Joanna Wilkinson

He'd have been 10 years old today. Double digits. He'd think that
was cool.
When the kids got up this morning, they had presents on the table
from Sam, wrapped in birthday paper. He'd have thought that was cool
too. They sure did.
I walked into Wal Mart yesterday and said, "Okay Sammy, show me what
you'd get them."
We found a cool Sponge Bob skateboard for Carly, a Razor scooter for
Jack and a Disney princess scooter for Jamie. I hadn't planned on
it. The skateboard was something I knew Carly would want. She gets
a little upset when Jack and Jamie use Sams. Now they can use hers
instead. The scooters totally jumped out at me. They have been
riding inside and outside all day.
Bob went to get Sam's name and dates put under his portrait tatoo on
his arm. I haven't seen it yet. He's heading home now.
Some of my family are coming over tonight for his birthday dinner and
getting the house straightend, cooking and baking a cake, is keeping
me busy.
I hope everyone is having a nice Valentines day.
Just wanted to share a little of Sam with you guys.
Joanna

marji

Hi, Joanna!

Thanks for this message. I want you to know that I've been thinking about
Sam, but I didn't know that this was his birthday.

Liam (who's 9 now) asked me to make up a story the other morning when we
woke up at about 4 a.m. We were lying in bed talking and not wanting to
turn on the light and read, so Liam asked me to make up a story. I asked
him what he'd like the story to be about and he said "protest." To make my
very long story not quite as long, I made up a story about a guy named
"Joe" who had lost his connection with his spirit when he was a little kid
because he had been driven real hard his whole life by his family and
teachers and that kind of thing. Joe ends up being president of the US,
but all the things he does while in office are pretty mean and awful and he
gets the country into a war and a big financial mess and all
that. Meanwhile, there are lots of protests going on all the time outside
the White House because so many people in the country are so unhappy with Joe.

Anyway, there's this one little 9-year-old boy who's with his folks at one
of the protests. He wanders away to find a place to relieve himself and
somehow gets himself inside the White House (it couldn't happen, I know,
but it's a story!). He gets real scared when he can't find his way back
out and hides in a bathroom. Turns out the prez has to relieve himself at
about that time, and finds this little boy hiding in the bathroom.

At this point, Liam asked me the boy's name. I thought a little bit, and I
figured Sam would be a good name.

Well, in the story, Joe and Sam meet at an opportune time for Joe, because
he sees himself in Sam and realizes that he had once had a connection to
his spirit the way Joe does now. So, Sam and Joe talk for a while. Joe
wants to know what moved Sam and his folks to come to Washington and
protest. Sam, in his eloquent, 9-year-old way, tells the prez what's been
eating him about the state of the union. And, in a rare moment of empathy
and compassion, Joe sees all that has been going on through a boy's
perspective.

And, Joe changes and things get much better. It's a magic story.

Afterwards, I told Liam who Sam is. It was wonderful to have Sam with us
in the story for just a little bit. Anyway, thanks for sharing Sam with
us, and Happy Birthday to Sam!

Marji

At 15:10 2/14/04, you wrote:
>He'd have been 10 years old today. Double digits. He'd think that
>was cool.
>When the kids got up this morning, they had presents on the table
>from Sam, wrapped in birthday paper. He'd have thought that was cool
>too. They sure did.
>I walked into Wal Mart yesterday and said, "Okay Sammy, show me what
>you'd get them."
>We found a cool Sponge Bob skateboard for Carly, a Razor scooter for
>Jack and a Disney princess scooter for Jamie. I hadn't planned on
>it. The skateboard was something I knew Carly would want. She gets
>a little upset when Jack and Jamie use Sams. Now they can use hers
>instead. The scooters totally jumped out at me. They have been
>riding inside and outside all day.
>Bob went to get Sam's name and dates put under his portrait tatoo on
>his arm. I haven't seen it yet. He's heading home now.
>Some of my family are coming over tonight for his birthday dinner and
>getting the house straightend, cooking and baking a cake, is keeping
>me busy.
>I hope everyone is having a nice Valentines day.
>Just wanted to share a little of Sam with you guys.
>Joanna

Jon and Rue Kream

Joanna - Jon, Dagny, Rowan, and I think and talk about your family
often. Thank you for sharing stories of your family with us. ~Rue


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Jenny E.

Joanna,
this was sooo touching...thank you for sharing it with us. I know you don't know me, but I know Sam's story and he was actually on my mind just a few days ago. What a surprise to learn that his birthday was so close.

Happy Birthday Sam!

Jen :o)
Mom to Beck (8) and Dane (5)
Learning the natural way every day!

----- Original Message -----
From: Joanna Wilkinson


He'd have been 10 years old today. Double digits. He'd think that
was cool.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Joanna Wilkinson

--- In [email protected], marji <zintz@w...> wrote:

>
> Afterwards, I told Liam who Sam is. It was wonderful to have Sam
with us
> in the story for just a little bit. Anyway, thanks for sharing Sam
with
> us, and Happy Birthday to Sam!
>
> Marji


Thank you for sharing Sam with Liam. That is so very cool.
Joanna

one4oneness

I know nothing of who Sam is other than a beloved family member of
yours. I'd like to say Happy Birthday as well.

I'd also like to thank you. I have a daughter that would've been 12
this year. I have often wondered how our family could observe her
memory w/out it being a sad thing. What you do is a beautiful way to
celebrate her life.

When I joined this group I had no idea all the ways I'd actually be
getting support. Just goes to show everything really does happen
for a reason(s).

Taunya


--- In [email protected], "Joanna Wilkinson"
<Wilkinson6@m...> wrote:
> He'd have been 10 years old today. Double digits. He'd think
that
> was cool.
> When the kids got up this morning, they had presents on the table
> from Sam, wrapped in birthday paper. He'd have thought that was
cool
> too. They sure did.
> I walked into Wal Mart yesterday and said, "Okay Sammy, show me
what
> you'd get them."
> We found a cool Sponge Bob skateboard for Carly, a Razor scooter
for
> Jack and a Disney princess scooter for Jamie. I hadn't planned on
> it. The skateboard was something I knew Carly would want. She
gets
> a little upset when Jack and Jamie use Sams. Now they can use
hers
> instead. The scooters totally jumped out at me. They have been
> riding inside and outside all day.
> Bob went to get Sam's name and dates put under his portrait tatoo
on
> his arm. I haven't seen it yet. He's heading home now.
> Some of my family are coming over tonight for his birthday dinner
and
> getting the house straightend, cooking and baking a cake, is
keeping
> me busy.
> I hope everyone is having a nice Valentines day.
> Just wanted to share a little of Sam with you guys.
> Joanna

Joanna Wilkinson

--- In [email protected], "one4oneness" <tlemon1@s...>
wrote:
> I know nothing of who Sam is other than a beloved family member of
> yours.>>

Sam is my son. He died last year, just short of his 9th birthday.


<<I'd like to say Happy Birthday as well.>>


Thankyou.



> I'd also like to thank you. I have a daughter that would've been
12
> this year. I have often wondered how our family could observe her
> memory w/out it being a sad thing. What you do is a beautiful way
to
> celebrate her life.>>

It really did make the day less depressing here.
I'd rather have my kids be glad of the time they had their brother
than remember him and be sad.


>
> When I joined this group I had no idea all the ways I'd actually be
> getting support. Just goes to show everything really does happen
> for a reason(s).
>
> Taunya
>

I'm sorry for your loss. If you want to e mail me off list for more
support, if you ever need it, I'd be glad "listen".

Joanna

Stephanie Elms

Hi Joanna...I just read this...thanks for sharing with us about Sam. I
didn't know that he was a Valentine's baby. It was great to actually
meet you and your family this summer down at the beach and sad too that
we were not able to meet Sam as well.

Take care...

Stephanie E.