One of the Best Days

Dear Baby Waider + Little Brother Too,

Recently I learned that one of my beloved aunts had fallen ill and last week she died. Her name was Nancy Halter or as my cousins all called her growing up Nancy Halter #1. She and your Grandma Halter had the same name! Grandma Halter was Nancy Halter #2. My cousins lived all over the place. We were all relatively close considering how far apart we lived. We would get together at my grandma and grandpa's house and play our butts off. Even if we hadn't seen each other for YEAR we immediately picked up where we left off and played until we dropped from exhaustion, dripping with sweat, and sore from laughing and playing. 

One set of cousins we saw pretty regularly growing up were Lindsey, Bobby, and Billy. They lived in Minneapolis and growing up we were pretty close. They would come to visit and we even went there a couple of times. Aunt Nancy was BEAUTIFUL. She had fantastic hair, makeup, clothes, and nails. Everything about her made her fun to be around. She was funny. She told great stories. 

It's funny because when you're growing up you spend a lot of time around other kids rather than around the other adults. My memories of the adults, when I was a kid, were telling us we had to go home or driving us places. We didn't really hang out with the adults. When I moved to Wisconsin to be a counselor at a camp for the summer I decided to spend a weekend visiting my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I thought back to that as I was remembering my time with my Aunt Nancy. 

I went to Minneapolis in the summer of 2000. I had to print directions out on Mapquest. I did not have a cell phone and there was no Google Maps at that time. I would have NO idea how to do that now because I'm so accustomed to my phone telling me where to go. I had just found out that I had landed my first job teaching third grade in Whitewood. 

Aunt Nancy had some plans for us and interestingly, that Saturday is one of days that is etched in my memory. It was just one of the best days. Nothing was overwhelmingly exciting. It started out with my cousin Bobby and I going with Nancy to downtown Minneapolis to serve the homeless. As we parked and walked to the shelter I was astonished that Nancy was just marching downtown without fear to serve those who were less fortunate than her. She was dressed to the nines and her hair done offering the friendliest smiles to those she was serving or helping cook. She laughed as Cousin Bobby and I were cutting up the entire time. It was a very humbling experience, but I could tell this was something that my adorable aunt did regularly and I still have so much admiration for her.

Once we were done with serving lunch Aunt Nancy offered to take me shopping at Lakeshore Learning where she gave me $100 to buy stuff for my classroom! How generous!  We had the best time picking stuff out. She had really good ideas because she had worked at a school for years. We laughed and laughed and found some awesome stuff. Once we were done we went out to lunch and I spent the evening losing at cards to my Cousin Billy. 

There is a saying that we don't always remember what people say, but we always remember how they made us feel. Aunt Nancy always made me feel special, loved, and happy. She was just the best kind of person. It breaks my heart that her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews no longer have her on this earth. I can't imagine what an amazing grandmother she was. I'm sorry that I never got to see her in action. 

I will regrettably not make it to the funeral because I've missed over half of Little Brother's basketball games due to the play and having covid. This weekend he has his last two games. I just can't miss them and hope she would understand. I'm sad to miss her final tribute but so grateful to have known her and also to have the gift of sharing one of my favorite days with her. Hold on tight to memories because once someone is gone, that's all you have.

Love, 

Mom