Introduction of the dread..."head" - that is!!

Well ello there all! Annie here.

I've come from the distant - and not so distant forests of the United States and from being on the road myself for approx. 8-9 months, to join Clementine on their adventure and their mission to tour the country in effort to help families of the missing and to help find their missing loved ones. I know first handedly what it is like to have someone close to you go missing in your life, actually the person "closest" to me in life. My mother is Gina Bos, (Jannel's sister) who disappeared Oct. 17, 2000 - the ispiration of Jannel's missing persons foundation and the Squeaky Wheel Tour. I am so glad to be able to be a part of it all. I wasn't quite so sure what I was getting myself into but I somehow knew right away when my aunt gave me the phone call asking me to help that it was just something I needed to do - be here to help and support.

Everything has been so crazy and a bit of a struggle for us all these past few days trying to get ready for the tour. Personally, it's hard to know if I'm actually helping at all yet by being here. I try to keep up but sometimes it's hard to even know what the heck is goin on, especially with my own emotions about the whole thing -not to mention missing my beloved boyfriend extremely a lot - a lot as he could not be here with us at the time - being thrown into the mix. Doing my best to not let it effect our work to be done and somehow I'm just doing it! (I get that from Jannel, "I get all my good stuff from her...") - however, I know that I am needed and have been doing my best to be of service and support as much as possible.

The bus came about an hour ago - - ...that's niiiice...our bus driver, "Bama" (haha) is waaaay chill...man. This will be fun!! - - and until now, the night before we leave, has it really hit me what an absolute crazy time we're all going to be having as Dana described below - shoving us all into a bus for 20 days and such. Anyway, her and I talked a bit about it all last night and we were thinking what a crazy yet collaborative group of people we all are being all different ages and coming from all different backgrounds, each of us with our own things going on in our lives yet being able to come together for one specific purpose - this mission for the missing!! I love all these people and once again, am so glad that I am able to be here, that we are ALL here together to do this. It's amazing. This tour is bound to be filled with blood, sweat, and tears!...ohp!...and don't forget the LAUGHTER!!!

I wrote this last night thinking of everything that's going on with the Squeaky Wheel Tour (with thoughts of my missing mother and the sacrifices she made for me) and how many people are sacrificing so much to be able to do this, to be able to help, and to be able to continue:

"People aren't perfect. But I think we are imperfectly perfect. Yet, the sacrifices we make are beyond any of that, "perfection/imperfection" talk...sometimes I feel like it's the way we sacrifice for one another - no matter what's going on - that truely let's us show love and feel the love that we have for one another. It is in the struggle of life - and in caring and loving one another during that, that we find the truth of sacrifice."

I came to realize last night why I think one of the main reasons I am here which is...to sacrifice and give back like my mother sacrificed and gave so much to me, she is the first reason, I feel - that we are all here.

Onward now to my next cup of tea,
dread out.
<3 a.dub.annie.love