LETTER TO MY SON Dear Son, From the moment I first held you in my arms, I wanted to keep you safe from all harm. A bond formed between us that could never be broken, a bond of love that was felt not spoken. And now that you're grown up, on your own, and far away, I still think about you every night and every day. I'm so proud of you, more than you'll ever know. And I'm thankful that I was there to watch you grow. I wish you a beautiful summer. "Dear Son," written and designed by Bobette Bryan, 2001 I HAVE BORROWED THIS FROM THIS LADY, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEND MY SON A WONDERFUL POEM THIS YEAR. YOU SEE, HE DIED ON MAY 26TH 2001. FIRST BORN OF OUR FAMILY, ONLY SON, HEIR OF THE PARKER NAME. HE HAS ONE SON, ERIC, WHO WILL HAVE TO CARRY ON THE GENERATIONS OF THE NAME. HIS DAUGHTER ALLISON WILL SOON HAVE THE FIRST GREATGRANDCHILD OF OURS. WE WISH HER MUCH LUCK WITH THIS CHILD.. JIM UP THERE IN HEAVEN, I HOPE YOU SEE YOUR MOM TONIGHT. I AM CRYING, I MISS YOU SO MUCH.. MY HEART BREAKS FOR YOU. I LOVE YOU SON. I LOVE ALL OF MY CHILDREN.. GOD LOVES THEM TOO.

I KNOW HE LOVED FOUNTAINS, AND LIGHTS

THIS WILL BE A FLAME. AN EVERLASTING FLAME, TO LIGHT THE PATHWAY OF ANY WHO WILL COME THIS WAY. IF YOU GET LOST, JUST STOP BY THE FLAME, AND GOD'S ANGEL WILL GIVE YOU INSTRUCTIONS.

MY SON WAS BORN IN JULY , THE 3RD, 1953. HE WAS BORN ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT 12:55PM. IT WAS A STRANGE DAY THAT DAY. MY MOM AND DAD, MY HUSBAND AND ME GOT UP AT 3:30AM THAT MORNING TO GO FISHING. I WAS SICK ON MY STOMACH, BUT WENT ANYWAY. AFTER WE GOT THERE MY BACK WAS KILLING ME. I WENT DOWN TO THE LAKE TO TELL ELLERY THAT WE HAD TO GO, I COULD NOT STAND IT ANY LONGER. SO WE LEFT FOR HOME. MOM AND DAD STAYED AND FISHED. WELL WHEN THEY CALLED TO CHECK ON ME, I ALREADY HAD A BABY SON. SURE WAS A SURPRISE TO ALL OF US. SO SOON, BUT I GUESS I WAS A DUMB MAMA, JUST DIDN'T KNOW LABOR PAINS FROM THE BACKACHE. WELL, THIS CHILD WAS A SICKLY ONE, HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL 7 TIMES THE FIRST YEAR OF HIS LIFE. MOSTLY EARACHES AND SORE THROATS. BUT ALWAYS SICK. I SAT UP A MANY NIGHT WITH HIM. HIS DADDY WOULD COME IN OFF THE SECOND SHIFT, TIRED ALL OF US, BUT JIM WOULD LET HIS DAD TAKE HIM AND WALK THE FLOOR AND GO TO SLEEP. I GUESS HE AND I HAD WORN EACH OTHER OUT. POOR BABY. I REMEMBER ONE NIGHT, HE WAS SO SICK AND I HAD PRAYED OVER THAT CHILD FOR DAYS, AND I THOUGHT HE WOULD SURELY DIE, BUT THAT NIGHT, I DEDICATED HIM TO THE LORD, I ASK GOD TO HEAL MY SON, THAT I FREELY GAVE HIM MY SON. I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT A LOT LATELY. SEEMS LIKE GOD LEFT HIM FOR US TILL NOW. SO I GUESS HE DID LOVE ALL OF US AFTER ALL. HE GREW UP AND DID THINGS LIKE ANY CHILD, WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT HE HAD RHEUMATIC FEVER, AND WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY OR RUN, NO BALL. WHAT KIND OF LIFE WAS THAT FOR A CHILD? HE DID SLIP AND PLAY A LOT WHEN HE THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING. BUT HE GREW AND THRIVED ON LIFE. IN SPITE OF WHAT THE DOCTORS SAID. SPECIALISTS TOLD US THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE HEART SURGERY WITHIN 5 TO 10 YEARS. WELL GOD DI NOT SEE FIT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, HE MADE IT NEARLY 40 YRS. THEN AT LAST, AFTER GOING THROUGH SCHOOL, 2 YR COLLEGE, WORKING FOR CONSOLIDATED STORES, SKY CITY, SUPER DOLLAR STORES HE MARRIED AND THEY HAD TWO CHILDREN. ALLISON AND ERIC. IT WAS NOT TO BE THAT THEY STAYED TOGETHER, AND I FOUND MYSELF BEING PUT INTO THE ROLE OF MAMA AGAIN. IT WAS QUITE A TRIP, TWO LITTLE KIDS WHEN I WAS 49 OR SO YEARS OLD.. BUT WE MANAGED. JIM AND I RAISED THOSE KIDS, AND HOPED THEY WOULD GROW UP AND BE RESPONSIBLE ADULTS. WELL AT THIS TIME THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.. I PRAY EVERY DAY THAT ALL WILL BE WELL WITH THEM.. THEY ARE FORCED INTO GROWING UP COMPLETELY TO SOON. I JUST WORRY IF THEY WILL ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT IS ON THEIR SHOULDERS.. MY HEART BREAKS IN TWO, JUST THINKING ABOUT JIM, BUT HE IS GONE, AND WE ARE LEFT BEHIND. WE WILL SEE HIM AGAIN SOMEDAY.. WE LOVE YOU SON.

THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE ON LATER

THIS IS MY SON JIM

GOD NEEDED HIM WORSE THEN WE DID, SO HE WENT HOME ON THE 26TH DAY OF MAY, 2001. I WILL SEE YOU SON, ONE DAY SOON.