I remember when...

Like so many others I talked about you with my family and here are some of the things that they came up with that they remember about you. They remembered you holding them in your lap as you let them "drive" your rock crawler while camping at Kinder Springs. They remembered you and your other brother's taking them to ride quads and Rhino's and motorcycles in the desert for new years two years ago. I have a video of it if anyone wants it. Juliet remembers how you would come over to pick up Karsen everyday when we were watching her. You never complained at least to us, and you were always excited to see her, even though sometimes it meant changing out car seats from the Jeep. You are a great dad to her.

Even now Jason, I remember pushing you on a big wheel when we lived on Garnet in Tierra Rica. I must have been babysitting and you were probably only 2 or 3. Even then you loved the "bikes."

Most of all Jason I remember my last extended time with you was hiking to Reavis Ranch the October before we came out to St. Louis. We had never done anything like that before so it seems unusual to look back at it. I remember how you made it back to the car almost a half hour before everyone else, except maybe Jeremy. I remember you and my other brothers laughing at me because I packed a 13 pound queen size air mattress 9 miles into the campsite. It seems pretty funny and it was, considering I was already 40 pounds overweight.

Jason I remember how you always helped me fix my truck and car because I had no money and you never complained. When I couldn't get the airconditioner to work you showed up with the tools and the know how. I remember being jealous that at 16 you had your own super cool 4 wheel drive Blazer and I was still stuck in a crappy old Chevy Corsica. I remember wishing I had the guts you did go 4 wheeling in places I wouldn't try to climb. Again I remember being jealous that you could play the guitar in what seemed like without even trying because I spent 2 years in lessons and couldn't play anything.

Thanks so much Jason for showing me how important it is to take time to enjoy life. I always seem to find reasons why I couldn't take time to go riding, to the dunes or camping. Your life reminded me that not everything in this life is about work and that I too should enjoy it. Thanks for being a great brother, friend and example. You were a model of selflessness and I'll never forget you.

Love, Mark