It all began 20 years ago while I was on summer vacation in California visiting my mother. You see, my mother had a friend, Monica who had a son named Kenny. They thought it would be cute to have their 12 year old kids meet, so one night shortly after I arrived, we met at Sizzler and I was introduced to Kenny.
That first night at Sizzler
That first night at Sizzler
We were inseparable those 6 weeks I was there. We played Super Mario Brothers (the original!), watched The Little Mermaid a million times with my little sister and brother, pictures in a photo booth, and even went to Disneyland (where we were tortured into listening to "It's a small world" more times than I care to remember!
The photo booth
Disneyland
Those were carefree moments and we dreaded the day I'd go back home to Alaska. No matter how young we were at the time, the feelings were real. There were tears when I left and we had no idea if we would ever see each other again.
We kept in touch throughout high school, but eventually the phone calls and hand written letters to each other would dwindle away as we went about our daily lives. I never did see him again.
I went on to marry, divorce, marry, have 3 kids, divorce. He went on to marry, divorce, marry, have 3 kids, divorce.
20 years after that summer, we were reunited thanks to the technology, Internet, and a social network site - Facebook.
He had just a couple friends on Facebook as he had only joined the network recently. He started to think back through the years for others he could look for. He thought of me and when a search turned up empty, he started looking for my family...first my mother...nothing...then my sister and there, staring back at him was my name.
I imagine his heart skipped a few beats as he stared back while proceeding to write the first email message to me...
It was titled "Blast from the Past". I'll never forget the feeling I had as the message showed up on my phone. Seriously, I thought? After all these years...oh my heck!! I was giddy as the memories and feelings came back to me.
The "what ifs" started going through my mind.
- what if we had stayed in touch?
- what if we had lived closer all those years ago?
- what if the feelings we had then are still there?
We were reunited in the fall of 2009 and sparks went flying. We reminisced and shared hopes, dreams and just tried to catch up on lost time. We even took a new photo booth picture!
Photo booth
We kept in touch throughout high school, but eventually the phone calls and hand written letters to each other would dwindle away as we went about our daily lives. I never did see him again.
I went on to marry, divorce, marry, have 3 kids, divorce. He went on to marry, divorce, marry, have 3 kids, divorce.
20 years after that summer, we were reunited thanks to the technology, Internet, and a social network site - Facebook.
He had just a couple friends on Facebook as he had only joined the network recently. He started to think back through the years for others he could look for. He thought of me and when a search turned up empty, he started looking for my family...first my mother...nothing...then my sister and there, staring back at him was my name.
I imagine his heart skipped a few beats as he stared back while proceeding to write the first email message to me...
It was titled "Blast from the Past". I'll never forget the feeling I had as the message showed up on my phone. Seriously, I thought? After all these years...oh my heck!! I was giddy as the memories and feelings came back to me.
The "what ifs" started going through my mind.
- what if we had stayed in touch?
- what if we had lived closer all those years ago?
- what if the feelings we had then are still there?
We were reunited in the fall of 2009 and sparks went flying. We reminisced and shared hopes, dreams and just tried to catch up on lost time. We even took a new photo booth picture!
Photo booth
With the Uhaul packed, January 1st, 2010, Kenny and his buddy Richard started the long drive from Wever, Iowa to Grand Prairie, Texas. It was the beginning of a new adventure...one that should have continued all those years ago.
2010 brought us many challenges financially and emotionally, but despite it all we pushed on through and I'm very happy to have married my soul mate this year!
Our Wedding (more layouts to come soon!)
2011 is the continuation of our new beginning and in July, our first child together will be born into this world. I don't know what kind of trials we will face this year and in the years to come, but I do know having him by my side, holding my hand, makes it so much more bearable.
I wonder where we will be 20 years from now? What kind of life will we have shared? What dreams and goals will have been attained?
Time to go make more memories, beginning on this 1st day of January 2011.
Which brings me to a hobby I love so much but haven't taken the time for these last few years. I haven't felt creative or motivated to document my story, it was just too painful to relive the moments that were already stripping pieces away from me day by day.
I'm slowly regaining my passion and desire to share my story again...and it feels so liberating. I have a lot of catching up to do and I don't know how or where I'll begin, so I'll just have to dig in...stop procrastinating and stop thinking about how and just start doing!
So here's to 2011...to capturing the moments and sharing them as we go along so that we can reflect back on them anytime we want or need to. Here's to Project Life, just one way I'll be going about documenting our life this year.
I haven't blogged since May 2009 and I haven't scrapbooked in I don't know how long! To all those who used to enjoy my blog updates, well I'm back! You can look forward to many more this year as I restart my quest to capture the memories and spread the joy of scrapbooking and life!
The most beautiful gift I can leave behind for my loved ones is...my story...my legacy. It's one thing to live it, it's another to share it for future generations.
Happy New Year, from our house to yours! Here's to living life this year and documenting the stories both past and present.
I wonder where we will be 20 years from now? What kind of life will we have shared? What dreams and goals will have been attained?
Time to go make more memories, beginning on this 1st day of January 2011.
Which brings me to a hobby I love so much but haven't taken the time for these last few years. I haven't felt creative or motivated to document my story, it was just too painful to relive the moments that were already stripping pieces away from me day by day.
I'm slowly regaining my passion and desire to share my story again...and it feels so liberating. I have a lot of catching up to do and I don't know how or where I'll begin, so I'll just have to dig in...stop procrastinating and stop thinking about how and just start doing!
So here's to 2011...to capturing the moments and sharing them as we go along so that we can reflect back on them anytime we want or need to. Here's to Project Life, just one way I'll be going about documenting our life this year.
I haven't blogged since May 2009 and I haven't scrapbooked in I don't know how long! To all those who used to enjoy my blog updates, well I'm back! You can look forward to many more this year as I restart my quest to capture the memories and spread the joy of scrapbooking and life!
The most beautiful gift I can leave behind for my loved ones is...my story...my legacy. It's one thing to live it, it's another to share it for future generations.
Happy New Year, from our house to yours! Here's to living life this year and documenting the stories both past and present.
2 comments:
Jamie, you continue to inspire me!! I pray that God continues to bless you with much love, happiness and creativity!!
Jamie, I'm so happy for you. You look wonderful and so happy! It was so nice to check your blog and see a new post - I've missed you. I know the BoB message board was long ago but I still think of you.
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