thoughts of pizza and game night

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

Happy 33rd Birthday Cyn!

Last night, our family went to watch a women's college basketball game at UC Berkeley, between Cal and Kansas. It was a great game, really competitive and just an overall fun evening. I realized as we were driving home, that taking our girls to the game was a wonderful way to honor Cindy as we commemorate her 33rd birthday today.

This evening, our family continued to celebrate Cindy's birthday with a pizza and game night. We even sang "Happy Birthday!" and shared a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake. Watching basketball, eating ice cream cake and playing board games are all activities that Cindy enjoyed.

We always take the time to celebrate Cindy's birthday, usually going to church and visiting the cemetery. Attending a basketball game and enjoying a family game night hasn't happened every year, but I think this year will help us start some new traditions for celebrating Cindy's birthday.

So for all of you who are remembering Cindy on her birthday, thank you for thinking of her, keeping her spirit alive and celebrating her life. Please consider doing something yourself as a small way of commemorating Cindy's birthday.

Some ideas of ways to celebrate include

-baking cookies

-eating sushi

-playing basketball.. or badminton... or volleyball

-making and/or eating waffles

-wearing your contacts if you usually wear glasses

-wearing your glasses if you usually wear contacts

-reading a book

-staying in your pajamas all day

-writing in your journal (or starting one)

-taking pictures

-wearing a Snoopy shirt

-creating with arts and crafts

...or any other activity that reminds you of Cyn.

And if you do find yourself practicing a "random act for Cyn" please let us know, because we'd love to hear about it.

thoughts of eight crazy nights

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

Although I'm not sure I agree with the practice of radio stations playing holiday music right after Thanksgiving, I did enjoy hearing one particular song while I was driving to work last week. That song was Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song. I was excited to have just flipped to the station right as the song was beginning.

Cyn was a big Adam Sandler fan. She enjoyed all of his movies and actually owned many - if not all - of his movie soundtrack CDs. I know one of her all-time favorite songs was Grow Old With You from The Wedding Singer. So anytime I see or hear Adam Sandler, it makes me think of Cyn.

Well, as I continued my drive to work, I enjoyed singing along to the song. Later that day, I was watching the Saturday Night Live Christmas special, and was once again pleasantly surprised when one of the scenes that played was when Adam Sandler debuted his Hanukkah Song as part of a Weekend Update skit. I knew it was another moment of Cyn sending her love from above.

thoughts of my monito

shared by Theresa Navarro, her cousin

While I think of Cindy always, I especially miss her during the holidays - she was definitely a child of Christmas, and her spirit shined brightest during this season of giving.

For most, the holidays are a time for celebration when we gather with friends and family and rejoice in our shared blessings. On the other hand, the holidays can also be a time of heartbreak, made worse in the wake of loved ones passed.

This season, the Rabuy clan will be missing two very important people. We recently laid to rest our 16 year old cousin, Zoe Lualhati, after a brave and drawn-out battle with cancer; less than four months later, our Lola Moring followed suit and was interred alongside her beloved husband, our Lolo Quicoy. What a strange and sad coincidence, to lose both our family's baby girl and matriarch in such a short time.

While we may still be reeling from these losses, at least we know that Zoe and Lola are finally at peace and reunited with our loved ones in Heaven. In fact, I'd like to think that Ate Cindy comforted them both during their final hours with her warm smile and gentle touch; she probably welcomed them at the gates and even made some nice welcome baskets with their favorite treats. This is the Cindy I remember: creative and generous and thoughtful. 

The Rabuy clan is a large and loving group, and for a period of time most of my mother's twelve brothers and sisters lived within a ten mile radius of each other. During these golden years, the holidays were EPIC - with tables full of food at family parties that raged until the early hours of the morning.

Each family would take turns hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve - each event would boast mah jong tables in the garage for the adults, and games and toys for the kids in every other corner of the house. The highlight, of course, was Cindy's coordination of the annual gift exchange. After all, there were so many of us, we would never be able to afford presents for every single person in the family; instead, the adults instituted a Secret Santa system (called Monito) which rarely remained "Secret" but everybody always had fun playing along.

Even as a spry teenager, Cindy managed the big personalities of our aunts, uncles, even grandparents, and made sure everybody at least appeared to follow the rules to ensure a good time for all. The "Monito" process started with the adults drawing each other's names, usually at Thanksgiving dinner, then culminated in an hour long game on Christmas Eve where the Secret Santas presented their gifts. Cindy masterfully orchestrated the big reveal, one year even using her now legendary arts and crafts skills to meticulously create a Jeopardy game. 

Our family is no longer a five minute drive from one another, with Rabuy representatives across the country as well as in our native Philippines; indeed, the roaring parties of my childhood have grown fewer and far between. When we lost Cindy, I remember how much I worried about the first Secret Santa without her - how would we go on without her direction, her creativity?

Although some cousins joined together to plan an exchange in years that followed, we definitely felt the void she left behind. Slowly, we settled into our new normal without our Cindy; sadly, we must prepare for our first holiday without our beloved Zoe and Lola as well.

However, the holidays can also be a powerful and healing time for our family, where we recall memories from Christmas past and give thanks for the time we have together. We also witness a whole new generation of grand and great-grandchildren, who enjoy the Secret Santa games that Cindy helped initiate.

I'm sure that Cindy is in charge of the festivities in heaven, laughing and playing games with Zoe, Lola, Lolo, Tito Eddie, and all our loved ones at the big Noche Buena in the sky.

thoughts of candy girl

shared by VJ Rabuy, her sister

Cyn liked candy. She really liked candy. We used to argue about what kind of candy was better: Easter candy or Halloween candy. We decided Easter candy was better because things like Cadbury mini eggs were not available year round and they were so delicious.

Cyn liked Starburst. She would carefully fold each of the wax paper wrappers for the starburst pieces and link them together to create candy wrapper leis.

She liked Fun Dip. Pixie Sticks. The sweet and sticky, sugar variety were among her favorite kind of candy. I think she also liked Mars variety chocolates, as well as Kit Kats and Reese's.

Halloween makes me think of Cyn. Candy makes me think of Cyn. Having a cavity when going to the dentist makes me think of Cyn. I'll think back to that time I indulged in sweets and I'll remember the sweet goodness of that piece of candy.

thoughts of driving lessons

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

My sisters and I all learned how to drive from our dad. Like most teenagers, we practiced driving on cars that were automatic, rather than stick shift. Both our mom and dad could drive stick, and for a while our family even had a black Mitsubishi pick-up truck that was stick.  

Some of us learned to drive the pick-up, although I was never very good at it. But Cyn, just like most things that she tried, was pretty good. Driving stick was more fun than stressful for her.

During the time that we all lived together, Andrew bought a car from one of our good friends; it was a Saturn sedan that just happened to be a stick shift. The only problem was neither Andrew nor I really knew how to drive it. So Cyn became our driving instructor.

I have fond memories of the three of us in the Saturn (which we had affectionately named "Venus"), practicing driving in the empty parking lot of the Culver City Costco. I recall Andrew and I switching off, trading seats between the driver and passenger side, while Cyn would give us directions from the back, her head poking out between the two front seats.

I remember one instance when Andrew and I were frustrated with each other's driving ability, and Cyn just started giggling. Andrew and I stopped talking, both looked at her curiously and asked what she was giggling about. She said something like, "You guys are so cute. You talk to each other to the point where you almost get mad at the other person, but then you don't get mad. It's neat."

Well, thanks to Cyn, Andrew drove Venus for several years. Cyn borrowed it a few times as well. I however, never did quite get the hang of it. But I know that it wasn't because I didn't have a good teacher.

thoughts of good sushi

shared by Andrew Beall, her brother-in-law

At some point while Cindy, Marlo and I lived together, Cyn decided she wanted to get a job as a server. I'm not sure how she found this particular job, but in no time at all, she was starting work at a nearby sushi restaurant in Culver City.

Marlo and I were concerned about the extra workload it would add to her already busy schedule. However, Cindy always found a way to make it work. The new job turned out to be a very positive experience for her. She enjoyed meeting and making new friends with her co-workers. Marlo and I ended up dropping her off and picking her up at the restaurant, but most of the time we didn't mind, as we could tell Cindy was actually enjoying her self. We also got to eat sushi with great service!

The group of employees at the restaurant was pretty tight knit and friendly. I remember that they would sometimes hang out together after closing time in the restaurant. And a few times, they would even go out to a bar or two together.

Looking back now, I realize that this was just another in a long line of serendipitous events that made up Cindy's college experience. I'm glad we got to share that time with her.

thoughts of got milk?

shared by VJ Rabuy, her sister

I recently earned a gold card at Starbucks. It feels foolish to think that I’ve spent so many dollars on Starbucks beverages, but earning that 30th star was a big deal for me. It reminds me of a time when Cyn and I earned enough points for “got milk?” gear.

The “got milk?” campaign has undoubtably been a hit. I think it started more than 15 years ago. Cyn and I learned about a points and prize system probably through Seventeen magazine or a Saturday morning cartoon commercial.

We obtained an order form and worked hard to buy milk. It must have taken us 6 or 7 months and 11 receipts, but we finally earned enough points for our “got milk?” gear. Each milk product bought earned one point.

We chose a tank and undie for Cyn and I got a “got milk?” shirt and a bucket hat. I still have the hat, but don't know where the shirt is.

We went to take pictures in our swag and on the way to the studio decided to get just the right prop... milk cartons!! I'm still enjoying milk today, just not saving the receipts.

thoughts of a lovely bag lady

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

While Cindy was at UCLA, she was involved in numerous activities. We lived together while she was in school, and I have several memories of dropping her off in the morning on campus, as she began her typically busy day of classes, meetings, practices and other daily activities.

Oftentimes, she would be carrying her backpack full of schoolwork, her purse/bag full of personal necessities, a lunch bag, a reusable water bottle, maybe a gym bag with workout gear, and maybe even a shopping bag with items for a meeting or something she was going to give to a friend. I'm not sure when it started, but we both began to affectionately refer to her as "a bag lady" since she was so regularly toting around so many different bags, and basically just lots of stuff.

As I was leaving for work yesterday morning and I went to give my daughter Ava a hug and kiss, she told me, "You look like a bag lady, like Tita Cyn." I had my backpack with my laptop, a lunch bag, my jacket, keys in hand, and another little reusable bag with a brush, sunscreen and other items I would use and leave in the car.

Although it was a random, passing moment, it was a rather heartwarming one because it made me so proud to think that Tita Cyn's nieces knew about her. I was so happy to be reminded that my kids knew about, learned about and remembered their aunt... both the remarkable things that she accomplished, as well as the silly, random, yet meaningful moments - like being called a bag lady, that she shared with her sisters.

thoughts of enduring energy

shared by VJ Rabuy, her sister

I am currently reading a young adult novel that had a great insight about people dying, but not really “going away”. I thought it was so poetic I wanted to share it here.

“Maybe if you thought about them, people never really disappeared. It sounded so corny, but there was a scientific explanation for it, too. If you believed that thoughts were energy and energy is matter (E=mc²) and matter never disappears, then a person can never truly leave you unless you stop thinking about them. Everything you shared with a person is still there swirling around in the universe. Love ... might be real. And love endures. Relationships endure. Because thoughts are energy, energy is matter, and matter never disappears.” (from The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder)

Cyn, I know you are no longer of this earth, but sometimes I feel you on earth. I'm thankful for the little things that make me think of you. I think about how much you would have enjoyed Reese's minis and can see you saying, "Why did they not think of these sooner?!" I'm thankful for every little thing that keeps your spirit alive in my life.

thoughts of what's in a name

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

Cindy's full name is Cynthia Eugenia Pesigan Rabuy. And for the longest time, she was not very forthcoming about telling people that her middle name was Eugenia.

I don't quite remember why she didn't like to tell people... maybe because she didn't like the name... or maybe she just liked keeping it a secret. Whatever the reason, I distinctly remember that she covered up the "Eugenia" on her driver's license. I think she used the thin border that you find on the edge of a booklet of self-adhesive postage stamps to cover up the name. However, I think she was more open about sharing it as she got older.

Cyn was given the middle name Eugenia in honor of our great grandmother, our dad's mom's mom, whose first name was Eugenia. I think it's a pretty rare name. Although I have yet to meet someone named Eugenia, whenever I do come across the name, it makes me think of Cyn. For example, one of the streets in our neighborhood is named Eugenia Court. It's about two blocks from our house. I don't drive by it very often, but whenever I do, I take a minute to look at the street sign and smile.

thoughts of a color experiment

shared by Arlene Rabuy, her sister

I have a distinct memory of when Cyn discovered that stitching on clothing does not change color when you dye that article of clothing another color. I'm not certain how she stumbled onto this fact. She probably just noticed it one day. She had impeccable attention to detail, especially to random things... like this.  

Anyway, I remember coming home one day only to find her dying Hanes men's ribbed tank tops (that she purchased from Walmart for the experiment) in different colors just to make sure the stitching stayed white throughout the dying process. For some reason, the colors fuschia & green stick in my head.

Of course, the stitching did remain white, while the rest of the tank took the dye. But like anything else, Cyn wanted to know for sure! She totally rocked the tanks like she did anything she wore!! 

Miss you much, Cyn!

thoughts of zoe means life

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

Our cousin Zoe celebrated her sixteenth birthday this weekend. Tons of her family members and friends were treated to a fun-filled day of celebrating, with the party held at a lovely outdoor venue that was magically transformed to resemble Central Park, complete with a city skyline and outdoor food vendors.

It's been mentioned a few times within previous blog posts that Cindy and Zoe had a special bond. Now that Zoe has grown into a beautiful young woman, it is heartwarming to see that she has become just as extraordinary as her Ate Cindy, if not more so.

Zoe's phenomenal nature has been tested like never before over the past year as she has courageously been battling a rare form of bone cancer. She continues to amaze and inspire all those around her, both closest friend and complete stranger, with her incredible strength and grace.

So when you have a moment, please say a prayer in honor of Zoe on her birthday. I know her Ate Cindy is watching over her, overflowing with pride and love.

thoughts of one family

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

While Carla, Cindy and I were at UCLA, we were all involved with Samahang Pilipino. One specific Samahang activity that we all enjoyed participating in was the annual Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN). I found myself reminiscing about PCN recently, and thought of how one of my favorite memories is when the entire PCN cast would sing the Samahang Pilipino Theme Song. The chorus of the song goes like this...

'Cause we are

Brothers and sisters

Always and forever

We are

Brothers and sisters

We live as one

We are

Brothers and sisters

Samahang Pilipino

We are

Brothers and sisters

We live as one

Family

Although the end of the annual PCN performance was one of the most poignant times for singing the theme song, we would also do so after PCN run-thrus, occasionally at a Samahang general meeting, or at a number of other Samahang special events. Anyone who has been involved with Samahang can hopefully remember the loving sentiment that you felt while singing the theme song... from the first "Laaaaaaaa, la, la, la, la's" to the final "ONE FA - MI - LYYYYYY".

This reminds me of Cyn specifically because of the "and sisters" part of the lyrics. Whenever my sisters and I were part of the group, we would manage to find each other at least once or twice, just as everyone was singing, "and sisters". At that moment, as we swayed to the music, we would playfully point to each other while exchanging a silly look or smile, because... well... we were sisters.

I wonder now, whether other "Samahang siblings" shared the same little ritual. But I'm glad that we did, and that I have those moments as some of my loving memories of Cyn.

thoughts of thoughtfulness

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

After our May 2nd blog entry, there was a lovely comment left by a current UCLA student named Melanie. Although she didn't even know Cyn, they were both members of UCLA Mortar Board, which led her to our blog. I was really touched by her kindness and thoughtfulness to want to learn a little about Cyn, and even more so by the fact that she took the time to leave a comment.

That's just like something Cyn would do, I said to myself. Leave a comment on a somewhat random blog about someone who is technically a stranger, because it was meaningful to you in some way... that is so Cyn.

Cyn epitomized the concept of random acts of kindness, a reflection of her thoughtfulness. I am certain that everyone who knew her would be able to share a story that talked about "this one time when Cyn did this one thing because I had accomplished something or was celebrating some occasion. I wasn't expecting it or may not have even deserved it, but she did it anyway."

Or you may possibly have a little bit of a different kind of story where Cyn did something for you just because, maybe out of the blue, or because she was thinking of you... sent you a card, brought you a snack, made something for you, discovered and purchased some obscure item and gave it to you because she knew it was perfect for you and that you just had to have it - not because of any recent achievement or personal milestone. Again, that is just so Cyn.

So thank you Melanie, for your thoughtful comment. And thank you Cyn for continuing to inspire me and so many of us to remember to be thoughtful towards one another, and to put that thoughtfulness into action. I think I'm going to try a little harder to do just that.

thoughts of missing my sister, Cyn

shared by VJ Rabuy, her sister

Whenever I hear about a person losing a loved one, I don't know what to say, or how to show comfort. I wish there was a line that would grant instant solace.

When Cyn died, so many years ago, the only thing that made me feel hopeful, or gave me a sense that I'd be okay, were stories of other people losing their loved ones. I know my sister Carla had a co-worker who lost a sibling, and Carla and Marlo's good friend Delilah had a sister who had passed. I just thought, for these people, life had to go on; and so, for me too, life must go on.

I know Cyn lives on in our memories, but that doesn't change the fact that she is no longer here in the physical sense. It saddens me, the realization that I can't create more memories with her and sometimes I fear I'm forgetting her a little at a time.

I do remember Cyn. I remember she always smelled fresh and clean. I remember that she had to take a shower everyday, probably so her hair would fall just the way she liked it. Her hair was long. It was silky. She was diligent about taking care of it.

She would wear shirts that just met the top of her jeans, so that when she walked, a sliver of her midriff would be exposed. She had glasses and a retainer, but if you didn't live with her, you'd never know.

She really, really liked English, liked the language and the literature. She did so many extra curricular activities in college, it made you wonder how she stayed on the honor roll.

She liked to quote movies, Bring It On and Clueless were among her favorites; she enjoyed broadway plays and theater in general. She appreciated the comic Adam Sandler and owned at least three of his comedy albums.

She played basketball and was good at it. She was good defensively and as well at making hoops. She and Linh went all the way to the league championships in badminton their senior year, and won.

She was crafty and creative, she was really good at making a simple art project “state fair worthy”.

She was easy to get along with. If she were to give a criticism, she would begin with a compliment on your effort.

She made every game fun, not just because she invented it, but because she was a part of it.

She brought people together - whether it be herself and her friends Abby and Danny, two JFK alums who also attended UCLA, for "Remember the Titans" evenings; or our own family for an impromptu Christmas photo shoot at the Fremont Hub, after we just took studio pictures that same day, for what would be our last complete family portrait.

She was so much fun to be around. Some people just have a contagious energy that takes you in and envelopes you in whatever good feeling they had. There's always enough to go around.  

She was smart. Like borderline-genius-smart, but never talked down to people or made them feel like they weren't at her level. She was wickedly talented. I've blogged about her bowling a turkey, and she had not bowled that much, at least not to my knowledge.

I just remember that she loved life. She loved every minute of it. She traveled the world, going to Asia and Europe. She was just about to start a new adventure for one year, teaching English in Japan. That was the same year she left us.

Things like this blog help me to think of Cyn. Sometimes, seeing Lemonheads at the liquor store makes me think of Cyn, because we saved up our quarters as kids to buy these sweet and sour treats. I miss my sister so much. Everyday. I miss you Cyn and I love you.

thoughts of babies & kids and heart & souls

shared by VJ Rabuy, her sister

My friend Sheryl and her husband Zyrus are getting ready for the baptism of their second daughter, Zendelle, in June. I can hardly believe she is going to be baptized so soon. Then it just dawned on me that she will be turning one in August. Her older sister, Ate Zariyah, will be turning seven this month. I can still remember when I attended Sheryl and Zyrus' baby shower for her so many years ago.

The human miracle of babies and the kids that they grow into makes me think about how much Cyn loved kids and how well she played with them. When our cousin Zoe was a toddler and as she grew, I recall how often Cyn would visit her. It’s like they had a special connection. I remember Tita Ria sharing a story about how Cyn would stop by their home on Carmen Way before reaching her destination at Isola Court. She just had to get her “Zoe fix” in.

Babies are so special and such a blessing. It is hard for me not to think of Cyn whenever a new baby is born. My favorite movie is Heart and Souls. It stars Robert Downey Jr. and Elizabeth Shue in an endearing story about a boy who has four souls linked to him at birth. I believe that angels come down to earth to watch over babies and kids. I can only imagine that this is one of Cyn's favorite duties as an angel.

thoughts of wedding bells

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

Yesterday I had the honor and pleasure of attending the wedding ceremony for two of Cindy's friends from UCLA, Emily and Roy. Our family had learned about their wedding when they were kind enough to have chatted with my dad after attending mass at Saint Anne's Church earlier this year. They had mentioned how Cindy actually had a hand in them getting together in the first place, and would be happy to have her represented at their wedding in some way.

So it turned out that my dad served as the Deacon during their ceremony, while my mom and I were able to attend as well. It was so touching to all of us that Emily and Roy were thinking of Cindy during such a meaningful and important time in their lives. It is so heartwarming to know that Cindy's friends are caring and loving enough to keep her spirit and memory alive.

I would like to send our sincere thanks to Emily and Roy for allowing our family to share in their wedding celebration. We were honored to be there, and wish them many years of love and happiness. I know Cindy is smiling down on all of us, and is just thrilled for them to be starting their new married life together.

thoughts of a song for Cyn

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

When Cyn passed away nine years ago, we were fortunate enough to celebrate her life and honor her memory during two memorial services in L.A. and her funeral mass and reception in the Bay Area. For those of you who may have attended one, two, or all of the services, you probably remember the touching song that Cyn's close friend, Abby Camaya, had written and sang for everyone.

Today, I wanted to share the lyrics to that song. Thank you Abby, so much, for putting your memories to music, and for sharing them with all of us.

Cyn

Chasing your lost dogs again

How was I

Lucky enough

To be found by you

Cyn

You're sweet like cinnamon

How I wish

I could see your face again

A vision of peace

A stress relief

You are my

Missing piece

Warmer than

A sunny day

Now you're

Spirited away

Fly away

Oh, fly away

And how to get through months and weeks

When I can't get through minutes

The world is empty now

Without your smile in it

Still don't understand

How stars collide

In the still

Of the night

Time rushed by fate

Why couldn't it wait

Still your love

Your love remains

Your love remains

Oh, your love remains

And how to get through months and weeks

When I can't get through minutes

The world is empty now

Without your smile in it

Cyn

Chasing your lost dogs again

How was I

Lucky enough

To be found by you

Cyn

You're sweet like cinnamon

Now I know

That I'll see your face again

thoughts of a candy wrapper crane

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

Towards the end of our meal, while having lunch at one of our favorite sushi places this past week, my daughter Cynthia made this origami crane out of a lollipop wrapper. When she showed it to me, I smiled and told her, "That's just like something your Tita Cyn would do."

thoughts of ohana

shared by Marlo R. Beall and VJ Rabuy, her sisters

"This is Scrump. I made her, but her head is too big.

So I pretend a bug laid eggs in her ears, and she's upset because she only has a few more days to..."

This is how Lilo introduces Scrump in the movie Lilo and Stitch, and this is a photo of Cyn's Scrump doll.

Although we can't recall who gave it to Cyn, Scrump has always been a special part of the family.

We both remember when Cyn talked about her plans to re-create her own Scrump doll. Given her skill in arts and crafts, this was no surprise. She would start by using a Birkenstock brand sock of VJ's, that was just the right color for Scrump's body, and go from there.

Oh, and if you look closely, you can see the surgically repaired strand of Scrump's yellow "hair". That was a result of the hair strand breaking when VJ was playing with her. VJ had grabbed Scrump by the longest of her seven strands of hair, and proceeded to spin her around. Soon, Scrump was on the floor while a piece of one of the strands of hair remained in VJ's hand.

After Cyn passed away, Scrump became even more meaningful to all of us. VJ held it with her during Cyn's funeral service. She recalls how, at one point during the service, she and our cousin R.J. were playing with Scrump as we were singing one of the hymns. While VJ tickled Scrump's belly, R.J. proceeded to make Scrump's head wiggle back and forth as if she were laughing. Fortunately, they both managed to keep themselves from laughing out loud.

When Andrew and Marlo moved from Culver City to Union City, they were sure to continue to take good care of Scrump. She even had a significant role in the birth of each of their girls. Since Scrump is somewhat of a bean bag doll, she made a perfect squeeze toy during labor. And having Scrump with them helped strengthen the overall feeling of Cyn's spirit in the delivery room.

Today, Scrump resides in Cyn Cyn and Ava's room, and they truly appreciate how special she is.

thoughts of first impressions and football cleats

shared by Kyle Roman, her friend from high school

Our Freshman year in high school, before I met Cyn, all I heard from people was, “Cynthia Rabuy... blah, blah, blah...” I was like, “Who is this person and why is everyone talking about her like she was a queen?!” Finally, a couple weeks into the school year, Jeff Silva had borrowed my cleats for football practice and gave them to Cyn to give back to me. Now I had to go meet this queen in her Spanish class.

I hurried over a few minutes before class started, so as to not make a scene or interrupt. I saw a friend in there and asked where Cynthia Rabuy is. He pointed towards the front of the class and I approached. I said, "Hey, are you Cynthia?" She responded, "Oh, hi Kyle!” I felt as if I was a star because she had known who I was already.

She said nice to meet you and here are your cleats. This sweet, clean, cute and brilliant young lady, with her bare hands, handed over my dirty, smelly, muddy cleats!!! I knew from then on that this girl was a cut above the rest. She was different and better in many ways.

That was the moment that I met her, and I cherish that memory as reflective of the amazing person that she is to all of us. She is someone who I really value as a true friend and angel up above. There are so many memories with me and her that burn in my mind and that I can recall instantly.

Just as a general theme, I look back on conversations and have determined that she believed in me more than I did in myself back then. She was always seeking my opinion and approval on her thoughts, and was always telling me how smart I was. It was the first time someone other than my parents did that, and that was and is special to me going forward in my life.

Most of the time when people pass, we tend to embellish a lot of what they did. There is no way to embellish with Cyn. She was and is the brilliant, caring and beautiful person that we talk about. I still miss my friend very much. I am pouring tears as I write this. But they have turned to tears of joy because I have many memories to turn to.

thoughts of fruit snacks and granola bars

shared by VJ Rabuy, her sister

I recently enrolled in a class where my professor recommended a disaster relief kit for all our cars. The kit is simple enough, a radio with extra batteries, a flashlight, canned goods and a reliable can opener. Talk of this disaster kit made me think of the emergency food kits Cyn and I made when we were at Ardenwood Elementary School.

These emergency food kits were so fun because we got to get all the lunch snack items we grew to love, like granola bars and fruit snacks, and put all of them together in one pack. The best part was the day at the end of the school year when our teachers redistributed the kits and we got to eat all the goodies on our way home from the bus stop. Sometimes fun, yummy fruit snacks and the better-than-average granola bar bring back fond memories of those emergency food kits, and my Big Sis Cyn.

thoughts of 525,600 minutes

shared by Marlo R. Beall, her sister

Like most of us, whenever she listened to music, Cyn would usually sing along. Some of my favorite memories are of us driving somewhere together and just singing out loud and proud to whatever song was on the radio; or just being in our room while she was doing homework, singing along to the music. Cyn appreciated all types of music, and Broadway musicals were no exception. We often found ourselves singing along to a Broadway soundtrack.

She was a fan of several musicals - Rent, Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables - to name a few. And oh yes, we are also big Grease fans.

One particular song that Cyn and I enjoyed was "Light My Candle" from Rent. We would either sing all the words together, or we would take turns singing either Mimi's or Roger's part. The highlight of our sing-a-long was always between the first and second parts of the song when we would make three little knocks, as it does in the song, just after Roger says, "Oh well, good night." Another Rent favorite is "Seasons of Love". And ever since she passed away, it's hard for me to get through all the lyrics without choking up a little bit.

My daughters, Cynthia and Ava, have become big movie musical fans. We've watched The Sound of Music multiple times a year, since Cyn Cyn was about two or three years old. When Wall-e came out, they became fans of Hello Dolly! A few months ago we watched Singin' in the Rain, and Cyn Cyn's "Noon Tunes" choir at school is performing "Make 'Em Laugh" during their program. Oh, and I can't forget about Annie. Hopefully we'll soon get a chance to take them to a live performance of one of their musical favorites. And I also look forward to introducing the girls to other musicals, especially those that were favorites of their Tita Cyn.