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[icon_search_16.gif] advertisement * Featured Bloggers * [download.php?avatar=6255_1252095046.jpg] Emily Parnell on Feb 5 2012 - 06:00 AM Inspiration under pressure - read more [download.php?avatar=466_1258049437.jpg] Susan Vollenweider on Feb 4 2012 - 06:00 AM I missed you! - read more [download.php?avatar=63_1256574423.jpg] Tasha Fabela-Jonas on Feb 3 2012 - 06:00 AM New clothes, who needs em? - read more [download.php?avatar=12891_1235067240.jpg] Christi Diggs on Feb 2 2012 - 06:00 AM Putting the center back in community—Welcome back JFK to KCK! - read more [download.php?avatar=1075_1294861452.jpg] Valorie Engholm on Feb 1 2012 - 06:00 AM Which is worse: paying taxes or paying a tax preparer to file your taxes? - read more [download.php?avatar=13781_1299180584.jpg] mara williams on Jan 31 2012 - 06:00 AM Beckham's bum; NICE! But is it appropriate for Prime Time? - read more [download.php?avatar=5090_1242316223.jpg] Kim Nakahodo on Jan 30 2012 - 11:55 AM How do I bottle this exact moment? - read more [download.php?avatar=69_1245950782.jpg] Laura Bauer on Jan 30 2012 - 06:00 AM Son: "See, Mom, your bottom looks a little big" ... - read more [download.php?avatar=19245_1326476421.jpg] Lindsay Metcalf on Jan 28 2012 - 06:00 AM Reliving the ridiculousness through my teenage journal - read more [download.php?avatar=16249_1265923748.jpeg] Jim Cosgrove on Jan 26 2012 - 06:00 AM I've been sleeping on the couch lately. - read more [mom2mom-winner-badge.jpg] * Welcome! [kady_about_pic.jpg] Mom2Mom was built by moms like us at The Kansas City Star to make it easy for Kansas City moms to share experiences and photos, get and give advice, plan family fun and more. Contact us, find out more about us or see answers to our frequently asked questions. Kady McMaster * Magazines [m_logo.jpg] [m_cover.png] Subscribe for only $1 an issue * emily parnell - Profile | Pictures | Blog * I Googled a childhood memory 559 Views I was sudsing shampoo through my hair when the name of a grade school acquaintance barged its way into my thoughts. She lived around the corner from my childhood home, and she and I were close to the same age. I remember her vividly, though we were never exactly close friends at any time. Jennifer had spinal bifida and needed a wheelchair. It took me about 30 seconds on the Internet to find that she passed away a couple years ago. The details I remembered of her, at first, were hazy, early grade school snippets, but reading comments made by her family on a memorial website brought back some very clear memories. She wore ugly leather shoes on her tiny feet. She had many surgeries, and at times Jennifer was in pain. Once, after a surgery, she returned to school for half days to ease back in. I think it was hard and painful for her — the teachers were very protective of her at that time. A recurring theme from her family’s tributes stood out. Her brother reminisced about how Jennifer longed to be able to jump rope — she asked her mom if she’d be able to jump rope when she went to Heaven to be with God. Nearly 40 years later, the idea of Jennifer jumping rope comforted him — he hoped she was learning how to double dutch. The jump rope reference brought back floods of memories of recess. I was never great at jumping rope — I couldn’t “jump in,” and I most definitely couldn’t double dutch. But I enjoyed it. The thought triggered a feeling of being on the corner of the playground, jumping with my little extra hop that helped me keep timing between big jumps. I could see the faces of old friends twirling the rope, and closer to the school, I could see the teacher standing with her whistle. Parked next to the teacher in her wheelchair was Jennifer with her white leather schools, watching us jump. Cinderella, dressed in yellow, went upstairs to kiss her fellow…. In the age of the search engine, we don’t have to wonder much anymore. There was a time when I had no way of finding out if squirrels carried rabies, especially at 3 a.m., just because I woke up wondering. (The short answer: They could, but they don’t.) It’s easy to identify the name of a band that eludes our memory. It turns out, we can even Google childhood memories that have trickled away. And if out of the blue the name of an old acquaintance pops into our head, we don’t have to settle with, “I wonder whatever happened to….” We can usually locate them and even find a way to contact them. If I’d found Jennifer on Facebook, I would have sent her a message and a friend request. On the website I found, I was able to do something similar. I left an electronic message on her tribute asking her to play with me at Heaven’s recess when I get there. I hope she checks her email. Read more here: http://joco913.com/news/memories-and-google-trigger-a-followup-emai l-to-heaven/#storylink=cpy (1) Comments Posted on: Jan 29 2012 - 06:00:00 AM Tags: 1 Comments - leave comment You must be logged in to leave a comment No fair making people cry so early in the day! I loved your last sentence! 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