friends – Running Forward…My Way

Rest in Peace, Drew

Published on March 5, 2021April 19, 2021 by kerrymckim5 Comments

This morning I had received some sad news that my friend Drew had passed away.

Back in 2005, I attended my first ever YRNF event. It was a convention in Las Vegas and a sweet guy from Tennessee sat down at our table. That was the start of my friendship with Drew. For five years, he was friendly and always a kind friend.

He was the nicest guy ever and I never once heard anyone say a bad thing about him.

For the non-political types this may not seem like a big deal but it is in the political setting. In the political setting, someone usually hates you for no reason at all. Speaking from my own experience, I can say something polite and diplomatic and I will still be called a bitch.

ButI never once heard anyone say anything bad about Drew.

Even Bryon, who could be cynical at times, loved Drew and thought he was nicest guy ever.

He was special.

The news hit all my old friends from this era of my life and we were messaging each other. It’s funny how death gives us that gift. It made us all take a moment to reach out to each other and comfort each other.

My cousin and her husband are going to be relocating to Drew’s city and I told them I’d visit when all this craziness is over (i.e. Janet Mills takes Maine out of “time-out”). In addition to being excited about seeing family, I figured that while in town, that I would catch up with Drew.

And then James Taylor starts playing in my head “I always thought that I’d see you again.”

It’s hard to make sense as to why people die young, especially people who are so special. I’m still struggling with the whole “God is good” and “God has a plan” thing. I still maintain if that was true, then God is a shitty-ass planner. But in some ways, it makes sense. I do feel like we all have things we need to learn in our lives. The special people, like Drew and Bryon have less to learn and accomplish it early while some of us seem to make the same mistakes over and over again, myself included. At the rate I am going, I will live to be 120.

Eh, some things will never make sense. I will never understand what God is thinking.

Drew, you will be missed. Thank you for always being a friendly face in a sometimes hostile environment (i.e political meetings). Heaven is an even better place now.

Good Vibrations Gratitude Friday Lucky #13

Published on March 9, 2018March 9, 2018 by kerrymckim1 Comment

It’s Friday!

You know what that means!

Good Vibrations Gratitude Friday

Celebrations

I had written earlier this week about one of my best friends bridal showers. I am thankful for the happy moments in my life and the friends I get to spend them with.
My Young Republican Friends

This past weekend I had the honor of being invited to the New York State Young Republicans (NYSYR) Rising Star Reception. (Now for those of you new to the blog, this isn’t a political blog. But politics does play a role in Bryon and my story. I have beautiful friends in both political parties.)

Coincidentally this reception fell 10 years after the 2008 NYSYR Leadership Conference in Albany. I know this because Facebook had reminded me. I had met Bryon for the second time that weekend and that was also the weekend that our love story began though it would take me another 6 months to realize it.

March 2008

This organization also generously held a raffle to benefit my daughter’s educational trust. I can’t put into words how much it means to me that an organization that was once a huge part of Bryon and my life hasn’t forgotten about us. Bryon and I never would have met if it hadn’t been for the Young Republicans. My daughter wouldn’t exist if it hasn’t been for the Young Republicans. Some of my best friends come from my Young Republican years. This organization has already given me so much and they still continue to give to us.

This reception recognized all the young talent in the organization and it reminded me of my own youth. When I gave my thanks, I mentioned how important the friendships I made in this organization both in New York and Maine, as well as friends I made at the National level. During those months that Bryon was in the ICU and those early months of widowhood, I received so much love and support from friends from my Young Republicans Days. Politics isn’t always “warm and fuzzy”, I asked them to take a moment to appreciate their friendships and not to wait until they were in my situation to realize it.

Even though I don’t participate in politics much anymore, I do think it is important to bring my daughter to these events because people come up to me and talk about Bryon. And while that makes me sad, I appreciate that they remember him and say kind things about him. But I think it is important for my daughter to hear those nice things being said about her father. He may be dead, but it is nice to be reminded that he had lived.
For everyone local who takes care of me.
My neighbor always plows me out and helps me with problems around the house. Bryon’s best friend is always ready to answer my questions and recommend people. Another friend of Bryon’s mows my lawn.

My house can be overwhelming at time and I am grateful for everyone who helps me.
Old friends
I was having a rough couple of days (as you probably guessed if you read my blog) and one of my high school friends reached out to me to talk. There is that saying that sometimes the best mirror is an old friend and I think that is true. As I examine my life, I seem to have gotten in touch with a lot of old friends and these old friends help me remember that I was a complete person before Bryon and I will continue to be a complete person after Bryon.

Bryon was not one to live in the past and during our years together, I lost touch with my past. But the old me is still very much a part of me. (I think I feel a blog posting coming on about this).
Spring plans

This has been a long winter. Bryon and I used to go away every winter on a Caribbean Cruise but I haven’t been on a cruise since he was alive. Lately I have been thinking about it.

I do have a lot of exciting things going on this Spring and Summer that include traveling, a wedding and…the second annual Bryon C. McKim Derby Party.

More to come on the Derby Party in the next couple of weeks- stay tuned!

And I have a bonus gratitude this week-
My funny daughter
Despite having an epic meltdown when we got home from gymnastics (‘nastics class) tonight, I am grateful for my daughter and especially how funny she is.

The kids in her class all wrote a book and her’s was titled “I Don’t Know.” Her teacher told me she was adamant that that was the title. The whole ride home she kept talking to me about how her book was called “I Don’t Know.” She makes me laugh so much.

What are you grateful for this week?

Celebrating good times

Published on March 5, 2018March 5, 2018 by kerrymckim1 Comment

This spring two of my favorite people are getting married this Spring and I was honored to be asked to be a bridesmaid in their wedding. And my little one will be the flower girl. The excitement is picking up as we get closer to the wedding date.

This past weekend was the bridal shower. The French toast was made by yours truly. I made enough for 30 people. That must be what it is like to cook for the Duggars. I used this recipe and tripled the ingredients. It was very simple and easy.

We all guessed how many Hershey kisses were in the jar. I asked my daughter for her guess. She said 3. Now I don’t want to be a negative mother who crushes her spirit but I told her that there was no way that that was correct. My daughter refused to change her answer. So I said fine, I am going write 103 for your answer.

There was 104 kisses in that jar.

There were cards for all us to fill out where we give the bride advice and cards where we give the couple a date night idea. I asked my daughter what she wanted to say and I wrote it down.

In case you are wondering:

Advice to the Bride: Buy a Barbie House.

Date Night idea: Come to my house.

We took our tribe photos.

The Ring Bearer and Flower Girl may have stolen the show.

I don’t have any pictures but these two decided to help the bride open her presents.

The bride’s half of the wedding party. And the maid of honor’s brand new little baby.

The Bride works as an EMT (and a pharmacist) and the Groom is a paramedic. The shower was at the headquarters where they had met. After the party broke up, the bride took the Ring Bearer and Flower Girl to see the ambulances.

We got to see an ambulance go out on a real call and save some lives.