Jimmy's Memories

This past week, on March 12, my brother would have turned 30 years old. So, like my mom and dad last Fall, I asked everyone on Facebook to leave a favorite memory of my brother. The responses were good, though not as numerous as the memories for my parents. Again, like with my parents' memories, I am now transfering those memories here to the blog. This is for my record's sake, so I apologize for the redunancy between Facebook and here.>Kathy Briggs: "Boy Scouts is all I can say! Fun times with your whole family!"

Cynthia Rodriguez: "All of our school years. And then when he worked at Loaf n Jug! He always said something to make me smile! Happy Birthday, Jimmy!"

Sondra Matthews: "I don't think there was a single dance that Jimmy didn't ask me to!"

Kami Anderson: "He came to mow our lawn and always had a smile on his face!"

Mary Ward: "I still remember the effort it took to get him to wake-up for work... I mean, wake-up for almost anything! :) Ornery big bro!"

Adam Hammond: "Picking us up at the bus stop in the old GMC at 4 in the morning so we did not have to walk. He never said no to the elders. Miss ya Jimmy Jam! Love and miss ya Jenn."

Violet Lane: "I remember jimmy when he was little and we lived across the street. He was always out trying to help your dad and sitting on the seat of the tractor. Smiling from ear to ear!!. Thinking of you today."

Sabrina Duarte: "I remember he would walk around with his arm bent backwards behind his head! Happy Birthday Jimmy! From all of us down here to you up there."

Suzette Hall: "Jimmy always had a comeback for my words of wisdom!"

Amber Robbins: "I remember being so impressed by his love and knowledge of history."

Britt Anderson: "He was a hit with all the ladies at National FFA Convention dances lol"

Rod Jagers: "We all miss him, you are in my prayers today Jen."

Jim Beard: "Hello Jenn, and Happy Birthday Jimmy!!! I would almost bet Jimmy now has his old Chevy Truck finished the way he wanted it. We will always miss you Jimmy.. Take care and may God Bless you and your family.. Love you guys."My brother passed away at the age of 24 as a result of a car accident that claimed both his and my father's lives while they were working. I have limited "digital" photos of him as he passed away before Facebook and digital cameras became popular. Anyway, I am grateful for those that shared their favorite "Jimmy moments" and I especially grateful that they were all positive. My brother was truly a special, nice, and sweet person, but he did have the ornery annoying streak too that oft times rubbed people the wrong way.

Being the younger sibling and a part of a "family that works/plays together, stays together" mentality, I have very few memories that do NOT include my brother. We attended the same schools, participated in the same extra-curricular activities (for the most part), attended the same church, worked every day together, shared the 2nd story of my childhood home, and many MANY other things. Being the sibling, especially the younger, I also got to see and be a part of the "negative" that my brother experienced and brought to the family. There were times we were "in it together to the bitter end" and other times when we "duked" it out to the bitter end. There were times we were the best of friends and other times that we were the best enemies (literally). I think that many sibling relationships had the Love/hate challenges, but I think ours were always strong and apparent because we were always together and so similar in personalities.

All that being said, we both made choices and decided our own routes to take in life. His choices lead him to the end of his earthly life. My choices took me to college and away from "the work life." There is not a day in my life since the accident that I have not thought, "I would have been in the truck too." These thoughts are not meant to be judgmental, condemning, or "holier than thou" in perspective. But the simple truth is that if I would not have gone to college, I would have been in the truck too because I would have been working right along with them.

I love my brother. I miss my brother. I am grateful for the example that he was to me throughout his life..both of the things I should do and that I should not do. I am grateful that he is where he can be happy, healthy, loved, and to be useful. Most importantly, I am grateful that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he is STILL my brother and he will greet me some day with open arms.