Nanny

After a month-long battle with aggressive lung cancer, Nanny passed away last night, surrounded by family. While it's totally sad, we are just happy for her to go somewhat peacefully and have an end to the pain she had been feeling lately.

Nanny was AJ's Dad's mom, and she will always have a special place in my heart. When I met AJ's family for the first time in 1999, it was at his parents' surprise birthday party. There were about a thousand people crammed into their house in Connellsville, and I knew not a one. Everyone was busy visiting with each other, including AJ, and I was completely regretting agreeing to go. Out of all of those people, Nanny was the only one to talk to me. I mean, really talk to me. She sat with me on the couch and made me feel welcome. She was the only way I got through that crazy day.

Since then, we didn't get to see Nanny nearly enough. We've always lived over an hour away, which makes it tough, especially with a little one. But, Nanny always made it to Ethan's birthdays and AJ's performances. She always greeted everyone with a smile, and if they were lucky enough, with peanut butter candy and her famous Chex Mix, too :-) We are so glad to have those memories with her. It's especially cool for me as someone who grew up with only one grandparent. To be with AJ's family and have Ethan be lucky enough to have known 3 great-grandparents is pretty amazing. I'm sorry our new addition won't get to meet Nanny. She was a good lady!