Since its the thought that counts, give the gift of happy thoughts for Shanley this year! Share something, small or large, that will spark a happy thought for her…
Since its the thought that counts, give the gift of happy thoughts for Shanley this year! Share something, small or large, that will spark a happy thought for her…
Shanley Carlton 
I had great memories with Shanley in Turin 🙂 Especially our “halva day” was unforgettable 🙂 Actually, I got very surprised when she wanted to make halva but she was really successful 🙂 Happy new year my dear friend Shanley! I hope we will meet again in this new year 🙂
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I had never browned flour before! That was the longest browning flour process haha. and you knew exactly how it had to be done. I remember what the other ingredients were, too- cardammom (that we had to peel out of the pods), ginger maybe?, saffron, pistachios… And then Behnam told me that they only ever eat Halva at funerals. Haha =) Thanks for the note, Lale! Another memory is the time you me and chloe all took pictures laying on the cardboard I spraypainted when we were clearing everything out… Good times ❤ Merry Christmas!!!
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Dear Shanley, I have so many memories of you it is difficult to write just one. I will always remember when we went to Europe for 3 weeks and you were so excited. We went white water rafting in France, hiked up to water falls in Scotland, bought a Harry Potter book in England and I read the whole book to you. You ate french fries at every restaurant we went to and on the plane home, the pilot took you to the cockpit and over the intercom we heard you say “Hi, grandma and grandpa”.
Love you,
Grandma
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Rick! It’s FLOUR!
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Oh the waterfalls. Here is a song for your experience, as I had you and Grandpa hiking all over Europe looking for them https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WEtxJ4-sh4 That Harry Potter book was the British version, but you still knew how to interpret colour and grey. And that one French restaurant I offended by asking for ketchup… Thank you for giving me the opportunity to have this experience and many others. I love you Grandma and thanks for writing here! Merry Christmas =)
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Dear Shanley,
One of your funniest moments was the “apple juice” situation in the back seat of my car. I won’t go into all the details but you can explain to your friends if they ask. I also remember when you were around 2 years old and your inquisitive mind led you to explore all parts of the house, especially the pantry. We were having dinner one night and noticed that we hadn’t heard anything from you in a while. We found you in the kitchen having a grand old time with a sack of flower. You looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy covered in flower from head to toe. The funniest part was the expression on your face when you were busted!
I also remember getting you ready for pre school and trying to put your hair in a pony tail. You would walk into Ms. Helen’s class and the first thing she would say was “Your daddy did you hair this morning didn’t he”.
I remember how great you were playing the memory game. You were only 6 or 7 and could beat all the adults.
I have many more memories that I will share with you later. Hope you have a Merry Christmas!
Love Dad
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The Apple Juice Incident
As of Fifth grade, it was my biggest secret and the one I bartered with Jade Palmer when we were swapping darkest moments at a sleepover one time (ftr, hers was way better). A few weeks before The AJI, my class had been separated by gender and the girls led by Mrs. Clark into a low-lit room to learn about puberty on an old projector. Some of it I had learned on the streets or via my nurse-mom, but much of it was new and (frankly) alarming.
Flash forward to the day of the Incident: I am sitting in the back of the Cherokee (RIP ol’ Betsy) with Kallie beside me in her carseat and Dad driving. I don’t know where we are going but at 10 years old, I have no say in the matter anyway, my young body being transported across time and space in a jeep whose ceiling you can’t look at for too long or else you get orange stuff in your eyes.
It is a normal after-school afternoon. I probably mess with Kallie. I dream of one day becoming the first female president, out of embellishment. Then–as involuntarily as my naive existence–I feel it:
Spontaneous wetness.
My heart drops in panic as I recall that my body will soon gush blood at its own deciding and it can come EVEN WHEN YOU ARE SLEEPING (I asked this question in class), like a thief in the night, and I am positive. ”Dad,” I say, ”I started my period.”
Dad whips around, looking kind of shock-concerned, sees my face, looks down at the seat, sees something I don’t see, lets out one of his famous euphemisms, ‘Shoot!’, and grabs Kallie’s upside-down apple juice cup.
Nothing has ever been more embarrassing since.
Merry Christmas, Dad, and thanks for taking the time to write about me/bringing this up. =P I love you
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Shanley,
One time grandma and I were play Skip-O with another couple, and the game was progressing slowly; it seems that all we could draw were numbered cards but no Skip-O cards. Lo and behold, under the table sat a curly headed little girl who had taken all of the Skip-O cards out of the deck. I believe she was the same girl who once discovered a small loose seam in some wallpaper. Being the helpful sort she was, she “repaired” it by taking the wallpaper from the wall. What a little helper!
Love,
Your Favorite Grandpa
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I dont remember the wallpaper but I do remember the cards. And the card-shuffling machine that you and Grandma had bought that had always amazed me. Oma (other grandma) taught me to shuffle and Mama (your wife) taught me how to let technology do the hard labor. Thanks for writing, Grandpa!
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I remember Germany, 2 in the morning, us on the side of the highway, with all our stuff lying on the grass. We were standing 5-6 feet from the road. all the cars and trucks that went past were going at least 150kmh (which is approximately 300mph. maybe not this fast but still quite fast – especially when conveniently you are located just at the end of a curve and you can feel bright lights on your face every 30 seconds). Anyhow, there was a flat tyre (not tire. after all they taught me British English) situation that was needed to be handle. Obviously because you are you I wasn’t allowed to help you. I ended up standing next to you with one flashlight pointed at the bolts and other one at the highway to signalize others that it would be for the best if they decide not to crash into us. Happy thought in this situation is police who came and escorted us to the parking and free hotel day after in place no one ever heard about where was absolutely nothing to do or see.
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First of all, mate, 150kph is ~ 90mph, not 300mph. But I appreciate the attempt at conversion and, yes, those cars (many of them semis) were FLYING. [Leave it to Germany].
I remember you pulling out the vests and triangle (neither of which I have ever used/seen used in the US) and watching you walk 300m was it? behind the car on the side of this busy highway to set the triangle down. It was obvious that I was going to do the swapping because I was the one prepping for a career in the automotive industry and had about as bad of luck as anybody when it came to popping tires (coming from the girl that had 3 flats in the last 5 months alone), so I had the most experience. I had never screwed in bolts before, though, (thats a European thing apparently) and they seemed weird going in but I did the star-pattern and figured it was fine.
—And before we even got to that point, I remember having to unload ALL of our luggage to get to the spare. And then once we/I had put the new one on, we loaded it alllllllll back in. And BANG BANG BANG BOOM BANG BANG happened, the worst noise I have ever heard spewing from a car, even though we were moving at 4mph, if that. Which stumped us, so we just sat there in the backseat watching fight club waiting for a tow truck, after we had climbed up the hill next to the road and saw how faint the lights were in the closest town and knew that sitting was better than walking… Until that copcar stopped to help us and I sketched the whole scene while you talked to them. They escorted us to the rest stop up the road and the scary noise was still there so we just slept in the car until the tow truck could get to us from Poland. And when he finally came, I remember you loading up the car and it not making a single sound.
However many hours later, we get to Poland and eat really good soft-serve and find out we had sheared every one of the five bolts holding on the wheel because your spare was steel and the wheels on the car were all aluminum and the bolts were designed for aluminum wheels and the only time your family had ever had to replace a tire, you guys had popped two at once and had to get towed anyway, so you had never had to deal with the spare in the back before.
And then we found out our brakes were so shot that the whole thing was actually a miracle.
Good times. Na zdrowie
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I am so blessed to have you as my daughter, Shanley! I love how enthusiastic, free spirited, creative, fun loving and adventurous you are Shanley!
You are so loving and thoughtful and give the best hugs of anyone I know!’ From the moment I saw you after you were born and held you and looked at you, I thanked God for YOU!’
I have many stories I remember about you growing up….. Some of the funniest are your perfume “concoctions” and food concoctions and other stuff you found to create something special, like our rock ornament! The story about whether there is really a Santa always makes me
Smile. I remember loving playing cards, reading books, our little picnics, and figuring out what shapes the clouds in the sky were with you.
There are many, many memories of you I hold dear in my heart, that only a momma would know…..
I so love you Shanley! I wish you a very happy and fun filled Christmas this year!
Mom 😘
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I remember cloud-watching and you teaching me the different cloud types (cumulonimbus) when you homeschooled me for those 1.5 years, before you decided public school could have me instead. More things I remember right now at this moment— 1) your alternative to the belt, a pretty wooden spoon that hung in the kitchen for the first half of my life 2) all the times you asked me how I would feel if I treated myself the same way when I tried to exclude Kallie (who is now cooler than me and I beg to participate) 3) hosting that fundraiser on the coldesaq 4) how you would know how to actually spell coldesaq 5) how you always retain really good friendships will all my guy friends, including ex boyfriends… 6) how pretty and young you always were 7) the hours you spent picking my hair for lice, on numerous occasions, and the times you threatened to shave my head 8) the time you thought I had some skin disease and sent me to the ER for what turned out to be poison ivy 9) and the time you called 911 after I was feeling faint from a really bad sunburn 10) all the times I called you with questions about rashes and stings and how I still call you to ask which medicine I should take for a headache 11) the seltzer water story Ms. Lisa told us all the time about you never learning whenever you opened them and being excessively shocked when they exploded every. time. I love you ❤
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Dear Shanley,
I remember the first time we met because it was at an Apwonjo meeting at Starbucks and Brian and Maddie kept saying my name and then you stopped them and asked, “who’s Ruth?” without realizing I was sitting right in front of you. (It was funnier than it sounds for those who weren’t there and are just reading it for the first time)
Another fun memory is when you made giant bubbles happen on the quad. That was pretty freaking awesome.
Shanley, thanks for always being so cheerful and fun! Wishing you all the best!
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Dear Shanley,
First of all…this site is great! Connor got himself a medal.
Probably the one I’ll remember forever was that time you introduced yourself with the most original card I’ve ever seen. “Ice Cream lover, Tie shoe expert, curious. Will probably ask”… I think it went something like that. And yes, you always had a question for everything, which was my favorite thing about you! You’ve always had that deep love for discovering things and try new experiences.
Another one that comes to my mind is (ironically) the very first “5 de Mayo” celebration I ever had… Was probably the most mexican moment of my whole Turin experience! 😛 Thanks for that! By the way…. Guacamole was outstanding.
Anyways. I’ll wait for you guys in Mexico (Chloe, Connor and you!)
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During the April 6, 2009 regular season opener against the Washington Nationals, Shanley Ramírez hit her first career grand-slam off of Washington reliever Steven Shell.
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There are some people that I think are made of happiness. They smile all the time, they are the true meaning of being nice. When you visit them for the first time, you feel so comfortable that you think you have been friends with them since childhood. Without a doubt, Shanley is one of them.
I had the chance to get to know her and Connor in Politecnico in Turin, Italy. It was one of those usual dark afternoons after a boring class. We were in tram number 10, and we were speaking about interesting, joyfull, and of course stupid stuff about our countries and i couldn’t feel more comfortable with them. (I am Iranian by the way)
Anyway, some days later she wrote these words on my facebook wall: “chai. music. snot.”, which I could say was a summary of what we were speaking. :))
I also will never forget that Shanley and a Turkish friend of her invited me to eat “Halva”, a very famous pie in our region. I hope you can understand how confused and shocked I was while getting invited by an American girl, in Italy, for HALVA. Let me explain better: imagine you are a German traveling deep in the African jungles, and you get invited to
eat Pretzel by a Chinese and a Brazilian girl! Oh I forgot to say it, they cooked Halva themselves and damn they nailed it.
So shanley, where ever you are, I wish you all the best and happiness!
Merry Christmass 😀
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Shanley is unique and unforgettable. I remember pretty well her shining eyes when she ate “gelato” or a “uovo” at Rosso Piccante; I remember her calling me from the courtyard of Collegio when I was late; I remember her making lasagne for the first time; I remember her enthusiasm and spontaneity.
Miss you so much girly! Hope to see you again somewhere in the world!
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Shanley!! Merry Christmas!
It’s hard to pick just one great memory of you, whether it’s you kicking butt in self-defense class, while rocking an awesome headband, or your always amazingly quirky Hackberry party outfits. You brought so much joy to my life in the short semester I knew you at Bama. I don’t think I ever saw you without a smile or an ice cream cone in your hand! I am so thankful to know you!!
Rock on
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I have a LOT of great Shanley stories, but my favorite one has to be when we met each other-
Anyone who knows me knows that I am not the most outgoing human… and anyone who knows Shanley (presumably everyone also writing on this site) knows that she IS the most outgoing human… which makes meeting Shanley even more exciting. One day freshman year, I got onto the Ridgecrest elevator with a girl with crazy (read: wonderful) brown curls, and instead of doing my typical “stand in the corner silently” thing, I turned and smiled and said “Hi. I’m Allie Mikle.” 🙂
Our elevator ride continued up to the fourth floor where I thought that I would get out alone and go on my way, but Shan also exited on the fourth floor. Then I assumed that I would turn to the right and be on my way, but Shan also turned to the right. Finally I assumed I would at least finish my walk alone all the way around the hallway since my door was the last on the end, but Shan walked with me all the way around the hallway since her door was the second to last on the end. Haha. I had met my across the hall neighbor that I should’ve met months earlier.
Even though in the moment, I was filled with anxiety at my uncharacteristic introduction on an elevator, I am so glad that I did! Although I do admit that I feel slightly guilty that our original meeting led Shan to believe that she had found an outgoing person to be friends with (I think she quickly realized that was not the case), despite our differences, for the next 4 years at Alabama, Shanley Carlton became one of my favorite friends! From cupacake to glorious friday, even just sitting at roho for hours chatting, there have been so many incredible memories. Also along with those good times, she helped me through some of the really hard times by being the wonderful and smiley friend that she is. 🙂
I’m so glad that I said “Hi” to you on that elevator Shanley! Because that one simple hello led to all of my BEST college memories. Thank you!!! I love you bud. Merry Christmas! 🙂
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Of all the many blessings in my life, by far the biggest blessing is my sister Shanley. I cannot express enough how thankful I am to have grown up with such a wonderful person like her. Never in my life have I met a more fun, loving, hilarious, creative, spunky, beautiful, intelligent, and accepting person. After 17 years of knowing her, the stories are endless. The first story that came to mind, however, is the story of “I Gotta Pee But I Don’t Wanna”.
I’ve always admired Shanley and thought everything she did was the coolest thing ever. If she thought cleaning her room was cool, so did I. One day, Shanley was making cookies for her friends and invited me to help her. To an 11-year-old Kallie, my big sister asking me to do anything with her is like Beyoncé asking her biggest fan to come on stage and dance with her. I was SO EXCITED and was having so much fun baking these cookies with her I had to pee so bad, but spending time with Shanley far outweighed relieving myself on the toilet. So i proudly announced in the kitchen, “I GOTTA PEE…. BUT I DONT WANNA!!!!!!!” As I did what resembled something as a grand jeté leap but was more of a flop in the air as I was an 11-year-old chunkster.
Other stories include Jencey-bathroom, Barbie land, gold-fishing in mom and dads room, telling me if I ate the watermelon seeds I’d grow a watermelon inside me and die, me always being mistaken for the older sister, fighting between the rights of the cat necklace we were supposed to share from Claire’s, Yugio cards, and her using my cluelessness against me when I was younger to get me to do things she didn’t want to do (again, if she thought “cleaning my room is fun!”, I too thought cleaning her room was fun). However, the list could go on forever.
It’s safe to say that everybody who knows Shanley Carlton knows that every day with her is an adventure. She is truly unique in each and every way and that to me is what makes her so admirable. I love you Shanley, if I ever become half the person you are and achieve half the things you have/will, I’ll be proud. You are and always will be my role model.
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Dear Shanley,
I think of you and I smile. You have always been inquisitive, intelligent and easy to love. You love and accept everyone. You also give the best hugs!
I remember one summer you asking me what was the difference between “being blessed” and “being lucky”? I proceeded to answer you with what I thought was a good explanation that “being blessed” was from God and “being lucky” was like winning a prize…we had a lively discussion and debate and you ended it asking, “Well, Aunt Kathy, couldn’t God bless you to be lucky?” You were 7 years old!
Uncle Hal cherishes the lively discussions and conversations you have had together. He enjoys challenging you to learn new words and increase your vocabulary. I love listening to the two of you talk about everything and anything.
We love you Shanley. You are a beautiful, intelligent,
creative, trusting, loving, inquisitive, charming, interesting…young lady. You have been blessed!
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy 2016!
Hal and I hope to see you soon! Take good care!
Many blessings,
Aunt Kathy & Uncle Hal
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Well, obviously it’s too hard to pick just one story. There are four years of memories I could go on. And I’ve been thinking about it, and no single event just sums it up perfectly. So, instead, I’m just gonna go with something (well, two things) that would be a fairly famous episode in our friendship. It’s not an obscure story — although there’s plenty of those — but I’m gonna go for this one because I think it’s a perfect combination of so many wonderful parts of our friendship. So… well, the somewhat shorter (and kind of ramble-y) version is, we were supposed to be joining an Apwonjo camping trip one weekend. Shan and I had to leave late (I’m blanking on the reason why), so we weren’t able to ride with the rest of the group. Without any directions or even the name of the campground, we struck out in her car, heading in a vague cardinal direction, with full faith we’d figure out our destination along the way. Turns out, our fellow campers didn’t have any cell signal, so we couldn’t reach them. We tried our best at remembering, deducing, but, in the end, at a gas station somewhere by the Talladega Forest (we’d later find out this was the wrong forest), we had to admit we had no chance of finding them. So we called up one of Shan’s friends, wound up at Auburn’s A-Day (the same day’s as Alabama’s, so it felt like some kind of bizarre parallel universe), and (here for the sake of storytelling I’m conflating one weekend with this friend of hers with another weekend with that same friend — in which, I’ll add, a rock that fell on my head and momentarily knocked me out may or may not have been accidentally dislodged by a later-very-comforting Shanley climbing above me on cliffs by the lake) we realized on the drive home that the excitement/drama from the day had sorta forced the marvelous Juli Orendorf’s birthday out of her mind. But, unlike a normal friend who would send a quick apology text, Shan got an idea to do a whole video explaining why she was late to wishing her a happy birthday. This video had everything: pirates, pouring rain, Harry Potter references, terrible accents, knitting needles, the illustrious Jake Trower. And this whole story had so many elements of our friendship: questionable yet bold decision-making, silliness, a bit of forgetfulness, accidentally beating me up a little, Shanley’s ability to make friends pop up out of nowhere, her ability to make me forget about my homework and just have fun when I thought I couldn’t possibly, bizarre twist endings to most things we set out to do, and, most importantly, her enthusiasm for friendship. And Shan, the beautiful part of this whole thing that I feel like I should share is how I felt when we realized we were utterly lost. I was practically giddy with excitement. Because I had a thought that, as long as we were together, everything was going to be this grand ol’ adventure.
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Abridged Shanley Encounters:
“What was your favorite thing about Italy?” Shanley: “There was this great tree.”
“Isn’t Dr. Randall’s house awesome. Let’s go ask her her life story and become best friends with her” Proceeds to casually do so.
Me: Walks across quad and sees somebody climbing a tree, blowing bubbles, laying in grass, etc. Thinks it is a little strange until I realize it’s Shanley. Obviously.
When she fought to save Chloe’s Cup and knew everything about Chloe.
She always knows cool churches with pianos and random shack bars in the middle of nowhere, etc.
Shanley sees Craigslist as an adventure.
Having countless debates about how to reconcile her fierce engineering skills with her free and adventurous spirit.
The thing I most admire about Shanley is her uninhibited curiosity. When she discovers someone or something interesting, she immediately asks a thousand genuine questions. I used to think that Shanley was really good at finding awesome things. Now I’ve decided that interesting things live their lives lying in wait until the day that Shanley Carlton discovers them and makes them awesome.
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During Junior year, I was up real late one night studying for a dynamics test, a little overwhelmed, probably 2 or 3 in the morning. I get a call, out of nowhere, from Shanley, asking if I want ice cream. Shanley was already standing outside Riverside with Molly with ice cream that she’d made over at Roho. 2 or 3 in the morning. In the middle of the week. Outside my dorm. With ice cream. It’s like she somehow just knew I needed it. Absolutely made my day. Made my week. Honestly, it made my entire month.
There are very, very few people in my life I’ve ever encountered with the spirit, passion, ambition, curiosity, and joy of Shanley Carlton. It would be impossible to quantify, even in the little time we spent together, just how much she brightened my time at UA.
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Oh wait but I also gotta add two marvelous Halloween costume ideas that I’m pretty sure were hers. First, there was when we went as an extra tall man in a trench coat, and Shan walked around with me on her shoulders for a much longer time than I would have expected. Then, there was the time we pulled together a five-minute American Gothic costume for a costume competition at Rocky Horror. We had hands down the least attractive and most heavily clothed costumes there. Also won first place. Good times.
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Oh wait one more: because it’s Christmas, I’ve been thinking about the times we went to the Barnes and Noble and read children’s books. Seriously loved those times. I’m always gonna associate this with the holidays.
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A car ride with Shanley changed the course of my life. When I was still in high school we took a long drive with her from Gulf Shores to Brooksville to see her family. At the time I was struggling with decisions of where to go to college and what to study when I got there. Over the course of the drive I talked to Shanley about it, and she told me all about Alabama, and engineering, and what I could do there. It was not something I had really thought about before, but after that conversation (and of course it was with Shanely’s iconic effervescence that everyone knows so well) it seemed like an option I couldn’t turn down. I’ve been at Alabama three years now studying engineering and I have loved it. I feel like I owe that to Shanley for pushing me in the right direction.
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Dear Shanley,
One of the first memories I have of us is in freshman year right before we were about to go to some random event and were waiting in your dorm. For whatever reason you were reading this picture book story to me. & it said something like about moths going to the flame because it was a much more exciting life to live than just letting your fuse burn half as bright for twice as long. I probably said that wrong. I really love and miss random late night adventures. Today, I cut my own hair, and I never could have had you not inspired me to by cutting mine so many times before!
Intermission: here is a fun dog video: https://vine.co/v/iKgOgKiDTaI
Picture this: Shanley–clad in a long wizard cloak–walking through a mossy cave. She finds a hidden corridor with a treasure chest inside. What could be inside the magic armoire? Riches? Spells? Power? Nope, she opens it up and it is a little cat with my face magically replacing the normal cat face. I hop in her backpack and give her unhelpful advice as she continues her quest. Can you believe this really happened??
When I complained about commercialism in gift giving, Shanley “beat the system” by spending 10 cents on a gift for me. Well Shanley, as my contribution to this gift to you, I spent even less than that!!! I’ll always be one step ahead of you (a year later).
Merry Winter Solstice. I love ya Shan & always will.
Sincerely, Jake Trower
P.S. what is my type?
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The first time I met shanley she was wearing a basketball jersey and blue eye shadow. I immediately thought she was a rockstar. We also shared an excellent late night meal at the Tuscaloosa Waffle House one time. Such a treasured memory. Xoxo shanley!
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Hey if Molly gets to go again I wanna go again! Soooooo one of my other favorite memories with Shanley besides the aforementioned cupacake extravaganza (3 ingredient microwave cake holllaaaa!) and our many glorious “simply glorious” Fridays, is one family weekend when my parents came to Tuscaloosa. I had casually mentioned to Shanley that we were going to walk around the quad and then tour the President’s Mansion. (JBo will and will always be the University President in my heart!) Anyways, as we’re walking to JBo’s house, I looked across the quad and saw those crazy (again read: wonderful) brown curls bouncing towards us. She had rescheduled her Friday afternoon to come and meet my parents! Then when we walked up to Judy’s Joint (is that a thing we can call the presidents mansion because I think it should be) we were politely informed that our tour had been pushed back by an hour and a half. So instead of leaving, we kicked back on the front porch in some very fancy and comfortable rocking chairs and Shanley proceeded to charm the heck out of Marie and John Mikle with her joy and love for life. To this day my dad (who is as bad at remembering names as I am) asks me sometimes “Hey how’s your friend doing? The one who likes cars.” When I don’t know at first who he’s talking about because there are a lot of people in the world who like cars, my dad says “Ya know, the smiley one!” and then I do know! I immediately know. Because Shanley has the most infectious smile and anyone who meets her remembers it!
Morale of the story: Never stop smiling Shanley. 🙂 #staygoldenponyboy #longlivejbo #rtr
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Shanley,
Wow, a website dedicated to the glory of…you! I figure a person must be pretty darn special when friends and loved ones are willing to dig deep and somehow fund, in her honor, an entire $0.99 domain registration fee. Now THAT’s the meaning of Christmas, Charlie Brown!
What a memorable time it was to attend your graduation ceremony in Tuscaloosa last summer. Not everybody can finish at the top of his or her class in Hair per Capita, but you did it! I’m still amazed at that extraordinary moment when you were handed your diploma, with nobody on stage ever realizing that, deep in that curly mane, you were harboring a small family of Syrian refugees.
Do you remember the time when you were six years old, and out of the blue you asked me, “How come in Star Wars, nobody ever goes to the bathroom?” Wait, that wasn’t you – it was my boy Tyler! Sorry! Speaking of Tyler, it’s still incredible that your father and I had children born on the same day. There’s got to be something cosmic at work here – like when you and Chloe just HAPPENED to be in freaking Paris the same day that Tyler, Alyssa, and I were. And like when, in a twisted mass of tourists, we somehow found each other beneath the Eifel Tower. This later enabled us, at the Arc de Triomphe, to stage the world’s greatest live rendition of a sculpture of naked French people, and a horse. You’re welcome, World.
Also while in Paris, I recall Chloe saying to me, something like, “You and Shanley sure are a lot alike.” I’ll leave it to future historians to debate the truth in that observation, but I will always treasure that compliment!
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(to the tune of “There was an old lady”)
There was a cute Shanley who swallowed some chai (read: Jolle latte). Late nights and mornings she swallowed some chai. She brings peace nigh.
There was a cute Shanley who mulled sweet cider (read: made dinosaur pumpkins, same season, whatever) and giggled (all the time) and dribbled (soccer balls) and squiggled (on the awesome white boards) inside her (favorite house). She brings love nigh.
There was a cute Shanley who moved in a blur from Egans to Rounders always with with the best hurr. She brings joy nigh!
…all my love Shanley!
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Another fond memory I have about Shanley is from when she was a toddler. Jackie and I were like most parents wondering what our child would look like once she became an adult. Being an analytical person I took her current weight and subtracted it from her birth weight. Based on her projected growth rate my calculations showed that she would weigh 527 pounds by the time she graduated high school. Needless to say this limited our athletic options. No tennis, cross country, or anything else that required a lot of running. About the only thing we could come up with was Sumo wrestling. With her belly hanging over her diaper and her fists clinched she would squat and let out a loud grunting sound whenever we said “Do the Sumo”.
Fortunately, my calculations were off and she ended up being of normal proportions. This allowed us to sign her up for soccer when she was five. Believe it or not, Shanley was very shy at this age. This first few games she would just run behind the rest of the kids as they kicked the ball. She was happy to be out there running around with the other kids but she had no aspiration of ever scoring. Then it happened……We were playing a gamed coached by our good friend Carl Steinkamp. Since it was an instructional league the rules were only loosely followed. You could substitute players anytime someone got tired, even if the ball was still in play.
Shanley’s team had possession of the ball when Carl decided to give one of his players a rest by sending in someone with fresh legs. The kid was so excited to get on the field he immediately ran into the group trying to kick the ball and managed to trip 5 kids including himself. Since Shanley was following at the back of the pack she was the only one left standing. She kicked the ball into the goal and was so excited she scored two more goals during the game.
Though Shanley improved as she grew older she never had that mean streak to win at all costs. In fact it was just the opposite. I remember as a teenager she ran up to where the ball was and collided with a girl from the other team. The girl fell down but Shanley was still on her feet. Instead of running full speed toward the goal Shanley jogged while looking back the whole way telling the girl how sorry she was to have knocked her off her feet.
Love you lots Punky!
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Damn it’s hard to describe all what she left in Turin during here Italian experience! I’ll try my best… The funniest and best memory I have of her is her first attempt to communicate with my grandma when she came at my place in the south of italy. I will always remember it and this will always impress a huge smile on my face!!
Shanley didn’t speak italian and my grandma didn’t speak English ( for her it’s already a big result to speak in correct italian rather than in dialect!) so as soon as they met, my grandma asked her (in italian) how did she hurt herself as she could see from her face. Shanley tried to say some words in italian and she started to go down on the floor to explain that she fell down. When both of them understood that there wouldn’t have been any chance to understand completely each other my grandma looked at her eyes, she opened her arms and said “Alleluja!!!”. Then all of us started laughing as crazy and she hug Shanley to say “hello”. That’s
Something I will always remember of Shanley since no one was ever able to make my grandma so funny!
Thanks American girl, hope to see Ya soon!!!
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Ok since people are going more than once, I am too. 😊
It’s hard to share all my memories of Shanley, because I have so many in my mind. But here’s some highlights of cherished moments remembered by me with her.
She was always so curious and determined, even as a child, our friend Gene Bell came to the house dressed as Santa and when her was leaving, Shanley said “Santa I want to see you take off from our roof!!” Santa didn’t know what to reply to that except..”the magic will be gone if you watch me”. She didn’t think that was a sufficient answer and so followed him out the front door anyway. We had to distract her and coax her back into the house, so Gene could leave quickly!
The time she and I were driving in the car (she was 5th grade) and she asked if there really was a Santa clause. (I was surprised she was old as she was to finally ask the question) I replied, “what do you think?” She said, “well I thought about it and my friends think it’s their parents, but I think Kiwanis founds out what the kids want and give it to them. It couldn’t be you and dad because y’all wouldn’t spend that much on me and Kallie.” 😜
I loved the times we would read Madeline over and over and nursery rhymes. ” I knew a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead. And when she was good she was very
Very good, but when she was bad is was horrid” is my favorite one I’ll think of her every time!! Lol
The time spent in the kitchen making cakes and cookies and her determination to make individual cookies that were replicas of her friends and giving them as special gifts.
The way she loved puzzles at a very young age and puy together this fairly difficult Ariel puzzle with easy effort at around 2-3 years old.
The way Shanley would eat graham crackers dumped in water for breakfast in the morning and love it!
Her metal detector experiences and her treasures of rocks and stuff.
The time when she was jumping off stairs (4-5) at a time! When I asked her why??? She said, “to see if I can do it!!” She was only about 3-4 years old!!
Her love for older people and how she loves to pick their brain and hear their life stories!
Her love for babies and small children and her love for games and play!
Oh so many thoughts and memories of Shanley I have! As a mom I had to try to be one step ahead of her so she couldn’t outwit me, most days that was a big challenge!! Lol
She makes life more alive and adventurous for sure!
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Hi Shanely! The Jergins will always remember you as our first, and favorite babysitter!
You came to our house as a mother’s helper, with your little bag full of toys and books for the children. Clara specifically remembers the fairy puzzles, and how you played Power Rangers with her and Andrew. (She also says you were the one to teach her how to fold clothes! Score one for you and your Mom on that!). You introduced the children to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and it was so much fun to have you around the house.
I am thrilled you are enjoying your full life… using the gifts of intelligence, warmth, and curiosity that God has given you. Come see us the next time you’re in Tampa — even if it’s not for It’s a Wonderful Life party!
We love you, Shanley! Miss Nancy and the rest of the Jergins
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Did you know that you light up a room when you walk in, Shanley? Well you do! You have a radiating smile and you always make each person feel special. Know that you are always in my prayers where ever life takes you.
Merry Christmas!
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I met Shanley in Turin when we were both studying abroad. That girl with her signature hairstyle seemed to be living in two modes: smiling or laughing. Every memory that I have of Shanley is a situation in which I had a great time. She is so spontaneous and cheerful that whatever happens, a day spent with Shanley is a day you won’t forget and a day you smiled.
She is the girl with who you imitate buffalos at 2 am in the streets of Turin. The girl with who you invent a new way of dancing while lying down on the ground moving only your arms and legs. If you go out to eat with her, you end up in an awesome bar where they don’t have chairs but bean bags and allow you to play charades until midnight. When she plays basketball and hits her head against Connor’s, she doesn’t lie down but buys a pink popsicle, holds it against her forehead and walks around the university as if nothing happened. If you want to enter her place in Italy (room 503) she sometimes lets you enter the room through the window. Why?? No one knows, but I’m sure happy to know her.
Merry Christmas Shanley! I hope to see you soon!
Wouter
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Being her cousin, I have known Shanley literally my entire existence, so it’s hard to narrow down those special memories with her. I remember every time I visited Brooksville, her face was always one of the faces I looked forward the most to seeing. She had a way of making me laugh like no other and understood me in ways only a true Carlton could. She was spunky, hilarious, stubborn, bright, and full of personality. We always got along great and through the years only got closer. I always knew I could be venerable with her, completely goofy with her, and let go around her. She is and will always be one of my favorite humans on the planet and I’m thankful to call her family.
Two favorite memories that especially stick out in my mind are when we hiked the AT and met up in Atlanta for the football game. Hiking the AT was awesome. Shanley and I met all sorts of people: The mute man, the compassionate couple, “Worldwide”, “Pirate”, blonde rattlesnake hammock dude, and stoned young motorcycle guy. We braved 60 miles in 5 days, encountering bears, blisters, bees and backpacks that weighed the same as baby elephants. We pooped together, sat on the dirt in defeat together when our backs were aching from the immense weight of our packs, we ate our icky MRE’s, we trudged in silence, trudged in giggles, and just trudged. But we did it together, and we made it.
Secondly, when I met Shanley in Atlanta right after my first VT football game and show, and she had me walk all over Atlanta to find her and a group of her friends …which included me walking at night, alone in a new place, across blocks of city towards a CNN building, walking through an unlit park, and then finding a ferris wheel which she apparently was located. Then when we united, we stumbled across a “Dragon Con” where everyone was dressed in crazy outfits and Shanley not knowing the meaning of “strangers” went and met a bunch of them and socialized. After that, she was determined to get me to my hotel, so we used the GPS on her phone… then it died (I have a dumb phone, so mine was literally useless). We were forced to ask random strangers if we could borrow their smart phones briefly amidst the hustle and bustle of the tram station, got onto a tram, almost missed our exit, walked out, jay walked across a road, crossed a bridge, walked through some woods, when we found the back of my hotel siting on top of a hill. Not even kidding. BUT, she got me home safely, it was my first time really on my own, had an adventure, had a BLAST doing it, and got a funny story to tell. smile emoticon So many wins. Shanley, thanks for touching my life, thanks for your love of trying new things, for your passion, and for being my best friend. I love you thisssssss much! Merry Christmas and happy holidays heart emoticon
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Some of my favorite memories of Shanley.… Shanley’s run at vegetarianism while never eating a single vegetable! Coming to my house and me force-feeding her a piece of salad and her freaking out
Shanley’s generous spirit and zany ways…this girl is game for anything. One Christmas she showed up at our home with materials for body sized bubbles. Fun. Fun. Fun.
I adore this girl.
Merry Christmas to my girl Shanley.
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the first time i met shanley she picked me up in a convertible and drove me down the main boulevard in detroit at sunset to get ice cream. it was the most thoughtful first friend outing i may have ever had!
one night after we went dancing, shanley made like 5 pounds of mac and cheese.
on our drive to chicago shanley was talking to her sister through the car bluetooth, then her friend liz called and she patched her in so there was a three way call and it was hilarious but also so sweet.
i haven’t known shanley long but she’s been such a great friend and i feel so lucky having her in my life!
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Shanley is my niece. Although I saw her when she was a little girl, most of my memories were of when she was a teenager because Jackie Lynn and I started doing more stuff together back then. One day, Jackie Lynn came to our town to pick Shanley up from volleyball camp. Kallie was young and came along too. When those three “girls’ came into our home I can’t express how much our home just lit up. Shanley more than the other two for some reason. She has these big, beautiful eyes that got bigger with each smile. As she told us stories of volleyball camp, especially about the other volleyball girls, her storytelling and enthusiasm kept us all entertained. I realized then, that this girl of around 15 years of age, was going to do something great with her life.
The next few years prior to Shanley graduating high school, we got to spend a lot of time with Shanley and Kallie. Family reunions, dinners, swimming with manatees in December, lunches, just time spent together…laughing and loving this girl. One day I drove to visit them in Brooksville and Shanley was cuddled up with her Harry Potter book and I kept teasing her about being a HP lovin’ nerd!! We kept giggling, and smiling. Oh, that beautiful and contagious smile of hers!! This organic kind of beauty exudes from each Carlton girl. There were many more fantastic moments with Shanley, always filled with love and laughter.
The day Shanley graduated I rushed to get off work and we hurried to Brooksville so we could see this girl who had grown up in front of our eyes. I’m not sure she knew how proud we were of her, we were just more faces in the crowd but we watched proudly then AND we watch her life now from afar. Like watching a rare butterfly find her wings and how she gently takes off…the whole world before her…making her mark on this world. ❤
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I first met Shanley when we were both interns at GM in Warren, Michigan. Luckily for me, she decided to keep coming back to Michigan so I have plenty of special Shanley stories now! 🙂 Among many, there is one that especially sticks out (for me at least) which happened a few weeks after we first met, on Shanley’s birthday. She decided she wanted to have a get together at this off-the-beaten-track kind of place called Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum. Marvin’s is one of those places that you just have to see in person, there’s no way to describe it that can adequately convey all of its majesty and mystery. Marvin’s has a massive collection of many different old school arcade games and a multitude of different little gadgets and machines that do different things. I showed up with a couple of my roommates (after we spent ten minutes trying to find it, questions like: “Are we sure this is a real place?” may have been asked) and we went in and started to wander around, exploring, and interacting with all of the games and machines. After a short while it was time for cake and ice cream, so we all went and sat down and sang happy birthday to Shanley. Afterwards people were coming and going between getting cake and ice cream, and experiencing all of the games and gadgets that Marvin’s had to offer. I was sitting down at one of the tables in front of a particular gadget when Shanley came over and we started talking and then our attention turned to the machine in front of us. (I think it may have been one of the few machines Shanley hadn’t experienced yet.) So we got a quarter or two to see what this machine does and it started playing some salsa music and there were all of these little figurines inside the machine that came to life and starting dancing together. So of course Shanley gets up and says, “Dance with me?!” Now, I’m not exactly sure how much Shanley picked up on this, but at this time I was a pretty stereotypical computer nerd/engineer – I was introverted, not social, and dancing in public was one thing I especially did *not* do. But before I can even say a thing she adds, “Come on it’s my birthday, you have to dance with me!” So regardless of what’s going on in my head, I can’t refuse. So as I’m getting up to dance I say “Okay, but I don’t really know how to dance.” And Shanley quickly replies, “that’s fine, I’ll teach you.” So here’s Shanley teaching me to salsa dance in the middle of her birthday party at Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum. It was such a normal Shanley thing to do, but for me it was a big thing because it really broke me out of my little introverted bubble. Just Shanley being herself really helped me to be more myself and ever since I’ve met her I’ve gotten to experience all sorts of new things and go on all kinds of adventures. There’s so many places I’ve been since I’ve met Shanley that otherwise I wouldn’t have known existed, so many adventures that I’d have never gone on if not for her. Shanley, thank you for teaching me to salsa dance (Marvin’s was a while ago now… I might need a salsa refresher) and for helping me to expand my horizons and be more of a social person. I’m so very lucky that our paths have crossed and I’m so incredibly overjoyed that you are in my life. Merry Christmas!
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I lived with Shanley for two years in ROHO, what a time. One time Shanley came to my room crying because she was all stressed out about school, formula, and other Shanley things. At the time my roomate Ferguson was sleeping, probably still is, so I told her to go in my room and rub his belly and that it would make her feel better. And it did! Another time Shanley and Molly serenaded my roommate, singing Fergalicious by the Black Eye Peas to him on my first week living in ROHO….Whoa Whoa. Finally, one night Shanley and I decided to redeem free waffles from Waffle House @ 1:00 a.m on a school night. Because we man handled the Aggies in football the week before, Roll Tide!
Merry Christmas Shanley!!!!
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Shanley,
You’re one of the most memorable, nicest, smartest, and creative people I’ve met. Always up to something.
That being said, I have so many great Shanley memories. One of my favorites though would have to be when I first really got to know Shanley on our trip to Poland to meet up with Tomek, Chloe, and Connor. On the bus ride to the Milan airport we listened to one of her many great playlists. Then as the bus arrived at the airport she unintentionally angered the Italian man sitting in front us. In the airport though we made friends with the bachelor party guys who took a picture with us. Then when we arrived at the airport the plane went to the wrong terminal so who was waiting for us? Nobody.
You’re awesome, keep on being you. Also, the ice cave whalelephant.
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One of my earliest memories of our friendship is when I was studying for my first ever college exam. It was September, it was for Anthropology 101, and my boyfriend Nicholas was en route to Alabama to visit me. I couldn’t focus with his impending arrival. I’m not sure if I texted/messaged you or the other way around or how you came to know that I was having trouble studying, but either way you knew. And then at 2am, you showed up at my dorm door with espresso. Maybe it was even in a milkshake, if I remember correctly. I was so amused and so grateful (and killed my anthro exam). I hoped this would be the beginning of a long, beautiful friendship. It hasn’t gone quite as envisioned, but it’s been pretty great 🙂
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Shanley was my neighbour in Collegio Einaudi, Torino. How many parties with the others Italian and American guys, how many cappuccini at the café together! I remember her painting with spray cans, trying to make giant bubbles, fighting on the grass with Connor under the pouring rain. Crazy, and lovely girl! Never angry, always with a smile on her face. A beautiful smile.
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Like many of the people who have posted before me, the memories are too many to count. You have been a gigantic part of my life.
I first encountered you in my University of Alabama engineering classes, but was too nervous to talk to you…
Thankfully, I was forced into proximity to with you as we shared a study abroad program in Torino. The next six months I got to know you well, sharing dorm and classes, walks and talks. I remember walking home in a rainstorm…taking our shoes off, and walking slowly through the puddle-ridden cobblestone streets, getting absolutely soaked as people huddled under awnings and gawked at us. Despite being right after I learned my bike was stolen, this was one of the happiest moments I had in Italy. The simple pleasures of life are so natural to you… I love the lens that you see the world through.
More than anything, this Christmas, I want you to know how amazing of an impact you make on people’s lives. I want you to know the joy and the memories that you make simply by being the person you are. Everyone you meet is lucky to have you as part of their story. You connect with the best people, in the best of ways, and I know that’s how you will be remembered (clearly because it IS how you are remembered).
Thank you for never being shy about getting to the good stuff. I would not say I was the Grinch, but knowing you has grown my heart a few sizes.
Merry Christmas, s.
Love always,
Connor
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One time Shanley convinced us all to play kickball on the Quad after it had poured rain all day. Can’t remember which team won, but it’s fair to say that our washers/dryers were the real losers because the outfielders were sliding in mud all over the place. It was a great time and another example of a spontaneous Shanley-inspired moment of fun in Tuscaloosa.
Gotta give it to ya Shanley Ramírez: you’re a true original, and I always appreciated your spunk and genuine kindness. Hope you are loving life in the fast lane in the Motor City…Merry Christmas + Happy 2016!!
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The thing I think of most when I think of Shanley is her sweet smile and spirit. She has always been a positive influence and example for our children, Jake and Emma. She has always shown them love and gives them her full attention when she is talking to them. She makes them feel important and cared about. She even sent them the cutest letters when she was in college. They were scroll letters held in the talons of “owls” that she had crafted to “present” the letters to the children. She is thoughtful and exudes a contagious joy for life. I consider our family blessed to know her.
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Dear Shanley
Can you engineer me a car that has the same comparison to the most popular, Johnny Cash song, “One piece at a time”?
I sence that after you listen to the song it will inspire you to create a new era of engineering most people would never think of.
Scott Dedmon
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Dear Shanley,
One of the momonths (a moment that lasted a month — that’s a word, right?) that defined our friendship: August 2012. I had what I feel is safe to call the worst day of my life. My mother called to tell me her cancer was terminal. I told my boyfriend and best friend of two and a half years. He asked me to marry him, I told him he was insane, and then he broke up with me via a text message. And in the throes of all this, I was being dropped off at Alabama, this place I hated, this place I considered my personal hell, to battle all this alone. I needed someone to listen to me. I didn’t have a best friend at Bama, but I knew you’d listen. I called and you came. We drove to the parking lot of the Cypress Inn and I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. And then you told me to come with you to Back to School Night at Target. I wanted to tell you no, but I knew you knew best. So I went. It was fun. It was a lot of fun, actually. I actually didn’t even spend the time at Target with you, but with Cyrus and Molly. That was something I love/hate about you — you’re always inviting people to things, and then disappearing. It’s a bummer when I want to spend time with you, but you’ve brought so many people together that way. So many of my good college friends I made through you, and I still cherish odd moments spent with people met through you that didn’t become my friends. I am grateful for that, for you.
Keeping bringing the world together.
Love,
Angela
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Shanley’s First Car
One of my favorite memories is when Shanley came to pick up her new car. We told her, her new car was a old clunker we were preparing for salvage. When she arrived to the shop to see her new car, she was totally excited, and I mean really excited! She was jumping up and down like there was no tomorrow. We went to see this car and all of its clunker glory, leaking sun roof, didn’t run, and plenty of trash inside that we used to our advantage. So we knew the car had some discrepancies. Inside the car there were some items that would come into play upon her receiving the vehicle. There was a hard hat, that we told her she needed to wear at all times for safety. She agreed. Secondly, there was some white boots, she was told she needed to wear those boots because the car was holding rain water, she gladly agreed. The car was not running at all, hence it was going to salvage. But she truly believed this was “HER” Car, and so all she wanted to know (while jumping up and down) “is this my Car.” We finally gave up and threw in the towel when she was so excited to get a new to her beat up clunker. She was such a good sport about it, and so we presented her with Her REAL New Car, a Toyota Avalon. We have many, many good memories of the beautiful, smart, and talented Shanley Carlton this is only one. We are so proud to be part of your life, watching you grow from a cute kid, into a wonderful woman.
We love you and miss you, Congratulations on your success and accomplishments.
Love,
Carlos Marrero, Shirley Marrero ,Albert Marrero, Carolina Marrero, Arleen Marrero & Jacob D. Canine-Marrero
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To… Shanley
I finally got time to think and actually write on this page ( hopefully, you get to read it:)))
Well, I don’t know what to start… You’re such an amazing person:) I’m so lucky to get to know you when I was here in Florida. I have so many favorite memories with you… I remember we went to High school together when I was an exchamge student. That time, I actually didn’t have many friends to hangout with or even get lunch with… So, I was so happy that you let me sit with you at lunch and we get to talk:) Then, I remember that we got to hangout on Halloween day too… Thank you for inviting me to go with you. It was so much fun!:) What’s else?…. Oh! Easter Day!… How can I forget that!:) thank you so much for inviting me to your party on Easter Day! I had so much fun hanging out with you and your family:)
I don’t know what else to say… We have so many good memories together and I really hope I’ll get to see you and your family some day in Thailand… You’re always welcome to come to Thailand!:)
I’ll miss you when I go back to Thailand but I wish you all the best…
Love,
Aum ( Chanatorn Chaisakdanugull )
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Ms. Carlton,
I do apologize for the lateness of my story. As you probably know, it’s pretty inherent to my nature.
You are truly one of a kind, and I’m sure this list of comments could go on forever because of that. I’ve never met someone that carries so much child like curiosity….. or someone who is fearless in any situation…… or someone who constantly sets out to improve the lives of those around her.. or, as many people have alluded to, someone who simply brings out the wonder in the everyday. I feel so entirely lucky to have had you both in Tuscaloosa and again in Michigan.
There are so many memories filled with nothing but lightness, just giggles and exploration. Some highlights include summer blanket forts, Detroit exploration, massage lines, dancing in abandoned car plants, hair sessions with Gretchen and late night talks. I have no idea where this world is going to take you, or where you are going to take this world, but I’m going to hold on to the moments I get while you are near.
-Jordan Easter
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