The hardest thing for me
was that a part of me still expected to see Alex come around the bend....
I do know that she was proud of us that day...
Thank you all for your support. xe
***ETA---I should have said earlier, I did not make this amazing video. It was passed on to me by a dear friend, who when she noticed that Alex was in it thought I might like to see.
"I'm sick of this nonsense" -Jack.....(couldn't have said it any better myself...My house REALLY needs to sell)
Heeeheee....
HAPPY Birthday dear SUPER SPICY spazmafraz....Happy BIRTHDAY to you....
On the t-shirt front... 
just my 2cents...after actually getting my shirts.
Go with the white and orange...
I loved the black online...and Jared will be sporting that one..
but the orange is better ;)
JUST my advice...and if your order is wrong when it arrives...
umm...
just call the 800 number and they'll fix it.
pronto.
Thankyou to everyone that has ordered.
Just wanted to post a tiny note about my husband.
When we found out I was pregnant with Jared....he was 18.
He missed out on a lot,
but I hope he'd say he gained a lot more.
He puts most Dads that wait, and plan, and do things the "right" way
to shame.
He is an incredible Daddy.
Love you Col.
Happy Father's Day...
xxe
...with a five year old...
it took jared a long time to figure out why i was calling him
Don't forget to get your shirts here ...
and then say "WOW"....
pretty"...
yeah, i did. HA!!! xxxe
Gabby got us some kickass seats for the national team game....
..
that's their motto anyway...
I feel like I scrapbook this one more....but it's only because he's home with me...
and he's still at that age of ridiculous-ness & gives me fantastic quotes...
I wish I could go back and remember all the boys at this age...
I never wrote things down....too "busy".....thought I'd remember...
of course.... 
I don't....
His birthday was the day after Alex died.
It was very surreal that day for me.....
I wanted it to be as normal as possible because he'd looked so forward to it....
counting the days down for months....
and he had elaborate plans for us.
So..
we did them all.
The bowling...the lunch....the shopping at the skate shop....the movie....
it was ...absurd as it sounds.... a lovely day.
Just us....
my baby on his special day...
healing me without even realizing it.
Looking back I think....I should have mourned then....not celebrated....
but then I remember that time with Jack, and I know it was ok...
***ETA....Well....
it's now time for me to retire....
my five year old is turning out better layouts than i am...... ;) xxxe
The race that Alex DeVinny had with life was cut short by her long-time rival, anorexia nervosa. She lost that race on Sunday, March 5, 2006, when her large and generous heart just stopped beating. She was 20 years old. Alex was born in Racine on October 14, 1985, to Doug and Lana DeVinny. During her brief two decades, she touched many people with her intelligence, humor, courage, and athletic ability. She was recognized as a runner of rare athletic ability, who set course records throughout the state, winning the state championship in the 3200 M race in her junior year. But more than a fine athlete, she excelled academically, graduating with honors from Park High School in 2004 and recruited by many universities. Unfortunately, she was unable to attend as the eating disorder became more controlling. Her love of books, popular culture, Nike apparel, and Steve Madden shoes was legendary. She was also a talented Artist whose interest was in making jewelry created with her handmade lamp work beads. As an eighth grader, she was awarded a WCATY (Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth) Grant to pursue research in hot glass bead making. Most importantly, Alex was a kind, honest, and generous human being, who cared deeply for her family and friends, as well as for social issues and environment. She will forever be missed by the people she touched, but especially by her family. In addition to her parents, Doug and Lana DeVinny of Racine, her survivors include her sisters, Gabrielle (Michael) Fekete of Cary, N.C. and Erika (Colin) Willard of Greenville, N.C.; her nephews, Jared, Colten, and Jack Willard; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins throughout the United States. Her two four-legged friends, Baby and Nike are still waiting for her to come home. The service celebrating Alex's life will be held at Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church, 1700 South Green Bay Road, on Saturday, March 11, 2006, at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Kara F. Baylor officiating. Burial will take place at Graceland Cemetery on Monday, March 13, 2006, at 10:30 a.m. Family and friends are invited to meet in the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home on Friday evening from 5 until 8 p.m. for a public visitation. There will also be a visitation in the church on Saturday from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family, who will establish something in Alex's name at a later time. Her family wishes to thank the brave efforts of the ER and Intensive Care Unit of All Saints - St. Mary's Medical Center to save Alex's life, especially the caring and skilled nurses, Kerri and Mary Jo. They would also like to encourage those who work in law enforcement, human services, and the justice system to think seriously about the victims of anorexia nervosa and make the effort to care for them in a way that would treat the disorder rather than punish the victim.
