4/27/2010...ANOTHER MEMORY ~ SEAN, KAYLA & MIABELLA CAME OVER FOR KENNY'S BIRTHDAY...SO, WHILE VISITING & TALKING, KENNY GOT TO TELLING ONE OF THE STORIES OF WHEN HE HAD TO KEEP THE BOYS ENTERTAINED WHEN I HAD GONE TO WORK.  HE WOULD PULL THE BOYS AROUND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THIER RED RIDER WAGON.  HE FIXED IT UP TO HAVE AN EXTRA LONG POLE ATTACHED SO HE COULD PULL THEM BEHIND HIS BICYCLE.  WELL, ON ONE OF THOSE OUTINGS, HE TURNED THE CORNER AND JARRETT FELL OUT.  THE BOYS WERE PROBABLY 4 AND 5 YRS. OLD AND WHEN HE GOT HOME, HE GOT SOME WOOD, MADE RAILINGS / SIDE BOARDS AND ATTACHED 'EM TO THE WAGON...JARRETT DIDN'T FALL OUT ANYMORE.  SEAN KNEW IT WASN'T HIM THAT FELL OUT ~ MEANING THAT JARRETT WAS IN THE BACK AND HE WAS UP FRONT.  WE KEPT THAT RED RIDER WAGON UP UNTIL ABOUT 3 YRS. AGO.  DON'T KNOW WHY WE GOT RID OF IT...WISH WE STILL HAD IT! 

MISS YOU, LOVE YOU MY JARRETT ALWAYS, MAMA

4/24/2010...JUST WANTED TO WRITE AND SAY THAT I WAS THINKING OF YOU TODAY.  THE ''24TH''...THE AGE TO WHICH YOU WERE WHEN YOU PASSED AWAY.  HAVING TO WORK WITH NUMBERS ALL DAY EVERY DAY - THEY JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT MEANING TO ME THAN MOST PEOPLE.  A FEW CO-WORKERS WERE TALKING ABOUT ''MY LAUGH''.  HOW IT'S A CONTAGIOUS LAUGH.  THEY KNOW WHEN I'M AT WORK AND SOMETHING HAS BEEN SAID THAT'S REALLY - REALLY FUNNY.  THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN TOO MUCH ANYMORE.  THE DEEP DOWN - JUST CAN'T HELP - BUT LAUGH ~LAUGH...BUT I CAN SAY:  YOUR LITTLE NIECE CAN SURE BRING A SMILE AND LAUGH TO US.  WE JUST WISH YOU WERE HERE TO ENJOY IT AS WELL.  SHE'S A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BABY.  YOU'D BE PROUD OF YOUR BROTHER ~ THOUGH SHE'S GOING TO TAKE AFTER HER MOM ON HAVING THAT NATURAL BEAUTY ABOUT HER. HOPEFULLY, SHE'LL HAVE YOUR BROTHERS SKIN TONE TO GO ALONG WITH THAT NATURAL BEAUTY. 

     WE MISS YOU JARRETT ~ LOVE YOU ALWAYS, MAMA

4/15/2010...JUST ANOTHER MEMORY ~ TODAY.  WE USE TO GO UP TO GATLINBURG / PIGEON FORGE AREA FOR A LITTLE MINI VACATION.  THERE WAS A RESTURANT UP THERE IN THE PIGEON FORGE AREA THAT WAS CALLED:  J & S RESTURANT.  WE USE TO CALL IT:  JARRETT & SEAN'S.  WHENEVER WE WERE THERE AND WANTED TO GO OUT TO EAT ~ WE WOULD SAY: LET'S GO TO JARRETT & SEAN'S.  IT WAS A CAFETERIA STYLE RESTURANT AND HAD DOWN-HOME COOKED MEALS.  THE BOYS NOTICED AT ONE POINT THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THERE WERE ''OLDER''.  WE TOLD 'EM THAT THEY KNEW WHERE THE GOOD FOOD WAS. 

     ME & KENNY EVEN TOOK A DAY OFF WORK JUST TO TRAVEL UP THERE FOR A ''LUNCH DATE''.  DROVE BACK HOME AND GOT HERE  BEFORE THE BOYS GOT HOME FROM SCHOOL.  THEY NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN IF WE HADN'T HAVE TOLD 'EM. 

     IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT ~ THAT YOU DON'T REALIZE ARE MEMORIES IN THE MAKING...UNTIL SOMETHING LIKE THIS (LOSING A CHILD) HAS HAPPENED. 

     ME & KENNY TOOK A TRIP BACK UP THERE LAST YEAR AND TRIED TO VISIT SOME OF THE PLACES THAT WE USE TO GO TO AS A FAMILY (THE PLACES TO WHERE WE STOPPED IN TO SHOP FOR THINGS FOR THE BOYS).  I ENDED UP BREAKING DOWN AND CRYING AND HAD TO WALK OUT.  JUST COULDN'T STAY IN THERE. 

     WE HAD MADE THE ATTEMPT AGAIN ~ THIS TIME IT WAS A LITTLE BETTER.  DIDN'T STOP IN THE STORES THAT HELD ''OUR'' MEMORIES ~ INSTEAD, WE STOPPED IN AND SHOPPED FOR OUR NEW GRANDDAUGHTER.  NEW MEMORIES HAVE STARTED. 

     WE HOPE TO START NEW ONES WITH HER.  SHE'S BEAUTIFUL!  JARRETT WOULD BE A PROUD UNCLE AND WOULD SPOIL HER ROTTEN!!!  IT BROKE SEAN'S HEART TO NOT HAVE HIM HERE WHEN SHE WAS BORN ~ HE BROKE DOWN, JUST LIKE THE REST OF US. 

     WE MISS YOU JARRETT ~ WISHING YOU WERE HERE EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY. 

LOVE YOU MY JARRETT ALWAYS, MAMA

3/25/2010...JUST TO UPDATE EVERYONE ON THE JARRETT LITTLE ACT.  IT HAS PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 50 TO 0.  IT HAD TO PASS 3 READINGS AND WILL NOW GO BEFORE THE GOVERNOR.  WE AREN'T HOLDING OUR BREATH - BECAUSE HE CAN STILL VETO THE THE AMENDMENT AND WE WILL HAVE TO START ALL OVER - ONCE HE IS OUT OF OFFICE.  ONE OF THE SENATORS WHO CO-SPONSORED THE BILL THAT DENIED US JARRETT'S BENEFIT PACKAGE IS THE MAIN ONE WHO IS SPEARHEADING THE NEWLY AMENDED BILL.  THERE WERE 2 AMENDMENTS WRITTEN.  ONE FOR THE SENATE AND THE OTHER FOR THE HOUSE.  THAT WAY IT WOULD HAVE AT LEAST 1 CHANCE OF MAKING IT TO THE 3RD READING.  KENNY HAD MADE MANY - MANY PHONE CALLS.  HE HAS CONNECTIONS AND ''KNOWS'' ALOT OF PEOPLE.  THOSE THAT HE KNOWS...KNOW SOMEONE IN EITHER THE HOUSE OR THE SENATE.  HE WOULD CALL 'EM AND TELL 'EM OUR STORY AND HOW JARRETT'S DEATH HAD EFFECTED US AND OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION.  (KENNY IS UNEMPLOYED AND I AM THE ONLY SOURCE OF INCOME).  JARRETT WAS PAYING RENT WHENEVER HE WASN'T HELPING OUT HIS FRIENDS OR CO-WORKERS WITH THEIR BILLS.  SO, ALL OF HIS BILLS FELL ON US TO GET PAID.  THEN, TO BE DENIED HIS BENEFIT PACKAGE.  THAT WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE.  THE STATE OF GA. SURE DIDN'T CARE TO SEND US OUR CHECK BACK WHEN WE PAID JARRETT'S TAXES THAT HE OWED.  SO, WE HOPE THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL SIGN THIS NEW AMENDMENT INTO LAW AND IT WILL HELP THE FUTURE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO LAY DOWN THEIR LIFE WHILE HELPING OTHERS.  THOUGH NO AMOUNT OF MONEY CAN EVER REPLACE YOUR LOVED ONE! 

WE MISS YOU,

LOVE YOU MY JARRETT ALWAYS, MAMA

3/22/2010...THE NUMBERS ARE IN YOUR ''TICKER'' TO THE AGE THAT YOU NEVER GOT TO BECOME DOWN HERE.  YOU HAD YOUR 25TH BIRTHDAY AS YOUR 1ST HEAVENLY ONE.  HOW I'M TRYING TO LEARN TO ACCEPT IT...BUT, I JUST CAN'T DO IT YET.  IT'S BEEN 14 MONTHS, 2 WEEKS & 5 DAYS.  THE LONGEST NIGHTMARE THAT I'VE HAD TO LIVE. 

I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO MOVE ON...PEOPLE JUST THINK THAT IT'S THAT SIMPLE & EASY.  AS IF WE ARE SUPPOSE TO FORGET THAT YOU WERE EVER ALIVE AND HERE FOR 24 YEARS, 5 MONTHS,  7 DAYS & 12 HRS. 

I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO COME & VISIT ME.  IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOUR LAST ONE.  I COULD USE  A HUG, A SMILE, A KISS, A LOOK AT YOUR FACE, YOUR BLUE EYES, YOUR SMILE - FROM EAR TO EAR. 

MISS YOU, LOVE YOU MY JARRETT  ALWAYS, MAMA

Thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories and pictures some are in frames. Your memories are a keepsake, with which I'll never part. God has you in His keeping, I will ALWAYS have you...... in my heart!! ♥♥  3-18-2010

3/11/2010...HAD ANOTHER MEMORY OF THE BOYS WHEN THEY WERE ABOUT 3 & 4 YRS. OLD.  THEY PARTICIPATED IN A ''WALK'' TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR MDA.  THEY WERE ATTENDING A PRE-SCHOOL HELD AT A CHURCH.  THEY WON THE WALK AND THEY RAISED THE MOST MONEY.  FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION & FUND RAISING ~ THEY WON A TV.  WE STILL HAVE THAT TV.  IT'S GOING TO BE AN ANTIQUE BY THE TIME SEAN'S LITTLE GIRL GROWS UP TO WANT HER OWN.  SHE'LL GET A KICK OUT OF IT - WHEN I SHOW IT TO HER. 

MISS YOU!  LOVE YOU MY JARRETT ~ALWAYS, MAMA

3/8/2010...READING WHAT NICKI JUST WROTE - REMINDED ME OF THE TIME THAT JARRETT TAUGHT TYLER HOW TO FLIRT WITH THE GIRLS....HE WAS SO SMALL....BUT, THOSE BLUE EYES OF TYLERS - HE COULD GET THEIR ATTENTION.  I THINK JARRETT USED TYLER AS A ''CHICK MAGNET''....THEY HAD FUN TOGETHER.  HE LOVED TYLER AND TYLER LOVED JARRETT.

LOVE YOU MY JARRETT ~ ALWAYS, MAMA

3/6/2010...IT'S STARTING TO GET A LITTLE WARMER OUTSIDE AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.  YOUR DADDY WILL BE BURNING THE FRONT YARD BEFORE TOO LONG.  THE MEMORY OF THIS IS:  JARRETT WOULD DRIVE THE FIRE TRUCK TO THE HOUSE ON HIS OFF DAY - WITH THE EXPLORERS ABOARD~TO HELP TEACH THEM ON HOW FAST A YARD CAN BURN AND GET OUT OF CONTROL.  HOW TO WET DOWN THE HOUSE & WATCH HOW FIRE TRAVELS.

     LAST YEAR WAS YOUR FIRST YEAR TO NOT BE HERE.  THIS YEAR IS NOW YOUR SECOND YEAR.  I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS I'M GOING TO HAVE TO COUNT BEFORE I STOP. 

     I WISH YOU WERE HERE!  I MISS YOU!  LOVE YOU MY JARRETT~ALWAYS, MAMA

3/2/2010...I RECENTLY JUST HAD ANOTHER MEMORY OF WHEN JARRETT FIRST STARTED 6TH GRADE.  IT WAS THE 2ND YEAR THAT THE 6TH GRADE WAS INTERGRADED WITH THE " MIDDLE'' SCHOOL. 

     HE WANTED ME TO HAVE BREAKFAST WITH HIM ONE MORNING AND I DID.  GOT THERE, GOT OUR FOOD, FOUND A TABLE TO SIT AT...AND NO MORE THAN US SITTING DOWN - HE SAYS THAT HE DOESN'T FEEL GOOD.  HE WANTS TO GO HOME.  HE'S SICK. 

     SO, WE GOT UP & I CHECKED HIM OUT.  GOT HOME, TOLD HIM TO SIT AT THE TABLE & START ON HIS WORK & I WOULD FIX HIM SOMETHING.  HE SAID HE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO GET SICK.  HIS STOMACH WASN'T FEELING GOOD.  SO, I STARTED ASKING HIM QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHOOL, IF ANYONE WAS BOTHERING HIM, " BULLING'' HIM.  HE SAID NO.  THAT THEY HAVE KEPT ALL THE UPPER GRADES AWAY FROM THE 6TH GRADERS.  SO, I ASKED WHAT ALL HAD HE BEEN DOING IN SCHOOL - TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN HE WASN'T FEELING GOOD AND WANTED TO BE AT HOME. 

     THE MORE WE TALKED...THE MORE INFORMATION I GOT.  HE TOLD ME ABOUT HIS ''GYM'' CLASS.  STARTED TELLING ME ALL ABOUT THE EXERCISES THAT HE WAS HAVING TO DO.  IT ALL STARTED MAKING SENSE.  HE HADN'T HAD GYM CLASS IN OVER 2 YEARS AND THE EXERCISES THAT HE WAS HAVING TO DO WAS WORKING HIS STOMACH MUSCLES AND THAT WAS THE SOURCE OF HIS STOMACH PAINS. 

     SO, WE SAT THERE AND TALKED AND THAT'S WHEN HE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT HE WAS GOING TO START WATCHING WHAT HE EAT AND STARTED EXERCISING. 

     (IT WAS FUNNY AT THE TIME...YOU KNOW THE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, THE HOLDING OF HIS STOMACH - SHOWING ME JUST WHERE IT HURT).  BUT, WITH THAT AND OUR TALK - HE KNEW THAT HE HAD TO START TAKING CARE OF HIS BODY.

     JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THIS ONE...TOO.

LOVE YOU MY JARRETT, ALWAYS ~ MAMA

~THE JARRETT LITTLE ACT~

2/18/2010...THOUGH THE SPELLING OF JARRETT'S NAME IS WRONG...THIS IS A START.  THE CORRECTION TO THE SPELLING OF HIS NAME WILL COME LATER.  IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN READING THE UPDATED AMENDMENT TO THE LAW THAT DENIED US OUR SONS BENEFITS BECAUSE HE WAS SINGLE AND HAD NO DEPENDENTS.  (A STATE OF GA. LAW)  THE WEBSITE ADDRESSES ARE BELOW.  THEY HAVE TO BE PASSED AND THEN SENT ON TO THE GOVERNOR - TO WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HE WILL PASS IT....HE WILL VETO IT.  BUT, WE WILL KEEP TRYING UNTIL WE GET SOMETHING DONE. 

THIS IS HOUSE BILL 1230....

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/fulltext/hb1230.htm

THE NEXT WEBSITE ADDRESS IS FOR THE SENATE BILL 414...

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/fulltext/sb414.htm

2/17/2010...WE JUST GOT NEWS THAT A BILL HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN YOUR NAME AND WILL BE PRESENTED TOMORROW.  IT WILL NEED A NUMBER & WILL HAVE TO HAVE 3 READINGS TO PASS.  WE AREN'T GAURANTEED ANYTHING ~ BUT IT'S A START.  SHANNON JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE IN ATLANTA ON A WORK RELATED - PRE-SCHEDULED EVENT AND SHE GOT TO SEE & HOLD THE BILL WITH JARRETT'S NAME ON IT.  THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE JAY NEAL WITH THE BILL.

2/11/2010...TODAY IS OUR 26TH ANNIVERSARY.  OUR 2ND WITHOUT YOU.  YOU ARE THE REASON FOR EVEN HAVING AN ANNIVERSARY.  WHY god DECIDED TO TAKE YOU - I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.  I'M STILL MAD ABOUT THAT. 

     WISH YOU WERE HERE!  LOVE YOU MY JARRETT~ALWAYS MAMA

2/7/2010...THE TRIP TO GATLINBURG TO WATCH THE EXPLORERS WENT GOOD.  WE ENJOYED IT.  BROUGHT BACK TONS OF MEMORIES...WHEN YOU & YOUR BROTHER WERE EXPLORERS.  THE COMPETITION--HAS CHANGED.  I MADE IT JUST FINE ~ UNTIL THE ''NEW'' ONE...THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH A SIMULATED ''WALL'' THAT IS BUILT IN A HOUSE.  16"  X  2' AREA AND THEN UP & OVER AN OBSTICLE, THEN THROUGH A TUBE TO RESCUE A BODY AND THEN RETURN...THEY HAD TO PULL THE BODY THROUGH "THE WALL" AND ALL THE EXPLORERS HAD TO GET BACK THROUGH IT TOO.  I CRIED AT THAT ONE.  JUST WONDERING WHICH PART YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED TO BE.  THEN, WE HAD DINNER A LITTLE LATER ON.  WE HAD TO DO OUR SHOPPING FOR SNOW CHAINS.  WE WERE KILLING 2 BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.  HAD DINNER & THE FT. O FIRE DEPT. PICKED OUR TAB UP - THEY LIKED US BEING THERE TO SHOW SUPPORT.  WE DECIDED TO STAY FOR THE CEREMONY / AWARDS AND THEY DEDICATED THE NIGHT TO YOU:  IN LOVING MEMORY OF JARRETT LITTLE ~ WHO WAS AN EXPLORER WITH THE FT. OGLETHORPE FIRE DEPT. AND PASSED AWAY DEC. 31, 2008.  OF COURSE - WE CRIED.  IT WAS VERY NICE OF 'EM TO DO THAT AND WE APPRECIATED IT.  WE LOVED WATCHING ALL OF 'EM COMPETE. 

WE MISS YOU JARRETT!

LOVE YOU MY JARRETT  ALWAYS, MAMA

2/7/2010...THIS MEMORY IS BEING TOLD AS IT WAS TOLD TO US. 

TYLER HAD TO HAVE TUBES PUT IN HIS EARS AS A LITTLE BOY.  NICKI, HER MOM & ANGIE WERE ALREADY UP AT THE HOSPITAL AND SHE TOLD US THAT BEFORE TAKING TYLER BACK TO THE ROOM TO DO THE SURGERY, THEY HAD GIVEN HIM SOME MEDICINE TO HELP CALM HIM DOWN AND TO HELP HIM NOT BE SO NERVOUS.  AS THE MEDICINE HAD STARTED TAKING IT'S EFFECT...JARRETT WALKED IN - DRESSED IN HIS BLUE SHIRT & DARK BLUE PANTS & BLACK BOOTS.  TYLER WAS WAVING HIS HANDS AROUND AND POINTING UP & AROUND IN THE AIR...ONLY TO SAY:  WOOOO  - THERE'S THE P-O-L-I-C-E-M-A-N !!! 

THEY ALL JUST BUSTED OUT LAUGHING...KNOWING THAT JARRETT WAS A FIREFIGHTER.  HIS UNIFORM WAS BLUE AND IT MADE HIM LOOK LIKE A POLICEMAN.  TYLER WANTS TO GROW UP & BECOME A POLICEMAN.  THE REASON FOR THIS STORY:  TYLER'S LITTLE BROTHER IS NOW GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE TUBES PUT IN HIS EARS AND IF JARRETT WERE HERE - HE WOULD BE THERE FOR HIM TOO. 

HOW WE MISS YOU! 

LOVE YOU MY JARRETT ~ ALWAYS~ MAMA