23 October 2009
16 years is a long time….
Posted by stephyc under: Brian Hoover; Jared Hoover .
A lot has happened in 16 years!
I have had 11 different jobs. (Several of them were for less than 6 months.)
I have lived in three different states.
I have lived in 10 different cities/towns.
I got married.
I have had two children.
I have seen four of my siblings married and added to our family more brothers and sisters.
I have been blessed with 9 nieces and nephews, with an additional one due in January.
I have traveled all over California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, one town or two in Georgia, Ohio, and Florida.
I celebrated with our Parents on their 25th, 30th, and 35th Wedding Anniversaries.
I have been to the Grand Canyon (One year ago.)
I traveled the coast of California with my Mom and Sister.
I have seen a rally race.
I have scanned family photos.
I have watched both of my daughters lose teeth.
I have been geocashing.
I have been on several school field trips.
I have been to the ER too many times to count.
I have sat next to a kangaroo.
I have seen my oldest niece graduate from high school.
I have felt the many joys and sorrows of parenthood.
I have re-learned to crochet.
I have started using my sign language again.
All of this and much, much more….
Yet…
I still miss Brian and Jared!
Time continues on and the pain lessens, but the relationship still lingers.
The times shared are still fresh in my mind.
The longing to express to my husband and children how wonderful you are is never enough.
The reality of my mortality is always in the back of my mind.
I remember you both on this day and always! I love you both and miss you terribly.
16 long and sometimes painful years have passed, but you will forever be in my heart.
Of course some of the things my girls do totally remind me of you.
I am the luckiest sister in the world! I have the two of you as brothers!
I was walking the day Mom and Dad brought you home from the hospital Brian, only 11 months and 6 days after I was born.
I was there in the stands the day you (Brian) blew out your new cleats in baseball!
I was there the day Mom and Dad brought you (Jared) home from the hospital when I was just 4 years old.
I was in the stands when you (Jared) took state in the parallel bars in Petaluma, CA.
I was there at the crash site in the early morning hours shortly after the two of you passed from mortality and into the eternities.
I am so lucky to have a testimony that there is life after this. I’m thankful to know that I will see you both again someday. I so thankful to know that somethings my girls do they learned from you. Perhaps to lessen the pain or to fully remind me that you are constantly looking over me.
Regardless of all that has happened I still remember you. I remember the fun times that we shared. I remember the last moment that I saw you. I cherish each memory and all photos that I have of you both!
On days like today I think of your friends and the looks on their faces. I allow myself the time to recall the pain that was shared by your early passing. I hope they feel comforted on days like today. I hope they know of our love for each of their pain and sorrow. I love when they share stories with me of their favorite times with you. I cherish those memories along with my own.
I will never forget all that we have shared!
Stephanie Shultz is a wife and mom two little girls in Cottonwood, Arizona. She enjoys photography, hiking, scrapbooking and sight seeing.