Memorial Day 2013

This Memorial Day finds me a bit more contemplative that usual. I think it might have something to do with the fact that my oldest son is currently deployed to Afghanistan. While Memorial Day is not for our current Veterans, but rather for those who have fallen, his being over there brings it all closer to home for me. Earlier this week he posted an announcement regarding five young soldiers from Fort Bliss who were killed, not too far from where Trey is stationed. My heart hurts for those soldiers' families, but when I think about how it could have just as easily been Trey, it scares me to death. Fortunately and thankfully, Trey's tour is just about over, but he will be over there for a few more weeks. Please join me in praying for his safety as well as for the safety of all of our American soldiers. Not all of them will come home.

I talked to Trey today. He's been in Afghanistan for a little over two months now. That doesn't sound like that long, but it seems like at least a half a year. I live in this great state called Denial. In my mind, when I picture him over there, he's always safe, smiling, it's always sunny, and he's never afraid. Generally, he's handing pieces of candy to small children. A sweet picture. Denial is like that. It exudes a shimmering shadow of peace, and I've settled in and made myself quite at home - but sometimes I venture out-of-state. I asked him today if he's seen any gunfire over there, and I caught him off guard by asking such a blunt, direct question, and he stammered, and I knew that, yes, he had...though he said, "Not directly." Whatever...indirectly...what the hell does that mean? If it had been directly, he'd be dead. And then I realize...he's not playing war, he's in a war-zone...my son...my baby boy, at war...oh well...I'm going home now...to the Great State of Denial.

A Year in Review

By looking at the date of my last post, anyone can tell how long it has been since I've updated my blog.  Yes, it's been a busy year, but I still wish I had done more personal writing.  I say personal writing because I sure did enough academic writing.

This June, I started working where I left off in 2005 on my doctoral degree.  I've really had to adjust to being back in school while teaching.  I've missed out on many things I would have liked to have done, but in the end it will be worth it, and I'm not going to allow myself to miss out on the really important stuff, the stuff that will really make a difference.

The other "really big" thing that happened in June was the tree falling on Collin.  I was at the kitchen table working on an essay, in fact, when I heard what I thought was a clubhouse the boys built fall.  I ran outside and heard someone screaming from the woods behind the house.  I started running down the trail when Collin's friend, Zander, ran to meet me telling me that a tree had fallen on Collin.  When I got to where he was, I found him trapped under an oak tree with his leggs folded underneath his body.  He was screaming, and although it scared me to death, it was a welcome sound because he was able to make it.

I had not taken my cell phone with me, so after trying to calm him a bit, making sure he wasn't bleeding anywhere, and, of course, trying to move the tree, I had to come back to the house to call for an ambulance while I sent Zander next door to get Collin's granddad to help.  I got help on the way, while Charles, Collin's granddad, got a car jack and got the tree off of him.

Soon the ambulance, a couple of fire trucks, and a police officer or two arrived at the house and began their work.  All were amazed that all of his injuries appeared to be minimal.  There weren't even that many scratches where the tree directly hit him.  Someone mentioned that angels had been watching over him.  I said, "No, I think God handled this one himself."

Things began to look a little different, though, when we got to the hospital and began the x-rays.  After a fair length of time, the on-call ER physician came in to tell us that Collin's hip was fractured in three different places and that the surgery he needed could not be done in Texarkana.  I couldn't understand; Collin seemed to be okay.  He was in good humor, in a little pain, but nothing unbearable.  I asked the doctor how it could be that he wasn't hurting any more than he was.  He told me:  "I can't explain it; I don't know how he's not screaming right now."  So, Collin was still in braces from head to foot from the ambulance that could now not be removed because he could not be allowed to move.  Plans went into immediate action to fly us to Little Rock Children's Hospital.  In critical cases (and at this point, we were considered to be a critical case) LRCH sends their own helicopter, the Air Angel, with a team of nurses and a resident physician on board, so it took a while. 

Only one parent could ride, so Chuck took the helicopter ride while I drove.  On the way, I made phone calls and prayed, assuming that Collin would be in surgery when I arrived at Children's Hospital.

I had called Taylor on the way and he told me that he would be at the hospital when I got there.  So, I called his phone when I arrived and he met me in the parking lot and took me to Collin's room.  When I walked in, he was sitting up in bed, sipping a sprite, and watching a movie...with a smile on his face!  Further x-rays, which had been read by a team of pediatric surgeons,  revealed that Collin's hip was indeed broken, but only in one place.  Furthermore, it was a clean break and required no surgery!  It would heal on its own.  The other places that the ER physican had mistaken for "breaks" were growth plates.  They kept Collin overnight for observation and sent us home late the next day.  However, by this point, any time he moved he was in pain.  Simply moving was a struggle.  But we have so much to be thankful for...we have our heathy son.  As for the offending tree...well, even though it was dead, it made some great firewood.

Needless to say, that wins the prize for "Event of the Year," but we've got a couple of other honorable mentions.  Trey graduated from UCA in December 2009 and immediately joined the army.  In fact, when we went to his graduation from Basic Training in July, Collin was still on crutches and in a wheelchair for lengthier distances.  As I type now, he is in Fort Bliss where he has just returned after driving for 13 hours to visit us for Christmas.

This was Taylor's first year out of the house.  He assumed rent in the house where Trey lived before he left for Basic Training.  After Trey left, Taylor had the opportunity to roommate with old friends from Camp Pioneer staff days.

Christian graduated from high school in May.  For the past year, it has been taken for granted that he would be attending Texarkana College because his grades weren't good enough to qualify him for scholarships.  We were hoping he could go here for a couple of years and earn a transfer scholarship.  However, a few weeks before school was out he woke up one morning and said, "I want to go away to school."  In addition, he dreamed of playing college soccer.  And somehow, the kid made it happen.  He's attending Central Baptist in Conway where he plays on the soccer team.

I'm so proud of all of my boys for many different reasons, but mostly for just being who they are.

Geocaching with Collin

Collin and I have been geocaching for about a year now.  Each trip is a unique adventure, and we never know what we will find.  This summer, we found a trackable geocoin on the Nix Creek Trail and took it to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, AR, helping it along its way across the United States.  It ultimately ended up in California.  Not all trips go smoothly though.  Last February, Collin was determined to find a cache that was placed in rugged terrain alongside Nix Creek.  The picture below shows his older brother Christian fishing him out of the creek.

Hush little babies, don't you cry
Merry-go-rounds and kites that fly
Little Boy Blue, blow your horn
God Bless the days that they were born

Mary had a little lamb
Or so the story goes
Three small children stuck at home
Stomping on my toes

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall
No time for me to sit
Wash the dishes, scrub the floor
Sometimes I just want to quit

Three blind mice and all that jazz
What's a mom to do
Dress them up, load the car
And take them to the zoo

One two, buckle their shoes
As they head off to school
The house is much too quiet now
As they learn the golden rules

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
My how those boys eat
Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails
Frogs in their pockets and dirty feet

Hickory Dickory Dock
Can't we stop the clock
Slow time down, turn around
"Won't you hop in my lap and rock?"

Sing a song of sixpence
Enjoy them while you can
Before too long, you'll turn around
And they will be young men

Jack and Jill went up the hill
First loves and broken hearts
I dry my eyes and realize
That this is just the start

Hush now Mommy, don't you cry
Even though the time did fly
Leave them alone, they'll come home
By...and by...and by...

Our Campout

No greater love was ever born

Than on that starlit night

I took my small son’s hand in mine

As we stared into the sky…

After a full day spent in laughter and play

With adventure and learning as our quest

I tucked him in

Surrounded by friends

Each who had done his very best…

To surround each other cheerfully

As they helped and encouraged one another

In service, in duty, in exploring, and in fun

Sharing with those they call “brothers.”

Peabody Ducks

A Day in Little Rock with 8 year olds - Riverfront Park

At the Old State House

Little Rock, continued

Ice Skating! Yes, Gary Carter, the horizontal picture of Tonja is left out on purpose. I do thank you for the reminder, though, that ice skating is probably "not my thang."

A Day in Little Rock with 8 year olds

Fun at the Little Rock Zoo!

Geocaching with Collin

Two of My Guys - January Scout Campout

I hear that was some cold water!

UCA

We always enjoy our "UCA Weekends" and try to make as many of the home games as possible.

Ireland

Trey had an awesome opportunity to go to Ireland this summer (2008). He got six hours of college credit while having the time of his life.

New Mexico Ski Trip

This was a very fun trip. Trey, Collin, and I, with Liz, stayed in Santa Fe while Chuck, Christian, and Taylor, with the Boy Scouts, went to Philmont Scout Ranch to do a winter trek. They met us in Santa Fe for New Year's Eve. We had never seen so much snow. Trey learned to snowboard and Collin took skiing lessons. We took one day to go museuming. My favorite was the National Folklore Museum.