Sharpies On Demand...

We have a girl in our youth group here in Illinois who loves sharpies and duct tape. She always has some whereever she is and I can count on her to whip out her sharpie when I have a sudden need. I've told her about Jonathan briefly but more than anything I have the overwelming desire to tell him about her. I think he would get a kick out of it.

Jonathan, I think about you all the time, I have a reminder in my youth group. She reminds me of you in these little ways, but in those moments I want you to know that I think of you and knowing where you are-I pray for your family.

Brittany Durham Bonner

I was walking into the Georgia State Arena the other day to tutor. I passed by this girl and had to do a triple take. She looked so much like this girl Robin from college who went to France with me and with Jonathan. I grabbed my phone, opened it, and then realized that he was the only person who would get it. It's been a while since I habitually grabbed my phone to call Jonathan, and it didn't even hit me that he was who I was grabbing my phone to call until I had opened it to dial.
-Elizabeth Crews

Beepers...

So I have a new favorite show now.... 30 Rock... Tina Fey's new sitcom about what goes on behind the scenes of a show similar to SNL. It is hilarious. Amy recommended I watch it ages ago and I have just now gotten around to it. I think you would find it hilarious. Anyway, the last episode I saw was about Tina Fey's character reuniting with an old boyfriend who works at a beeper store called Beeper King. Everyone gives her grief for dating a beeper salesman and she keeps making the point that he is not just an employee but is not the Beeper King. Very funny stuff... and it totally reminded me of your days working at the beeper/pager store in Clinton. I can't even remember the name of it. But they had those horrible, horrible commercials that were just beeps. Ugh.

Meeting Kay Arthur

So I started a Kay Arthur Bible study this week. It is really cool because she is teaching through Matthew and all of her teachings were recorded when she was here in Israel - so I can totally visualize most of the places she is discussing. Anyway - starting this study reminds of that weekend when we were in high school and we went to a Kay Arthur retreat with the church. I don't remember everyone who went. I think Amy. And I know Ric White. I distinctly remember him because he spent the whole trip to Chattanooga teaching us those crazy mind games and pulling practical jokes on us. I specifically remember one really long story where most of us girls were crying about how he reminded some poor women in the mall of her dead son and then it was all a joke. At any rate - at the very first session with Kay, she asked us to all take out our Bibles. You were sitting on the front row. And I think this retreat must have been during Spring Break because Mom and Dad had given you a new Bible for you birthday. Although now that I think about it, it could have also been just after Christmas. OH well. Anyway - you were very very proud of that new Bible. So Kay starts teaching. And she asks us to open our Bibles to a specific passage - and then as she scans the crowd - she totally calls you out for playing with a computer game instead of opening your Bible. I think I remember you trying to protest but she kind of went off for a minute about bringing your Bible and how important this time was and that we weren't here to play games. That this was serious business. Eventually you were able to tell her that it was an ELECTRONIC BIBLE! And that you were paying attention. She was shocked. I remember everyone laughing about it. And how you sat on the front row every session - and every session she made some comment to you about your fancy shmancy Bible. :)

Making Movies

I saw the preview for this movie the other day and totally thought of you. I could totally see you getting a gang together to recreate all the old movies. Its a part of the legacy that you left that this is also the kind of thing that David loves to do. You would be very impressed with his filmology (I don't think that is an actual word. Sorry.) skills.

Chicken Nuggets

Mark was eating McDonald's chicken nuggets for lunch today. It reminded me of the last time I ate chicken nuggets. You were there. It was 12 years ago - after swim team practice. We stopped at McDonald's on our way home. I don't remember what you had but I had chicken nuggets. When we got home, Steve was there to tell us that they were moving to Georgia. I think I cried for an hour. After he left, I got sick - throwing up sick. I didn't go to school the next day I was so sick. And on Wednesday I think I went in but only for an algebra test. I have a picture of us with Steve from that night. My eyes are so red. I am pretty sure the chicken nuggets aren't what made me so sick but I associate them with violent vomiting and I still can't eat them.

Change

So I've decided to take this blog in a slightly different direction... I find myself thinking of Jonathan at the most random times... often multiple times a day. I will see something or someone and instantly want to call or email him with a funny story. Oftentimes I will share the story with someone but they just don't get it the way I know Jonathan would... so I have decided to use this blog to write these stories to Jonathan. I still welcome your memories and/or comments on similar JD memories.