He was five years old when we lost him to Bacterial Meningitis. 

This page, however, isn’t about his illness or our incredible grief. It’s to celebrate his wonderful personality - and he had a lot of personality!

From the moment he was born, he was avery sweet tempered baby. He was our third child and from the start seemed to know he would have to be patient until it was his turn for attention. He didn’t hardly fuss as long as he was fed and dry. He was content to swing or sit in his walker and watch everything around him – smilingthe whole time. We all, from his big sisters to grandparents, completely spoiled him. 

It was so easy!

He soon developed a stubborn streak a milewide. I loved it! As aggravating as it was, it is probably what I most enjoyed and admired the most about him. And miss. Oh, the constant battle of wills that he usually won! He wouldn’t give in at all about wearing his black cowboy boots. It didn’t matter at all that it was 90+ degree weather, he wore them from the time he got up in the mornings till I pulled them off him after he was asleep. His solution for the heat was to go shirtless, so he wouldn’t be too hot. He was a sight -black boots, matching black jeans (had to match), and no shirt. When he did decide to notwear them, he was forever without a shirt or shoes.

No matter how stubborn he was, he still understood any safety rules we taught him. He wouldn’t walk or run out in the street for all the candy bars in the world. It’s the things like that that made me the most proud.Jonathan told knock-knock joke all the time. Some of them didn’t make much sense to us, but he thought he was so clever. I think we laughed mostly at his enjoyment of trying to be a comedian than at the actual jokes. 

His favorite joke was: 

Knock-knock. Who’s here? 

Boo. Boo who?

Don’t try! 

(He never could pronounce the ‘c’ in cry.)

Jonathan was always outside. It didn’t matter if the sun was shinning or if it was raining. There is a ditch at the very end of our backyard that on rainy days takes longer to drain off – an ideal place to play in his mind. Too many times I had to literally hose him off before he could come in the house after those muddy sessions. To him it was all part of the fun. He has this Power Wheels vehicle, a red Chevy Truck that he completely wore out. He would ride in the backyard, making his own path. There is a tree with a root showing, bordering the backyard ditch, that he would at full speed, go over the root. The backend of the truck would be slung sideways, go immediately down the ditch, up the other side, turn and go down to come up to start all over again. We would laugh at him laughing at the thrill he got. 

Then, this Christmas he got a big boy bike, much bigger than his old bike. Before long he was performing any stunt he saw the older boys around the neighborhood doing. He only got more daring after his training wheels came off. He seemed to be thrilled with the mobility he had without them on. He drove one handed, one leg, sometimes both, hanging off, off the edge of the patio, popped wheelies and jumped little ramps he made when he was really in a daring mood. 

There were too many times that at night, after we put him to bed, he would "sneak" into bed with his sisters to watch t.v. He has a t.v. in his room, but he wanted to be with them. I would before I went to bed, check things around the house, they would cover him up between them –like I wouldn’t notice he was out of his bed! I would get up a hour or so after we were all asleep to put him back in his bed.

He was truly his Daddy’s son. He shadowed his Daddy everywhere. He mimicked his every move. The two of them were something to see. I often wondered if either of them realized just how much the were already alike. There was a buddy bond that definitely didn’t include me. But I got the heart bond. If he was hurt or sick, nobody would do but his Mommy. When he was in trouble, he relied on his sisters to "help" him out. I know of too many occasions they covered for him, took the blame, swore upon his innocence, or just plain professed ignorance of the transgression. Almost as many times as they told on him!

There are too many touching and funny moments to list. These are just a few. Every day we think of a favorite moment we had with him. We are at a time now that we are able to laugh almost as much as we cry when we remember him. His sweet, funny, stubborn, daring, independent, personality has left us many moments to cherish. For that we owe him. The small comfort we have to sustain us till we can be with him is knowing he left us secure in our love, all of us who knew him.

We know your waiting for us,