Are you still there?  I hope, I hope.

Octo-woman is still basking in the glow of her big Eight-O birthday.  Thanks to folks like you, it was a monumental day (even though I spent much of it at doctor visits with son Matthew).  The schedule’s been been so haphazard since then that I haven’t had time to sit down and describe it to you.  

There were so many comments, cards, and letters that I haven’t opened yet  — I’m saving them till next weekend.  Thank you for all of them, and for the phone calls, flowers, balloons, plants, presents, pies, cakes, pastries, candy, games and kind words you sent my way.  I’m considering the feasibility of having an 80th birthday every year.  Would you consider that? Or does it seem greedy?

But today is not my birthday.  This is the 27th birthday of my great niece Elizabeth Firtzpatrick Bush. 

Elizabeth is the daughter of my nephew Tim Fitzpatrick and his first wife Debbie. She has two older sisters, Katie and Abby.

Elizabeth is married to Chester – CJ – Bush.  They have two little persons whom you may have met before on this blog.  They are  AJ (Adam Jacob), and Olivia Katherine. They all live – guess where – in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Today, Elizabeth works as a medical examiner for Auxiant. Auxiant’s website describes its mission as being a “Third Party Administrator (TPA) of self-funded benefit plans.” They must take the stress out of dealing with health care benefits.

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It’s hard for me to picture her in any kind of a corporate position.  I’m always going to remember her as she was as a toddler.  All babies are adorable . . . but once in a while, you run across one who definitely has some smarts. And she had an irresistible and infectious sense of humor.  

The Fitzpatricks clown around a lot, and nobody loved the antics more than Elizabeth.  All her dad had to do was come into the room and cross his eyes, or if her Uncle Dennis was goofing around, or if any other silliness was afoot, Elizabeth would dissolve in giggles. Every household should have such a treasure.

Here’s some video clips of her when she was two-and-a-half years old.  She’s with her Aunt Dee-Dee (Fitzpatrick) Fortune, her sisters Katie and Abby, and her cousin Meghan Melchior. (The VHS video and audio is 25 years old so be tolerant). 

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!  Keep dancing!