Thoughts of Jimmy

We were awakened Sunday morning with the shocking news that a childhood and life long friend of ours was killed in a plane crash, Jimmy Crosby. He grew up and decided Jimmy wasn't a man's name and went by Jim but we still called him Jimmy.
It was a very shocking and stunning bit of news for us. It is hard to wrap your mind around something that just shouldn't be. How could he be gone? He had much life to live being in his early 40's. He has 5 children that need their daddy. Bart sat and reminisced about knowing Jimmy. He first met Jimmy at the swimming pool when the Crosby's moved back to Eagar. He said he was one of those "Cocky Valley kids" and didn't care much for his "attitude". But that was Jimmy. He seemed to have attitude but it wasn't in a "I'm better than you" way, it was him. Did he not have attitude?Lol! Now we laugh about him. He was Bart's buddy that was always there in the mist of all boyhood adventures. Bart remembered getting stuck many, many times in the mountains with him, either in the snow, mud or on a mountain side. And there Jimmy was...Nobody else, myself included, wanted a days adventure where it consisted of work getting home but Jimmy would. I remember the day Jimmy came home from his mission, he had that streak of attitude and bleached his hair platinum blond. He looked like Billy Idol. His mom was so shocked and we didn't recognize him. We took him to St. Johns for his mission release and I thought "What is the Stake President going to think?" He was always living life.
He and Bart decided to have a grand adventure one day. They got an old car from someone and took it on the mountain. The car had no breaks, no engine, just the body and steering. Someone needed to be in to steer, so Bart talked Jimmy into it. I don't know how Bart talked Jimmy into getting in that car but he did. They started it on the top of a hill and pushed it and it went flying down the rode. Bart says that all he could see was Jimmy bouncing up and down trying to control that car...did I mention at the end of the rode was a cliff? Some how they managed to stop the car in time and then proceeded to push. It went sailing off the side of the mountain top. After their missions they went back to the car and tried to push it further. It still remains there. Bart could talk him into just about anything even a pair of pants.... We were at my parents home and Jimmy came and found us. My Mom was doing the laundry and left the clothes on the table. My Dad is quite short and Jimmy has those long legs. Bart talked Jimmy into putting on a pair of my Dad's pants "Just to see the leg size difference." Jimmy kept saying "NO, someone will walk in and see me and get mad." Bart kept saying "No they won't they're all in bed." Jimmy put on the pants and they looked like Bermuda shorts. We were laughing so hard. Jimmy was looking down and in walks my Mom. You should have seen his face. He was so embarrassed. I think that's the only time I've ever seen him so embarrassed. We all started laughing even more including my Mom.
As we got on with our own lives and started our families Jim was still there. He was someone that would always be there. He was a big support for Bart through his struggles and trials. Bart said that he had his family but would stop by and talk to him just to know someone other than his family still cared and was in his corner and Jimmy always was, no matter what. We decided he should have been a Lawyer instead of a Dentist. He was always a winner at any argument.
When he and Dian started dating he brought her to our house and I thought "What in the heck is he doing dating a 16 year old." She looked way to young for her age. They were a pair. She was someone that "Got Jimmy" and all his attitude.
Jimmy would come over with the crew in tow, the kids and Moses the dog. That dog was Jimmy to a tee. He was red and was a mix between a Rottweiler and a German Sheppard. He was just a quirky dog. He had one ear that was bent and one that stuck up. He was a rude dog I would say. The door would fly open to our house with Jimmy and the kids. They would shut it fast so Moses wouldn't come in. The kids would all head out back and play and Moses, who was huge, would stand on his hind legs and look through the front window to watch the kids in the back. When the front door was opened, in flew Big Ol' Moses running through the house looking for all the kids. We knew when Jimmy came that here came Moses. Jimmy finally taught him to stay in the truck but that became another problem because Moses then would just bark until it was time to go. He could be hear 10 blocks away, he was so loud. But that dog loved "his kids" and love being with Jimmy.
Jimmy and Dian invited us to go stay for a weekend in his cousins cabin up in Millegan Valley. It was such a fun time. We got up there in the dark and settled in for the night. The next morning we all got up and had breakfast and decide to go outside for a walk. We got to the front porch and had all these eyes upon us, Jimmy forgot to tell us that his cousin kept all of his Ostrich's up there. We couldn't even get off the porch. If we dared, we had them all chasing us. They would peck at anything, something in your hair, buttons on the kids clothes. It turned out to be a walk that was "run for you life" with kids screaming their guts out. We bagged the outside and stayed in doors for the rest of the time.
When Bart and I were Sealed in the Temple, Jimmy came all the way from Utah during School to be there, when anything happened he was just around. So It's hard to realize that someone has just stepped out of this life. Our biggest sorrow is for Dian and the kids. I know Dian and Jimmy had their struggles and pain but knew that it was because of hurt. We know that he loved her and his kids. His kids loved him. That's the one deep hurt. When they had Allison he was so proud. She was a spitting image of him. Red! Then came Brycan (Not sure how they spell his name)He fit in. Then all the others came. He was a fun dad. He would wrestle with them and I would think "Man he's ruff" but they just love it and would come back for more. He will leave a whole in their hearts I'm sure. So with all the memories we will always think of him living life as an adventure. He will be missed!