New beginnings....

Tomorrow, in the beautiful Bahamian sun, with his three girls at his side, Mark will marry Patricia. She too will have her three children by her side. They will not just become a couple, but an instant family...The Brady Bunch.

My heart is warm, knowing that they are perfect for one another...both sharing the loss of a spouse, both knowing exactly what the other has gone through. Both of them will keep their beloved first spouse's memory alive for their children and both will begin a new love, a new family, a new life.

Since the moment I found out about their engagement, (maybe half an hour after Mark proposed) I have been thrilled for them...all of them. Patricia is an excellent mother to my girlies and Mark is an excellent father to Patricia's three kids. Everyone knows that Joanne will never be "replaced" and nor will Pete. But Patricia and Mark will fill the gaping hole that Joanne and Pete left in their families' lives. Courtney, Rebekah and Danielle will have a mother again and Alex, Ashley and Ben will have a father again. Patricia will be a wife again and Mark will be a husband again. It is perfect.

But, though I am still 100% behind the wedding, the marriage and the entire situation, my heart is a teensy bit heavy today. It's not a "bad" feeling, it's a weird feeling. I don't even know how to explain the feeling...just that it's weird.

In the month leading up to the wedding, Joanne has been on my mind almost constantly. Would she approve? Is she sad? Will she "be" at the wedding? Will she watch the ceremony with Pete at her side? Will she be dancing with Mark and Pete be dancing with Patricia after the ceremony, spiritually of course? All these thoughts in my head. Im not sad, but I feel sad. I told you, I just can't explain the feeling...it's just weird.

I pray that Mark and Patricia's love shines through tomorrow and forever. I pray that their marriage and long, healthy and prosperous. I pray that Joanne, if she does know about the wedding, approves. I pray that she's not sad. I pray that she is never ever forgotten. I pray that my Mom gets through the ceremony OK.

Remember Me
by Josh Groban


Remember Me
by Josh Groban

Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory

Remember
When your dreams have ended
Time can be transcended
Just remember me

I am the one star that keeps burning so brightly
It is the last light to fade into the rising sun
I’m with you whenever you tell my story
For I am all I’ve done

Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory,
remember me

I am that warm voice in the cold wind that whispers
And if you listen you’ll hear me call across the sky
As long as I still can reach out and touch you
Then I will never die

Remember
I’ll never leave you
If you will only
Remember me
(Remember me)

Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory

Remember
When your dreams have ended
Time can be transcended
I live forever
Remember me…
Remember me…
Remember me…



I promise to always remember you Jo-Jo. I love you sister.

In loving memory of Joanne

Joanne was my younger sister. My only sibling. It has been 4 and a half years since she died and I am still working through the grief.

I have decided to start this blog in her memory, not only for me, but for her three children. Her girls need to know who their mother was, because as time goes by, their short memories of her will fade. I hope they will see this blog as a place to learn about their Mom, who loved them so very much.

I hope you enjoy getting to know Joanne too. She was certainly worth getting to know. :o)

A child is born...

Joanne was born on January 10th, 1972. She was never given a middle name, which drove her crazy as a child...I'l get to that later. I was 2.5 years old when she was born and I remember my parents buying me "Jelly Babies" to try to ease the jealousy that I may have had over having a new baby in the house. Being the perfect child that I am, there was, of course, no jealousy at all, but I did enjoy those Jelly Babies!!!

From stories my Mum has told me, Joanne was not the easiest baby to care for...she cried all the time, hated to sleep and had tantrums alot. Of course, there were great things about Joanne as well, but suffice it to day, she gave Mum a real run for her sanity...err...money.

Anyway, she was as cute as a button, with big brown eyes and blond hair...



And she was a babbler...she didn't speak for a long time, but she spoke Joannnese extremely well. The only person who understood her gobbledegook most of the time was me. Yes, I was the bright one. ;o)



Joanne walked very early...so early that Mum swears that's why she was a bit bow-legged. That energy and need for movement did not leave her ever...she was constantly doing something...never resting. My poor Mummy...she must have been run ragged.



Joanne had no fear. She would simply walk into a pool of water, speak to strangers, eat whatever she felt looked appetizing...that was Joanne...fearless. Again, my poor parents had to keep their eyes on her constantly or she would be into something she shouldn't be! Mum told me that one of Joanne's favourite pastimes was playing with the contents of her diaper...and making art with it on the bedroom walls. Oh yes, that was our Joanne. She's probably giving me a dirty look straight from Heaven for telling you that, but, this blog is meant to be alllll about her...not just the cute and nice stuff!!!



So, that's the story of Joanne's babyhood...