about when you say you have a bad memory. These are wonderful memories of your Aunt Ellen! This is exactly what you should write in your scrapbook when you make your pages of Aunt Ellen. You're welcome for the pic although it just doesn't do her justice. She was a very sweet warm lady and I am glad I got the chance to know her!
I'm so sorry Peggy! My mom died of breast cancer when I was 17 and it just seemed so unfair. It's just a horrible illness. I think the memories you have of her are great, you should write them down and think of them often. She sounds like she was a wonderful woman. As time goes on you will think of her and smile, not cry (even though it might not feel like that now). I'm sorry you have to go through this :(.
I am glad to hear the story of your Aunt Ellen. And yeas you should have those memories wrote down in a memory book. A few years after my Mom died, although not from cancer, I had family members write their memories of Mom and Dad and put them in a book. Ever so often I get it out and have a lot of laughter of some of the silly things people remember, but I also have a few tears, which I think is good for the soul.
I have a dear friend that has breast cancer at this time, and the medicine that they are now giving her is causing some bad side effects. I am so worried about her as she has a great family and I don't think God should take one of his best ambasators from us in these ugly times. Her name is MaryAnn and every chance I get I tell her I love her. She is a brave woman and never complains. Lets get rid of this disease.
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