84

 Dear Daddy,

You would be 84 today.

I love this photo of you 

playing dodge ball with my boys,

your grandsons.

It reminds me of how much fun you had with your grandchildren

and how much fun they had with you.

And how much you loved and spoiled them.

Just the other day, Wesley was telling me how one time 

when we were at your house, he wanted some chocolate ice cream

and you only had vanilla. 

You disappeared

and 15 minutes later, 

fresh from the grocery store,

you presented to Wesley some chocolate ice cream.

Dementia robbed you, your grandchildren, and all of us of so very much.

And then death took the rest.

I am so thankful that you no longer live in the world of confusion and pain

and that you are with our Jesus. 

As I've said many times, I have no doubt that you were welcomed into Heaven 

with a "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!"

And your legacy lives on strong through your family

and all of those who ever knew you!

But today, on what would have been your birthday,

I just wish I could wish you happy birthday

and give you a hug.

I will forever miss you, Daddy.

Love,

Janna Sue

Luke - Bachelor Degree of Music in Vocal Performance

Luke - May 9, 2025

Bachelor Degree of Music in Vocal Performance

UNCG 2025

Wesley - Master's Degree

 

Wesley - May 8, 2025
Master's Degree in History
UNCG 2025

25

 Happy 25, my boy! 

Hard to believe you are 25 years old! 

It really does seem like you were just born! 

And now here you are graduating 

with a Master's degree in 2 1/2 weeks 

and moving to Oklahoma 2 weeks after that 

to pursue your Ph.D. 

I absolutely hate the part 

that you will be 18 hours away from me 

but I know you'll find new adventures 

and I look forward to hearing all about them! 

I love you, 

Wesley Robert, 

and I always will!

Love, Mama

Daddy

 

Rev. James William Caviness, Jr.

July 2, 1941 - April 5, 2017

I will forever be grateful 

you were my daddy.

I will forever miss you.

57

 I'm 57 today

and have enjoyed the day.

Anna, Wesley, & Luke

have been here all weekend.

Crystol called today and talked 

with us for an hour or so.

There's just nothing like

talking to and spending time 

with my children!

 

66

 

Saturday, January 18, 2025

 

Dear my Rob,

 

You would be 66 years old today.

 

I never plan what I’m going to write for your birthday blogs.

I just sit down and start typing so here goes.

 

You had hoped to retire earlier but you had said over and over

that this 66^th year would be the year that you would

DEFINTELY retire

since Luke would finish college in 2025!

 

Luke will finish his bachelor’s degree in 2025

and it still saddens me to think you won’t be here to see it.

 

Wesley will also have a graduation this year.

By May, he will have earned his master’s degree.

 

Before the end of 2025, your 4 children will have had 11 graduations.

 

I hate that you were only alive for 3 of those graduations.

 

I hate that your children know what it’s like to live life without their father

for over 13 years now.

 

 

You would be so proud of those 4 children of yours!

 

And you would be celebrating right along with them!

You would be helping them to throw their graduation caps in the air

so I could get just the right picture!

 

Some other big news is that Luke is engaged!

On December 22, 2024,

Luke asked Lauren to marry him

and she said yes!

They’re planning a 2025 wedding!

We are all so excited!

 

But we have all voiced that we will miss you at their wedding.

Since Crystol and Alan married 11 months after your death,

their wedding was the first one without you.

Luke and Lauren’s will be the second.

 

Life moves forward.

None of us have remained stagnant.

 

Crystol loves her Alan and their pups (our grand-dogs).

Alan enjoys being a professor and Crystol loves the new job she started,

especially since she gets to work from home!

 

Anna is still teaching and is spending a lot of time with her brothers and me.

 

Wesley is in love with his girlfriend, Alexcina,

and they are both finishing up their master’s degrees.

(I wouldn’t be surprised to hear of an engagement from them

before your next birthday letter)!

 

Luke and his Lauren will finish their bachelor’s degrees in 2025.

And, by the end of 2025,

Luke will be married to Lauren and will no longer be a bachelor!

 

So we move forward.

 

But,

as one of your children quips to me often,

 

“Yep, still miss him!”

 

 

We all still miss you.

 

 

So today, on your birthday, we will celebrate your life.

The kids and I will go out to eat.

I will get steak – your favorite food (mine, too).

 

We will talk about you,

look at photos,

and share stories.

 

Quite simply,

we will remember

you.

Love,

Your Janna

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will be posting lots of photos so the kids and I can all smile at the memories.

Hope they make you smile, too!

I will also post links to what I've written before on Rob's birthdays

in case you would like to read them or see more photos.

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2013/01/fifty-four.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2014/01/fifty-five.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2015/01/fifty-six_18.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2016/01/fifty-seven.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2017/01/58.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2018/01/59.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2019/01/60.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2020/01/61.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2021/01/62.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2022/01/63.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2023/01/64.html

https://jannasview.blogspot.com/2024/01/65.html