Did anyone wonder about Marks candle!? We'll there is a sweet story to tell there.
Mom used to sing this song that started with Brad and carried on through to me....and we all knew it by heart. It was called "The Most Important Person"
She would grab you up....with her face as happy as could be and sing....
SING -> "The most important person in the whole wide world........IS YOU!"
KISS THE BELLY -> Slobbbbbbbbbber fart thing to our bellies
SING -> "And you hardly even KNOW IT!
The beautiful thing about momma is we never fully grew up when we were with her. Im not saying we were mommas boys and girls. But, as long as she lived....I kinda saying we were. As long as I was in her house my belly was always open to a slooberin "The most important person". And kids as long as that happens Im still a child. Or I was.
She may have not have been perfect. But, I'll never be loved as much again. Momma love is aboveand behond.
Wow....thanks so much y'all. The memories that y'all are bringing back mean so much at this time. I can't thank you enough. I cried and laughed as I read your thoughts. I will add my thoughts, feelings and memories soon...when ready! And Im sure when I start it will just keep flowing. Thank you all so much for all of the support and love that you have shown our family through this time! You are all truly Joans angels!
Much Love!!!!
xo
My heart is so full of memories of Joan that I hardly know where to start. Maybe from the beginning of our friendship would be a good place. We met through Brad and Jay who were friends and just 15 at the time. Brad spent a great deal of time at our house before I met her. She had asked him for our phone number at the time and he told her that we were too poor to afford a phone. I guess he knew that we would like each other and keeping up with their shenanigans would be easier if we communicated. We eventually got acquainted and life has never been the same since. We spent most every weekend together after that with a blended brood of kids. Mine, hers and most of Hoover's kids. Seems like there was always a couple of dozen in the house and another 100 or two would come through during the course of the evening. Just as Kim said they were all looking for her approval. Or maybe it was the side show she and I put on. We laughed and cried in our beer and sang Delta Dawn, George Jones songs or whatever struck us to the top of our lungs and quite off key at that. Life was good. Joan lied to me for years about her age and I never doubted her. She looked great. My children loved her dearly. At the time I only had two. Jay and Todd. Jay and Brad were close and Todd and Alycia were like two peas in a pod. They even like to dress alike. We had to make them stop sleeping together when they were 13. The years went by, I moved to Huntsville and had another baby. Joan moved to Huntsville for a short time and lived with us. We worked together waiting tables and had a blast. My youngest child fell in love with her during that time. She and he would play store. She bought him some play money and taught him how to count it. He is 20 years old now and still remembers her and playing store and was very saddened by her passing. He regrets not seeing her in the last several years. Once at a T-Ball game she was watching him, got out of her seat and called for the umpire and coach to stop the game cause he had to go pee. She took care of him. We were together and at the hospital when my oldest grandaughter was born (Jay's Jala). We lost another friend the end of May and I have so many memories of the good times the three of us had. Hard to believe I am the last one living to tell some of the crazy things we did. Maybe they are together planning another big party for someday. I will think of her often with a smile. The world and so many of us are better of for having know her and been loved by her.
The most formative years of my life were spent with Joan and her family. Alycia and I were best friends and inseparable from early early teen years. Everyone wanted to be “in” with Joan – everyone wanted her to like them. Some people just have that incredible magnetic energy. I remember wanting to be in - but I actually needed it. I was in – thank God. There was no gray area with Joan and anyone reading this knows that too. Joan taught me the security of a family. Whether you are laughing, dancing, crying, yelling, singing or fighting – you are always a family. The line between family and friends was very thin for Joan (if you were “in”)– and the friends that were brought in formed an even bigger family with each other - for life.
On a lighter note – some people did not make the cut. Alycia just asked me why I thought people would stick around after they knew they were “out”. I think they wanted “in” so badly that they were willing to take the hit – in hopes she would change her mind. I never saw Joan change her mind – on anything really.
When I think of Joan, I hear her singing (you’re in my heart by rod stewart - specifically), I hear and see her laughing and dancing. I see her opening Alycia’s bedroom door over and over to get us to wake up (for dinner – I’m sure). I also think of the times when I would sit next to her, by myself, and talk to her about something that was upsetting me – she would give some words of encouragement and then grab my hand and squeeze it. She always grabbed my hand and squeezed it and I felt safe and loved. There was something in that squeeze.
Joan’s kids are a true reflection of her. It was not just Joan that was loyal. Mark and Brad watched out for many many little sisters through the years. They were the army of the house and the family. I was privileged to call on them as big brothers. They are the strongest and most loving men that I know and I will always hold them dear. In fact – when I saw Brad yesterday – we hugged and then he grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I guess that tells me everything about Joan as a mother.
And as for Alycia – well those 5 people you can only count on one hand if you are lucky… she was the first of those in my lifetime. The bar was held very high from the beginning because of her. It’s hard to find a friend like Alycia. Through all ages, states, and time - she is a soul sister to me and always will be. I am not alone in that, there are so many people that count one of Joan’s kids as that one-of-five true friend of a lifetime. I can’t think of anything better a mother would want for her children. So, thank you Joan, Brad, Mark and Alycia –I will love you always!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
(Alycia - print this and put in Joan's book PLEASE)
