All day I've been thinking how to start this post..... so I will just go at it, and it will go as it goes.... :) isn't it funny how there are "specific" days that are so vivid in our minds that we remember exactly what we were doing, exactly where we were, and exactly what we were thinking??
I know September 16th, 6 years ago, I stopped by to visit sheri, she was in labor and about to have Bryce, I remember we ate inn-n-out in her room, I went to class, then dinner for Christy's b-day and back to the hospital to await Bryce's arrival.... :) it was a LONG day...
July 21st 2006, it was a SUPER hot day, and the air conditioning was broken at the hospital, but we filled a waiting room while waiting eagerly for Miss Ella Bella to arrive.... I think I must of had one of everything in the hospital's vending machine that day.... but what a wonderful day that was..
April 1st, many years ago, I remember my mom calling from Guatemala to tell us that our grandpa had died.... We thought it was a joke.... April Fool's Day has never been celebrated in my house since then.
February 6th 2010, One of the happiest days of my life.... it was the day we got to finally take my dad home from the hospital, I remember feeling grateful and relieved, it had been a LONG 3 months, and I remember feeling SUPER happy for my mom, she kept saying it was the best birthday present ever!! :)
May 2006, the day I graduated from college, I remember that day like it was yesterday, it was a LONG day, and the weather was weird.... but we all survived, and I remember being so excited that I had made it.... :) I also remember that my brother looked like he might come out of his skin.... hahaha.... he's got the patience of a pea... so that day was LONG for him!!
Then there's March 21st, a day filled with sadness and happiness all in one.... It's been a while since I've written about this day, and I have a feeling this might be the last time that I will be doing it.... :)
march 21st 2007, the day I got a phone call that one of my really good friends had died in a car accident.... he was my age, well close enough anyway.... I hadn't even turned 30, and I had already lost a good friend.... Larry left us way too soon, and he left behind a family, countless friends a wife and 3 kids, they were 1 and a half, 4 and 6 at the time.... I hadn't even turned 30 yet and I had already lost a friend.... i don't think I will ever be able to explain the feeling to anyone, it's different than losing a grandparent, a "friend" is someone much closer to me in age.... I remember thinking that could of been me out there.... death becomes more real when it's someone we know.... I remember when the phone call came, I couldn't tell you how I got to his house to be with his wife Sheri, but I know that I made the almost hour drive in about half an hour, I remember calling my mom and telling her, while consoling her, and telling her that everything would be ok.... I also remember my brother being devastated, him and Larry got along great... I remember my dad saying that he heard there was an accident, he's a truck driver and the guy behind him, actually dr4ove past the accident right after it happened, I'm not sure how my dad would of felt if he had seen the accident.... to this day I'm grateful that he didn't see it.... I also remember making a few phone calls and in what seemed like minutes our whole dorm crew (my other family) had been contacted.... I also remember having to tell the "boys" of the group.... I don't think I had ever heard a man cry as hard as matt cried that day.... the dorm crew has always been a very close knit group.... we're like our own little family.... I remember Sheri being calm, and I also remember walking in the house and finding Bryce, the then 4 year old, looking up at the sky, when I asked him what he was doing he told me that his dad was in Heaven and he was just looking up there for him.... I remember my heart broke then.... but what does one do?? keep their composure for as long as they can!!! I also remember, driving home that night, still making phone calls, notifying everyone that needed to be told, and then I remember walking into the house and calling Steve.... Why him?? I have no idea.... but I do know that it was with him that I finally realized what had happened, i broke down and cried for hours.... and yes it was hours.... weird how to this day, that day is still vivid in my mind.... God sent us some signs that everything was going to be ok....
March 21st, 2008 Baby Jason was born, one of the girls from the dorm crew had her son that day, weird thing is we had almost lost jen a few years ago, she had to have a liver transplant and she was told that she may never have another child, hmmmm..... a few months after larry passed away she found out she was pregnant, Jason was our Miracle child, the one sent from above.... :) Larry and Sheri's best friends are Jason's parents! :D
March 21st, 2008 is also the day that Jessica's water broke and she went into labor with Lukey Luke.... Luke came early in the morning of March 22nd.... This was my second sign :)
tomorrow is March 21st, and although that day in 2007 is still vivid in my mind I am grateful today to see that Sheri and the kids have made it through, God's Grace has helped them and the rest of Larry's family and friends make it through... Sheri had done a great job picking up where Larry left off, and raising the kids in the way that they had both talked about, the rest of us, well we have so many memories with him, I mean how do 10 years of friendship and memories go away?? they don't... Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are some things that have been forgotten, but for the most part all of the memories will always live in our hearts....
I think the ones that were left behind.... Us... learned a very valuable lesson that day in 2007.... we must live life to the fullest, because we never know when it will all be taken from us.... such a true statement.... Larry we still miss you everyday, but we appreciate all the memories you made with us while you were here.... funny how you still come up in conversations.... Larry lived every day to the fullest, and even though I had been living that way too, I think I re-prioritized..... and it's worked out for me... :)
So tomorrow at 9:30am I will remember to wish baby Jason a happy Birthday(that's when he was born), and at 12:15pm I will look up from wherever I am and look up at the sky just so my friend Larry know's i'm thinking about him(that's when he left us), and I will do everything in my power to stay as far away from the 15 fwy and 4th street ALL day tomorrow.... :/ call me superstitious.... ;) and at 10:30pm, I will thank God that he allowed Lukey to enter this world safely!!! :)
that's all for now.... Thanks for reading, and don't forget to tell your loved ones how much you love them everyday.... who know's it may be the last time you get!!
Me and the girly, girls! :)
Sheri and Catherine on thunder mountain railroad
Bryan and Bryce on the thunder mountain
Aunt Mimac and Paige, If I remember correctly it was her first time on the ride... then again maybe it was the second?? these D-land trips are starting to all run together now! ;)
We ate at the Bear Country Restaurant this time around and discovered that they sold funnel cakes... of course we had to get one!! ;) it wasn't until Bryce asked if we were going to take a picture, before he dug in.... hahaha (guess we've trained them well ;)) that i realized the whipped cream was a hidden mickey... I'm not sure I can explain how excited i was.... hahaha.... of course we had to photograph ourselves with it... ;) and yes the funnel cake was delicious... definitly not as good as one from Knott's but still VERY good! :)
Me and Paige.... hahaha.... see I said "attached" she wouldn't leave my side... it was wonderful! :)
Bryan taking a bite... yummmm.....
hahaha!!! this is the shuttle we had to take to D-land and back.... on the inside it looked like a bus.... not sure I want to take that thing again! 
Me and the girly, girls! :)
Sheri and Catherine on thunder mountain railroad
Bryan and Bryce on the thunder mountain
Aunt Mimac and Paige, If I remember correctly it was her first time on the ride... then again maybe it was the second?? these D-land trips are starting to all run together now! ;)
We ate at the Bear Country Restaurant this time around and discovered that they sold funnel cakes... of course we had to get one!! ;) it wasn't until Bryce asked if we were going to take a picture, before he dug in.... hahaha (guess we've trained them well ;)) that i realized the whipped cream was a hidden mickey... I'm not sure I can explain how excited i was.... hahaha.... of course we had to photograph ourselves with it... ;) and yes the funnel cake was delicious... definitly not as good as one from Knott's but still VERY good! :)
Me and Paige.... hahaha.... see I said "attached" she wouldn't leave my side... it was wonderful! :)
Bryan taking a bite... yummmm.....
hahaha!!! this is the shuttle we had to take to D-land and back.... on the inside it looked like a bus.... not sure I want to take that thing again! 
