I was 4 1/2 years old when, on July 1, I became a big sister. But as you can see in the picture above, Jim was almost as big as me. He was over 12 pounds at birth. I don't remember when he was born, but I do have some other early memories:
- Family taking pictures of him and Jerilynn, his niece, who was 5 months older.
- Jim running after me with the butcher knife. He must have been about 3 or 4. I hid behind the bed in my parent's bedroom.
- A very early obsession with the Minnesota Twins. I remember taking the picture above, with a couple of his favorite baseball cards, when he was about 10. He spent hours listening to games on the radio and throwing the baseball in the air and catching it.
- Moody adolescence.
As an adult, I love his smile and the way his whole body shakes when he laughs. He's done a great job with his daughters - they both adore him. I can only imagine what a wonderful grandpa he is. He's always been the one who was sensitive to the angst of some of the nieces and reached out to them and helped them through tough times. He's a great teacher and I just know there are hundreds of students over the last three decades who will never forget him.
If Dad had lived longer, I know he would have been so proud of how his 5th son turned out. I know I am.
Happy Birthday, Jimbo!
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