When I think of my loving and giving aunt Cheryl Bluemer, a few things come to mind: her amazing turtles she would make around Christmas time and send to me in whatever state I lived in, her delicious noodles on Thanksgiving, and this one time when I was a young lad and an absolute terror of a child...

All of my hard earned life savings were devoted to this one day. I must have been around 5 or 6 years old (I am now 28). I had emptied my piggy bank and loaded my purse up to head out on the town to shop with Aunt Cheryl and my cousin Lindsey. They picked me up, my mom had left, so I locked the door and away we went. Less than a mile down the road, tragedy stuck in the most unexpected way. Little Kallie forgot her purse with every dollar she had ever touched. I LOST MY MIND. And when I say that, I LEGIT LOST MY MIND. I went kicking and screaming and crying to the point where at this age in my life, I would have lost it all over again just witnessing such a fright. Aunt Cheryl, unable to contain such a monster such as my 5-year-old self, turned the car around and went back to my house. She attempted to break into the house with no such luck, and in the meantime I was stomping around, screaming and crying. After somehow miraculously calming me down, she gave me money to go shopping. It wasn't good enough for my 5 year old inner demon at the time, but looking back on that moment, I learned so much about this woman I am so proud to call my Aunt. 

Besides wanting to calm me down, and perhaps strangle me at that point, she wanted me to still enjoy the shopping experience with her and Lindsey. She had replaced my money and I want to say she even let me carry her purse. She was selfless and nurturing. She cared so much at that moment that she let me [continue to breath another breath] enjoy the day I had been so ecstatic about.

I don't know how I remember this... maybe I was traumatized from my own behavior back then. 

Aunt Cheryl never changed. She continued to put others first and embrace the moments. She always wanted the best for everyone and admired every one of her children, nieces and nephews. I can only hope to be the Aunt to my nieces as she was to us.

Fly high Aunt Cheryl. Give Grandma Jean a hug and kiss from me. Xoxo.