Don't Worry Be Happy

Jack Dean Harris - 21 Months
Sitting on the bench at Grandpa Goose's spot in
Mount Washington, KY.

Hi Sweet Baby Girl,

When Mommy was a little girl some of my favorite memories were spending time with my grandma and grandpa at the lake.  Grandpa Goose was what we all called him. Just like your Papaw loved you, Grandpa Goose loved all of his grand-babies.  When we were little, Grandma Judy and Grandpa Goose would take your Aunt Keshia and me camping. Mommy remembers catching frogs and lizards and seeing Native American "artifacts" on some of our trips.  One trip even inspired Mommy to work on a special talent - touching my tongue to my nose.  Grandpa Goose said that if I could master the art, he would get me a pet lizard.  Mommy worked from Summer to Christmas and sure enough, grandpa was true to his word.  Even though it was just plastic, Mommy loved that lizard.




As we grew older, summer weekends were spent playing on Lake Cumberland. Grandma and Grandpa had a houseboat that was big enough for all of us.  Mommy remembers Grandma Judy making her beef stew with biscuits and us kids spending our time running up and down the steps from the upper deck to the lower chasing one another.  Mommy can still picture Grandpa Goose standing behind the giant wheel of the boat with his arm resting on the frame of the open side door so he could catch the breeze. Playing over the loud speaker, Mommy can still hear it Don't worry, be happy now....

Grandpa Goose ~ Harold Tatum Sr. & Bobby Jack. As a
kid I used to always think Grandpa looked so much like
Santa with his white beard and his round
belly. 

It was on that beloved houseboat where so many memories were made.  It was also the place we lost our Grandpa Goose to a heart attack.  Overworked from carrying large gas cans of fuel for the Seadoos all of us were to ride that Memorial Day weekend.  Mommy remembers hearing the phone ring that night we got the sad news.




Grandpa Goose was the second person Mommy can remember losing when I was a kid.  Just a few years before him was Bobby Jack.

Mommy's Cousin Bobby Jack Harris
We have a small charm of this picture
we hang next to yours on our Christmas
tree each year.

Bobby Jack was Mommy's cousin.  He was the only grandson at the time and Grandpa sure loved him.  Sadly, he was born with a serious heart defect.    In his short six years on earth, he went through numerous surgeries to repair the wall to separate the chambers of his heart.  In June of 1989, Bobby Jack passed away.





Grandpa Goose loved Bobby Jack so much that when he passed, he was buried right across from Bobby Jack.  His marker is even shaped like a bench so that there would be a spot for loved ones and friends to spend time with them.  A few weeks ago Mommy got the opportunity to share their spots with your little sister and baby brother.  Mommy loved sharing some of these memories with them.





Because of your life and our loss, Mommy has a deeper appreciation of family and loved ones. Because of Grandpa Goose, Mommy often reminds myself Don't worry, be happy.  And because of our faith in Christ, we hope to see all of you again in Heaven one day.




Love you, miss you, think of you and all the others we have lost too soon my sweet Kaden Layne.

In every life we have some trouble

But when you worry, you make it double

Don't worry, be happy

Don't worry, be happy now

Jack Dean named in part after Mommy's
cousin Bobby Jack