8-17-03 Jim Wrote:
Hello Everybody, Hope everyone is doing well.

We hear we just missed the monthly visit over at Bill and Kathy's. Our entire family and extended family, (Dana and Kerry) were all home on the same day so we left the area and went canoeing. Until another storm of the summer chased us.

We just came home from Myrtle Beach for vacation. Brandon stayed home and Dana went with us. We all had a good time but the drive down there is getting longer.

Unfortunitly we needed to come home a day early because of a friends sudden death. Our neighbor, Gary Reger who had bought the fields behind us from Grammy. We have learned it is especially hard to lose a friend so close to your age and so close to your children. Our kids and the Reger kids have worn a path between our houses. It will never be the same looking out past our back yard.

Brandon has decided for financial reasons to come home for awhile. Another friend from the city is taking his room until Christmas. Hopefully till then we will get him back on his feet and back to school. He is back working full time at Scheitauer Chevrolet for the time being. He is loving being in the daily lives of the little ones again. He may not admit it but I know he missed it.

Devon will be a senior this year. He has been at Levys with Dan this summer and has purchased his own school bus. (If you already haven't seen it in our field). He hopes to convert it into a camper bike shop. So far it has seen 8 trips around the field as a field beater! Boy do the neighbors look at the red neck Rosenbergers now! He is going to start looking at junk yards for all the kitchen and bath things he needs. Dana is a big part of his world and we don't fight it anymore. She has become a big part of ours too. After vacation we decided if they would ever break up we would need visitation rights.

J.R. went to Spruce Lake with Willie, who he has spent alot of time with this summer. He had band camp and is doing great with his drums. He finished baseball and soccer, however he could probably live without those activities. He is always anxious to start school. Summer gets long for him, he enjoys more stucture in his day. J.R. continues to write in his journal and reads, he had enjoyed his Harry Potter movies and books.

Ashton, I think, has aged 5 years and grew 5 inches. This summer she went to Camp Men-O-Land and loved it.Although Mom wasn't there she had the perfect week of the summer with no rain. She started cheerleading in August and absolutly loves it. She will continue dance and field hockey. She has been a big help out in Vicki's salon. She is starting to clean up, get things organized for chemical services, and put inventory away. She is enjoying the extra cash in her pocket. Soon enough she will want a promotion to shampoo girl..

Vicki's rash has pretty much gone away! It was a very rough few months, that we do not want to repeat. No answers were given as to the cause. Dana babysat the kids a few hours a day while she was working, so the kids would be entertained.

Jim continues to work many hours in a week and sleeps much less. I don't know how he keeps doing it. He has been enjoying all of this rain this summer. He loves the time he can spend on his John Deere. (or not!!). He and the boys and 3 other friends are going fishing in Canada over Labor Day weekend. They are looking for some good fishing and time away.

P.S. wanted to share the poem Brandon wrote during Gary's memorial service to share

The years came,the years went
be thankful for time spent.

The rain fell,the trees grew
remember tomorrow's day is brand new.

Be happy, but do not forget to be sad
the good is only good, if you survive the bad.

Remember to smile and cry
with strangers and friends
And dont forget I love you Dad.


Take Care, from the James Gang