Shelby's 12th Birthday

Last year Shelby's birthday was almost completely forgotten, so this year I had a big party for her at her dance studio. Her dance teacher DeeAnne served as our DJ.

Shelby had her kareoke singing party last night!

It was great fun, kids and adults alike seemed to have a great time. Some of the highlights include all of the kids taking turns in groups singing Britney Spears and N'Sync, Bear and Kelly joining in the dance "The Electric Slide," and showing everybody how it should be done, Uncle Doug's standing ovation performance of "You're a Mean one, Mr. Grinch," plus his and Lesley's great duet of "Summer Love," and Kathy's famous "Santa Baby."

A few of us grownups were feeling spry enough to join the kids in dancing "The Chicken Dance." Victoria performed her best Elvis songs, and Beverly showed off an incredible singing voice for a 7 year old, singing "Oops, I Did it Again." Chris O'Connor rapped it up to "Wild Wild West." It was hysterical when all the kids sang "Little Bunny Foo Foo." I even did a number, and sang "YMCA" while the kids did the dance behind me, and Shelby the Birthday Girl got tricked into a solo of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."

A whole evening of good clean fun.

A Christmas memory 1987: Andy's Toolbox

This was taken Christmas, 1987. He always wanted one of those giant tool boxes from Sears. This was the first year we were married. I had to save and scrimp, but he got his tool box. He was so proud of it! It was so heavy that I could barely move it from it's hiding place! (And I even wrapped it!)

A Christmas memory 1991: Shelby's First Christmas

Mommy, Daddy, Jimmy, Shelby and Ernie! (Ernie was Shelby's gift from Aunt Kathy.)

A Christmas memory: 1993

Jimmy, Shelby, Lesley (Kathy's daughter) and Andy.

With Love to my Sweetheart at Christmas

At the end of this post is a link to the web page I set up on Angelfire.com. Click on the purple link at the end of this post.

I know some of you have already seen it, but I wanted to have a link to it on this site. Oh, and please sign my guestbook! :)

My love to everybody!

Christmas web page: Click Here

For that, I am Thankful by Darcie Sims

Jimmy read this at our Thanksgiving dinner. I found it on the internet, (specifically on the young widow site) and thought the sentiment was perfect. This year we could not offer the traditional thanks that "we are all together," since a very important person was absent from our Thanksgiving gathering for the first time. We still have plenty to be thankful for, though. I think this poem says it all.

For That, I am Thankful
by Darcie D. Sims

It doesn't seem to get any better...
but it doesn't get any worse, either.
For that, I am thankful.

There are no more pictures the be taken...
but there are memories to be cherished.
For that, I am thankful.

There is a missing chair at the table...
but the circle of family gathers, close.
For that, I am thankful.

The turkey is smaller...
but there is still stuffing.
For that, I am thankful.

The days are shorter...
but the nights are softer.
For that, I am thankful.

The calendar still turns, the holidays still appear and they still cost too much...
but I am still here.
For that, I am thankful.

The room is still empty, the soul still aches...
but the heart remembers.
For that, I am thankful.

The guests still come, the dishes pile up...
but the dishwasher works.
For that, I am thankful.

The name is still missing, the words unspoken...
the silence is shared.
For that, I am thankful.

The stillness remains...
but the sadness is smaller.
For that, I am thankful.

The moment is gone...
but the love is forever.
For that, I am blessed.
For that, I am grateful...
Love was once (and still is)
a part of my being...
for that, I am living.
I am living...and for that I am thankful.

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May your holidays be filled with reasons to be thankful. Having loved and having been loved is perhaps the most wondrous reason of all.
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(The photo was taken on Thanksgiving 1995. John Henry doesn't look very thankful, does he?)