Top 5 Pictures- Gary and Sue

I've always heard horror stories about getting married and then not getting along with your in-laws, but that couldn't be more far from the truth in my life.  Not only have I been blessed by wonderful, supportive parents, I married into a family with another set of wonderful, supportive parents.  From going to baseball games together, to sitting on the back porch in Harrisburg for dinner (and running from bees) to playing horseshoes in the backyard, to relaxing on the beach, to seeing the amazing mountains of California, we've done many things together.

 

Way back in the day watching..... you guessed it, a baseball game!

 

Visiting St. Louis, Missouri for the College Baseball World Series!  An experience I'll never forget!  Here they are with the St. Louis Arch.  We even went the whole way to the top of it!

 

The first vacation I took with the Kelly's- to the Outer Banks in North Carolina

 

Right after we got engaged, we spent a long weekend together down in Virginia Beach

 

Visiting the old ships in Virginia Beach

 

 Our first whole family trip to California in July 2010.  This is after dinner at the Hogs Breath Inn- the restaurant that Clint Eastwood owns 

 

 Our Wedding- June 25, 2011

 

 How great do they look?!

 

Thanksgiving 2011

 

I wasn't able to narrow it down to only the top 5 pictures (what's new) so sorry about that!

 

Friends may come and go, but family is forever!

Gone Too Soon

Yesterday, we celebrated the May Birthdays at my Gammy's house, and even though it has only been Karli and I celebrating for a few years, yesterday, it hit me worse than normal that Jesse wasn't with Karli and I to celebrate like we always had.

 

I can still remember where I was and how I found out that we lost Jesse, who was like a second brother to me.  He moved into our house when I went to college and since our families were inseparable, it was like there were two older kids, Drew and I, two middle kids, Eric and Jesse, and then two youngest kids, Karli and Meghan.

 

Since his 24th Birthday was yesterday, I thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures since you know that pictures are so meaningful for me.  I truly think a picture is worth a thousand words, especially when a precious life is cut short.

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Jesse (left) and Eric (right)

Born less than a month apart

April 23 and May 19, 1989

 

Devious laugh

 

Stevie and I with Baby Jesse

 

 Jesse and Eric getting bigger

 

 The birthday boy

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 Jesse, Eric and Daniel

November, 1996

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Jesse and I

Before Homecoming 2005

 

 When we made the boys dinner before the dance

Homecoming 2005

 

Jon, Eric and Jesse

 Homecoming 2005

 

 Jesse with our little cousin, Ethan

Christmas 2005

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Karli, Me, Jesse and Eric

 April and May Birthdays 2006

 

Jesse, Eric and Nick

Ocean City, Maryland Trip- September 2006

 

Jesse and I

Ocean City, Maryland Trip- September 2006

 

Jesse, Eric and Nick

Ocean City, Maryland Trip- September 2006



 

Karli, Jesse, Me, Eric, Stevie and Nick

Ocean City, Maryland Trip- September 2006

 

 High quality lamps at the Rivadirchy

Ocean City, Maryland Trip- September 2006

 

 The sweet, up to date phone at the Rivadirchy

Ocean City, Maryland Trip- September 2006

 

 The Rivadirchy's Matching Patterns...

Ocean City, Maryland Trip- September 2006

 

 

 Eric and Jesse

Christmas 2006

 

 Eric, Daniel, Jesse and Karli

Christmas 2006

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One of our favorites

 

Another one of our favorites

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I hope you spent your 24th birthday dancing with the angels, Jesse!!  We miss you like crazy!!!

 

Peace Out! 

Happy Birthday, Sweet Angel

Today is pretty bittersweet for me.  It is Kadence's 7th Birthday, and while she's in much less pain celebrating in Heaven, it's harder for us left behind.  I have spent many nights looking through old pictures, but today the specific pictures from her 6th birthday are even more special!  We celebrated in a room at the hospital that Felicia arranged, and she went all out.  

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Some of my students made this sign to hang up at the party.  All of them made birthday cards for her, which was totally their own idea.

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The cake was delicious, Felicia got a strawberry cake since strawberries were Kader's favorite!

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 I made a ton of cupcakes, which were a big hit too.

 

 

 

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This has to be one of my favorite pictures from that day, such a cutie!!

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Then she got tons and tons of gifts.  This one specifically was a life-sized cut out of Justin Bieber, who again was the favorite, hands down!

Us and her other Aunt and Uncle all went together and got her a Kindle Fire, which she loved and used all the time after she got it!

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Kadence and her beautiful Mommy

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Afterwards back in her room, she opened a gift from one of my coworkers and her daughters, and also wrote thank you notes for the gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 What a great day that we will cherish forever.  

I know she is even happier celebrating her birthday up in Heaven this year!