(Written Feb 2007 ~ Revised in 2008)
How do you put into words how much someone means to you? How can you condense the love & humility of someone like NeeNee into a “short” reading…
Approximately 8 years ago an unexpected joy came into our life... Brittney was almost 2 months old and I was preparing to return to work, when the daycare we had selected called to say they no longer could take Brittney. As we scrambled for an option, my mom volunteered to stay a little longer; MeeMee Duffy retired from her job & came to stay for awhile; and then... a neighbor called to ask about all of the out-of-town license plates. She said she had an offer for us... She had a nanny that was needing more hours. You see their daughter was starting kindergarten so they just needed someone to put Randee on the bus every morning & pick her up every afternoon until her mom came home from school as well. So we were a perfect match. We talked on the phone that night with NeeNee for the first time. She offered to come over the next morning to meet us in person and to spend a day with Brittney. It was love at first sight (at least on our end).
The next morning she picked up a crying 3 month old, put her in a car seat & took off to take Randee to the school bus and she never slowed down. NeeNee was a life saver to us then and many more times. She taught the girls how to express themselves in art, in music, in dance – you name it, she taught them. But to us, NeeNee showed unconditional love. She loved our girls whether they were tired or sick, and whether she was tired or sick… she showed them patience and tolerance. NeeNee taught them to see each person as an individual with value and to treat everyone with respect.
For Brittney, NeeNee was the constant. We have moved 3 times in Brittney’s short life, changed schools 4 times, and travelled on annual mission trips – but NeeNee was always there for Brittney. She would help Brittney to remember the good times and to anticipate the new good times. Brittney shared NeeNee’s passion for garage sales and this past summer was difficult for them – we told them NO MORE GARAGE SALES. You know, those two can find a garage sale while on vacation in the middle of no-where.
Sophie tested NeeNee’s patience and stamina. Sophie has lots of energy and lots of spunk – to some degree Sophie is a lot like NeeNee. She didn’t (and still doesn’t) like rules or quiet time or sitting still. She loves to sing, play Barbies or Poly-Pockets, and she LOVES art-time. Sophie asked me yesterday, “how will NeeNee always be in my heart? My heart is so small and NeeNee is so great.” I’m not sure that I have or had the best of answers for Sophie, but I told her that NeeNee will always be in our heart because NeeNee had so much love and our heart is the home for love…
Two years ago NeeNee went on a mission trip with us and the Willow Hill Youth Group, and she became the NeeNee of 20 more people… she never stopped showing her love. NeeNee loved that group of kids as if she had known them all their life. She calmed their fears as we entered a “different” world and she was able to educate all of us on the history of the Lakota Indians. She was able to embody the experience we were trying to share with these youth. She shared Christ with those 20 youth & with everyone she came into contact with on that mission trip.
Friends and co-workers were always asking if they could hire NeeNee. I would tell them, no NeeNee isn’t for hire – NeeNee is love. A friend of mine once said do you know I pass NeeNee every day as she is coming to your house in the morning and she always has a smile on her face. That is the NeeNee we will always remember – her laugh, her smile, her sense of humor (though we didn’t always get it), and her unselfish way of life. She never asked for a thing, she gave all she could, and she loved more than she should.
NeeNee was a prayer warrior; we always knew that our family was covered from a prayer perspective. A few years ago when I was going through a mini-life crisis, NeeNee gave me a rock. She wanted me to remember that God is my rock; He is never changing and never moving. I still keep it in my coat pocket and every time I feel it, I remember.
Another thing about NeeNee, she loved to take pictures. You know, if it wasn’t for NeeNee I don’t think we would have any pictures of Sophie’s first few years.
NeeNee has always taken care of us and we have always felt the need to take care of her in whatever ways possible. When we were contemplating a move to California a few years ago, she was ready to pick up and go with us without hesitation. How many people would do that for you? When we learned that we were moving to England, again she enthusiastically agreed to come with us. As hard as we thought the move might be for the girls, we knew it would be ok since NeeNee was coming. Then when the time came to leave for England and she became ill we were saddened and confused. "Why, God?" we asked, would you bring us all this far and then not allow her to come with us? I think in a strange way He was protecting all of us from what He knew would eventually happen so quickly. As hard as it has been to not be there with NeeNee and you all for this past month, it would have been harder on our girls to see their NeeNee in that way. Sometimes we just have to trust that God knows what He is doing.
As many of you know, NeeNee was quite a talented writer and artist. To entertain the girls (and herself) she would spend hours drawing literally hundreds of pictures on our computer of cats and frogs and other things little girls find fascinating. They really are quite amazing pictures. We encouraged NeeNee to try to get her work published and even sent her to North Carolina to a publisher’s conference. She was unable to get her work published that time, but we have not given up yet. We plan to write a letter to the American Cancer Society and tell them about what a truly amazing person she was and send a few samples of her work. Hopefully we can get her work published as a children’s book in her memory with every dime of profit going to cancer research to try to defeat this horrible disease.
Approximately 8 years ago an unexpected joy came into our life... Brittney was almost 2 months old and I was preparing to return to work, when the daycare we had selected called to say they no longer could take Brittney. As we scrambled for an option, my mom volunteered to stay a little longer; MeeMee Duffy retired from her job & came to stay for awhile; and then... a neighbor called to ask about all of the out-of-town license plates. She said she had an offer for us... She had a nanny that was needing more hours. You see their daughter was starting kindergarten so they just needed someone to put Randee on the bus every morning & pick her up every afternoon until her mom came home from school as well. So we were a perfect match. We talked on the phone that night with NeeNee for the first time. She offered to come over the next morning to meet us in person and to spend a day with Brittney. It was love at first sight (at least on our end).
The next morning she picked up a crying 3 month old, put her in a car seat & took off to take Randee to the school bus and she never slowed down. NeeNee was a life saver to us then and many more times. She taught the girls how to express themselves in art, in music, in dance – you name it, she taught them. But to us, NeeNee showed unconditional love. She loved our girls whether they were tired or sick, and whether she was tired or sick… she showed them patience and tolerance. NeeNee taught them to see each person as an individual with value and to treat everyone with respect.
For Brittney, NeeNee was the constant. We have moved 3 times in Brittney’s short life, changed schools 4 times, and travelled on annual mission trips – but NeeNee was always there for Brittney. She would help Brittney to remember the good times and to anticipate the new good times. Brittney shared NeeNee’s passion for garage sales and this past summer was difficult for them – we told them NO MORE GARAGE SALES. You know, those two can find a garage sale while on vacation in the middle of no-where.
Sophie tested NeeNee’s patience and stamina. Sophie has lots of energy and lots of spunk – to some degree Sophie is a lot like NeeNee. She didn’t (and still doesn’t) like rules or quiet time or sitting still. She loves to sing, play Barbies or Poly-Pockets, and she LOVES art-time. Sophie asked me yesterday, “how will NeeNee always be in my heart? My heart is so small and NeeNee is so great.” I’m not sure that I have or had the best of answers for Sophie, but I told her that NeeNee will always be in our heart because NeeNee had so much love and our heart is the home for love…
Two years ago NeeNee went on a mission trip with us and the Willow Hill Youth Group, and she became the NeeNee of 20 more people… she never stopped showing her love. NeeNee loved that group of kids as if she had known them all their life. She calmed their fears as we entered a “different” world and she was able to educate all of us on the history of the Lakota Indians. She was able to embody the experience we were trying to share with these youth. She shared Christ with those 20 youth & with everyone she came into contact with on that mission trip.
Friends and co-workers were always asking if they could hire NeeNee. I would tell them, no NeeNee isn’t for hire – NeeNee is love. A friend of mine once said do you know I pass NeeNee every day as she is coming to your house in the morning and she always has a smile on her face. That is the NeeNee we will always remember – her laugh, her smile, her sense of humor (though we didn’t always get it), and her unselfish way of life. She never asked for a thing, she gave all she could, and she loved more than she should.
NeeNee was a prayer warrior; we always knew that our family was covered from a prayer perspective. A few years ago when I was going through a mini-life crisis, NeeNee gave me a rock. She wanted me to remember that God is my rock; He is never changing and never moving. I still keep it in my coat pocket and every time I feel it, I remember.
Another thing about NeeNee, she loved to take pictures. You know, if it wasn’t for NeeNee I don’t think we would have any pictures of Sophie’s first few years.
NeeNee has always taken care of us and we have always felt the need to take care of her in whatever ways possible. When we were contemplating a move to California a few years ago, she was ready to pick up and go with us without hesitation. How many people would do that for you? When we learned that we were moving to England, again she enthusiastically agreed to come with us. As hard as we thought the move might be for the girls, we knew it would be ok since NeeNee was coming. Then when the time came to leave for England and she became ill we were saddened and confused. "Why, God?" we asked, would you bring us all this far and then not allow her to come with us? I think in a strange way He was protecting all of us from what He knew would eventually happen so quickly. As hard as it has been to not be there with NeeNee and you all for this past month, it would have been harder on our girls to see their NeeNee in that way. Sometimes we just have to trust that God knows what He is doing.
As many of you know, NeeNee was quite a talented writer and artist. To entertain the girls (and herself) she would spend hours drawing literally hundreds of pictures on our computer of cats and frogs and other things little girls find fascinating. They really are quite amazing pictures. We encouraged NeeNee to try to get her work published and even sent her to North Carolina to a publisher’s conference. She was unable to get her work published that time, but we have not given up yet. We plan to write a letter to the American Cancer Society and tell them about what a truly amazing person she was and send a few samples of her work. Hopefully we can get her work published as a children’s book in her memory with every dime of profit going to cancer research to try to defeat this horrible disease.
When Kevin & I came to England in November 2006 to pick our new house I asked NeeNee what she was going to do with her week off… she said – “well, I guess WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO, DO WHAT YOU KNOW TO DO.” In these last few weeks and days, I found these words to be even more true… when I am overcome with sadness and don’t know what to do, I do what I know – I cry a little, I remember a little, I laugh a little, and I just keep living one moment at a time. That is what NeeNee would want!
We miss you dearly and will always love you.
-Your Family in England. Kevin, Cathy, Brittney and Sophie
We miss you dearly and will always love you.
-Your Family in England. Kevin, Cathy, Brittney and Sophie
UPDATE: As I was just reading this to the girls, Sophie said "when we get to heaven we will see NeeNee again. I am going to run & give her a big hug" - wow, what a love & understanding at 4.
More memories to expand on...
Summers at the Farm Park
Art Time
Brittney's ornament eating - first birthday
Story Princess
Pool side on the driveway
Sophie
Lake vacation with NaNa Krueger and girls
Toys in the backseat of the cars
Staying at the house for Sundance & then Butch
Bananas in Pajamas and many other stuffed animals
Reading ~ books ~ Junie-B
Pictures - photo albums - Mother's Day gift
NeeNee to me & Kevin
More memories to expand on...
Summers at the Farm Park
Art Time
Brittney's ornament eating - first birthday
Story Princess
Pool side on the driveway
Sophie
Lake vacation with NaNa Krueger and girls
Toys in the backseat of the cars
Staying at the house for Sundance & then Butch
Bananas in Pajamas and many other stuffed animals
Reading ~ books ~ Junie-B
Pictures - photo albums - Mother's Day gift
NeeNee to me & Kevin
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