Yep Jake was a typical "man shopper". Like two days before Christmas and uh........ when I asked him if he had done any shopping he'd look at me increduously and ask "aren't the stores open tomorrow night"?
The presents just weren't the priority. Jake loved Christmas, the visiting, the church music presentations, eating and eating and eating some more. And he loved getting together with all his family.
Jake was fun to buy for. He collected Nascar, Tony Stewart items and was a huge NO Saints fan so he was so easy to please. He never asked for anything so therefore anything you bought him tickled him to pieces. He was slim and very easy to fit and the clothing you bought for him looked great on him. Jake was just a pleasure. Plain and simple.
This year our family did little special things in Jake's memory and I know he is pleased and would be so happy to know he is still able to make people happy.
He always felt badly when he wasn't able to get the family gifts he wanted to give to all of us. He always bought a nice assorted box of Christmas Cards and everyone he loved between numbers 1 and 25 got a card!
Jake's Christmas Tree he decorated at his house in 2008
Years ago he began giving me a box of chocolate covered cherries as that was something my momma always put in my stocking so that was a special little "you can count on" surprise. Then several years Home Depot would mark down some of the poinsettias that were a little banged up and Jake would love them back to beauty and surprise me with a beautiful plant.
Last year our family decided to draw names for Christmas 2010 and Jake drew mine. I know without a doubt that God will let Jake surprise me this year. Maybe in the form of a special dream or a wonderful unexpected memory. I don't know how it will be but I am counting on it.
Christmas at Momma and Mike's 2008
May God bless your precious angel this Christmas, love you.
ReplyDeleteSure brings back memories. Thank you momma, I will never look at a box of cherries again without thinking of Jakey !
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas my dear friend, may you take comfort in knowing your sweet son is celebrating his first Christmas in heaven, something we all can look forward too in God's time......:-)Hugs
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tribute to your beloved boy!
ReplyDeleteI have so much to say, yet the words never do justice to what our heart wants to say. I have known Jake most of my life. We grew up the best of friends yet as everyone knows as adults life needs more attention than the care free childhood. So we grow as adults and our childhood becomes a whisper. One thing will always be certain in my heart, Jake is the friend we all long for in this life. When your back is turned Jakes got your best interest in mind in any situation. Right or wrong he remains the constant. I have lost my father and my little sister. Jake knew them both as family. Jake and I also laid to rest our partner in crime in 1996 Kenneth Porter. Although we have all parted in flesh I know that through Christ we shall all be together again in eternity. Our lives are so fragile in time. So short for those left behind. So painful for those who has the teardrop that never ends on the cheek. One thing above all is certain. We must go forth in celebration of the memories of love we shared. If we don't then we destroy that love. I know this family as I do my own. This family is STRONG. I have been honored to be a part of their lives. The strong can drop to their knees but this is when they our the strongest. I wish I could of been there for them. I am sorry I did not know in time. To all the family, Skip, Mollye, Bud and his sisters, Jake will always live in me as well. He was a dear dear friend. I think of him often now. I can see his smile crack half way and a chuckle. He was so funny when he held the laughter in. I can remember when Jake and I first met in 5th or 6th grade. We became the best of friends because we did not take any mess off of the other. So funny how life works like that. We then decided we would do everything together. Man what a ride of trouble. hahaha. We then recruited Kenneth Porter, the three outlaws we were. We were fearless. Except when Buddy came around then we would run. hahaha. We new that we had did something to him, just did'nt know what this time. Sorry Bud. We loved to get at ya. It was funny now that you look back. We stole Buds truck one time and Jake drove it all over in the woods. We were like 12 or 13 so we stayed of the road. But man he wore that truck out in the woods. Bud Jake drove the whole time so dont come hunt me down. hahaha We came home to see Buddy REALLY MAD. I took of and Jake had to figure out how to get his bike out of the top of a tree. HAHAHA. So funny. I can remember all the camping, fishing, football and track. Man o Man some good memories. I can remember when Jake fell in a flooded creek and there was 5 of us. As soon as Jake feel in I new he was no Olympian swimmer so I jumped right in. I said well if my best friends going so am I. Jake was all over me fighting to stay above the water until I realized we were in waist deep water. hahaha. Waist deep never felt so good. Kids we were. Like peanut butter and jelly. We got in so much trouble. Just glad that our parents never found out about the other 90%. hahaha. One thing about you Buddy you did have our back on the other 90%. You covered for us a lot so heres to you. So much that I could say and want to say.
ReplyDeleteHey Jake,
ReplyDeleteMan what a ride life is. Sorry I have not been to Bossier in a few years to see you. Sure hate that I missed you man. I hope you found Porter up there. Say hi to Dad and Christy. I sure miss them. Jake my man, your in my book are the best pal any guy can ask for. We had some good times man. I hope you hear these words. Let Porter know I got a huge deer a few years back. Tell him I miss him. You both stand out in my life. You know Jake a lot of people judged you down here. I want you to know that I never did because I seen your heart man. It was a rare heart indeed. You are and always will be the kindest person I know. Hey when I get up there we need to put together some pranks for Buddy. Have a few laughs. We just need to keep Buddy and Jay Weatherall apart because those two together define the professional pranksters. Well man I better stop typing or I will take up this whole blog. See ya my good friend. Do me a huge favor and give my dad and sis a big hug for me, hold them tight. Thanks I know you will. Make sure you get me a discount when I come up there to the depot. hahaha. Take care my friend.
Your true friend,
Shawn Hudson
just so lovely and sweet, mollye. i know jake is watching over you this christmas and smiling down on you. yes! count on that special, precious surprise from him this year. and i want to hear all about it too!
ReplyDeletelove,
terrylee