Dear Brooke
I feel compelled to write a few things that are in my heart. I hope I can convey how I feel.. there are so many memories that flood my mind… just where do I start?
I remember the first time we met while you were dating Karen you told us that you were her age that makes me two years younger than you!! well that’s what I thought for several years until we found out that you were adding your age so that you would not be younger than her. That was pretty funny when you confessed your age.!! well it turned out we were the same age and many other things we had in common as our friendship grew.
We would go to your home spend the night with our young families. Watch them play together and tell big stories to each other of what we were doing and how we were going to do it . watching your boys play soccer and then taking walks through your neighborhood, trying to solve all the world problems.!!
Family reunions where our kids would get together and play and we would pair up and visit. Those were the memories.
Many Thanksgiving days that we were together with family and before we would eat, Debbie would have a list of things for me to do and you would be willing to help me replace lightbulbs, retrieve chairs get the tables ready and then there was the Thanksgiving day that our water quit and you and I with shovels in hand, dug up the pipeline and had to fix the leak so that we would have water in our home for our Thanksgiving.
Then there was the times that we took both our families to Sun Valley over the Thanksgiving holidays lots of fun, taking them ice-skating and then having smoky Mountain Pizza afterwards then returning home , love those times and memories. we always talked of the time when we could get away together and go to Sun Valley and go snow skiing.
I guess that trip will have to come another time and in another life!! I remember during the 2002 winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. You gave me a call and said you could get tickets to see one of the Olympic hockey games. Would I like to go? of course, that was a great idea, and I jumped at the opportunity to be there with you watching a hockey game.. the ticket seemed expensive, but that was a great highlight and memory that I had watching the Olympics and sharing the excitement and feeling with you!
We were like brothers sharing experiences raising our family and watching them grow. Life truly sped by, it was like a dream. it was not without challenges, struggles, and difficulties and of course, many times not what we ordered, but that is what makes us grow. and now Brother Brooke I will take you up on that Sun Valley ski trip when we meet again.!! thanks for the memories. My heart was filled with gratitude when I was able to see you over the Christmas holidays several months ago you’re welcomed me with open arms tears in your eyes and said I love you thanks for coming!! that was a sweet sweet reunion. I will never forget. I love you Brooke. We will meet again!!
Your brother Von
PS I will try to keep an eye on your boys. They are great young men.!!