Tutu hero: Vanessa.

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***There are some graphic images below, fyi.***

 I asked Vanessa to share more than what the form asks. I wanted people to know the truth behind breast cancer and like the Scar Project states, “Breast Cancer is NOT a pink ribbon.” When a women is left feeling defeated and mutilated, she needs to know THAT IS NOT WHAT SHE IS AT ALL. She is still as gorgeous as she was before cancer dared to enter her body. Your hair, breasts, and uterus are NOT what define you as a women. The images of her along with the others are a true testament of beauty and strength. I’m posting them because people need to know under that cheery little smile of Vanessa’s, she’s risen through so much anguish. No matter how many times and places they have found cancer in her, she fights it in stride. And most importantly I know she will continue to be the same bubbly, happy girl I met years ago in college.

As I sit here and stare at the adorable image below of Vanessa as I type, I am bluntly reminded that life is so precious and we should indeed live every.single.day sincerely, just as Vanessa asks us to pledge. This girl has been through more in the last 5 years that I’m not even sure what adjective I should use to describe it. And still she stands so tall and proud, looking more beautiful than ever. Well done my friend, WELL DONE. People who feel like they are having a rough day need to sit and have a little chat with you to remind them of perspective. After we had lunch, I felt so blessed. It wasn’t because I was glad I wasn’t in your shoes, it was because your words made me feel so excited about life. Excited about my kids (even though they were terrorizing the restaurant) and our days ahead. Thank you for you encouraging me.

You are a badass and I pray so hard that you continue to keep up your faith and fight like you have nothing to lose. You rock, Vanessa. I’m so proud to call you my friend. I know no words can take away your pain and I’m sure, anger, but just know there are SO many out there always thinking of you. I know you are helping so many things fall into place in God’s plan and one day we will all understand why some had to go through so much while others didn’t. God be with you the rest of this journey. <3

Name of tutu recipient: Vanessa Tiemeier

Age: 30

Diagnosis: breast cancer

Age at Diagnosis: 25

Date of Diagnosis: March 2007

Treatment Center: OHC Ft. Thomas

Treatment Plan: Chemo, surgery, radiation

Favorite Songs: Tumor by Christina Blust

Favorite TV Shows: Say Yes to the Dress

Favorite Website: Facebook

Favorite Activities: play with my 3 nephews

Favorite Colors: green, purple

Favorite Foods: pasta

My Support Team: Jessica, Christina, Billy, Mom, Dad, Jason, David, Max, Myles, Leo

Inspired By/Role Models: Sona, Jolene, Joules, Emily, Sara, Marci, Michaela, Sylvia

What else do you want others to know about you?

My story begins in November 2006 when I felt a lump in my breast.  I went to the OBGYN for my yearly appointment and my doctor felt it too. He suggested an extensive test so I went to get it tested. But the doctor at that time diagnosed the lump as dense breast tissue. Four months later, with the same lump, the doctors correctly diagnosed it as breast cancer after a mammogram, core biopsy, node needle aspiration and a MRI.

When diagnosed, I was only 25 years old and had only been married 9 months. I was kinda upset and couldn’t believe I had been misdiagnosed at the beginning. I was diagnosed with Stage 3A breast cancer. It was on my right breast, and had metastasized to my lymph nodes, so I had to have a mastectomy and I decided to make it double. I also had to get radiation on the breast area and start chemo. That combo was difficult and left my body so different (in pain and no hair and no breasts). I then had a tram-flap reconstruction using my belly skin and fat as my new breasts.

After all those treatments and surgeries were over, I had another scan, and I was declared NED (no evidence of disease). A little bit later I crushed my finger in a drawer and broke it. After my hand scan, they also did a whole body scan. From that, I learned my cancer had metastasized to my bones and lung, so I was upgraded to stage IV cancer. I first had a hysterectomy/oophorectomy completed to try to control my ER+ PR+ hormone positive cancer, I also had monthly injections of zometa for my bones and 2 shots in my butt with faslodex as an anti-hormone treatment.

The hysterectomy left me unable to ever get pregnant, a fact I am still very much upset about, because I have always wanted (and still do want) kids. It was hard to believe that so early into our marriage, I was infertile. Making it even harder was the fact that we are not permitted to adopt now either, due to my expected life expectancy not surpassing the child’s. To apply for adoption and be accepted we would need to have a doctor’s note I would live at least 18 years.

Next I had many headaches, so I got a scan of my head. Tumors were found in my meninges (brain lining) and were pressing on my brain. I had surgery on my head to put in an Ommaya Reservoir for monthly treatments of methotrexate directly to my brain lining. Most recently, tumors were also found in my brain. I had whole brain radiation on my head daily for 2 weeks to attack the brain mets. I also started steroids to help control the swelling in my brain, which was giving me horrible headaches. The steroids have frustrating side effects like skin rashes and puffiness. This time was terrible because I got incredibly dizzy and felt like I couldn’t exist normally, and I often feel confused and forget things.

My latest MRI after the whole brain radiation showed no growth in my brain mets, but also no improvements. I was nervous to consider stopping active treatment and entering Hospice, but it was at this time that my doctor suggested I do. This was the most horrific thought and I didn’t know how to understand it. To me Hospice seemed like a death sentence at first, but in fact it just means you are not taking active treatments but still have the chance to do things, be capable and enjoy life everyday.

While the outlook is not good I continue to Live Sincerely and work on encouraging myself to do good things and live each day to the fullest. In fact, I had a super Live Sincerely party on the purple people bridge in Newport a month ago with my sister’s band playing, and we had snacks, drinks, buttons and magnets decorated with a reminder to Live Sincerely. We also added the Live Sincerely Pledge to the website my sisters and I made, so you can agree to it and sign up. This concept makes me happy so I continue to share it!

Vanessa had a feature on the news about her Live Sincerely party. You can watch it HERE.

~~~~~

These images were taken by David Jay of The Scar Project. I truly hope you will click the link and feel the strength these wonderful women have. While they are hard to view, they sure inspire me, both as a woman and photographer.

Tutu Hero: Natalie

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Name of tutu recipient: Natalie Collins

Age: 4

Diagnosis: Wilms Tumor on both kidneys

Age at Diagnosis: 3

Date of Diagnosis: 4/22/2011

Treatment Center: Cincinnati Children’s

Treatment Plan: Chemo and both kidneys removed

Grade:

Favorite Subjects:

Favorite Books: Pinkalicious, Good Night Train, I Love You Because You’re You

Favorite Activities: Playing games, singing, watching The Little Mermaid and running around really fast since I was stuck in a hospital bed and on the couch for so long not feeling well during chemo treatments.

Favorite Colors: Pink and Blue

Favorite Foods: Skyline/Gold Star 3–ways and chocolate

My Support Team: Mommy, daddy, Noah, Emma

What else do you want others to know about you?

I’ve been through so much more than a lot of people will ever have to go through. I’m a very brave girl who loves Princess Ariel from The Little Mermaid and love spending time with mommy, daddy, Noah and Emma. Like Ali, my favorite color is PINK and always has been! I gave everyone a few really big scares through my journey but am thankful to be feeling so good these days. I went through many rounds of Chemo and lost both of my kidneys due to the cancerous tumors on them. I just had my nine month post-chemo scan and am happy to report the scans were clear. I currently go to dialysis four days a week (Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat) but hope to get a kidney transplant by the end of the year. Mommy has a website set up that she tries to update as much as possible if you’d like to follow my journey or see how far I’ve come: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nataliecollins. We’re really looking forward to going to Disneyworld for my Make-a-Wish trip once the transplant is over and I can’t wait.

My motto through this journey has been to say “me tough” and I tell everyone all the time when I grow up I want to be a nurse and take care of sick kids like me! I’m very thankful our family and friends have done so many amazing things for us over the past year plus and we can’t thank everyone enough. We are truly blessed and thankful that I’m still here and such a tough little girl!

If you want to help support Natalie in receiving her kidney transplant they are having a benefit at  Jim and Jacks on the River on October 28th.

Thanks for sharing Natalie! You just look cute as can be in your tutu!! I pray this transplant is the end to all this suffering and the beginning of a healthy new journey!

 

hbd sister.

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Dear Ali,

It can’t possibly be a year since we celebrated your 31st bday. Since I watched you struggle to blow out your candles. How has so much happened in such a short time? How has time escaped us so quickly? It hurts. It hurts really bad. I was searching for the bday post I did for you and Ella last year and I had already forgotten all that happened on this day last year. I had forgotten you were just declared terminal. I had forgotten about the pressure to get into the drug trial and all our empty hope. I forgot you spent the day in the hospital and then transported to Columbus. I reread the post and I can still feel it inside how anxious we were. As I sit here, I feel that exact anxiety I felt for 8 months. The fear we could lose you and that every minute I spent with you could be my last. I even just told myself to shake it off and if I keep writing you are going to get better, than dammit, you will. But wait, IT already happened. 8 MONTHS AGO! I remember wondering if I was fooling myself. I remember going to our folks house with such a heavy heart because in the back of all of our minds, we knew this could actually be your last birthday. I know we were all thinking it, we just refused to believe it. But honestly, in my mind I knew it was a greater possibility than not. I hated myself for thinking that.

You always had a birthday week, not just a birthDAY. You liked to celebrate and you would find a way to do something and/or receive something special each day. FOR A WEEK. It’s funny cause only you could get away with such thing. How did you have such talent? People on fb are celebrating this whole week with you by wearing pink. Actually, a lot like they did last year. People are posting images of themselves on the Run and Rock Pink for Ali page to show their love. It’s so amazing to me, this pink community of support you have here. People ARE STILL GIVING YOU A BIRTHDAY WEEK and bdays don’t even matter to you anymore! That.is.talent. You are still so loved.

For your bday, we are starting the day off with mass being said for you at OLV. I cringe to think about hearing your name again during the intentions. And tonight, our immediate family will be toasting you at your favorite restaurant. It’s getting harder to trick myself into believing you are just at home sick, or out of town. Tonight, it’s going to be thrown in our face. Celebrating YOUR birthday, without you. Puke. Part of me wants to stay home curled up in a ball. The rest of me feels like you’d be pissed I wasn’t eating lettuce wraps in your honor. It’s like a constant battle you are fighting with us in our minds. Stop crying over me and celebrate! We will try.

I can’t imagine what this week has been like up there. You probably have Jesus wearing a pink tutu right now. Seems like something you’d be able to accomplish. I know birthdays likely don’t exist in heaven, but I’m sure this one is the best you’ve ever had. Nothing here could even compare to the party you are having up there. Just please be with us today, as we have our small party for you here. Cause this day still matters to us, and it always will til we can celebrate with you again. Be with mom and dad as they replay your life from your first breath to your last, over and over again. It is certainly not easy to be in any of our shoes today, but theirs especially. And while Ben is saving the most money he’s ever saved during this week, be with him too. Even though he used to shake his head in slight disapproval over your bday week, I know he’d give anything to celebrate again, with you.

If I could make your birthday wish for you this year, it would be that you allow us to feel more peace than sadness today. Please make yourself known. I’m not just asking for one of your pretty pink sunsets or your rainbows, make it more special to us. Thank you. 🙂

Happy 32nd birthday, sister. I/we love you so much.

Love, Smelli.

(always the life of the party.)

 

Tutu walk!

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It’s happening this Saturday, y’all!! If you missed the pre-registration, it’s ok, register Saturday morning. We have a very cool little gift for everyone to rock that day, so don’t miss it! Remember to WEAR YOUR TUTU AND/OR PINK. I’m not saying I will make fun of you (that’s a lie, I will) if you claim to have nothing pink to wear. Be creative. Pink bandana? Accessories? Socks? Wife’s bikini? No excuses.

Things Laura told me to tell you about:

Registration begins at 10AM At the Xavier Yard. If you are unfamiliar with Campus, Park in the Cintas lot and walk towards Bellarmine Chapel…..you won’t be able to miss us. Here is a link to the campus map http://www.xavier.edu/about/map.cfm.
1. If you Pre-Registered: Please come to the registration table and find the sign that says “Pre-Registration”. You will pick up your goodie bag and raffle ticket (and tutu if you ordered/paid one ahead of time).
2. If you Register Day Of: Same as above, please come to the registration table and find the sign that says “Registration” to complete your form and submit your payment. You will also received your goodie bag and raffle ticket at this time.
3. If you have spoken to Laura about volunteering for the day of or dropping anything off, please also come to the registration table and find LAURA. (She’ll likely be the one who has an incredible amount of energy bouncing around, with blonde/pink hair, also wearing a name tag.)
4. Face painting and balloon animals will begin at 11:30am.
5. The raffle will be done at 12pm and you must be present to receive your prize.

I already warned my facebook friends that there will be a large purge come Sunday if at least 1/4 of my friends don’t show. The last thing you want is to be defriended by me and miss out on all the “over sharenting” I do. (Vaca is a valid excuse, I wish I could be on the beach with you.)

Also, I will be taking instagram pics all day. If you are there, then be sure to #rockpintutuwalk on your images so I can pull them to eventually share here on the blog.

Drinks, food and fun afterwards til 1:30pm. It’s going to be SOMUCHFUN. Be there.

Peace, Mel.

So thoughtful.

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A group of Brittany’s friends got together had these necklaces made for my family from some funeral flowers. It was a very pleasant surprise when I got home late last night to a sweet note from all of them and a beautiful necklace. Mine is the cross and it’s perfect. 🙂 Thank you, thank you, thank you to all those who chipped in, organized and delivered these to us. And thanks to whoever took this picture, it made it real easy to blog about! Ha! It’s much easier for me to give a cyber “thank you” shout out to all of you, rather than snail mail cards. Besides, recylcing queen Brittany, would prefer me to save the paper anyway! 😉 Love, Melanie.

made from bloombeads.com in case you wanted to make your own. 🙂

i thought of you…

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…browsing through a cincy saver mag during breakfast I came across a 2 page spread for medical equipment. (scooters, lazyboys that eject you, wheelchairs, hospital beds etc) I laughed and thought of the number of times you and your friends would see an infomercial on TV and call the number. You’d ask for brochures and promo videos to be sent to mom. Funny cause back then, she was in much better shape than now! I bet she’d love to have one of those electronic chairs to take her upstairs!

…turning on the ac unit upstairs for the first time the other day. It’s now my office/playroom but it used to be your living space. It gets hot as Hades up there and you hated it. I remember installing the fan above your bed to help circulate the air up there. You watched me zap myself and recommended me calling Tom, “my rent-a-husband” (Adam isn’t into doing those kinds of things) because you were certain I was going to electrocute myself to death.

…I know you know Kelly and I were talked about on the front page of the NY Times last Sunday. I have a funny suspicion you had something to do with them finding us out of all the potential other birth photogs to interview. We got to see the newspaper in print at the library the next day and it was pretty awesome. You should have been at the library in flesh, but I’m sure you were still over my shoulder reading along.

…a bunch of us signed up for the colorMeRad (click the link, you’ll see why i just HAD to sign up!!) race next month. I’ve walked all kinds of 5k’s but never run. (More than to catch up with a diff group of friends 100 yds in front of me, that is. Ha!) After I signed up I realized that I might have a coronary if I try and run. I hate running distance and was always a sprinter. The next day I saw Adam’s hot pink running shorts and was a lil bit inspired. Had a touching moment when it suddenly made sense to me why all these people are running for you. So I went out and ran just under two miles. Boom. When I couldn’t breathe, I recalled your gasping breaths in the ICU. When my muscles were burning I remembered massaging your legs and seeing all your muscle had disappeared and you had become just skin and bones, I have muscle, I need to use it. When running up the hills I heard you shouting in my ear. “DO IT. JUST KEEP RUNNING. YOU CAN DO THIS. YOU JUST SQUIRTED OUT A BABY WITH NO MEDS. SUCK IT THE HELL UP.”

…Adam took me to Columbus to see the Cirque Du Soleil, Michael Jackson Immortal Tour for my mother’s day gift. What a surprise, we sat just next to our original seats for NKOTB last year. I knew going into it I would have many emotional moments. It was the hardest walking in, standing where we talked to guest relations to get your wheelchair. Walking through the curtain to see the excitement in the crowd on the other side. I wanted to record the whole thing so I could show you when we got home. (Seems as though no one cares about MJ like us. Lametown.) Also, there was this douche that sat next to us smelling like JD and cigarettes. His GF made him go to the show and he kept making fun of MJ the whole time. Don’t worry I defended Michael, but it would have been nice to have your support in yelling at him.

…we were given rose bushes as a memorial of you. Most of mine were coming up white and light yellow. Since I suck, they are now dying but the craziest thing is happening…they are all gaining pink spots! Apparently it’s normal, but it shocked me the first time I looked down to see a 3/4 pink polka dotted rose!

…I hope you had a wonderful time with Hope and Grace on Saturday. Though I’m sure earthly birthday’s don’t mean squat up there, they still do to us down here. I assured Luci her girls were looked after by Auntie and I know it gave her a little peace.

…Ben just posted a pic of Olivia eating cotton candy on FB. He captioned that it was her first tasted of pink cotton candy. Oops. I guess he didn’t know that you had given it to her a number of times? Once in the car, her and Nori both got some. Neither of them enjoyed it, so you handed them more and said, “NO! You WILL enjoy this cotton candy. It’s part of the food pyramid. It’s right next to Breakfast Nerds.”

…Nori loves to chat on her various toy phones. She says she’s talking to you all the time but this time she said something different and I was quite surprised. “Aunt Ali is on the phone. Want to say hi, Nico? Nico says hi.” Me, “What does Ali have to say?” Nori, “We can go to the beach Ali! (pauses, puts down the phone) Ali’s up in Heaven, Ali can’t hear me.” Me, “Sure she can always hear you!” She responded by raising and lowering her eyebrows at me. (her fav thing to do.) Next time you have a visit with her, remind her that she can always talk to you. I don’t want her to ever stop calling her Aunt Ali on the phone.

  Auntie Ali and Nori (8 ish mths) on vaca.

 

Tutu Hero: Madalyn

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Name of tutu recipient: Madalyn Grace

Age: 2

Diagnosis: Acute Myeloid Lukemia

Age at Diagnosis: 4 months

Date of Diagnosis: 7/1/10

Treatment Center: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Treatment Plan: Chemo & Bone Marrow Transplant

Favorite Colors: Pink & Orange

Support Team: Stephanie (mom), Jason (dad) & Aby (big sis)

****

Mady is one of our first tutu heroes. During her original lengthy stay in the hospital, I was able to visit her a couple times while hanging out with my friend Rachel, who was also battling cancer at the time. Mady is just a bit younger than Nori, so it was always more difficult for me to see her struggle. Nori was able to play with her a few times at Children’s and it just melted your heart seeing them together!! (In the pic, Nori was a couple mths shy of 2, which makes Mady 1.5. This was taken when Mady relapsed and needed a BMT.) When I showed Ali the image below, her response was tears. She said, “Who am I to complain? Look at this baby, who hasn’t even had a life yet, stuck in bed, already relapsing from her remission before 2. I would take this sickness over Olivia any day, I could just never see her suffer. I’m praying for her and Stephanie to beat this!”

So far Mady is doing great! She’s a little spitfire, always keeping Steph on her toes. She’s super brave and mighty tough. She has been through an incredible amount of pain and suffering and she’s not even 2.5 yet! 🙁 Look how perfect she looks in this tutu!!

Mady and big sis Aby! Both SO pretty.

I received this picture text later saying, “She hasn’t taken it off! She’s trying to dance like her sister! 🙂 Thanks again!” LOVE IT. GO MADY!

If you want to help support Mady, she is the upcoming recipient of the 12th Annual “Helping Hands” Golf Outing on July 21, 2012 at Neumann Golf Course. I know they are trying to stay afloat from the last two years in medical bills, so every little bit helps!

As always, we are praying for you guys. I hope your appointments continue to go smooth. No more hospital stays, little girl!! Love, Melanie.

Rock Pink Tutu Walk.

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We’re doin’ it y’all. Our first Rock Pink Tutu Walk is officially planned. This will be our one big Rock Pink event done each year. Money left post expenses will be used to donate books and tutus for her legacy. It is just a couple days before Ali’s bday, so we figured what better time to celebrate her! If it is hard to read the fine print, click the image and it will open larger in a new window. Yes, I would REALLY like to see everyone in a tutu and/or pink. I’d hate to think you would do Ali wrong and be LAME. 😉 But no really, how stinkin cool is it going to be to see that many tutus in one place? I CAN’T WAIT FOR THAT! There will be fun to be had afterwards since we are only making you walk ONE mile. Ha! It’s our first year, we wanted to ease ourselves into it. (and we might have started planning about a year too late!) We will post more about it just before the event.

If you click this link, you can print the pre registration form. RockPinkTutuWalkRegistrationForm_Final

Don’t have a tutu? Have questions? Email Laura: rockpinktutuwalk@gmail.com Plus she found something realllly awesome to give out with each registration. Everyone must come!

Peace, Melanie.

PS. Special thanks to Laura and her incredible urge to help our family, be organized like a crazy lady, and plan a majority of this event. The Tracy/Pace/Nunery/Klems love you for all your hard work. I imagine Ali is giving you all sorts of hugs you may or may not feel. 🙂

I thought of you…

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-Whenever I see the splatter of pink nail polish upstairs on my bathroom floor, I think of the night I was running late to a friend’s wedding and you insisted I paint my toes. I said I didn’t have time so you did it for me while I fixed my hair. Somehow the bottle fell off the counter, splashed on my dress, stained it and the tile. D’oh.

-Summer time and shaved ice. Years ago you introduced me to blending the flavors lemon-lime and blue rasberry. YUM. When we went to Adam’s dad’s to swim, we had to stop on the pike to get shaved ice. More than one time at your house while you were sick I was eating one and you “just wanted one bite.” Once bite turned into you eating 3/4 of it.

-Whenever I look at the dirt in my flower beds, I realize we haven’t mulched since you moved out. I really appreciated all that wedding, planting and mulching you did. I didn’t however enjoy how you’d take my debit card and spend all my money “accessorizing my yard.”

-It seems as though my job revolves around people’s life changing moments. Doesn’t matter the occassion, now all I can do is see you. Every wedding, I see you walking down the aisle. (The first wedding at De Sales since Nov. 3, I really struggled.) Every bridesmaid toasts about sisters, I tear up behind my camera. Every birth I see you laboring with Ben, anxious to meet your baby girl. Every family/newborn session I remember your sessions with Olivia. I think of how you were in the ER while Adam and I took Olivia’s one year pics. It’s just so hard to get you off my mind while I shoot.

-I think of you when Nori wears Olivia’s size 6mth skirts. I want to send you the pic and say, “hand-me-UPs?

-I think of you when I eat Thai Taste because that was our favorite take out. One of the nights I stayed in the hospital with you, you requested it. I brought it up, only to find you finishing throwing up from the chemo. You didn’t want it after that and I ended up throwing it out.

-If I listed the thousand times I thought of you while our families were in Hilton Head, this blog would be a mile long. I just don’t have the energy to blog about those times. When we booked that trip it was something for you to look forward to, to get better for. hmphhh.

-Every time I eat sherbet, I think of the time I had to hide in Britt’s kitchen and eat a cone to fulfill my pregnancy craving because you weren’t allowed to eat sweets and I didn’t want to torture you. But you walked in and saw me eating it, I felt terrible, you were mad because you were fighting so hard to resist sugar and I couldn’t just avoid it when I was with you. I felt so greedy and selfish.

-My neighbor was telling me about his father’s recent passing. He told me how he developed cancer, was treated at UC, was doing so well and out of no where developed double pneumonia. He said he was in the ICU for a couple days and then…that was it. When he looked up to see tears pouring down my face, he was shocked and felt terrible as if he’d said something wrong to offend me. He didn’t know. All I could get out was, “Yes, I know EXACTLY what you are going through. Everything. Exactly.”

-Tutus are more prevalent in my life now, that they’ve ever been. Besides the ones I own, I have others laying around for sick kids and runners. Tutus were always for fun and dress up. Now they represent you to SO many people.

This is Ella sporting her first tutu from Aunt Ali.peace, Mel

3 yrs ago today.

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Three years ago today, I stood up in front of all our family and friends and toasted my sister and her new husband. Not only was I photographing this wedding with Adam, I was also 9 weeks pregnant (puking all day) and co Matron of honor with Britt (who just had anna). It was a very memorable day to say the least. My heart hurts to think about all the ups and downs our family has experienced in these three short years. Through my hormonal/sentimental tears and laughter, here is what I had to say:

——

First of all I want to say, shooting so many weddings has given me the opportunity to hear some really good and some NOT SO GOOD toasts. If there is one thing that I have learned from all of them is, WRITE IT DOWN because if you don’t, you talk in circles, ramble and end up saying some terrible stuff about the bride and groom. Lol. So bear with me as I follow my notes along.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m Ali’s baby sister by about 3 yrs. Britt and I are the tomboys and she’s the one who somehow managed to get most the ‘girl genes’ Britt and I were supposed to get. She’s the Martha Stewart in the family who loves to throw dinner parties and wear pink ruffles. Over all the years of living in the same house we did some pretty hilarious things together, we shared a lot of special moments… and we fought A LOT. But mom was right when she told us then, “you’ll eventually be best friends!”

By the time I was in 8th grade I decided Ali wasn’t so bad and asked her to be my confirmation sponsor. That was the beginning of me looking up to her as a role model. In high school I ended up joining all the same clubs as her, partly because I was interested in being a better person—and partly because she was my ride home. 😮

Eventually I grew to love serving and ministry work like she did.  We went on various mission trips and lead all sorts of retreats. Ali is lucky enough to be teaching at a school where she can continue all of her service work. Ben and Ali have even traveled to south Africa together to serve. I love that he shares the desire give and love like she does.

When they got engaged we offered Ali our upstairs so she could save up money to buy a house. This obviously meant Ben was at our place everyday as well. So over the past year I’ve been jotting down a bunch of random notes that I thought would get a good laugh out of the crowd tonight. Since most of them were completely non-related I’ve decided to do the top five funniest things said or done at the Pace/Tracy/Nunery house this year.

5. One time Ben was out of town and my 28 yr old sister—who had partied a little too hard—woke me up in the middle of the night demanding that I come upstairs and spoon with her. That wasn’t enough, so I had to read her a story til she fell asleep. (I’m surprised she didn’t try to twirl my hair.) Did I mention she was…ummm…missing her clothing? She’s also been known to take Adam’s spot in bed as we stay up late and talk like we are 10 yrs old. This happened last on Wednesday night!

4. The Tracy family has a passion for dressing up.  Between Ali and I, we have the most eccentric clothing collection. In fact one night Adam walked in to find Ben, Ali and I cooking dinner each in our own wig. Is that weird? I don’t think it is.

3. Ali has a remarkable ability to lose every possession she has.  One night Ben threatened to make her wear a shock collar to help her with this problem. I think he actually put it on the registry.

2. It has been their goal to make me eat healthy. Apparently cheese fries and ranch for dinner aren’t acceptable. Ben literally won’t let me get up from the dinner table to get dessert til I finish my vegetables. One night he even ate a cupcake in front of me and said, “I can do this because I’m the adult and yer the kid!” JERK.

1. The first weekend she moved in, we were eating outside on the porch. Adam was on my right and Ben was on my left. Suddenly, I felt a hand resting on my LEFT leg. Thought it was weird but didn’t mention it cause we were all looking down eating. Then it kinda rubbed my leg and I was like…”for real ben? I know we look alike but you can’t tell the difference?” He looks up and about turned white when he realized it was MY leg, not Ali’s!

The past year has been amazing having her live with me. We have grown so much closer and I’m going to miss you guys a lot. Thanks for buying a house on the Westside (or the black hole as Ben likes to call it)! This way you won’t be far when I call you after dinner and ask you to bring over some ice cream. Geeeze, I’m really not looking forward to going back to doing all the cooking, cleaning and yardwork next week.

One last bit of advice for you Ben:

Go ahead and just replace all the money in your wallet with a picture of your new beautiful wife. Cheers to Ali and Ben! Just always remember to kiss hello, goodbye and goodnight everyday til you’re old and gray! I love you guys.

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She was a gorgeous bride, wasn’t she?

Thinking of you today, Ben. I hate more than anything that you aren’t together, in flesh, celebrating. I love you and know that all of our hearts are heavy with yours. Love, Mel.