My Jessie Journal:: Hi Sweet Pea, it’s daddy! Yep, very early but I couldn’t sleep so I decided to get up and write to you.
I can’t believe Monday will be your 20th birthday!!! We are stuffing 2,000 JoyJars with wonderful volunteers tomorrow and Saturday in honor of you at the JoyFactory. We are also asking people to make a $20 donation in celebration of your big day. I have no idea if we can do it out goal it to raise $20,000 on your 20th birthday. You know me…swing for the fences for you and all of the kiddos that are fighting cancer. The last birthday we had together was when you turned 12. WOW…8 years…I hate cancer so much.
Tomorrow I help officiate a Celebration of Life Service for a local boy who lost his fight. Like you and so many others, he was super courageous and compassionate during his battle. It will be interesting being back in the same place and on the same stage where I had the honor of leading your Celebration of Life Service. I’m sure it will be an interesting blast of memories as I take the stage and help facilitate the service. I know you will be with me!!!
On a brighter note, we figured out a way for Courageous Families to opt-in to having each of their ClubNEGU boosts championed by one of our monthly partner. This means a monthly partner will get to know a little information on who they are supporting and we will have the funds to make sure the Courageous Family will get all of the boosts of love on time. I can’t wait to launch this new opportunity in June.
On an even bigger and brighter note, Shaya graduates from college this month!!! So proud of her and all she has become. I can’t wait to see what the next season of her life will look like. I know it will be full of faith, compassion and adventure. Seeing her finish college reminded me that you never got to start. Once again, cancer sucks! I so wish you were here and we were a family of five again. I’m so tired of living with a hole in my soul and seeing mommy, Shaya and JT do the same. Yes, your amazing foundation sure helps us breathe easier but there really is nothing that will ever fill the void of YOU.
I’ve been watching a lot of American Idol lately and it always reminds me of the time you got to go to the show, hang with Randy Jackson, help introduce one of the Idols for their song and hang with them all back stage. Such special memories.
I love you…I miss you…I can’t wait to see you!
xoxo,
daddy
