Happy graduation to Brendan!

Yesterday, we celebrated our nephew/my godson Brendan's graduation from Indiana University. We are so proud of Brendan and what a great guy he is...and his many accomplishments are just icing on the cake. Sue did an outstanding job of throwing the party. Everything was perfect. I know how much work it is throwing a party and we were all super impressed. It was the first big celebration since Mike died, and this party was held four days after what would have been Mike's 53rd birthday and two days after the 7 month anniversary of his death.Kinda bittersweet in many ways.  As Jack said after we got home last night, Mike's presence was very much felt throughout the party. Several of Mike's fraternity brothers came from all over the country in support of Sue, Lauren and Brendan and that was so touching. Mike had many good friends from his Rollins College days. And at the party last night, it was fun to see Brendan's good friends, from high school, college as well as some new coworkers, come together to keep that kind of legacy going.

Brendan, Sue and Lauren

Tony, Eric, Greg and Ted with Sue

Sam and Brendan share a laugh

There is still so much healing taking place. The folks most impacted by Mike's death are Sue, Lauren and Brendan... and of course, Bill and Marie.  Sometimes I forget that Jack is grieving, too, as well as Paul and Downtown Sue. It was nice to be together yesterday to celebrate one of life's many happy moments as Brendan begins his career. God bless Brendan and thank God for family.

Barry Manilow!!!

I attended my first Barry Manilow concert last night, courtesy of Christy and Steve. Steve gave 4 tickets to Christy as a gift and she invited Mary Kay, Karen R and me. They were incredible seats for a very entertaining concert. As in front row in temporary chairs. Wow. Barry is getting older but is still quite the entertainer. He wrote and performed so many great songs that I have enjoyed over the years. It was also great to be in the city. I don't get there nearly as often as I would like.
Another awesome summer night.

Grand Beach, summer style

Our Birthday Club celebration was held at Carol's place in Grand Beach. I loved seeing GB in the summer. It was the first time for that for me, after 15 years plus of our winter sleepovers there. Most of the crew went up on Tuesday morning, but Jean, Mary B and I couldn't leave til 1 pm Chicago time. I did a team eval at work from 10:30 til 12:30, then picked up Jean and Mary. We were on the lake Michigan beach by 3 Chicago time. It was so relaxing, reading magazines and enjoying appetizers and beverages and each other's company. We headed up to the house for a delicious dinner prepared by Carol and Jean. The next morning we went for a long walk, then went back down to the beach for a few hours before heading back to reality. I was gone just over 24 hours, but it felt like a true vacation. So blessed!

Vacation Sunday

It has felt like vacation today. I love that relaxed feeling. Part of the reason must be the break in our 100 degree weather...about a week of it and it was literally sickening. Kinda zaps ya. For lunch today, we met Susie and Jenny at Egg Harbor. We had not been there for months and I had a hankering for a Sir Dugan. Delicious as always. And there was a cute WWII vet that stopped by our table to flirt and have some companionship. See picture below. :) Came home and read, took a nap and then got a quick manicure. At the nail salon, their big screen tv was showing the Kardashians and I had never really watched an episode before. Very entertaining!

Happy Fourth!

I had a lovely Fourth of July. Hot and sweaty but lovely. Wayne, Sally and Matt all came to the parade and we stood in our traditional spot with our friends. Steve and Christy were there and Chuck, Teri, Caylen and Joe, Keegan and Chas and Julie. We really missed Britt (who just moved to Nashville) and Grace (who is working in Columbia MO this summer). We did our BBQ at 1 instead of the evening because Teri had to leave on a business trip tonight...her birthday eve. Extremely fun day. Jack and I drove Wayne back to the city tonight and enjoyed watching all the fireworks off either side of the Eisenhower. It was quite a show. So blessed to live in this wonderful country of ours. God bless the USA!

Second Lt Jack (not my Jack!)

Last weekend we celebrated the graduation of our friend, Jack, from West Point. What an accomplishment. It was not easy, but Jack did it and we are all so proud of him. My Jack had a fantastic time hanging around with 2nd Lt Jack and hearing stories about his experiences.

Charmaine

Back in 1998, I participated in a spiritual retreat called Christ Renews His Parish. It was a good experience for me and I got to know some neat women. One was Charmaine. Charmaine was diagnosed with lung cancer around the time my brother Tom was battling his brain tumor. Charmaine was an encourager and always brought hope, faith and joy wherever she went. She beat all the odds and lived a full life the whole almost six years since her diagnosis. I did a cut and copy from her family's post on Caring Bridge this week. I am sharing it so you can appreciate the wonderfully faith filled woman she was.

"It is with very heavy hearts that we update Charmaine’s Caring Bridge page. Monday night at 9:23, Charmaine passed away after a nearly 6 year battle with lung cancer. This came as a bit of a surprise to our family as she appeared to be improving throughout Sunday night. However, because of the wisdom and faith Charmaine taught us, we know she's already in heaven looking down on all of us and is now wrapped in the grace and love of God.

Charmaine truly cared for each and every one of you reading this message. Even if she never met you in person, she considered you her friend. Up until her last breath we prayed for our mother, and while we were doing that we believe she was praying for you.

Please take comfort in knowing that she is now in Heaven and she's looking out for you. Please remember her in your prayers as well. Many years ago, Charmaine came up with the idea that if she could get 1 million people to say the Memorare for lung cancer we could find a cure (it worked for Mother Teresa who was looking for a place to house her ministry). It would mean the world to Charmaine and our family if you could take a moment to say the prayer today and perhaps even share it with others as well.

THE MEMORARE
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee,
O Virgin of virgins, my mother;
to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.

Almost a month ago, a series of seizures landed Charmaine in the ICU at Rush Hospital. After she woke up from being sedated and intubated for nearly a week, she had several visions where she saw the Blessed Mother. She told us that Mary appeared to her as the Star of Sea and took her to purgatory where she saw all the poor souls suffering. We believe our mother was taken straight to Heaven, but Charmaine specifically asked that we pray for the poor souls in purgatory and asked others to do the same. She said that there is no greater honor than for our small prayers to be made great by God and to help souls along their journey to heaven. She very much wanted for all of you to know this story and to post it to Caring Bridge.

On Sunday, the day before she died, she told our parish priest, Father De Salvo, “Do it right, do it for God,” and kept repeating many times “Tell them to beg for mercy.” Father De Salvo told us he thought this was in response to the suffering she saw in purgatory, and that she understood we need to beg for God’s mercy.

Charmaine trusted in the will of God more faithfully than anyone we know. She never feared death. Monday morning shortly after Ken arrived at the hospital Charmaine told him, “I’m ready to go.”

And lastly, thank you to all of you who cared so much for our mother. You were an integral part of her life and her joy. Up until the very last day she spent much of her time praying for other people, despite the fact she herself was in need of so many prayers. The world lost the most amazing mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. But if you have faith and look for her we have faith she will continue to bless your life. Please remember the things she taught you about how to live your life. She had two sayings which we find incredibly helpful and wise, "All the happiness in the whole world is right between your own two ears," and "There are no bad days." If Charmaine could keep that attitude up while battling cancer we certainly can do the same in our lives to honor her.

One of Charmaine’s last wishes was the hope that all of you will live your life glorifying God, begging and praying for His mercy, and seeing the miracles around you everyday. Please look for the miracles around you and post them here in the guestbook."