Memories

Well, today is my last shift as owner of Marley and Me. I didn't think I would be sad, but as I stand here getting everything ready for our new owners, I am flooded with memories. I opened the store when Marley was only 7 months old. She crawled for the first time in here. She took her first steps in here. We spent 9 months together building the business, and figuring it all out-we were such great partners! It was difficult, managing a business and a baby, and Marley was a busy baby! She used to run around the store with her Squeaky Shoes on, and I always knew where she was. We sold a record number of Bumbo seats, as I would plunk her in hers when customers would come in-they thought she was so cute sitting in it, they had to have one for their child!

I met some amazing people along the way. I will never forget the day I met a really sweet couple, and they told me the story of their infant son who was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer when he was only a month old. I became friends with his parents, and we had a fundraiser at the store to help pay for their accomodations in Toronto while their son had treatments. Max was such a beautiful baby! They brought him to our grand opening, and he had his picture taken with Dora the Explorer-and he had such a serious face on him! Max kept getting sicker and sicker, but his mom and dad were so strong, and they loved him so very much! He was such a lucky boy to have them as his mom and dad. I will always remember the last day his mommy brought him into the store. Just a few hours after that, he slipped into a coma, and never woke up. His gramma called me a few days later to tell me I was one of the last people to see Max alive. It literally tore my heart apart. I will never, ever forget him. I still keep in touch with his mommy and daddy to this day, they are such wonderful people!

Another friend I met along the way was Veronica. I had known her for years, as her family were all customers of the hair salon I had worked in previously. Her husband had been my sons teacher in grade 4, and my son used to walk their dog for them. She used to come into the store almost weekly, bringing her daughter before her Kindermusik class. We were friends throughout her next two pregnancies, and I always looked forward to our visits. Her kids loved coming to the "train store", and to get their stickers after their visit. Veronica was here when I brought Sophie, only 3 days old, to meet our staff. Veronica was so excited to have been my first customer to meet Sophie! 8 weeks after this, Veronica passed away suddenly, due to a rare form of leukemia. Once again, I was devastated, and could not understand how someone could be taken away so suddenly? Someone so vibrant, and bright, so needed by her husband and children. I was haunted by her passing, everytime I came into work, I expected her to walk through the door. It took weeks to shake that feeling, and I am still saddened that she is not here.

Despite the loss of two friends during my time here at the store, there have been so many happy memories too! Our grand opening was a huge success! We had an appearance by Dora the Explorer....my dad made hot dogs in the parking lot, and my mother in law spent the entire night before making cotton candy in our kitchen (we were all covered in cotton candy!) Over 100 families came out to our opening, and they all helped spread the word about our store!

August 2007, I was getting ready to go to a gift show, with my awesome employee/friend Yvonne, when I took a pregnancy test in the washroom at the store! Lo and behold, I was pregnant with baby #4! Very unexpectedly!! I will never forget her face when she walked through that door, and saw me holding the pee stick in my hand, I don't think I made any sense at all. She told me I needed to call Joel, but there was no way I was calling him with this news as he was driving his 18 wheeler down the highway!

I shared this pregnancy with all of our customers and consignors, and they were all as excited as we were! Some would even just pop in to check on how I was doing, how big I was getting etc! The day Sophie was born, my employee Felicia decorated the store window "It's a Girl!" so everyone would know my baby was born.

My mom and dad have been so proud of me in my business venture. They have popped into the store to visit me every day. They have been such a great help, my dad covering the store for me, when I needed time off, my mom coming in to help me get caught up. I think they will miss this store more than I will! My dad even told our new owners that he is available to help out ;0).

5.5 hours left until I close the doors......