Remembering Nathan..

So sad to have to share this..
I find it strange what memories stick with us the most about certain people..here are mine of Nathan

Nathan was always my childhood Best Friend's Big Brother. He was the a lot older brother... So you can say when I was over there and he was in the house-- I was a smiley. I wasn't old enough to be like oh he is hott...but certainly I remember being googley....

When Jonas & Rick came back from the Army we had this really big party on my parents basketball court. Huge!! Like a hometown band and all. Favorite memory from that party...at one point in the night here stood Nathan Megan and Kristin and then stood my siblings...we were all "grown" up..and I remember him saying how it just wasn't right me and Kristin were there b.c. to him we still these 2 little girls playing with our dolls..

Most recent memory... he had been doing his own thing for a while and I don't think I had seen him in a while.... but he ended up moving back with his Mom..and every now and then he would bring one of his nephews Jackson over to my parents and he would borrow things b.c. he had projects he was doing at his Mom's house or he would come over just to talk...and the sparkle in his eye when he talked about his nephews or his family. He told us of his plans of joining the army and where we would probably be stationed and how long he had to train and boot camp in all. How he would be the "old" guy there but he could certainly take it! He had a lot of passion already for joining the military...

One thing though I find very special...all his nephews one way or another look like him. That is pretty precious.

when I got the news last night about his death 1st..I was numb- didn't seem like that could possibly be real...seemed just like yesterday we were going over to their house for his Going Away get together... Our families have always been neighbors. Good neighbors..like if they ever needed something we would help and that goes the other way around. Although me & Kristin aren't best friends anymore like we were growing up- but I can certainly say if she ever called and needed a thing I would do what I could and I feel like she would do the same... but hearing that news...I've known people that have gone over seas... my 2 older brothers..and other people..but not once have I ever known anybody that died over there...you don't beleive it... you don't beleive that those kind of things are really going on over there...but sadly they are...I'm afraid attending his service will be a tough one...

Please always thank your service men/women and even people you don't particularly know but know they are service men/women..b.c. no matter the reasons why they joined- they knew they were risking their lives for a cause much larger than themselves... always stand up and place your hand over your heart and give those soldiers their time due when the national anthem is played...to me..thats a tribute to the Men/Women that risk and give their life's for what that flag stands for..and one of those men was Nathan..

I'm hugging my babies even more tighter and appreciating the life that I have. You never know what tomorrow holds...