Thursday, January 21, 2010

Thankful Thursday: 25 years of Jamie Ann Schroeppel Gillman

If I was going to come up with a word that combines every word that would stand for this girl the word would be POWERHOUSE!
Meet my Jamie Ann! She is one of my MANY, MANY cousins. But one whose life I was able to be part of for all of it, and that was a BLESSING to me for sure!
Growing up I didn't have a sister and so my poor cousins had to just amuse me and let me adopt them.
Jamie was always great about letting me lug her around and I think she actually enjoyed it.

Since Jamie was a little girl, she had more personality than most people have in a lifetime of growing it!
She was sassy, knew what she wanted and was remarkably mature at all her ages. As she has grown into such a wonderful adult I know why the Lord blessed her with such greatness and maturity because she has had to go through A LOT! As I have watched her loose her first baby, nurture her second, bury her third and continue on have a fourth with a fifth on the way my heart has been touched by the strength this young mother has and the peace she exudes. She has taught me so much about the plan of salvation by watching how she has handled her struggles. Beautifully is the only word that describes how she handles trials.
Jamie KNOWS who she is. She also SHARES who she is with all those around her. She is a master decorator, party thrower, chef (except when she puts a pizza box in the oven and catches it on fire! haha), sister, cousin, mother, shopper and has a humor that will put you constantly in stitches!

Some of the fun memories I have of Jamie include:

  • Jamie was named Andrea at birth and at her blessing her Dad re-named her to Jamie Ann to all of our suprise.. even her Mom's! (Most people don't have a story like that!)
  • Playing School, house, cashier...fighting through it too
  • The Tiffin Room at ZCMI
  • Sleepovers
  • Overnight babysitting
  • Laughs and laughs
  • Helping me clean and organize things ( I am pretty sure she is still a freak about it like me!)
  • Drive-In's
  • Funny girl's nights with Grandma
  • Jamie and Amy's New Kids on the Block obsession (night gowns, sleeping bags, telephone...)
  • the face she would give when she was "up to something"
  • Her teasing personality
  • the natural mothering that has ALWAYS been in her!

James, I adore you! I have loved you from the VERY second you entered this world and I will love you FOREVER. Thanks for being all that you are! Thank you for being real. Thank you for your faith. You are such a ROCK and I am so thankful that the Lord allowed me to be in your family! Love you CUZ!!
HAPPY 25th BIRTHDAY!


1 comments:

Unknown said...

Couldn't have asked for a better tribute.
I think almost ALL my childhood memories have you in them. A lot of good times. You were always considered my fourth sister. Luvya, Megs! Thanks for thinking of me!!