I miss you Aunt G. July 1945 - May 2009

Aunt Gladys.

A wonderful woman with a beautiful heart.  Never a bad word to say about anyone, but never a judgment if you needed to vent about anyone or anything.  She kept all your secrets and would try to understand if you just needed a hug and just someone to "get it".  

A fantastic mother to Alli and Gen.  An amazing Grandma to Andy, Alexa, Ava, and Samantha. An incredible wife to her soulmate, Allen.  Every niece and nephew believes they were the "favorite". 

 I know I did.

There are no words to describe the emotional void she is leaving behind.  But she reminds me that she understood how to LIVE.  She traveled, she was there for every birth of her grandchildren.  

She loved life.

We should all be so lucky.

Thank you, Aunt G.  

We lost you too young, but we will forever have you deep in our hearts.

Love and Peace.

Ali

Uncle Allen, Alexa, Andy, Ava, and Gladys

Engaged! (Ok, I've been busy)

Yes.  It is official!  We are engaged.  Wolter proposed on April 1st (yes, on April Fool's Day you cynics!).  He took me back to the place we first met, Delilah's bar.  He claimed he was taking me out as a late birthday present (my birthday had been during a very busy and broke time for us) and for our anniversary which was on April 1st.

 

If you don't know it already, Wolter's an amazing cartoonist/artist.  Since he was a kid, he's created these characters, (anthropomorphized animals) and has given me multiple presents using these rascals.  It wasn't strange that the "card" he had for me included these guys.  I've grown to adore them and get very excited when they appear in a card or in a drawing just for me.  

Low and behold, it wasn't just an anniversary card.  Nor was it a late birthday card.  He created a story where they set-up one of the guys to think he was supposed to dress up for my belated birthday and they yelled April Fool's.  Then at the end of the card one of them said, it's actually NOT just an April Fool's card but, well, "Wolter, you tell her"...

When I looked up he was on his knee with the box opened and asked me!!!

I KNOW!  So perfect!

Then we left and went for dinner at our sushi restaurant.  It was incredible and yummy and just all around a perfect night.  

Wolter excused himself to use the restroom and while he was gone, in walked my parents!!!  They'd planned to show up after dinner and it was perfect!  Just seeing them made it all finally hit me!  

I found out later that Wolter and my mom had been working on this since January!  He had kept it quiet for that long (and so did my MOM!)

I was so pleased and so proud!  It went off perfectly.  I'm full of joy!  And now that school is over I can FINALLY start planning!

Love to you all, even though I'm sure you already know all this, I figured there was no harm in putting it on ye olde blog!

Love and Peace,

Ali