Oh my, where do I begin? Okay...May 20, 2006. My BSB brother Tim and I got to Chicago's HOB at around 10:20 a.m. and then walked over to meet up with my friend Michelle and her crew at the Westin Hotel. We had a hug fest with Michelle because it was our first actual meeting after six years of on-line friendship. We met because of BSB by the way.

At around 11:15, we walked back over to HOB and got into the line to check in and we ran into my BSB friend Denise and a friend of hers named Jewels. At that point, I saw Kat from katsmeow, also an on-line friend of about six years. (BSB's fault...again.) Kat and I hugged and talked for a few minutes and after we checked in, she gave us our passes and we headed upstairs to the Foundation Room. (Ritzy, huh? And that's also where we met AJ back in March, 2005.)

So...we were milling around waiting to see what was going to happen first and I headed for the bathroom. As I passed by the bar, I saw this guy standing at the back of the room, which is where the bathrooms are, and I thought to myself, that looks like Howie. I got in the bathroom and it dawned on me that it actually WAS Howie! He was already starting to take pictures with the first fans who had arrived.

When I came out, I tried to act casual, but I looked at him and oh dear...I started to get a bit shaky. I went to wait with Denise, Michelle, Kris, the crew and Tim for our turn at a picture and when I got up there, Howie smiled and winked at me kind of like he recognized me. We said hello and he hugged me right away. Mmm ...that helped calm me a bit. I told him I had been waiting for a REAL hug since August and I explained about seeing him at the softball game AND the fact that I had talked to him on the phone August 1st, via Kat's cell phone. (When I told him my name, he remembered me and making the call. I found out later that he had made a few calls to fans that day, and I was the last call he made! Mmm, saving the best for last? Yeah...right!)

So Howie and I were just standing there waiting for the guy to take our picture and we had our arms around each other. (OMG, he's so warm and cuddly, I was in NO hurry to move!) While Tim got our camera ready to take another picture, Howie and I made a little small talk and I mentioned how thrilled I was that he was there because I had hoped he'd do another fundraiser in Chicago. (The last one was in May of 2001..and it was NOT as well planned as this one.) I also told him how happy I was that he and the other boys got back together. Then I mentioned the extended family I have acquired over the last seven years because of him and BSB, and told him that the guy with me was my BSB brother. Howie thought that was great and he said he was happy we were both there supporting the DLF. He hugged me again and I snuck in a kiss on his cheek. Then Tim went up and shook his hand, also explaining a little about our special brother/sister relationship. After I took a picture of Howie and Tim together, we went back and waited while more people went up to meet Howie.

         

When the majority of people were done, I went over and asked the photographer if Tim and I could get a picture taken with Howie together. He said we could and then I went to ask Howie if it was okay with him. He said of course, and he pulled us both real close to him as he said, "So you two are brother and sister?" and "Where are you from?" Tim said North Carolina, I said Illinois and Howie was like....what? How's that?" We explained again that we met on-line a while back, had been talking on the phone and e-mailing each other and ended up "adopting" each other. Tim told him how he had moved up here to live with me coz we got along so well. Howie thought that was really cool, especially when we told him how long we'd known each other and how long we've lived together. After the pictures were taken, Howie and I hugged again and I kissed his cheek again and...he kissed MY cheek! No, I didn't faint!! LOL!

After we left Howie, we went over to the Lupus table where they were selling raffle tickets, HHC and DLF stuff and I met a lovely gal named Bianca and also Angie Herring, Howie's big sister. (She is so pretty and very very nice.) I introduced myself to Angie and explained how I had met her brother before and how sweet he was to me. Then I asked her if she would give her mother a gift I brought for her. I explained that I bought this little stuffed white elephant a few days before I found out about this event...and that for some reason, I knew she wasn't meant for me to keep. When I saw on Kat's site that Howie was holding this fundraiser in Chicago...and he and Angie would actually be here...I knew that the elephant was supposed to go to Momma D. Angie told me I was sweet to think of her Mom coz she does love elephants. I mentioned that I had already given Howie a cute little elephant Christmas ornament for her back in 2001 when I first met him, but I wasn't sure if she ever got it. (I've heard more than once that Howie tends to lose things so I wasn't sure! Angie confirmed this unfortunate tendency in her darling little brother!)

When I described the other little elephant to Angie, she got this funny look on her face and then she smiled and said, "I think I have seen it. I do think she got it." Well...I was thrilled! Then she asked me to e-mail her and she told me she'd ask her mother about it and let me know if she really did receive it. And she said she would send a message back from her mother about this new one. We talked for a few more minutes coz I told her I was scheduled to be on her bowling team at the evening event. She was really happy coz she said she was horrible at bowling and she hoped I could bring up the team score. Ha ha...I told her I couldn't bowl well either, but we had another gal coming who was good! She really wanted to beat her little brother and his team! (Sibling rivalry DOES extend to your 40's...and Angie IS my age!) After we bought a couple of DLF bracelets and more raffle tickets, Tim and I told Angie we'd see her later and we went off to talk with our other friends for a while.

Soon it was time to go downstairs for the brunch so we all went to eat while Howie finished taking photos with the late comers. (The food was delicious by the way. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, bagels, fruit...mmm!) After he and Angie got their chance to eat, there was an auction scheduled but before it started, I went up to Howie and told him I had something for him. I brought along this sweet little purple teddy bear pin that says, "Jesus Loves You" on it and I asked if he would wear it. (I whispered to him that Jesus loves him as much as I do! He loved that and told me I was sweet! THUD!) Howie and I both spent a moment trying to figure out where he could put the little bear. He decided the lapel on his jean jacket would work best so he pushed the pin through and we both held the lapel while I snapped the back on. (Mmmm, ladies...he has VERY soft hands!) Then came another hug, a kiss on the cheek and a big thank you!

The auction soon began with a lot of BSB goodies going for some big bucks for both HHC and DLF. Howie had to put on all the shirts and sweatshirts they were auctioning off, including the shirt he wore at the KISS FM softball game, and with each one he put on, he added a bonus...a few spritzes of his favorite cologne, Cool Water! (YES, it's official...he wears Cool Water! And FYI...he carries the bottle in the front pocket of his jeans!) There was BSB memorabilia past and present, CDs, old magazines with articles about the Boys which were autographed by all the guys and there was even a breakfast with Howie and Angie auctioned off for Sunday morning...before they were to leave for home.

         

Once the auction was over, (And after an announcement from Howie that BSB is going back into the studio in July to work on their NEW GROUP ALBUM! YES, I said GROUP ALBUM! WEEEE! He also said they HOPE to have it ready to be released by the end of the year...HOPEFULLY!) I had a moment alone with Howie to ask if he could do me a small favor. A girl I know from Ireland had flown to London for the DLF fundraiser that was held there a few weeks ago. Due to a malfunction with directions, she got lost and missed the whole thing! Howie couldn't believe it and he felt really bad about it...his face actually fell. I told him that I promised the girl I would ask him to autograph a special picture for her and I would send it to her...if he could do it. He said yes of course, and he asked me to come find him after they were done upstairs and he would take care of it for me. And we hugged AGAIN!

Howie went upstairs to take care of some stuff and after about ten minutes we were all told to come up to get autographs. We were told he would only sign one thing, but since we had already talked privately prior to this, Howie not only signed the picture for my friend, but he signed the first picture ever taken of him and I together! When I pulled it out, we both laughed about it coz his hair was so long back then! (His Jesus hair they called it!) And he did remember the day... vividly...coz it was so cold! He was giggling when I told him that I waited OUTSIDE WGN studios in the cold for him from 5:30 till 8:50! He actually said, "God Bless you!" and I got one of those wonderful winks! LOL! Then I told him it was all worth the freezing wait outside because that was my dream come true to meet him and have that picture taken with him. I told him how very special the memory of that day is to me. Howie had the cutest expression on his face when I said that, which Tim thankfully got a picture of, and after he signed the photo, we shared yet another hug and a cheek kiss! (Yes, I know...we spent a lot of time huggin' and kissin'! And the day wasn't over yet!)

The HOB staff soon started asking us all to leave because another party was coming in so we headed outside while Howie finished with the last few fans. We met up with my adopted BSB daughter Amanda and sat out on some benches by the river, soaking up some sun. (It was a perfect day for it, too!) Then around 5:30, we caught a cab and headed to the bowling alley.

Once we got to the bowling alley, we were given our tee shirts for our team, found out that there had been a snafu with the teams and we were NOT on Angie's team after all. She apologized and said she was very disappointed coz she was looking forward to bowling with us and getting to know us better. But...I said it was all about raising money for DLF and having fun and she told me she was happy I felt that way.

Before we began bowling, it was more pictures with Howie in our team shirts. (We were known as "Howie's Angels".) When I walked up, he smiled and reached out for me and said, "Hey Susie, you're back!" and he hugged me...again. I kissed his cheek...yes, again...and got the picture taken. Then my little Amanda stepped up and I told him how we met, that she was my adopted BSB daughter and he commented on my growing family! I reminded him that it was all because of him and the other Boys that my family was getting so big. After Amanda and Tim got their pictures taken with Howie, I remembered I had some notes to give to him from some other friends and I quickly took care of that. Then we left him to get our shoes and bowling balls. Howie came over once we were settled in our lanes to thank us and wish us luck. (He even rubbed my arm AND my purple bowling ball for luck!)

We didn't bowl all that well...even Howie had a sucky night of a few gutter balls here and there, but we all had a lot of fun and made some new friends. Howie and I kept running into each other while we were grabbing water or drinks or just visiting other friends and every time we saw each other, he'd stop and rub my arm or squeeze my hand and ask if I was having fun! (Well, yeah...DUH!)

         

Later on when his friend Adam's team was finishing up their game (Their lane froze and they had to wait till it was fixed), I asked my buddy Kat if she thought Howie would mind taking a picture, just the three of us together. She said "Let's go ask him." and she called him over. We explained...again...that it was coz of him that we met and asked if he would he mind taking one last picture, just the three of us. Howie leaned in-between both of us and started teasing me saying, "Oh wow, is Kat your daughter, too? Did you adopt her into your extended family?" And I cracked up and said that she was my BSB sister, not my daughter! Howie laughed and I said, "Remember, this is all your fault that I have such a big family...hey, would you like to be our brother?" and he said, "Sure!" Then of course, he pulled us both into a hug and we got our picture taken. That's when our last real hug of the night occurred and another mutual thank you.

There was one more auction after the bowling, with more shirts, BSB stuff, a bowling pin from Howie's lane and his shoes being offered. That was a riotous time coz everyone was getting kind of loud and Howie kept telling everyone to "maintain low tones" like the Cone Heads on Saturday Night Live! He and Adam were cutting up and trading digs at each other and we were laughing our butts off coz Howie was spraying his cologne on all the shirts again...and in other places on his body! (He's been hangin' around Nicky too long! LOL!) Once the last item was sold, security came around to guard the stuff and Howie went to take a picture with the winning team...which sadly wasn't us. We came in second place though. Howie's team was LAST! But Howie was a good sport and like I said, we all had fun and it was for a very worthy cause.

Then right before we were leaving, a lady who was with my friend Michelle, and who had been afraid to meet Howie all day, was being encouraged to take a picture with him. I was talking to Angie at the time and when I heard what was going on, I turned around and Howie was right behind me, holding the lady's hand and her arm, trying to assure her that he didn't bite. I turned to her, put my hand on Howie's shoulder and repeated that he indeed did not bite. She finally relented and got her picture taken with Howie's arm around her...and she was crying the whole time, poor thing! After the picture was taken, Howie hugged her and she went back over to sit down, still crying. Then she hugged ME and I said, "Honey, you'll remember this day for the rest of your life!" Then Howie and I just looked at each other and smiled. Then...we had to say good bye. I thanked him one more time for everything he did for me the whole day...all the pictures he took with us, the autographs for my friend and I, and just the general fun of the whole day. (He was so sweet.) He rubbed my arm again and thanked me for coming and said he hoped to see me...and my BIG family...again soon!

All in all, the whole day was amazing, fabulous, surreal, fun, crazy, wonderful and I will never forget it. I made a lot of new friends, gained a few more family members, including my new "brother", Howie and helped out in raising money to find a cure for Lupus, the disease that took the life of Howie and Angie's beloved sister, Caroline Dorough-Cochran on September 12, 1998 at the age of 37. Thank you for letting me share my special day with you. It was great to spend time with Howie, but we must remember that the real reason for the whole thing began with one family's tragedy. I hope all of you will help Howie and his family in any way you can with their work to find a cure so that another family will not have to endure the pain of the loss the Doroughs and Cochrans have suffered in losing Caroline.

All photos are copyrighted to Susie Kroeger and were used with permission.