Happy Birthday Jerry

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JERRY!

Today is a bittersweet day for our family as we celebrate Jerry's 42nd birthday without him. I keep thinking back to one year ago today as Jerry celebrated his 41st birthday while we were in Maui over Spring Break. I can almost remember the entire day scene by scene, detail by detail. That must be God's gift to me today! I can barely remember events from last month, much less one year ago, but I do remember Jerry's 2008 birthday. He started off his special day with a gift to himself! He rented a bike and rode up the Haleakala. These are pictures of Jerry on his journey up the volcano that a lady stopped and took of him and later e-mailed.

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The lady that stopped to snap these pictures of Jerry was following her husband up the Haleakala as he was also celebrating his birthday. She has e-mailed me since Jerry's death and told me that she remembers Jerry telling her that he was doing this to prove to himself that he wasn't an old man yet!

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Thank you to so many of you who remembered that today is Jerry's birthday and have loved us today knowing that it would be a difficult day. I awoke this morning and while talking on the phone walked up to my living room window to look out and to my surprise saw this birthday card posted on the fence facing the front of our home!

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Although it is a mystery as to who the card is from and no one will "fess up"...we are sure it is from all of our sweet neighbor families. Thank you!

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Thank you each and everyone who have thought about us today, prayed for us, e-mailed us, called and left messages, mailed cards (even wrapped birthday gifts) and sent us roses, all in celebration of Jerry's birthday. We love you.

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The kids and I have talked a lot about Jerry today. We have wondered what he is doing and how he is spending his 42nd birthday in Heaven. What are birthday parties like in Heaven? We are most certain that he has enjoyed the biggest chocolate birthday cake ever imagined and have envisioned a legion of angels as they sing Happy Birthday to Jerry. What a sweet sound that must be!

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Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father in the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures. James 1:17-18

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Happy 42nd Birthday Jerry! We love you and miss you.

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Love,

Candy, Natalie and Joshua

My First Crisis ~ Natalie Breaks her Arm

Hello Friends,

Today I've endured my first big crisis since Jerry passed away. Natalie injured herself on the school playground this morning and fractured her humerus bone in her left arm (the long bone from your shoulder to your elbow). Thankfully it is just "slightly displaced" and she is right handed, but the bad news is that it could take up to 3 months to fully heal. She has been a real trooper through it all though. Much more calm, cool and collected than even I was! On my way to pick her up at school my mind was racing and I thought "I need to call Jerry and have him meet us at Urgent Care." It is strange how my mind can so quickly revert back to the way life used to be and for a split moment I sometimes completely forget what our present circumstances are. Normally, in a situation like this, I would have immediately called Jerry - and so that's just what my very first thought was today! Besides, he was the one to always handle crisis situations with such grace...not me! I really missed him today.

Pray for Natalie to be comforted as she recovers. This is the first time either of my children have broken a bone.

Candy