Corey's 40th Bday!

"What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes part of us."

-Helen Keller

Happy 40th birthday to my big brother, Corey! 25 years have gone so quickly. It's hard to imagine how different life would have been with you here. At times, I wonder, what would have changed? What paths would have been different? Would I have my three wonderful children and two amazing step-children? Would my boys be different with an uncle to teach them about cars? Would my daughter be influenced differently with an uncle to protect her? The one thing I do know, this world, my world is a different place without him.

Your pictures and memory remind me never to take life for granted. I will always be grateful that I gave you that one last hug and told you that I loved you the day that you got on that motorcycle. I will always miss being called "Murfette" by your friends. Every time the kids wrestle on a bed with a blanket, I will always remember you trapping my under my covers until I cried because I couldn't breath and would yell, "I'm telling mom!". I will always remember playing Super Mario Brothers with you and beating the game and rescuing the princess. I will always remember you coming home with burned vans when you set the hill on fire with bottle rockets. I will always remember you giving me a ride home from school on the back of your bike and falling on the spinning tire, burning a whole in my jeans and backside, stopping at the 7-11 and calling Aunt Mary for help. Every time I see a lego Mac-Truck, I think of you. Every time I hear the song "Walk Like an Egyptian", I think of you mocking my egyptian dance. If I see barbed-wired, I think of you nearly loosing your ear going down Danny and Donald's hill on your skateboard. When Kasey took a rocket building class, I thought of you shooting off rockets with dad at Loma Vista school, and making me be the retriever. If I see sand crabs at the beach, I think of being at the beach with you, Chad, Craig and Aunt Mary and taking them home only to terribly stink up the garage. If I see a boogie board, I think of you teaching me to ride the waves. I only had 11 years with you, but gained countless memories. I wish I had the last 25 years to create more memories with you. Where did the 25 years go?

Corey, I love you, miss you, and you will always be in my heart! Happy Birthday big brother!

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