NONK JAY

I have never known my life without C.J. in it.

He may be my brother-in-law when it comes to

family dynamics but in my heart he has always

been more like a brother and even sometimes like a daddy to me.

This man has always loved me like his own child.

He not only always allowed me a place in his home

but I think there were a lot of times when I was a little

girl that he got excited when he knew I was coming.

Now that may have been fake but I never did know that.

I now wonder, why did he allow all these little

sisters of his wife to hang out for weeks on end

at his house and never complain about it?

He may not have had a choice but he surely acted 

like he loved having us around.

When I was in nursing school, I lived with them

and there were many mornings that it was just he and I

awake in the wee hours of the morning and he would

cook me breakfast. Now how many brother-in-laws 

did that?

I never forgot that...

On Saturdays I cannot cook a pot of beans without

Uncle Jay coming into my mind.

He'd cook beans almost every Saturday and Ronnie

would say over and over, "C.J., don't burn those beans,"

and he would be, "Veronica I will not burn the beans!!"

She'd go off and do her shopping, he'd fall asleep on the sofa,

and the bottom of the beans would be burnt.

He would pour those beans in another pot and

scrub up the other pot in hopes that Ronnie would not

know he burnt those beans,

As a little girl I always liked Uncle Jay's beans the best

because they were always a beige color with black specks...

Then when I had Roddie, both he and Veronica did

so much for me and helped me with babysitting and

whatever else I needed.

When Rod got a little older, Uncle Jay

would teach him about fantasy football

and they would have teams together,

he would take Roddie to see wrestlers at Nicholls

and so many other things that Roddie would

have missed out on had it not been for Uncle Jay.

Uncle Jay rarely missed any sporting event Roddie played in.

 Not only did he attend- ya'll all know how loudly he cheered!

He was like a grandpa to Roddie.

So when I saw this picture from the wedding,

it instantly made my heart so happy.

Their faces show it all, the 

love and respect they have for each other.

Jay I know I've told you many times before 

but need to say it one more time...

You are a very good man and I thank you

for all you have done for me and my children.

I still love White beans and miss yours!!!!