There was nothing cooler than knowing that Jen and I were headed to Wheaton for the weekend. I'd had my time with Amy, knowing that we were older and had LOTS OF IMPORTANT STUFF TO TALK ABOUT, which usually meant the two of us sprawled out on her bed with our yearbooks, dissecting which boys were hot, which ones we "liked," which ones liked us (well that was more of Amy's category, LOL) and then playing various games of MASH to figure out who we would marry. These are EXTREMELY important things to girls of our age.
In the meantime, our spastic younger siblings would undoubtedly be A) destroying something, B) running around... a LOT, C) sitting under the kitchen table or D) bothering our EXTREMELY important boy rundown.
One weekend, the skies greyed very quickly and the winds picked up. It got very scary outside and Annie told us to get away from the windows. I was nothing short of terrified. Other than nuclear war (these were the early 80s, after all, and I admittedly had an amusing and terrifying list of phobias) but second to mushroom clouds were funnel clouds on my list of unholy fears.
I believe that I retreated behind a couch, cried, and started saying "Hail Mary"s and wishing that my parents were there.
Annie eventually found me and scooped me up in a big sympathetic hug, saying, "Oh honey, you're not used to these DuPage storms. You're going to be all right." Then we sat and watched the storms and she kept an eye on me and I was a lot less afraid.
A few years ago, I was at my therapist appointment in Glen Ellyn when the sirens started going off. Ann (my therapist) suggested that we head to the basement. We continued my session in the stairwell. I can remember thinking, "Oh, it's just the DuPage storms. I'm used to them now. I'll be all right."
I don't care what age you are, it always feels really nice to know that someone like Annie is keeping an eye on you, and more importantly, making you feel safe.
Thank you, Auntie Annie, for making your friendly yet neurotic little companion REALLY happy to be leaning on you that day. I love you!
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Purpose
For those of you who knew Ann, my mom, you know that she had found her deepest appreciation of joy surrounded nature. Whether planting in her diminutive patch of soil, or cherishing time spent at the local arboretum, she was never more fulfilled than in these moments.
As you may or may not know, she had been battling cancer in various forms throughout the past several years. She succumbed to cancer on 7/26/2010.
I have created this page for two reasons.
The first is to invite all of you to contribute to this page. To saturate it with your memories, your stories of how Ann has impacted your lives. I wanted for this to become a place where she could go to realize how many people she had touched, how many people loved her, and it was.
The second reason I created this page is to create a memorial. As you know, my mom's two favorite places on earth were the Morton Arboretum and Herrick Lake (where she and Ken were married. "The scene of the crime," as they both affectionately called it.) We would like to honor my mom with the planting of a tree in her memory at either of these sights. The total cost for this is $2,500. Please consider donating as she was overjoyed to realize this is happening.
As you may or may not know, she had been battling cancer in various forms throughout the past several years. She succumbed to cancer on 7/26/2010.
I have created this page for two reasons.
The first is to invite all of you to contribute to this page. To saturate it with your memories, your stories of how Ann has impacted your lives. I wanted for this to become a place where she could go to realize how many people she had touched, how many people loved her, and it was.
The second reason I created this page is to create a memorial. As you know, my mom's two favorite places on earth were the Morton Arboretum and Herrick Lake (where she and Ken were married. "The scene of the crime," as they both affectionately called it.) We would like to honor my mom with the planting of a tree in her memory at either of these sights. The total cost for this is $2,500. Please consider donating as she was overjoyed to realize this is happening.
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