ANOTHER Fortener...

Congratulations Danny & Lauren ... married May 28, 2011 ... that brings the Fortener family total to....probably over 100 now!


The Mother/Son Dance...


Caleb (Jacob's son) with Blair White (Blair was a teammate of Danny's @ Michigan State, now an Indianapolis Colt!)



what a handsome family...Jacob, Jodi, Danny...last time I saw them all together - they were probably 6-7-8!



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Took a short trip to Put in Bay Memorial Weekend...specifically to see the band
Wally and the Beaves - GREAT oldies. They were followed by the MENUS (from Cincinnati)...the MOST entertaining band I've ever seen. The lead singer changes into several "costumes" during the performance (he's wearing a TARGET bag!) - an incredible singer! We had great seats and really got our moneys worth. They are at Fraze Pavillion every summer - will definitely go to see them this summer...


Started the evening at Put in Bay with a Strawberry (filled with Strawberry vodka)-not bad...



The BIRTHDAY BOYS...Donny & Dad BOTH celebrate their birthdays May 31. Celebrated with a cookout on Memorial Day - Donny 57, Dad 81...they both look pretty good, eh?



Max...getting ready to do a somersault. Funny Max story - I watched the boys the other night for a couple hours after school Decided to take them for a walk to the park - but couldn't cross Patterson Road - TOO busy. So I talked them into going home for a popcicle. When we got back to their house - I sat down on the couch and started telling Drew a story. I heard Max in the kitchen, next thing I know, he comes out and hands me an ICE CUBE. I said "WHERE did you get that?" He just smiles and goes back out to the kitchen. THEN he comes out with a POPCICLE! I decided I needed to investigate - sure enough, a chair was pushed up to the refrigerator and the freezer door was WIDE open. He got HIMSELF a popcicle. He is not even TWO yet...they are going to have SOME FUN with this one....


Drew...cleaning up AFTER playing in the pool...(isn't playing in the pool LIKE taking a bath????)


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My dad found this picture...Melissa @ 3 1/2 months...she was SO cute...


One of my co-workers found this picture with Melissa - Fort is top middle - her daughter is bottom right - it was at COSI in Columbus - a Girl Scout trip. I LOVE it when people share old photos of her....I remember this trip too!

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Well...I did it...made it through ANOTHER year. My FIRST year at my "new" school.
Last year about this time I posted on the blog about the closing of my "old" school.
It wasn't pretty. I was DEVASTATED. Pretty much determined to finish out my career in one year - and retire with 28 years.
WELL. Yesterday was the students last day, today was last day for teachers.
Our Principal had breakfast for the staff in the library - honored Linda, our ONE retiring teacher - and then announced the KOTA award (Kettering Outstanding Teacher Award, given at each elementary, voted on by the staff in each school)...as the principal was describing the person to whom it would be awarded, I was SURE it was going to Linda, our Title One Reading Teacher. She definitely deserved it...and then the principal turned and looked at me....I was SHOCKED. I was HONORED and humbled ... I was not a very sociable person this year - but I LOVE the kids, and LOVE what I do...and am actually looking forward to next year. There were so many people on this staff that really made me feel welcome, even though I pretty much stayed to myself - and the kids were incredible. THANK YOU GREENMONT for accepting me and making my first year a good one - with BUTTERFLIES to boot!

I called Donny, emailed Nick & Angie and wanted SO MUCH to call Melissa (AND my mom)...they would be so proud...it's a day of mixed emotions for me...happy and sad at the same time. I wish she were here to celebrate with me....LOVE YOU and MISS YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY Pretty girl...

Congratulations Kyra & Dane!!!

SHE CAUGHT HIM! (No surprise there...she's REALLY fast!)
...and we were SO happy to be there to witness this happy union!!! ALWAYS good to see all of Melissa's friends! Keeps her close to us. She would have LOVED this, and I know she was (and will continue!) watching over them...along with the GROWING rugby family...LOTS of babies on their way (or recently arriving) as you can see below!

The Bride and Groom....BEAUTIFUL!


Pam, Elizabeth (of Pauly and Elizabeth...Breast Cancer Fundraiser promoters/organizers...DUE SOON!!!), and Donny


Donny, Kyra, Pam (one of our MANY daughters....thanks girls!)


Jen (Fort & Kyra's rugby coach AFTER college), Kyra and Pam


Eva (with 8 day old baby boy!...CONGRATS!), Kat, Casey (due SOON) and KJ - Fort's rugby teammates...


Pretty much the Men's and Women's Cincy Rugby teams.....


Seems to be a tradition at Rugby gatherings...INCLUDING weddings! Of COURSE Kyra climbs to the TOP!!!!


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Thank you Cincinnati Kelts (Women's AND Men's teams) for continuing to include us in your celebrations....we really feel like part of YOUR family and love you all so much...

and the 2011 Recipient of the Melissa Fortener McLaughlin Scholarship is...

It was our honor and privilege to award the 2011 Melissa Fortener McLaughlin Scholarship to a very derserving senior at Fairmont...KELLY HART! She possesses many of the same character traits as Melissa...her athleticism, positive attitude, spirit, drive, and love for Fairmont High School. Melissa would approve, I KNOW.
In fact, I'm pretty sure Melissa met Kelly at one time or another (although Kelly might not remember!)...I'm sure Melissa saw Kelly play as a Freshman and on the Reserve team. She was impressed THEN and would be happy with our choice!

Kelly will be attending Bowling Green State University in the fall!


This is a good time to thank EVERYONE who has contributed to Melissa's Scholarship fund, most recently, the Cincinnati Kelts Men's and Women's Rugby Teams (from the annual Fundraiser in October), The Kettering Fairmont Women's Softball Team (from Fundraiser in April), and T.J.Chumps Restaurant (via a purchase of items from the BIG Fundraiser in Oct 2009 - signed NASCAR hats, the nosecone from Danica Patrick's car AND the fender from Jimmy Johnson's (NASCAR)car. THANK YOU THANK YOU.
(which reminds me...Ang and I were talking tonight about the NEXT BIG FUNDRAISER.
Possibly Oct 2012. Just like the last one...Anyone in?
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Last week and a half have been hard...Mother's Day, my mom's birthday, the WEATHER, I'm SURE all contributed. VERY depressed...
then in comes a kindergardner (at school) and changes all that...

"Do you REALLY like butterflies Mrs. Fortener?"
of course I said "YES!"
She said "Well, I think I'm going to be a butterfly
for Halloween next year. Or a dead cheerleader...
I don't know yet..."

I am pretty sure Melissa was sending me a "butterfly" through this little girl. You know that she sends me butterflies, but what I need to explain is (was) Fort's, well, unappreciation for cheerleaders. I think it was when "they" started saying cheerleading was a sport...she just never agreed with that. (Even though she KNEW her mom was a cheerleader. I always told her when I was a cheerleader, you just had to have a BIG mouth (LOUD people, LOUD)-you didn't have to be a GYMNAST. That's what she was referring to I'M SURE. So the fact that this little girl said a "dead cheerleader" would have made FORT laugh! (normally when kids said something funny at school, I would immediately email her, she would forward on to all her friends, then go home and post it on the blog. If you go back and read some of HER posts, you'll find some for sure!)

Then my first class, fourth grade, only came in for about 15 minutes because it was field day and the busses would be picking them up around 8:45. Some of the kids wanted me to continue reading FABLEHAVEN, and some didn't - so I told the kids who didn't want to listen to go get a GUINNESS (I laughed to myself on THAT one because I thought "How many librarians tell their kids to get a Guinness???? - Book of Records that is...)

and speaking of school...when I put my last book order in, I decided to find a book about RUGBY, for KIDS. This is what I found. It's a GRAPHIC NOVEL (aka comic book)-the kids love it. Ok - the kids that love COMIC BOOKS love it. It's for YOU Fort!


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haven't closed with cute photos of the boys in awhile...Fort LOVED to do that...
so here you go...

Drew & Max watering Pam-ma's garden....

Happy (?) Mother's Day....

One thing that Melissa loved from the time she was little until the end was coloring.
When she was little, it was in coloring books, when she got older, it was lettering in her scrapbooks. And she was VERY good at it. Many years ago, she colored a picture in a Lion King coloring book and signed it for me. She taped it on my dresser mirror. For some reason, I never took it off the mirror. I am SO glad I didn't. Every morning I get up, and there is the picture..."HEY MOM, I LOVE YOU! Love, Mo (Mo was one of her childhood nicknames)...I have a PERPETUAL greeting from her...especially helpful today, Mother's Day. Boy do I miss her...
(the ribbon that is pinned on the picture was found when we went to the Akron/Purdue football game when Nick was playing for Akron. It was right after 9/11 and I guess they were giving them out at the game - we found it on the ground, I brought it home and pinned it to the picture...been there ever since. It's a picture of the Statue of Liberty and it says "SHE'S STILL STANDING...FREEDOM WILL BE DEFENDED")
I save everything (could I be becoming a hoarder?????? - SCARY thought....)


Haven't been very motivated to update here lately....it's been a BUSY month, but not a good month. Started with losing my good friend Jackie, then another good friend Paul, then ANOTHER good friend Ruth, and yet ANOTHER friend (met her with Ruth at McDonalds on our coffee days).
And now Mother's Day. I'm not real big on holidays any more. I get through them. I would rather GO AROUND them...but we get through them. I LOVE seeing Nick and the boys (Mere too). But something is missing. A REALLY loud voice. Laughter. Arguing (believe it or not I REALLY miss that too)...never thought I'd say that. But I miss EVERYTHING.
Went to a Cinco de Mayo party last night at Barbs (who went to Jacksonville with us). Never thought I'd want to go to a party again...but we did. Walked in the door and knew about half of the people there. It was ok. Had a couple of drinks, which I REALLY shouldn't do any more. It leads to talking about Melissa and CRYING. A LOT.
I normally do really well not crying in public any more (mostly in the car or at home when I'm alone)...but give me a drink? I can talk about Melissa forever...and out come the tears. Being around "new" friends is good for this - they didn't KNOW Melissa, so I have a captive audience. This poor girl last night had NO clue what she was in for. All she had to say was "My daughter goes to OU..." then I was on a roll. She was SO considerate. She let me talk, even cried with me. (If you are reading the blog, Mel, I hope that you weren't offended that I cornered you. Can't apologize, because what I do BEST is talk about my daughter. I hope you understand...)
Anyway, here we are. Another Mother's Day, and I'd really rather not celebrate it.
Nick (and Donny too) take care of me EVERY day. I don't really want a special day that just reminds me that I'm missing my daughter.
Looks like I've figured out what the problem is with getting motivated, eh?

But not wanting to celebrate this day doesn't stop me from HONORING the rest of you Mother's (oooooh....that'd didn't sound good, did it?) - Happy Mother's Day to all my WONDERFUL, CARING friends and relatives. Enjoy the day. I know you all deserve it!
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Easter was going to be a laid back day....ended up being a very busy day. Nick,Mere and the boys came over for breakfast, then left to go to Mere's mom's. We went to the Fortener Easter. Came home, nothing planned. Mary K. came over, Nick, Mere and the boys came back and we ended up cooking out. No John this year...we missed him (and Melissa ALWAYS). Holidays are different...

Max and Drew actually sat still for about 30 seconds (maybe) for this picture...we were bribing them with Easter candy. WHATEVER we have to do, we'll do. Aren't they cute?????


It's amazing how a little bucket of Easter grass and some miniature lawn tools can entertain a 3 year old and a 2 year old...but not for long. Right after this picture, the Easter grass came OUT of the bucket and was EVERYWHERE. Which led to the question from Donny and Nick..."Why do you buy this stuff? This happens EVERY year!" BECAUSE IT'S EASTER. THAT'S WHY. YOU NEED IT IN THE EASTER BASKET for FILLER. so there.....


The annual TRADITIONAL "Easter Egg Hunt" at the Forteners...although there are NO Easter eggs in this hunt...if you were driving by, it would look like the yard is full of trash...BUT it's actually about 200 baggies filled with goodies with labels with names on them. Melissa LOVED this annual event!

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TEAM BE POSITIVE
We held our first fundraiser for our 3 Day, 60 mile walk in Atlanta in Ocotber on Thursday, May 5 - Cinco de Mayo. It was held at Talegators in Kettering. Had several items donated for raffles, a 50/50 raffle and donations at the door. We raised about $500, which will be divided among team members who have not reached the $2300 goal. Our next fundraiser will be August 6. It's going to be a Poker Run. I'll post more information a month or so before the event.
If you are interested in contributing to the walk, go to www.the3day.org, then to Donate to a Participant. Choose "Find a Team" and type in Team B Positive. We have ten members, possibly more. Choose the person you would like to make your donation to...it's pretty simple! THANK YOU so much - for your PAST support too!
If you scroll down the blog - on the right hand side of the page there is a link to pictures from when MELISSA & I did the walk in 2007. It's an AMAZING experience. It is one of my FAVORITE memories with Melissa. Enjoy!

Team B Positive Members @ Cinco de Mayo Fundraiser...Sharon, Emily, Mindy, Terri & Pam

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My cousin Leanne's (she wrote and read the Eulogy at Melissa's funeral) son, AJ was in the Musical THE SECRET GARDEN at Fairmont High School. He had one of the lead roles, Archibald Craven. He is an INCREDIBLE singer and actor. Some day we'll be saying "WE KNEW HIM WHEN...."

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Got a text from Kelly's mom last Saturday...bunch of kids were going to Lincoln Park for Prom pictures, thought we might like to go. So we rode our bikes - a sunny day - hard to believe in April in Ohio! The dresses were spectacular...a lot different from when I went to prom! This is me & Donny with Kelly Hart & Jessie Walk..BEAUTIFUL!

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We met Nick, Mere, Drew & Max at a park in Centerville that had a day for kids to visit and explore firetrucks, school busses, big road equipment...and it was actually a sunny day. One of the TWO we had the whole month of April!

Drew has got the whole gear thing goin' on...he loved it....

Max is thinking about being a fireman too...the helmet is just a LITTLE too heavy...

Rest in Peace Ruth...

My friend Ruth working at the Firebirds for Fort Fundraiser...


Me & Ruth selling tickets for the quilt at the Fundraiser...



Me & Ruth at our favorite place (Donut Man)having coffee...
December 31, 1999.


Me & Ruth at her granddaughter Stacy's wedding.


I started my walking 25 years ago with 3 women down the
street, Carol, Ruth & Pearl. I met Carol because her
son Kurt was in Kindergarten with Nick @ BTWN. She invited
me to walk with herself, Ruth & Pearl...we started walking
in the fall of 85. Then I started walking the 4 miles in the
afternoons to get in shape for my reunion and never stopped.
The four of us would walk to Donut Man (across from Channel 7)
and JUST have coffee. Stay an hour, walk home. Melissa eventually
got her first job at Donut Man because I got to know the owners
(Stan) daughter who managed it.
Pearl passed away about 10 years ago, and Carol stopped walking
because she started cleaning houses and had grandchildren to watch.
But Ruth and I continued to have coffee together. We would drive
to McDonalds every Saturday during the school year, and go 2-3 times
a week in the summer.

Ruth was diagnosed with breast cancer the year after Melissa (2004-she
was 80 at the time). She did pretty well until about 7 months ago.
She was having trouble with her balance, so she went to the doctor -
they found 19 tumors on her brain. Even at 86 they did radiation, and
she seemed to get a little better. But in the past month she has deteriorated.
She was in Hospice care at home for about three weeks. I've been visiting EVERY day. She was not only my FRIEND, but more like a mom to me. I loved my mom, but never had that friendship that you look forward to when you become an adult. You know, go shopping, go to lunch.
That's what I did with Ruth. I know more about Ruth than I knew about my OWN mom. I love her. And now SHE's gone. She was 87, but other than the cancer, she was unbelievably YOUNG. Hardly a wrinkle on her face (smile lines, but that's about it!) And NEVER took medicine. I asked her husband the other day and he said "she took an aspirin once"...she was pretty amazing. So I want to be like Ruth. (Although if I go sooner, that would be ok with me...33 years is a long time to wait to see Melissa again...)
Hard to believe when Ruth and I first became friends, she was 62 (and retired!) and I was 29 with an eight year old and a six year old!!!!!
Time flies when your having fun...and it goes too fast.
I love you Ruth and will NEVER forget you...

...and the Melissa Fortener McLaughlin Scholarship goes to....

NOT YET folks...
FIFTEEN...YES 15 applications were submitted for Fort's Scholarship! We are
SO thrilled. Will be getting together soon (me, Donny, Nick, John & Angie) to read and decide who the recipient(s) will be this year. Will post as soon as it is announced.

The Scholarship Fund continues to grow...we will be receiving a check from the Fairmont Girls Softball team from donations collected for the softball tournament.

TJ CHUMPS recently opened a new restaurant in Fairborn and purchased the NOSE CONE from Danica Patricks car for $450.00 (to display at the new restaurant!) It was one of the items in the Silent Auction at the FIREBIRDS for FORT Fundraiser in 2009.
THANKS JIM & TERRY at TJ CHUMPS!!!!!*******************************************************************************
And on ANOTHER good note - over $3000 was donated for JACKIE'S BOOKS (my good friend who passed away about a month ago). Proceeds will go to books for Children's Hospital in Dayton and other children in need of books at home! Jackie would be thrilled!
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...MORE BUTTERFLIES!!!

Ever since the 350 butterflies "landed" in the library...students have been
bringing everything they can find with a butterfly. Even had a student
write a poem...

Butterfly in the sky
Butterfly in your eyes

Your daughter is at home

When she was a girl you
combed her hair

When she was a teen you
let her go everywhere

Now she is a full grown
Butterfly in the sky.

By Athena McL
(and believe it or not, she
has the SAME last name as Melissa!!!!)

...more beautiful butterfly artwork for the library!


Pam with Rubi Girls....


HAPPY (39th...seriously)BIRTHDAY JEN!!!!! We love you!

FIREBIRDS for FORT Softball

The Fairmont Lady Firebird Softball team sponsored a FIREBIRDS for FORT event to raise money for the Melissa Fortener McLaughlin Scholarship Fund AND to raise awareness about Breast Cancer. It was ANOTHER touching tribute to Melissa (who played softball her junior year - because she wanted to be with her friends!) Even though her dad and mom both played softball and her brother was a baseball player, softball wasn't her best sport...but she tried it...and the Softball team honored her TOO! THANK YOU. Thank you Janet W. (no last names - per Fort) for getting the t-shirts together - we LOVE them...and LOVED seeing all the kids wearing them at the games! Fort would have loved it too...and to head coach (and friend) Rick A. for your part in getting this together...and coaches Bob, Chelsea (who Fort KNEW AND LOVED!) and Joe for your contribution! The funds raised will go to Fort's Scholarship, given to one (or more) graduating seniors each year.


When the coach asked if I wanted to throw the first pitch, I was a little worried about getting it over the plate...so the catcher was KIND enough to let me throw a couple of pitches BEFORE going to the mound! (Believe it or not, I still play softball...kind of. I'm on the team, and I'm married to the coach, so if I want to play, he's pretty good about getting me in. OH. And I only play first base, so I get that too. A little spoiled maybe? But he has to LIVE with me AFTER the game!)


Pam throws the first pitch for the JV game...


Getting the ball after the first pitch!


batter on deck....


Freshman...posing for the BLOG!


Freshman team pic...after an AMAZING 9-0 WIN against W. Carrollton!


Pam & Donny with Freshman Coaches Bob F. & his daughter Chelsea (THANKS for your part in organizing this!)


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BUTTERFLY WEEK AT GREENMONT...

As EVIDENT in these photos...the students were JUST as surprised as I was about all the butterflies in the library...and THEY made them! The teachers never told them WHY they were making the butterflies or WHERE they were going. So when they came to library this week...this is what I saw...it was priceless.....





First grade teacher Nikki P. tries on a butterfly headband...one of the MANY butterfly things I found this past week! Always having fun in MY library!

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ANOTHER interesting story happened this week in the library. After finding all the butterflies on Monday, I changed the plans I had for the week and went with butterfly stories - fiction AND nonfiction. On Friday, I had one of our fourth grade classes. After reading the story CHARLIE the CATERPILLAR, we talked about the story being a story about friendship, and what REAL friends are. I said something like "in a couple of years, when you get to middle school, it's a good idea to be friends with everyone..." something like that. This boy in the back says "YEAH - there was a boy named BRADLEY at the middle school that EVERYONE liked...but he was struck by lightening. Yesterday he would have been 32..." I was taken aback....16 years ago, one of Nick's friends at the middle school (BRADLEY DERRICKSON) was struck by lightening...and he WAS liked by everyone. So I called his mom after school and asked her if yesterday (April 7) was Bradley's birthday. She said yes. And the day I called her was the day he was struck by lightening! She was SO happy to hear this story...16 years later. I called her because I KNOW that 16 years from now, I hope SOMEONE calls me to tell me a story about MELISSA....we hope NO ONE EVER FORGETS. And here is a FOURTH GRADER, 16 years later, talking about Bradley, who he NEVER knew. I LOVE IT...and so did his mom and dad. I guess I'm telling this story because I want you to tell your stories to anyone who has lost a loved one...the stories are TRULY appreciated. We NEVER get tired of hearing them...even the same stories over and over again...JUST REMEMBERING them is what we want.