Long Lost Jonas Brother?

While watching the Disney Kids Inaugural special: We are the Future, Jim begins to rock out. Could it be that Jim is the long lost Jonas brother? You decide.

Today was a Hard Day...Tomorrow Will be Harder

Today was tough as we are preparing for a very difficult funeral. I helped fold the bulletins which have a very nice picture of our friend on the front...very hard. Tomorrow is the day I've been dreading since I got the call on Thursday. We will have to really say goodbye. That's tough. Tomorrow is to be a celebration...I'm happy that Jim is with Jesus. I know he's reunited with those he loves...I know that he is whole. But, I miss him.

I miss the jingle of his keys. I miss the way that he would jump when you'd walk in the room...even if he knew you were there. I miss his voice laughing...telling tales...just in conversation. I miss the way he was always around.

Tomorrow is going to be rough...I'm saying some remarks. I just sat today staring at the screen thinking what can I say? How can I say it? I have to write it down or I'll never get through.

I went to exercise thinking the workout would relax me...release some stress.

Tomorrow we will gather...to share together...to support one another...to cry on each other's shoulders. Tomorrow we will say goodbye to a friend and at the same time celebrate a life that has touched ours. Today was hard, but tomorrow will be harder.

A True Servant Has Gone Home

Today was a more difficult day than most others. A true friend, example, servant has gone on to be with God. My soul is conflicted as I mourn this great man who touched my life and the lives of others in so many different ways. I'm sad...mostly for those of us who are left behind...but I also rejoice because I know today he got to meet Jesus face to face.

He always gave of himself...thinking of everyone first before he ever thought of himself. His faith was strong, unwavering. He was always there to lend a hand whether it was helping out in the kitchen...preparing refreshments for groups gathering...doing the laundry that could have waited just a little longer.

He was known all around town. His heart was a heart of gold. His voice was so very kind and gentle and he would more than willingly share his voice singing his favorite songs.

He had the heart of a Saint and was Grandpa Jim to my boys. He was missed tonight for our Thursday night service and the coffee pot just didn't work quite right to make the drinks. Tears were shed freely as we sought to be about doing what needed to be done for dinner tonight...prayer was difficult, the words stuck in the throat as we were seeking to find the right words. He was definitely missed.

But at the same time there is joy...he is home. But now he is able to rest. Now he has been made whole. Jim has been welcomed home and I have little doubt that he is busy getting rooms and refreshments ready for those who will follow.

We will miss you, Jim. You touched more lives than you'll ever know. And all of us have been blessed to have known you.

You Say It's Your Birthday?!

Happy birthday to the most wonderful, handsome, loving man who is my best friend. I hope your day is wonderful and filled with fun and surprises. We love you!

Ten Years Ago

Twelve years ago July 12th I met Jim online in a chat room. We talked for a while online then continued our conversation on the phone. From that day on we talked every day. Soon it came time to exchange pictures...what would he look like I wondered...I knew I liked him, but how shallow was I, really? Would he like how I looked? Which picture should I send?

When the mail came that day, I could hardly hold my breath. I opened the envelope and was so happy to see the picture inside. He didn't have two noggins...he looked great.

By the end of the month we had arranged a face to face meeting. He would drive from Charleston to Wapakoneta where I had lived at the time. Wapak is on I-75 so I was a little concerned about meeting him because I didn't want to be some casualty somewhere. When he got into town he called me from his hotel and I got ready to meet him. Everything went wonderfully...we met and it was wild...I felt like I had known him for years. For our first date we went to a local restaurant (along with a friend of mine) and had dinner. The next night we went to see the movie The Net.

The weekend went well and way too fast. We made some plans for when we'd see each other again.

On Groundhog's Day Eve 1 1/2 later, Jim proposed. The room was wonderfully decorated...with a yellow brick road, ruby slippers, a Cowardly Lion and a little box at the end. Need I say I LOVE the Wizard of Oz? In the box there was a glass plaque that was etched with this poem:

Carol, you are wonderful.
You are funny, beautiful, smart and kind.
The love we share, I thought I'd never find.
You fill my life with a special joy,
In a way I've not felt since I was a boy.
As I've grown, and become a man,
I realize just how lucky I really am.
Each day, my love for you grows stronger.
I hope we'll be together for eternity or longer.
I have been blessed by God To have you in my life.
Now I am asking you Carol, "Will you be my wife?"

I remember reading these words and wondering why all of a sudden Jim was down on the ground. Then I got to the last line. WOW. You just can't say no to that.

So, we set the date for August 23 at 1:30. The day before when we got into town we went into the church and our good friend, Jim who was pastor of my church, asked one of my best friends, "Do you want to tell her or do you want me to?" I'm thinking what in the world is going on?! Lisa was supposed to sing for the wedding so I thought maybe she wouldn't be able to...but it turned out our organist had to work the next day and wouldn't be able to play for the wedding. I was a little upset but not nearly as mad as I was when I found out he had known he had to work for 8 weeks before, had not asked off for it, and hadn't let me know. Jim (the pastor) called my former piano teacher who had previously been our organist and had asked her to come...she agreed. Whew! That hurdle was over.

The rest of the wedding weekend went really well and very fast. The music was WONDERFUL (Lisa this means you, too) and to think our organist/pianist only had less than 24 hours to get the music ready. The cake was cool (Duff-esk before Duff was doing cakes) it was shaped like a church.

That was the day I said yes to spending the rest of my life with my best friend. Now it's been 10 years. Where did that time go?! We have two beautiful boys and have had a bunch of adventures.

Happy Anniversary, My Honey, I love you!

Wow...Has Time Passed

It's almost August and I can't believe where the time has gone. I was looking through old posts and saw one of my oldest when he was having trouble sleeping in his room by himself. He looked like such a little guy then...now he's getting more and more grown up. Our youngest will turn 1 this next month...WHAT?!

We'll also celebrate our 10 year anniversary this year. I found this picture of the flying monkey with the hour glass...I thought it was cute and very appropriate. Have I mentioned lately how much I love the Wizard of Oz? It seems just yesterday since Jim proposed on the yellow brick road by the Lion and the ruby slippers.

Boy, time has flown by...and it's been great, exciting adventure!

When You Use Your Cell Phone at Dinner

One of my favorite places to eat at Disney MGM Studios is the 50's Prime Time Cafe. You enter into "Mom's" house and inside this restaurant there are different rooms that look like a 1950's kitchen. They have great food (fried chicken just like grandma used to make, meatloaf - not my favorite but our oldest loves it, and YUCK! greens) and even better desserts (the S'mores dessert is to die for.) Along with great food they have rules:

1. No elbows on the table
2. You must at least try your veggies in order to get dessert (much to my dismay as I was force-fed (with airplane noises I might add) greens before I could order my S'mores)
3. No cell phone use at the table.

If you disobey these rules you could get called on it, corrected or forced to make restitution in front of the whole "kitchen". This is what happened when Jim was checking email on his cell phone.