5th Angelversary.

How in the world has it been 5 yrs already when it seems like yesterday that you left us? Thank the Lord for helping us all cope by letting you stay next to us through all of your signs including blowing me away today. Who knows why I found your headstone striped of both vases of flowers a couple of weeks ago when no one else’s had been touched around your site but the missing notes from Olivia really upset me. Nothing could have blown away because I had just checked the flowers the week before and they were in the vases super tight. Her notes were tucked in a baggie in the vases too. Anyway, perplexed about what kind of flowers to put in there due to the time of year, I found nothing but Christmas flower choices at the stores and I wasn’t ready for those yet. After almost giving up I spotted one hot pink colored flower peeking out on a metal rack of several bunches of flowers. After digging them out I found all of your wedding bouquet flowers in your same colors in a cemetery arrangement that read $60. I questioned the sales person and found that it was marked down to $5.99 and started laughing knowing that it was one of your all to often bargain deals. That was sign enough that you guided me to what flowers that you really wanted, so I just shook my head in amazement how you always lead me. Then today I’m sitting at your grave arranging the flowers on your side of the headstone and someone taps me on the shoulder and about sent me out of my body. It’s so quiet up there and I heard nothing at all. She asked me what I was doing and started talking to me. Within minutes she tells me that she came to the cemetery looking at all the changing leaves and that she knows the caretakers. Then she asks if she can pray over me that she knew I was very troubled. Hello, this whole week is the exact same days as 5 yrs ago and I’m reliving every minute so yeah I was troubled. So she goes on to tell me that The Lord sent her a message this morning that she needed to pray over someone that needed help and peace today and that she would know who it was when she met them. She then looks at the grave and is shocked how young you were in passing and says she just felt a shock like feeling and that I was the person that needed her. She had just been curious as to how pretty the arrangement was and wanted to see how I was working on it when she first came over. She then prayed over me and it was beautiful. Then she tells me that she had weathered cancer herself and had a hysterectomy and a double mastectomy. (That helped remind me of Lisa’s situation and that this week was her surgery so I need to check on her.) She ended up staying with me and helping with me with the flowers for Ben’s side of the headstone and we prayed again before parting. What a miracle that visit was and what a peaceful feeling came over me. She was truly an angel dropped out of heaven for me. Thanks, God.
So much has happened again this year, Ali. Ben and Leslie got married and they’re having a little boy to add to the family. We’ll have 5 girls and 5 boys soon. Kaizer has adjusted to all of us and hugs and kisses dad and I and even told us that he loved us on Halloween nite. I swear he and Olivia could pass as siblings. Lesley fits right in with all of us and she and Ben just moved into a new house so they are crazy busy running two art agencies and trying to settle into a new house. Olivia is going to Blessed Sacrament School right down the street from where you are and there is a whole stream of events that made that miracle happen too! We also discovered that Fr. didn’t register Olivia’s baptism when Ben needed to register her for school so thank the Lord that I when I called the parish that they were able to talk to him and get her baptism recorded. Holy smokes, love that forgetful sweet man! Olivia loves school and its so hard to believe she’s in kindergarten already. She played soccer for the school since she’s really a year older in age and loved every minute of it. She did stop dance though, which I”m sure if you were here, that would have been a hard sell. Lol…I’m sure she can always go back to your beloved ballet some day if desired.
All of your XU friends pulled around Lisa and that brave soul has made it through a lot and it continues this week. She is surrounded by love and help and I’m sure she’ll be strong again. They all tell me how much they miss you and always tell all the stories along with laughter. Also, Julie and Chris had a little girl and she is a doll baby. All of your friends keep up with all of us and we see pictures galore on FB. Each kid is cuter than the other. BTW, smooth move the other nite too, as Julie Pugh and I are hugging at the kids soccer game, when a white feather fell from the sky right between us. We both burst out laughing. We also got to see several of the girls at Ben and Lesley’s wedding and everyone seems so happy. Of course a lot of them were at the Rock Pink Picnic too. Love being with them all. Helps your dad, sister’s and I a lot to have them near us.
They Klems girls are all in school and brain-o’s as we knew they’d be! They play all the sports and of course we don’t miss the games. Anna seems to be you all over…witty as hell and laughs in our faces while twisting us around her little finger. As for Mel’s family, Nori is in the first grade and Nico in preschool with both playing sports too. Every night is a game for someone and weekends are juggled keeping up with all the schedules. I spend lots and lots of hours since my business has slowed, babysitting to help Melanie. I can’t get enough of the kids esp those devil twins boys. They’re asleep right now upstairs and they along with Nico have taken over Wed. nite sleep overs since Nori started school. Thank God they’ll be with me all day today. You would be going crazy over them. So dang cute and their new game is to be as quiet as possible and hide from all of us and they can do it without moving for a long, long time. I swear they’re going to drive us all nuts by the age of 12 with their devil sides, but they are super smart too. It’s going to be quite the ride after raising you three girls.
You know, Al, that’s the hardest part of all of this. It was always the 5 of us and now my 3 little babies are no longer…but I’ll never quit buying in 3’s. Always did it and always will. Brittany and Brian are working hard and involved in their parish and school. Of course Melanie and Adam are swamped with work and still receiving awards for their works. Mel’s getting involved at OLV now too and maybe I’ll start volunteering again there soon. Dad and I try to keep our sanity over losing you by spending as much time with all three families as much as possible. It helps but who ever thought it gets easier over time is crazy. We hurt just as much as the minute we lost you but our comfort is our faith besides the family. Praise The Lord that He allows you to be next to all of us and I pray it never stops. I just can’t believe how many of our friends have buried a child too. We are far from alone in this and with devotion to Mary Our Mother she teaches me that with His Grace that I can deal daily. If she could watch her Son go through all of what He did in front of her eyes and still go on to live an inspirational life then I can at least fight to do my best. We love you forever and no, you will never be forgotten. It’s not possible. We still talk to Olivia about you always and she still loves going through all of the picture albums. Your wish came true and Lesley will be a good mother to her, she finally has a family again. Oh, gosh, the tears just started flowing bad so I have to end this. We’ll be at the cemetery today again and then we’ll be celebrating your life at dinner tonite. Love you as much as love is possible, Ali-Burger. Nite, sweetheart..

4th Angelversary.

Mom articulated way better than anyone else could:

Here we go again. Thrown into a day of memories that we still can’t believe ever happened but it did so we have to cope. I still relive every minute of your sickness and especially this day. Even tho the days and years are flying by, we all still struggle with this life without you. Standing at your gravesite is still surreal. Seeing your name on that headstone is awful. I still just struggle to think I’ll never hear your voice and laughter again or hold you in my arms. I jump at the chance to watch any video of you. It makes my heart sing just watching and hearing you, especially the ones with Olivia. We’re trying not dwell on all the sadness and focus on our blessings as best as we can.

So much has happened this last year but the best was the birth of the Mel and Adam’s twins. If you were here, you and Olivia would be with Mel everyday going crazy over them just like all of us are attempting. Olivia is mad that Nori gets two babies when she wants one for herself so bad, so she begs us to take her there as much as possible. She’s really cute with them. They are the happiest babies I’ve ever been around. They look so much alike that I’m sure they’re going to mess with us as they get older. Some of us can tell the difference now but Mel still paints Ezra’s toenails blue on one foot to make sure who’s who!!! Nori is the perfect big sister and helps a lot. I spend lots of time there not only to help Mel but to help myself. Their smiles can pull me out of a funk instantly. Sending them to us I’m sure was God’s way of helping all of us mentally and keeping the sadness at a distance. It truly helps but He knows you can’t take a baby from a mom and dad and ever expect them to get over it. It doesn’t get easier and you don’t get over it. A piece of my heart is missing. I depend on your signs to let me know you’re still right next to me and that is definitely what helps me deal everyday. I thank God for allowing all of these signs.

This time of year is when you would be decorating the whole house and loving dressing up for Halloween. All of the Thanksgiving and Christmas things would be right behind. Ben’s not into any of the decorating so Olivia loves coming to our house to see a whole house full of every holiday’s decor. She is showing signs of being more like you when it comes to that and doing crafts. She is definitely an artist. She can’t get enough of painting and is always drawing everyone pictures. Jaclyn still remains such a blessing being her nanny. She does everything you would be doing with her everyday. Olivia is a really good girl and so sweet. Ben continues to do a great job raising her. If my voice even cracks a little when I start to talk about you, Olivia and Nori run to me and throw their arms around me and lay their heads on my chest. They don’t speak, they just hold me. They are both so sensitive.

We’re truly blessed with all eight grand babies. Life gets very busy with all of the sports and dancing and school functions. Your sisters struggle without you and your loss has brought them even closer. When the guys join us and we’re all together, we have so much fun. Ben has brought Lesley and Kaizer into our lives now as he is moving on trying to bring some joy back into his life. How unreal is it that Mike had to join you above to bring them both together. It helps that we’ve known her and Mike since you met Ben and that we all liked her a lot. She fits right in with us. They are very happy and Olivia and Kaizer get along great so that helps a lot too. I know this makes you happy since you told me so many times how you wanted him to move on if anything happened to you. But still sad that He took Mike away from Lesley to allow this to happen.

It’s so weird how life moves on and it changes constantly. The famous saying that ‘time heals everything’ isn’t true tho. You will never be gone from any of our lives. Silently always there. I can’t imagine it any other way. We all love and miss you so much. As I’m typing this on your FB page, I can see the videos and pictures that you posted. I’m smiling as tears are streaming down my face. I’m sad but so blessed that God let us share all the years with our crazy, fun and happy Ali that did so much for this world in such a short period of time. How fortunate that every life you touched was able to benefit in your life. Your whole XU crowd got together on Sunday and celebrated you. It’s extremely hard on all of them after losing you and now having Lisa dealing with cancer too. Be next to her always, Ali, holding her tight. Also let each of the girls feel you next to them helping them cope. So horrible that all of them are so young and they’re having to deal with this all over again.

Your Rock Pink 4 Ali Fund is going strong and I will be mailing another check today to a library in your memory helping so many people. This one to your school’s library in Pawtucket where you taught. They will be so surprised to receive it. Books keep coming in and I’m trying to get them out to all of the local schools in need. More then half of them have been distributed. We’ve had books for all ages donated. What an awesome tribute to you. We are so proud that you have made such an impact on this world involving literacy.

So we all will struggle to make it through this day but we will make it. You are with us always and never ever to be forgotten. I’ll be with the kids today so that will help make the day more bearable. We all love you and will laugh as we can’t think about you without remembering all the fun and goofy things that you made each of us do. Your crazy personality was contagious and that’s what we will try to focus on today. Looking forward to hearing about all the signs everyone receives today too. Never leave our sides, Ali Burger. Your bud, Bro Bob became Fr. Bob last month and he just messaged us that he is saying a mass in your honor. Awesome, huh?!!! Love you sweetie.💖mom

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How about some Halloween fun to bring some smiles back on our faces. 🙂

ali001 ali002 ali003 ali004 ali005And to show we are still trucking on as a family sticking together, here’s some from this yr.

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I guess I should share what already happened to me first thing this morning! My life long friend, Heather, is a teacher. The last 4 yrs she has discussed my sister to her 3rd grade class and how they should strive to be a stand up individual like Ali and leave such an everlasting impact on the world. Then the students draw and write pink letters about Ali to our family. Heather sweetly delivers them to me each yr and last night she gave them to me in a pink gift bag. I set it in the center of my island just before bed after reading through them again with Nori. I woke up really early today to work and as I sneaked downstairs to grab my computer, I walked through the kitchen. A step or two before I was parallel with the pink bag, it fell over on its side, then onto the floor directly in my path. I literally exclaimed, “You gotta be kidding me?! Good morning, Ali, so glad you loved the letters too!!” Sigh, she truly is always right there. So amazing.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support over the years. We appreciate it more than you know. We love hearing her name and talking about her as much as possible. <3

Miss and love you Ali!

 

Gate 11.

Gate 11.

The Austin, Texas airport has been the setting for most of my adult emotion. So I thought it fitting if I sat here to write what’s been circling my brain for the last few years.

It was at a brunch with our families that my best childhood and lifelong friend let me know that her sister was diagnosed with cancer. It wasn’t even the first topic we covered. In fact, I think we were close to the check at that point. Not that this is surprising. She was pregnant, we both had two-year olds, and she also had a four-year old. Managing to get everyone pancakes, seated, and calm were our clear priorities. And cancer isn’t a topic you drop in at the first sight of coffee, knowing the wait staff is bound to interrupt at any moment. I remember how steeped in denial I was then. “She’s going to be okay, right?” How could she not be? She’s a healthy 31-year old. Maybe just 30 at that very moment. We should be talking about her new adorable daughter, not a mass in her lungs.

Reality started to seep in over the next few months. Frightening words like ‘Stage Four,’ and ‘drug trials.’ As you do, we started fundraising, buying t-shirts, going to events, posting pictures of ourselves wearing her favorite color on Facebook. Some of us wrote to the CEO of Pfizer to push for Ali’s acceptance into the drug trial that might shrink the tumors. It’s kind of a blur looking back, but as positive as we all were on the surface, I had a growing uneasiness that this could go in a very dark direction.

At the same time, the rest of my life had never been better; but also had never been more complicated. I had accepted a role as a Creative Director on an innovative mobile educational program, that had me leading a team and pushing myself to do market-leading design work. Balancing that with the demands of a two-year old, my husband’s critically important work as an environmental scientist, and the overall role I take as Manager of Family and Friend Relationships, I was feeling in over my head.

I was in Austin working with a team of genius developers and designers when I noticed that my phone had been buzzing…often enough that I knew I needed to step out. Today was the day. Ali had pneumonia and would not make it.

This is the moment in my life when I knew I had crossed over from being an adolescent to being a full-fledged adult. Not because of my age. Because of how I handled the following 12 hours.

I excused myself, I found a private office. I let the tears fall. I called my parents. I called my husband. I took ten deep yoga breaths. I did an inversion to change my energy. Then I did the strangest thing. I went back to the meeting. I contributed. I compartmentalized. I drew on the whiteboard. I made sense. At the end of the day, I got in a cab, I went through security. Then, knowing what was going on in a hospital room many states away, I called my friend to leave her a message of support.

She picked up the phone.

“She’s gone.”

Just like in the movies, my legs went out from under me and I had to stumble to the nearest seat. I didn’t know that really happened until that moment. I don’t know what else Brittany and I said to each other during the next five or so minutes. It really didn’t matter. We cried together. Not a tear or two, a gut-wrenching collective sob while she eeked out words like, “peaceful transition.”

Naturally, my flight was delayed.

There I sat, at Gate 11. Sitting in the reality that a kid that I grew up with didn’t get to see her daughter grow to the age of two. Worried for Brittany and her three little girls. How does one move on from this? The tears kept coming. It was the place of my heartbreak.

As luck would have it, Gate 11 is directly across from Security, which means that any time you fly into or out of Austin, you cannot avoid it.

And since that team of geniuses was the vendor for my program, there were many more trips to Austin. I shuddered whenever I passed it.

About a year later, things were okay. I could still cry on command any time I allowed myself to think about Ali. (Let’s be honest, that is still the case.) But those closest to Ali had survived the darkest days of their grief. No small feat, and I realize I will never know entirely what courage and strength that took.

I was headed back to Austin for another business trip, and had scheduled my six-week pregnancy visit for that morning before I left. My husband didn’t accompany me because this was our second, I would grab the ultra sound picture and show him when I returned from my trip. But there was no heartbeat. And now it would be several days before I got to be comforted from that loss by my husband and son. Seeing Gate 11 that day made me angry. Why is it always here? Why do I have to go through the hardest parts alone, and so often in Texas?

I made it through that day, with more deep breathing and inversions.

I am having another tough week in Austin. I needed to leave my little one with her daycare overnight in order to make this trip and enforce some tough decisions that will affect people’s lives and well-being. And now I sit at Gate 11, waiting on my boss and our shared rental car. At first, I couldn’t bear to imagine staying longer in this godforsaken airport than absolutely necessary. But then I realized, this is what grit is. This is what perseverance looks like. This is being an adult. This is being a professional.

But under all of that, isn’t every human an ocean of emotion, sentimentality and connections? The reason I’m writing this is because it’s critical to be both, and what we must teach our children is when each is appropriate, and to find the outlet that allows both to live in us.

I know now that I can do what’s required this week, to present these decision calmly and emotion-free. Before I left, I was feeling the emotions rise up. Frustration, anger, sadness that I had to leave my little girl. And a song came on the radio. Anyone who knows me knows that I believe you hear the songs you need to hear when you need to hear them. Anyone who knows Ali knows her love of Bob Marley. Anyone who knows Brittany knows she doesn’t even LIKE Bob Marley. (Still the case, Britt?) So you’ll know why my Gate 11 tears came as Bob sang, “every little thing is going to be alright.”

I am trying my best to make Gate 11 hallowed ground. The place where I remember that to be human, to truly value this amazing gift that is life is to be your authentic self, which can be both sappy and strong, not always at the same time.

-Kel

  

Happy 35th Ali!

 Holy hell, how would you be 35 tomorrow? Siiiiiiiiighhhhh. We miss everything about you. Can’t wait to celebrate you this weekend! Happy Birthday, crazy sister. _MG_8595xoxoxox, Smelli.

See you all, Sunday at Noon at Fernbank! The picnic area in the way back. :-*

4th Annual Rock Pink Par-Tay!

Come out and join us for the 4th annual Rock Pink Par-Tay on July 19th!!

We’ll be out at Fernbank Park again this year raising money for an awesome cause!  So mark your calendars and come help us get more books into libraries, schools, and hospitals all around Cincinnati!

Anyone who wants to help or donate items/food/your talents/water balloon throwing skills/breaking down table skills…please email Denise Tracy. mamabam@zoomtown.com

To RSVP, visit the Facebook event here

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Dear Ali (the Nanny Edition)

Ali,
First let me start by saying what an amazing family you and Ben have. They have welcomed me with open arms and treated me like family from day one. I love getting to spend time with them because I enjoy hearing stories about you since I never had the opportunity to meet you in person. I’ll never forget how this job came together for me. I had been searching for over a year for a Nanny job because kids are truly my passion. By that point I had been a blog follower for sometime, but didn’t “know” any of your family. So it was a surprise when I reached out to Melanie and she mentioned Ben needing a nanny. I think I read her fb message 20 times before I could actually process what it said. Ben needed a nanny? I couldn’t believe that the family I’d been reading and supporting from afar could possibly need ME for a nanny. Long story short, Ben and I connected and sorted through all the details and I still remember his phone call telling me “I’d love to hire you and have you as our Nanny!” I was elated and overcome with gratitude for God providing such an amazing opportunity for me. It is TRULY a blessing that I got connected to your family. So funny how God works. Thank you for looking out for us all and helping to guide Ben in his decision.
Your daughter is absolutely beautiful (Not that it’s a surprise because YOU are so gorgeous) but a lot of your family says she looks more like Ben. She definitely has your eyes. Every time I look at her I feel like it’s you staring back at me. I love that though. I hope it comforts your family and Ben and they always know you’re close by when she looks at them. I know how important it is that Olivia spend time with her family and cousins. We see Nori and Nico often and she is crazy about those twin babies. She’s always wanting a baby in her lap but hasn’t quite grasped how to hold them just yet. Oh- and thank you for keeping those twin babies safe. When Olivia heard of them going into the NICU because they were sick she told me several times that she knew you would keep them safe.

I hope you are happy with the way I am caring for her. So many times I wonder what you would do in a certain situation. How would you dress her? Do her hair? I still remember the first time I helped Ben pack her bag for Disney. I was so nervous. I think I got every outfit she had in her closet and laid it on the bed. I matched bows and shoes and still panicked that it wasn’t good enough. Dressing your little girl is a lot of pressure. I remember reading about how much you loved dressing up on a daily basis and how you wanted to be able to do that with Olivia, so I had to get it right!  We are working on a chore chart right now. She’s getting really good at it but sometimes she will look at me and say “I don’t feel like doing chores today, Soooo I’m not going to” I’m always wondering who’s personality is coming out… You? Ben? Where does she get her silly humor? We take at least a weekly trip to target (it feels like daily) and she talks me into buying her something every time. I’ve been learning to say no to her because I know she can’t have everything, but it’s so hard. I know if you were here these are things you would be doing with her and I want her to still have that. It’s frustrating for me when I take her to the Disney store. When we are there I think of how much you would love to take her in that store, it’s such a mother/daughter store. I hope it makes you happy that we listen to KLOVE in the car every time we go somewhere. I love looking in the rearview mirror and watch her sing along to songs about God’s love for us.

One of the things that has been the most challenging for me is the guilt I feel on a daily basis. I think of all the things I’m doing with her that YOU should be. Like potty training, working on manners, working on letters, numbers, shapes, reading books at the library, fixing her hair, and getting her all ready for her first dance class. Last year we joined Mel’s homeschool group once a week and it was such good exposure to get Olivia ready for preschool, but something you would’ve loved to be part of. The moment that got to me the most was her first little field trip at preschool.  All the moms were there snapping pictures of their kids walking through the fire station. Of course I tried to make it as “normal” (whatever that means) as possible for Olivia, but my heart was literally breaking for her. Guilt is definitely a daily battle for me. I manage and push through it though, because this job is such a blessing to me and I know God and you brought all of this together. I absolutely LOVE my job and I don’t want to waste this beautiful time that has been given to me by constantly feeling bad. (I even feel guilty writing that sentence, see? Gah)

I hope you’re proud and honored that we talk about you so often. Did you feel loved when we came to visit your place of rest with our 3 pink balloons? I decked her out in as much pink as I could find since that was your favorite color. Thanks for all those silly pics of you dressings up, Olivia sees them and thinks their hilarious. Pictures are all around the house. Olivia loves looking at them and sometimes even makes up stories about something “you and daddy” did. Even though we never met, I feel like I knew you because of your family and Mel’s blog. I can promise you that not one day goes by when you are not talked about. I have all kinds of pictures and videos from your family that Olivia looks at daily. I love her so much and I promise for as long as I get to spend my days with her, we will always talk about you. The past several months have been a wave of emotions for her. As she gets older I see it becoming more of a struggle for her that you are not here. She hits me with questions that take my breath away especially when she remembers a memory of you that makes her cry because “you are in heaven” now. But, we are thankful for every feather you send from above to let her know she is wrapped in your love. You already know this, but we pray every single day at nap time for you to visit her in her dreams. She has told me a few times that she plays with you. I hope so dearly that you do. I hope she is filled with peace and love when she closes her eyes and you are there playing with her. She loves you so much Ali.

I look forward to many more days of silly dancing with your sweet girl and I hope that your spirit is dancing with us.

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Love,
Jaclyn Kennedy

3rd Angelversary

Mom wrote a sweet letter to Ali today for her 3rd Angelversary. 3yrs..can’t even wrap my brain around that. Well written, Nonni!

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Here we are again revisiting a day that changed all of our lives so drastically. Speaking solely for myself…life will never be the same…tears will always be a part of it now. Yet as I am on the receiving end of so many daily signs that you are next to me, I sometimes have to pause and laugh to tell you that “I get it” and “you can let up a little after 4 times in one day”! You promised if God allowed that you would inundate me with them so I would never be without you. Oh what a blessing and comfort they are but that hole in my heart is never to be healed, Allison. Would I ever dream of questioning the Good Lord???…never. He has His plan. We discussed that many times. We are here to do His work only and to go Home to Him and rejoice. I believe we are on loan to our families on earth. Could I ever believe that someone would want to come back here from Paradise?…never. But it is soooo hard without you. I just miss you soooo much. I sat and watched a courageous 19 year old today help change the world through her gift of sports and bring more people to The Lord. And the tears flowed. She reminded me so much of you, Ali. She also has an elevator waiting for her when she passes soon. Please be there to greet her and ask the Lord to wrap Himself tightly around her family, they have no idea how much harder it will become. I feel so totally blessed here with all our family around me, especially all the grandbabies, but heaven is enviable. Life isn’t easy. The kids keep me hopping and I truly love all the time spent with them. ( You better be there lots when those twin boys arrive tho!!!) While Olivia was with us this weekend I just watched her and saw how much she really is like you. She can’t help me enough and loves doing all the artsy/craftsy stuff too. She’s very sensitive and plays quietly by herself just like you used to and loves reading her books to me and vice-versa. Her dolls are her world too, changing outfits ten times an hour! You would absolutely love being with her, she such a girly-girl. One big difference is that she stands still while I’m doing the creative hairdos…never to move at all when a curling iron is near!!!! If I remember correctly, I wasn’t even allowed to get near you with a brush for one whole year, hence those great photographs that remain!!!! Olivia and Ben have such a great relationship and he has been bitten by your clothes buying bug so she will always be in style. I know you had your hand in his hiring Jaclyn too. What a gem nanny she is and how she loves O. She is doing everything that you talked of doing with Olivia as she grew up. Olivia loves her so much and all of us as well. Your daughter talks of you constantly and we share stories about you every chance we get. A day doesn’t go by that you are not mentioned. I promised you that and I can’t imagine how it could. I have to say tho that I still see her looking like Ben and his family but the words out of her mouth are yours. And the dramatic body and hand motions are definitely you too. Guess we’re going to be sitting as her audience soon watching her plays and dance steps too. She soooo inherited your love of dancing and she already has the moves! Ben started her in ballet classes so recitals are in the near future too. Yes, all of life keeps us busy and I haven’t changed in that department, but you are the missing link in all of our lives. I see something and my mind throws me back to when you did that, or how you did that…from a baby on to motherhood. It’s etched in my head. My memories are so clear that I think that you’re really being gone is impossible. How can it be three years already? When all of us are together we each secretly still wait for you to arrive, allowing us the moments to have a little peace of mind. But then that damn reality hits again. If it’s not me then someone has to bring your name up. We can’t exist without you, Allison. Then the funny stories begin to make us all laugh. I know that’s what you want us to do, laugh not cry. Just keep staying next to all of us and all of the signs help so much. Besides each of the family now, your friends can’t wait to tell us what happened to them. I don’t understand how some people can’t see what is put infront of them. I am so proud of you and God sure blessed me when He allowed me to carry you to birth. I have to keep concentrating on the fact that I will see you again someday because I sure miss seeing that beautiful face of yours daily. I find respite in all of the pictures and videos of you but the most peace is felt knowing that you are with God. No harm, no pain, no sadness and only paradise is yours. Thank you Lord. I love you Ali Burger.
MamaBAM

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3rd Annual Rock Pink Par-Tay

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THIS SATURDAY JULY 19TH!!

Fernbank park off Rt 50 on the Westside. 12-4pm

Bring a new book or $5 a person.

Join Ali’s family and friends for an afternoon of family fun at the third annual ROCK PINK PAR-TAY and support a great cause. Ali Tracy Nunery’s life was cut short at the age of 31 yrs. in 2011 after a short battle with a rare form of lung cancer. Only married to her husband Ben for 2 1/2 years she also left behind a 1 yr old daughter Olivia. Ali changed the lives of so many people in the Cincinnati area and around the world through her passion for service and library education. In that spirit of service, the Rock Pink 4 Ali Foundation is dedicated to the mission of spreading literacy and education by donating books to schools, libraries and hospitals locally and beyond. Please help us by donating a new book for ages 6-20 yr olds and allow us to pass on the gift of literacy to libraries and children in need and continue Ali’s legacy.
So put on your favorite pink threads and tutus and come out to Fernbank Park on July 19th for a picnic grill out to celebrate the life of Ali Tracy Nunery. We’ll provide the music, the food, and the fun. There will be split the pot, auction items, and much more. Admission is a donated new book or a suggested donation of $5 per person.

See you there!

Love, Ali’s family!

3rd Annual Rock Pink Partay!

Who is ready to PARTAY again?

DadAli Mark your calendars for the next annual ROCK PINK PARTAY! It’s going to be a great time! We are celebrating the day after Ali’s 34th (wow!) bday!

JULY 19, 2014

We had a great time picnicking last year and hope you will come to Fernbank again! And don’t worry, we will all be rockin’ our pink again!

benBahaha. This image was in the beginning of their relationship. I really didn’t know Ben well at all when we took this image at our old loft photobooth. So glad I can finally use it for something other than blackmail. Thanks for the smile Uncle Ben! 😀

Anyone who wants to help or donate items/food/your talents/water balloon throwing skills/breaking down table skills…please email Nonni. mamabam@zoomtown.com

thanks! Love, Melanie.