Hi, I'm Jamie. I found YWBB shortly after my husband died on May 25th, 2009. He was 27 and I was 26. I didn't post much (maybe just two or three times) but I read every day for the first year and sporadically in the years after. It was such a blessing to read others' thoughts and feelings that I felt myself but couldn't put words to. I can't begin to explain how much of an impact that had on me during those first few years.
I met my husband my freshman year of high school, I was 14 and he was 16. We were just kids who felt an instant pull to each other. My heart would skip a beat any time I heard his name or saw him walking in the hall. Long story short, we were off and on due to his family moving, being stubborn kids/teenagers, and then his eventual drug problems. During the last few years of his life he was almost like Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde to me....sober and not. We were together 12 years, married just under 1 and have two children. My husband had been out of town working and was attempting to get his life back on track. He had just gotten back to our home town when he drove to a restaurant. A group of teens were pulling out the same time he was pulling in. According to the prosecutors their cars were very close to each other, words were exchanged. My husband pulled in to the restaurant not thinking the teens would back up their car, get out and start fighting with him. Within minutes, one of the teenagers shot him and he died instantly. Our children were 5 and 7 weeks old at the time.
I have just recently passed the 6 year anniversary. While I am in a much better place emotionally, this time of year still comes with waves of sadness and complicated emotions. I am grateful to the people who started this board. I've found it very helpful these last few weeks.
