Best Friends and Laundry

This is Andy and Dale. They were born within a month of each other in 1990. They met in 1st grade. They have been best friends ever since. These boys are now 16, live 3 doors down, both about to get their driver's license, and they think WAY too much alike. This is the story of Dale's laundry and their friendship. It all began with the problem of the modern invention of the dryer vs. the hot summer sun. The first strange occurrence was when I went into the garage, and noticed the dryer running, and a strange laundry basket sitting near the dryer. Hmmm, I thought, how could this be? Andy barely knows how to use the dryer (my fault). Matt our youth pastor had come over for dinner before the high school Bible Study. As he and Andy were getting ready to leave, Andy recieves a random thought: "I have to bring Dale his laundry!" and he runs to the garage. He returns with the unfamiliar laundry basket and all of Dale's favorite shirts, his shorts and all his underwear. Andy reveals the mystery. "Dale's dad told him not to use the dryer,and to hang up his shirts, but he just brought them over HERE to dry" Oh. I thought. Matt is laughing hysterically, I can't believe what they have done, I thought laundry meant the wet shirts and bathing suits, but no,their wet shirts and bathing suits were were still laying ON the bathroom floor. So, I did whatever any self respecting mother of a teen would do. I yelled and laughed so hard at the same time I could not really be understood. I start to take all of Dales underwear and hang it over the basket, because Andy has informed me that he needs to return it to Dale so he wear his favorite shirt to youth group. "MOM, this is not your business!" he so loyally declares. "Did you ask me if you could dry his clothes?" "No, I thought it would be fine" he replies calmly. And so Andy dutifully heads down the street to deliver the basket to his best friend, dropping a pair of underwear in the street without noticing on the way. Then John and I watch from a hidden location as Dale's mom watches Andy bring her laundry basket down the street. As Andy explains, the look on her face turns from confusion to disbelief to horrified in about 10 seconds. Dad is looking out the window, and we wouldn't be able to accurately explain his reaction, but we were guessing. As we are uncontrollably laughing, trying to think about how we would react if the shoe was on the proverbally other foot, We realized that we would be SO embarrassed. Matt took Dale's underwear to youth group and shared the entire sordid story with all the high schoolers, and we enjoyed a good laugh with Dale's mom after we talked her out of her embarrassment. Dale came by with a zucchini plant with extremely remorseful eyes. We all realized that we are blessed. If that is the worst thing they ever do in collusion this is good. Even if it was just laundry, I am impressed with the incredible friendship and loyalty which has endured between these two for so many years, and I know many years to come. I called Dale's father this morning, told him this was the neighborhood laundry service, checking to see if he needed to have any clothes dried. His reply was "Oh....Lordy." I am still laughing. I will use this story someday...most likely at Dale's wedding. :)

Legacy

Yesterday, John officiated at the 50th anniversary of Willie and Maggie Bostick. Willie and Maggie became members of our church when the Air Force base shut down, probably 15 years ago now. We loved them the minute they stepped into the door, something about the twinkle in their eyes for each other and the people of the church. I can't even remember how many years ago they left to retire in Florida, to live in the neighborhood that Willie was born in. It had become a much different place, but anywhere they go Willie and Maggie seem to make a difference. John received a call about 2 months ago asking if he would officiate at their re-committment, Willie said it was NOT renewal, because their love DID NOT need to be renewed. :) Willie and Maggie have 4 children, 7 grandchildren, and a whole lot of other people they have opened their lives to that they consider family. Today I just loved to sit and embrace the love that filled that room, and think about how one marriage could affect so many lives. No one tried to pretend that their lives were perfect, but the family was built on faith, love and honesty.That seemed to be enough for every child and grandchild, each with a strong faith in God,each with a story to tell. My favorite moment was when everyone had just finished dancing, and Willie pulled every one of his children into his and Maggie's arms, and they just stood on the dance floor, holding each other as Willie spoke. I wish I could have heard what he said. Whatever it was, it was a momet they will never forget. May our family carry on a legacy of love and laughter as this one has. So many events we go to I feel like bolting out the door after we stay 5 minutes. I could have stayed at the 50th wedding anniversary of Willie and Maggie Bostick for a long, long time. Love was in the house. Blessings to you both, I gained wisdom from you both in the time we have spent together. I thank you for a little slice of the boundless, precious, imperfect but eternal love you have shown to us through your commitment to marriage and life together.

"Love is in the house and the house is packed, so much so I left the back door cracked, Mama always said it's a matter of fact that when love is in the house the house is packed.....Love is in the house and the house is packed, so much so I left the back door cracked Daddy always said that I wish I was black cuz when love is in the house the house is packed..." Toby Mac

Last Day of School

Today is Daniel's last day at Elmer Wood Elementary School. Daniel AND Andy started Kindergarten there. Elmer Wood has been a part of our lives for 11 years. Many great memories, some painful , but we have been blessed to have our kids grow up in such a caring environment. As I waved good bye to Daniel this morning, I felt that a new part of life was about to begin. More Change. Another Teenager in the house! I cried a few tears and felt a twinge of bittersweet as Daniel leaves after a great year with Mr. Sanchez. He had wanted Mr. Sanchez since he was in second grade. He is a great teacher and an awesome man for Daniel to learn from. At first he looks a little scary, but on the inside he has a beautiful heart. I know that Daniel understood that about him from the start. He will even be Daniel's football coach (yikes) this year, so the relationship will not end today. I doubt that it will ever end. He is the kind of guy that will probably be at Daniel's wedding someday. :) Also notice the Rams vs 49'er rivalry that they share in the picture. I told Daniel to wear his Jerry Rice shirt for Mr. Sanchez today, and Daniel being Daniel, went straight to his Marshall Faulk jersey. I decided that was the better choice for him today. Obviously Mr. Sanchez enjoyed it too. Do I want this time to end? No. Do I want him to move on? I sure do. God is good. I am grateful.
"The Mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains.

The superior teacher demonstrates.
The Great Teacher inspires.

William A. Ward.

My Kids

Andy with Katy at the Prom 2007

Daniel waiting to steal home.

These are the best of times, watching them at every age grow and experience life as I have prayed they would.
The best part is being there to see it.

The Drugstore Project

This is my precious Daniel. Turns 13 in July. Plays baseball, basketball, football, you name it, he will want to see if he can succeed at it.The one thing I pray that he never tries are drugs. This week Daniel participated in a new program for 6th graders called "The Drugstore Project." He was chosen by his teacher to be the kid who chooses drugs, and is caught stealing them in front of his classmates. There were 9 stations set up at a middle school, each one showing the consequences of using ANY drug, and how it affects your body, your friends and family. John and I participated as his parents. I knew what what would happen at each station: arrest, juvenile hall, juvenile court, probation..a party, the emergency room, and his funeral. What I didn't realize, is how real it would become. Daniel is awesome, spunky, happy, makes good choices, keeps his grades good, but each step along the way helped me to realize that no child is immune to the pressures of their peers, to the possibility that our children could make one wrong choice ONE time. While we knew all the time that this was not real, that Daniel was acting, and the kids that give him a drug to try at the party were kids we knew that didn't use drugs, it somehow became real as the program progressed. As he passed out at the party, as paramedics arrived and put a breathing tube in Daniel's mouth and put him on a stretcher, as we progressed to the emergency room, I began to feel a panic.. a what if feeling any mother or father would feel as we watched the doctor and the nurses try to revive my son. I was not watching ER, I was seeing life leave Daniel as they used a "fake" defib on him, twice. Then announced the time of death. As we sat in the "waiting room", the doctor kindly came in and calmly informed us that our son had "died." Not real, I told myself, he is alive in the next room, I will be fine. Not fine. As we walked over to the boy with the sheet pulled over his head, I forgot I was on a Middle School Campus, in front of Daniel's class, in a tent that was not really a hospital. When they pulled the sheet back, and I saw Daniel lifeless. Tears, panic. "NO!" was all that my brain would scream. Tears, real tears, grief and terror as I held his face and stroked his hair. "Daniel, please, please, come back, no, no,no. Please Daniel, don't leave, NO!" I held his face and cried in my own world until someone touched me and told me that the class had left and moved on to the final station, the funeral home. I stepped back and came back to the real world, and I realized that it felt way too real for me. Daniel pulled back the sheet and said "Good job mom!" Good job?? what did he mean ..."Good job"? Daniel, my precious Daniel, mama was not acting. Do you know, could you even understand what your life means to me? We shared painful memories, and shattered hopes at the funeral, and then, we stepped away and held our son again. I did not want to let him go. For 3 days I just wanted to hold him. I thought about the parents that have to live that nightmare, with no homecoming. I pray for the 900 6th graders that experienced this program and watched a classmate choose to end their life that day with no intention of doing so. I pray that it touched each one in such a way that they will NEVER give in, never even take a step into the world of drugs. Last Tuesday was a day that I will never forget. I will never stop praying that the hearts of my children will be so full of love from God, family, and good friends that they will never fill it with something else that will always leave them empty, but fill it with Christ."Do not be overcome by evil my dear Daniel, but overcome evil with good."

No day but today!

Ok, I am taking the leap into the world of blogs, will add pictures as I go along. I have a husband of almost 24 years, and two awesome 16 and 12 year old sons, Andy and Daniel. Andy's world is movies, driving, proms and oh yeah..school. Daniel's life is full throttle over anything he loves, baseball, science, history, and just living. John my husband is a local pastor, and a keeper as far as husbands go. Many of my friends say this is a great way to keep in touch with people and I love to write, so I thought I would give it a go. Thanks Becky for the encouragement. Need to get a garden started, so I am off! Laurie