Our Christmas Letter

Here's the Christmas letter I sent out.  If you didn't get one, or get the e-mail, and you knew Jim, please notice the request at the end of the letter.  Please.

     Well, here it is …. the most difficult letter I’ve ever written.
As of this date we are coming up on the one year mark of Jim’s death.
His very sudden and very horrific death. I’m sorry that this will not be the
usual “joyful year in review” Christmas letter.
It’s more of a “year of survival letter”.

If any of you have not heard, then I’m sorry that this is the way you are
finding out.
Jim died last December 18th. He woke up early on the 17th with severe
pain in his throat, which turned out to be a torn aorta. He was life-flighted
to the medical center here in Houston, the best in the world. He went into
surgery around 5:00 p.m. and died around 2:00 a.m., of an aortic dissec-
tion, in surgery. He was able to visit with all of our children, who had all
miraculously come home by the day before, and with me in the hospital
before his surgery. I have since learned that most people don’t even make
it to the hospital so I know that this was extra time that God gave to each
of us.
     And so we entered 2008.
   Whitney started grad school at Harvard in July. She will be there for a 2
year program in dramaturgy, which is research and writing for Theatre.
She leaves for 3 months in Moscow this February.
     Kaley is graduating from Baylor in May, with a double major in International
Relations and Religion. She still has a passion for Africa and will be going
there at the end of December.
     Lauren is majoring in Deaf Ed and has one year of interning in Austin after
this year. She is also going to Kenya in December.
     Spencer started his first year at SMU in Dallas. He loves it, of course. He
is so Jim ….. born 40 years old and ready for college for the past 6 years
or so. I’m still trying to convince him that he should go to law school. At
the moment he’s planning on graduating with an Accounting degree.
     Parker is 16 and is attending a Marine Military School in south Texas.
He’s not happy with it, but I can see huge strides. He has grown up so
much in 3 months and looks so much like Jim.
     Conner is 14 and is in 8th grade. He played his 2nd year of football this
year and his team won district … undefeated. He was very proud, as was
I ….. and Jim.
    I am still on staff at our church but changed positions in October. I went
from Missions Director (I went on a missions trip to Kenya in Nov 2007.
It was an awesome, life-changing event), to Director of Care Ministries,
which involves grief support, divorce support, Stephen Ministry, etc. I
would not have been in the position in my “before” life, but know that God
is using something horrible for good.
     At the time of his death, Jim was the president of our school board. He
had a huge impact on our community and he is missed by so many
people. Our school district is dedicating a building to him on
December 19th. His name is already on it. It’s an honor, but an honor
that I wish didn’t have the reason to happen.
    I am struggling but managing, I guess. This month has been more than
difficult for me. But God has never left. I am closer to Him than ever
before and I know that there’s absolutely nothing in life that I fear now.
I have more friends than I ever knew and am loved more than any
human being has the right to be loved.
I can honestly say that I would not be here if it weren’t for all of my friends
and family, both here and out of state.
     Jim’s mom died in May. She had heart surgery earlier in the year but
never seemed to recover from it. I know that she was heart-broken over
Jim and that she is now joyfully with him.
I still manage to play tennis a few times a week.
     Life is …. well, different, to say the least. I miss Jim more than I can say
but I am so grateful for the husband, father and godly man that he was.
He touched more people than I will ever know.
     And so the kids and I are moving through all of this and into 2009. I
can’t express how much you all mean to me. I have learned to never take
anyone or anything for granted. Please hold your loved ones close to
you today and always. And tell your spouse how much he/she means to
you. Every-Single-Day.
And if you think about us, please send up a prayer or two.


We wish you a peaceful and Christ-filled Christmas and 2009.

Janine and Crew

     I would like to ask a favor of all of you, too. If you can find the time, I’d
love for you to send me a note about you and Jim… how you met, what
you thought of him, whatever. I’d like to collect these for the kids to cele-
brate Jim’s birthday on Jan. 7. I know this is short notice but I would
appreciate anything you could contribute. You can either send it by mail
or e-mail. Thank you so much.