Carlee Barnes

My mind has been working tirelessly to try to understand and grasp Devon’s death since I saw her on Friday. I think it keeps on trying to search for a reason or a cause but it is exhaustingly inexplainable. Instead, I have tried to focus on what Devon has taught me and her legacy and keeping about an intention to retain her spark through my actions. I met Devon through Ruthie when she was living in the Alvocado. I had mentioned that I love the apartments in the complex and she invited me up right away. It was like we had known each other for years – she was so open and generous and like a child who shows a friend that comes over their room – their personal space – we became friends instantly. I thought it was amazing that her and Noureddin spoke to each other in their second language – Spanish and I thought she was amazing for her passion for English Language Learners. I was new to Long Beach and Ruthie and Devon and I were on a mission to have girl time whenever possible. We started a book club, and by book club I mean we all bought the same book – Love in the Time of Cholera – but I was the only person to actually finish it…it was an ongoing joke for a while…

I keep finding little gifts that Devon had given me and holding on to them even tighter now. she made me a keychain when my son was 3 months old. My son is almost 3 and I haven’t changed the picture and I don’t intend to – she told me what a pain it was to cut out the pictures to fit inside the flower-like design and I know she probably spent quite a bit of time on it knowing her…it was so thoughtful – for no reason she gave that to me – that was Devon. Her gift-giving abilities like Ruthie said were truly amazing. They showed her thoughtfulness and also her ingenuity – I passed by a Big Lots today and cried…she was amazing at finding the best stuff at that store and always bragged about it – always updated us on hidden sales and Costco specials. Along with her gift giving her planning was also impressive. I read some of her co-workers blog entries and laughed because when ruth and devon babysat my son once devon turned it into a power point presentation! Whenever I was having a party I called Devon and Ruth to help. They are the only people I know that drool over to do lists and planning…she always had ideas – she even knew where I should get a hula dancer for my husband’s 30th luau party. This was her list for me to do… she basically planned the whole party complete with recipes…

Hey C,
This is what I recommend:

· rent tables and chairs
· get table cloths, plates, napkins at big lots
· at costco get silverware, hawaiian rolls, alcohol, frozen meatballs, brie, veggie plate, cut up and canned pineapple, clear plastic cups, water bottles. they have lots of flowers too that would be good as center pieces.
· at trader joes get mango chutney
· at smart & final they have sweet and sour sauce and other party stuff that costco doesnt have.
appetizers
· shrimp (recipe from allrecipes)
· sweet and sour meatballs
· mango chutney brie (recipe from allrecipes)
· veggie plate
drinks
· I recommed making a large bunch of alcoholic punch, a bunch of hawaiian martinis and get the beer of people's choice
· water bottles
·
Love,
Devon

I am going to miss her so much. It goes beyond saying how unfair it is. She had an entire life ahead of her. I want to honor her through my life in little ways by her generous and thoughtful spirit – through her sense of humor and positive outlook – through her happiness and contentedness through her contagious smile and resourcefulness. I won’t be able to do it half as well as she did, but maybe through practice i can be better at it.
With much love,
Carlee