Miracle or coincidence??????

Everybody might think I am crazy after this post, but I have to let everybody see this. First, here is the original page from my phone book with our "pager codes." When we both were working, we each had pagers. We worked out this code system to make life easier. After he took his medical leave we still used to page each other 222-2222 to say we were thinking of each other. He paged them to me frequently... sometimes 5 times a day...even up to 3 days before he died (coincidentally 2/22/2002) which was the last hour we were apart 'til the end.

One day about 2 weeks ago, I hit a very low point. I was at work, and had to spend much of my day in the restroom, sobbing and crying. I prayed "I need to know he is still thinking of me. Does he miss me? Does he still love me?? A few 2's would be nice." Then I told myself to stop being so silly!!

I finally was able to go on with my day, and by the time I left I had almost forgotten my crying jag in the bathroom. THEN... on my way to the freeway home, I saw this billboard. The picture on the left is how I first saw it...!

When I arrived home I tried to look up the phone number in the yellow pages, but the listing was so new that it wasn't even in the phone book yet! It is for a heating and cooling company called ARS. (hmmmm... "Andy Reaching Stephanie?" lol)

I went back to the billboard and took pics of it so folks wouldn't think I am a few slices short of a loaf. (Well, I might be, but not about this! )

Coincidence? Or is God and/or my Honey letting me know he is OK?

Our first year together

We always had so much fun! I miss him...

The first photo of us together

Here I am, giving him a back rub. This was taken at the hospital in 1985, when he was "just a patient." He had to be on his stomach in this bed for 4 months. Back then, nurses actually had time to give back rubs!

Andy was a good friend, not only to me, but to all the nurses on the unit. Many a nurse would come in his room, close the door, and proceed to tell him about their problems. He always had sound advice, and plenty of sympathy.

Things Andy Loved

Me.
Babies.
Children.
Yellow Roses.
Romance.
Coffee.
Bacon.
Cow, red beans, fried 'taters.
Taco Bell.
Coke.
Dr. Pepper.
Suppertime.
Louis Ll'amour.
John Wayne.
Hank, Waylon and Willie.
Country music.
Garfield.
The USA.
Oklahoma ("God's Country.")
Being appreciated.
Wild Turkey Whiskey (but he loved me more, so he gave it up.)
Smoking.
Vanilla or Mountain High Pipe Tobacco, or a good cigar. (cigars outside!!!)
Watching the 10 o'clock news with me.
Traveling.
Coming home after vacation.
CB radios.
Nice restaurants.
Leather working.
His friendship bracelets.
Belt buckles.
Dogs.
Squirrels.
Tinkering.
Tools.
Trucks.
Dancing. (He missed that terribly after his injury, but he still could do a mean swing.)
Picking out just the right gift.
Honey buns and doughnuts.
Cheese, chocolate and cobblers.
Big Time Wrestling.
Swatting flies.
Thunderstorms.
Sitting in the garage, watching thunderstorms.
Driving.
Driving in the rain.
The latest electronic gizmos.
Double solitare… almost any card game.
His yard.
His garage.
His ring.
His family. (And he never chose them merely based on blood relations.)
Watching his kids perform, or play sports.
Teaching the kids things… from tying their shoes to working on cars.
His friends.
Teasing everybody.
Watches and pocket knives.
Making me smile.
The State Fair.
Eating at Jimmy's Egg
Email.
Western boots and clothes.
Reading to the kids.
Learning new things.
The Greek Festival.
Shooting the bull with his guy friends.
Anniversaries at the Red Lobster.
Holding hands.
Raisins.
Being special in our eyes.
His "Man Upstairs."


Things he didn't like


Chicken
Pasta
Mushrooms (called them "toadstools")
Neck ties.
Lazy people
Child abusers.
People who whine.
Cats.
Honeysuckle. (but he planted some for me, because he knew I liked it.)
Hurting anybody's feelings.
Anybody who was mean to me, or our kids.
Most vegetables.
Enemies of our country.
Excuses.
Holiday fuss.
Pepsi
7-Up
Being alone too long.
Seeing the kids get shots.
"Chick-Flicks." (I think it is because they always made him cry!)
Speaking in front of a crowd, or being the center of attention.
Fussing and arguing.
An ice cube down his back, or cold hands on him.
Writing letters.
Cockroaches.
Flies.
Needles.
Chewing gum.
Telephone solicitors.
Anything that took time away from the family.
Seeing me cry.
Yappy little dogs.
Reading Dr. Seuss books.
Pink ice cream.
Pink in general.
Clothes with polka dots.
Board games. (Except Chess.)
Broken promises.
Hospitals.
Most doctors.
Having his picture taken.
Losing his father at age 13.
Cod liver oil.
Messy trees.
Any body trying to boss him around.
Doing dishes, or washing windows. (But he did those things for me when I was in school.)
Most rodents.
Traffic tickets.
Ordering at a drive-thru speaker.
People who cause trouble.
Losing his mother at age 45.
Losing anybody he loved.
Being sick.
Leaving us.

Creating our Garden: 1996

This garden was a labor of love. We all worked on the brick flower bed. (Admittedly, Jimmy did most of that.) Andy tilled most of the yard. (I wish I had photos of that!) I planted most of it, and we had occasional assistance from Bear, Chris O'Connor, and Uncle Gary. The garden has fallen to ruin the past 2 years, but I am going to bring it back this year to honor my Honey who helped me make this beautiful place.

Date Taken: Top pic (building the flower bed) Fall 1996, bottom 5, Summer 1998

Old letters part 2

Old letter part 1

Andy's sister gave us a bunch of old letters and things after his mother died. This is a poem Andy sent to his mother from Germany. I so wish he were alive so I could find out the details about this poem. I don't know whether he composed it himself or not, but I can't find it anywhere on the internet. Maybe he did.