Yesterday it was a fight to get Morgan out of bed but somehow she managed in her weak and dying state to get up and move to the sofa where she collapsed from apparent weakness from her short walk to the sofa. Fear started to rip through my body wondering if my poor daughter was ever going to get better. I had spent most of my week searching the internet looking for what was causing Morgan to be so sick but alas none of her symptoms matched up to a definite illness. My mind started to wondering if I should start making Morgan’s final plans and how would she have wanted her funeral to be, after all she couldn’t tell me she was way too weak to let me know how she wanted. I wiped a tear from my eye as I was trying to hold back the flood of tears in thought of losing my sweet dear Morgan because without her life would be less colorful and have no meaning. What was I going to do?
I tell you what I did; I told her that she was going to school! Morgan of course didn’t answer me at first because, well you know, she had to play “I am more than dead and too weak to answer you right now” game. Somehow she did manage to ask her brother in a low voice so I wouldn’t hear her if he was going to stay home and that it wasn’t fair I was trying to make her go to school because she was really sick. Again Morgan fails to realize that I wasn’t trying to make her go to school, I was TELLING her she had to go to school. Knowing Morgan I had to brace myself for the drama that was going to happen with her, for being that it was Friday she was going to fight me on it until the very end. I was ready, my gloves were on and I was ready for battle. There was no way she was going to stay home.
It was close to 7:00 in the morning and Morgan had to be at the bus stop by 7:30 and she hadn’t even got into the shower yet to get ready. I went in to drill sergeant mode and order her butt in the shower NOW! (Here is where the real drama begins) Morgan must have mustered up some energy because she screamed at the top of her lungs to me, “WHY DO I HAVE TO?” I told her because no one wants a stinky kid sitting next to him or her in school and she better get her butt up now because she was going. Morgan got up and on her way to the shower (I must say storming to the shower and sounding like an enraged elephant stampeding through the bush), she had to let me know of her displeasure that I was making her go to school with words like, “geez, oh my god, and this isn’t fair.”
I am at this point very amazed at the fact that someone so sick could cause such a commotion. Morgan was crying, slamming doors, and throwing things about to let me know of her anger. While she was in the shower I called my husband, Jeff to tell him of the latest drama with Morgan and he said to go ahead and let her stay home but if she did then she would have to stay in her room for a month without her stereo because he was going to take it out or she could go to school, it was her choice. After Morgan’s 15 minute shower, I told her what Jeff had said (next round of drama coming up), where she screamed at me that she never asked to stay home and that she was going to school. She didn’t want to stay home? Then why was I dealing with all of this drama if she didn’t want to stay home? Oh that’s right, dumb me, we are talking Morgan here and a lot of the times there is no rhyme or reason for the things she does or says.
Morgan managed to get ready for the bus on time but not without storming through the house and screaming at anyone or thing that got in her way. She reminded me of the nickname my dad had given her when she was a baby, hurricane Hattie, because she could tear through a house and cause major destruction with getting everything out in her path. I also saw her act like a version of Glenn Close from Fatal Attraction, it was very scary but I was not giving into her wanting to stay home.
Upon Morgan’s arrival home from school it seemed like that whatever illness that had grabbed a hold of her during the week was gone and she acted like everything that happened in the morning never happened! Oh my god she was cured! Praise the lord Morgan was going to have a great weekend and not miss it from being sick! How could a mother be so lucky? Whatever, anyone knowing Morgan knew she would miraculously recover, there was no way that child was going to be sick on a weekend unless she really was sick. So now I am happy to report that Morgan is once again a picture of health and whatever mystery disease she had through this past week is gone. One thing is for sure; I bet the mystery illness may leer its ugly head on Monday yet once again to deprive Morgan of some valued education. If I had to give this illness a name I would call it Noschoolitis.
Showing posts with label daughters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label daughters. Show all posts
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
MORGAN'S DRAMA (ACT III)
I didn’t think there would be a need for act III but good ole Morgan didn’t see it that way, I guess. As I said yesterday she did go to school kicking and screaming as only Morgan could. After she left yesterday I had to calm down from all the theatrics she performed in her final attempts to make me change my mind and let her stay home (Let me tell you after she left alcohol and starting a drug habit was starting to look pretty tempting to me). No sooner did I start feeling the calming affects of peace and quite the phone rang shattering all that I did to get my blood pressure down from heart attack state. As you may guess, it was Morgan calling me to let me know she was in the nurse’s office.
In my mind at time she called I could only assume that she was missing limbs and she was bleeding profusely because I had told her that would be the only reason for me to come and get her. Of course you know what happens when you assume, right? Morgan and not the nurse was on the phone to tell me that she was really, really sick and I needed to come and get her because she didn’t think she could make it through the day. You have to understand that the nurse and Morgan are on first name basis and the nurse knows all of Morgan’s tricks only because I had clued her in. Thank god for me the nurse has five kids of her own and knows all too well about kids trying to get out of school so she was on the same page as me, so instead of her calling me, she put Morgan on the phone to plead her case with me. I guess the nurse didn’t want to hear me go off about Morgan and her feeble attempts to get out of jail free issues, lord knows I wouldn’t.
Morgan with her Oscar winning performance of death was very quite after she told me of her impending death if she had to stay in school was waiting for me to say, “Oh my poor dying child, let me drop everything and I will come and get you!” I can only hope she wasn’t holding her breath waiting for me to say that because no doubt she wouldn’t be here today if she was waiting. In my very sarcastic tone I told her that I wasn’t shocked at all with her calling and in fact I knew she was going to call (I am just ticked off I didn’t place a bet because if I did we would have been out of debt and I could retire and never have to work again!). Morgan you would think would have just given up knowing that I was on to her game but being the actress that she is kept right in her sickly, dying character with her weak, trembling voice wanted to know what she should do? (Drum roll please), I told her to go back to class, in my ever so motherly “I love you my dying princess” tone.
If yesterday you heard a loud crashing sound as if the world was coming to an end, don’t worry because it is not. The sound you heard was Morgan’s world crashing all around her. Her only response to me was, “Ok”, in a very dejected tone. I am sure once Morgan got off the phone with me she had to turn to the grim reaper and tell him that the jig was up and she had to go back to class. Later in the day I told my husband of Morgan’s latest attempt of trying to get out of school and by no means was he shocked at all. We both knew how this week with Morgan was going to play out because with her, she is like a cheap novel that has an end with no big surprise to it. We then both decided that Morgan was to be told that if she pulled the dying routine again with us then she was going to be put on restriction.
Yesterday Morgan did make it through the day; in fact she even stayed after school for her math tutoring (how my poor dying child did that is beyond me?). I picked her up at 4:30 yesterday and had decided that was the best time to drop the bomb so to speak about restriction if she pulled the “I’m so sick and dying” routine on us again. After telling her what will happen to her, she went right in to another Oscar winning performance of the classic victim character. Damn she was good I must say, anyone looking into my car would have thought I had a child that was suffering from some sort of epileptic seizures. Her hands were flying about in frenzy as if she was trying to land a 747 plane and spewing, “Oh my god mom” as if she I had just told her the world is ending tomorrow (most likely for Morgan the world was ending). I heard, that I wasn’t fair, I’m really sick, and oh yes, I am dying! I heard it all and then some more, Morgan was not going to go down without a fight but then again I didn’t expect her to. In the end though, I do believe she got the message loud and clear.
Today being Friday, I have a funny feeling that Morgan will do her best to try once again to stay home and play sick. Why you may ask? Well let me tell you! Last night after she had calm down and I am sure was thinking that I had forgot all about that stupid restriction thing, she started coughing and I mean the dying cough (Again one must remember Morgan can do a great dying cough on command, so all you producers that need a kid with a dying cough give me a call!). I have just woken her up and I am anxiously waiting for her next stellar performance of “death becomes me” to begin. The only reason she started the whole coughing fit last night was because in the car on the way home yesterday she had said that it wasn’t fair that I let her brother stay home because he was coughing. What Morgan fails to realize yet once again is that her brother couldn’t utter a word without going into a coughing fit and that he was REALLY sick unlike her. So for Morgan, she figured if she started coughing like pneumonia was setting into her poor sickly body that there was a glimmer of hope that I would buy into her whole sick routine and let her stay home today (again, hope she is not holding her breath!).
Not sure if there will be an act IV tomorrow but with Morgan I bet there will be. Doubt me? Her brother just came to me and told me that Morgan had just ask him if he felt like there was a lump in his throat when it was hurting because that is how she feels now. Oh my goodness does this mean that the grim reaper is not done with my poor dying child? Does this mean I will have her call me again from the school nurse’s office, and does this also mean I should call the hospital and have ICU on stand by just in case the cold hands of death grab my poor daughter’s body yet once again? If I do I will sure let you know about it because as it stands right now Morgan is going to give it her all.
To be continued (I am sure of it).
In my mind at time she called I could only assume that she was missing limbs and she was bleeding profusely because I had told her that would be the only reason for me to come and get her. Of course you know what happens when you assume, right? Morgan and not the nurse was on the phone to tell me that she was really, really sick and I needed to come and get her because she didn’t think she could make it through the day. You have to understand that the nurse and Morgan are on first name basis and the nurse knows all of Morgan’s tricks only because I had clued her in. Thank god for me the nurse has five kids of her own and knows all too well about kids trying to get out of school so she was on the same page as me, so instead of her calling me, she put Morgan on the phone to plead her case with me. I guess the nurse didn’t want to hear me go off about Morgan and her feeble attempts to get out of jail free issues, lord knows I wouldn’t.
Morgan with her Oscar winning performance of death was very quite after she told me of her impending death if she had to stay in school was waiting for me to say, “Oh my poor dying child, let me drop everything and I will come and get you!” I can only hope she wasn’t holding her breath waiting for me to say that because no doubt she wouldn’t be here today if she was waiting. In my very sarcastic tone I told her that I wasn’t shocked at all with her calling and in fact I knew she was going to call (I am just ticked off I didn’t place a bet because if I did we would have been out of debt and I could retire and never have to work again!). Morgan you would think would have just given up knowing that I was on to her game but being the actress that she is kept right in her sickly, dying character with her weak, trembling voice wanted to know what she should do? (Drum roll please), I told her to go back to class, in my ever so motherly “I love you my dying princess” tone.
If yesterday you heard a loud crashing sound as if the world was coming to an end, don’t worry because it is not. The sound you heard was Morgan’s world crashing all around her. Her only response to me was, “Ok”, in a very dejected tone. I am sure once Morgan got off the phone with me she had to turn to the grim reaper and tell him that the jig was up and she had to go back to class. Later in the day I told my husband of Morgan’s latest attempt of trying to get out of school and by no means was he shocked at all. We both knew how this week with Morgan was going to play out because with her, she is like a cheap novel that has an end with no big surprise to it. We then both decided that Morgan was to be told that if she pulled the dying routine again with us then she was going to be put on restriction.
Yesterday Morgan did make it through the day; in fact she even stayed after school for her math tutoring (how my poor dying child did that is beyond me?). I picked her up at 4:30 yesterday and had decided that was the best time to drop the bomb so to speak about restriction if she pulled the “I’m so sick and dying” routine on us again. After telling her what will happen to her, she went right in to another Oscar winning performance of the classic victim character. Damn she was good I must say, anyone looking into my car would have thought I had a child that was suffering from some sort of epileptic seizures. Her hands were flying about in frenzy as if she was trying to land a 747 plane and spewing, “Oh my god mom” as if she I had just told her the world is ending tomorrow (most likely for Morgan the world was ending). I heard, that I wasn’t fair, I’m really sick, and oh yes, I am dying! I heard it all and then some more, Morgan was not going to go down without a fight but then again I didn’t expect her to. In the end though, I do believe she got the message loud and clear.
Today being Friday, I have a funny feeling that Morgan will do her best to try once again to stay home and play sick. Why you may ask? Well let me tell you! Last night after she had calm down and I am sure was thinking that I had forgot all about that stupid restriction thing, she started coughing and I mean the dying cough (Again one must remember Morgan can do a great dying cough on command, so all you producers that need a kid with a dying cough give me a call!). I have just woken her up and I am anxiously waiting for her next stellar performance of “death becomes me” to begin. The only reason she started the whole coughing fit last night was because in the car on the way home yesterday she had said that it wasn’t fair that I let her brother stay home because he was coughing. What Morgan fails to realize yet once again is that her brother couldn’t utter a word without going into a coughing fit and that he was REALLY sick unlike her. So for Morgan, she figured if she started coughing like pneumonia was setting into her poor sickly body that there was a glimmer of hope that I would buy into her whole sick routine and let her stay home today (again, hope she is not holding her breath!).
Not sure if there will be an act IV tomorrow but with Morgan I bet there will be. Doubt me? Her brother just came to me and told me that Morgan had just ask him if he felt like there was a lump in his throat when it was hurting because that is how she feels now. Oh my goodness does this mean that the grim reaper is not done with my poor dying child? Does this mean I will have her call me again from the school nurse’s office, and does this also mean I should call the hospital and have ICU on stand by just in case the cold hands of death grab my poor daughter’s body yet once again? If I do I will sure let you know about it because as it stands right now Morgan is going to give it her all.
To be continued (I am sure of it).
Thursday, October 11, 2007
MORGAN'S DRAMA (ACT II)
Praise the lord my Morgan made it through yesterday. I was close to the time with her coming around from near death, instead of 11:00 she started to come back to life around 10:00. It was the phone call I received from Ma Fidd checking to see if Morgan was still with us or not that brought Morgan around. Once she overheard the word flu in our conversation she snapped back to life. It seems Morgan thought that is what she had was the flu since she heard on the news that October was flu month but what she failed to realize is that October is when you should get the flu shot not get sick with the flu. Here my little drama queen thought that everyone got sick with the flu this month. Once I explained it to her she made a speedy recovery, thank God!
In fact not only did she make a speedy recovery but also once I told her I had to go to the store she became the poster child for 100% healthy! Amazing how shopping can bring her back from near death, to say I am shock is to put it mildly. I believe I will have to call AMA and let them know of this new cure. Yesterday she was near death, couldn’t eat, and I believe she was seeing the bright light as well, to feeling wonderful, very hungry, and full of energy by noon time. How could a mother be so blessed? I did take her shopping with me because I knew full well if I left her at home then she would have had a field day on the computer and doing whatever else she pleased. When we got back from the store she had lunch and didn’t even leave a crumb, to me this was astounding since just a mere few hours before she couldn’t keep anything down.
Now that is was the afternoon I knew it wouldn’t be long for Morgan to ask if she could go onto the computer, that itch to get on myspace was about killing her at this time. She knew I had banned her from the computer since she was so sick but that didn’t stop her. Morgan then decided to get back on my good side that she better do some chores, so little miss sickly vacuum the living room and gave our dog, Baz a bath as well as walk him for me. Oh yes Cinderella was trying so hard to prove to me that she was such a good girl and she deserved to get onto the computer. Well it didn’t work and talk about the fit she threw and how unfair I was because she did all those chores for me. Funny how the little manipulator didn’t realize I was mad at her for playing sick just to miss school and this was also after I told her I was mad at her for that.
Now lets fast-forward to last night. Morgan knew that she had to go to school the next day because I told her unless she was bleeding profusely and had limbs falling off of her she was going to school. Do you think she would give up, not my Morgan, oh no! Right before bedtime she started with the prelude for today, she was getting all stuff up and couldn’t breathe. I told her to take cold medicine and go to bed. This morning I am at the computer and she woke up around 3:15 this morning with a headache and she also told me that she didn’t feel good at all because she didn’t get one bit of sleep last night (funny, when I passed by her room this morning she was snoring so loud she could have woke the dead). I then again told her to take some more cold medicine and go back to bed because she was going to school regardless how much sleep she got last night.
For drama purposes Morgan did take the cold medicine but instead of going to bed she went to lay down on the sofa so I could again bear witness to how sick she was. Ten minutes had passed then she got up and went to the bathroom and was in there for about five minutes. Once out of the bathroom (I must say this was all so shocking to me), she came to me to let me know that she had thrown up. Oh no I thought to myself, my daughter is falling back into the grasp of the grim reaper! I may loose my precious dear Morgan to some ghastly-unknown disease yet again (Whatever)! I came to my senses and told her she better purge it all out because she was going to school! After all she wasn’t bleeding profusely and all of her limbs were attached so she didn’t meet my criteria for staying home. Upon that being said Morgan seem to come back to life because she knew she wasn’t going to win this battle.
Morgan’s brother on the other hand is a different story, when he says he is sick, he is sick. He will go to school no matter how he feels because he doesn’t want to get behind in his classes. He did go to school yesterday but came home feeling and looking awful. His strep throat has cleared up but now a bad cold has set in and he couldn’t stop coughing. I had decided last night to let him stay home today and get as much sleep as he can so he can start feeling better. Once Morgan realized that her brother was staying home today she tried one more time pleading to me that it wasn’t fair that I was letting him stay home and making her go to school. I will give Morgan credit she will not give up. She will beat a dead horse into the ground until you can’t tell what kind of animal it was when she is all done. This morning all the way up until it was time for her to go to the bus stop she was beating that dead horse to a pulp.
Morgan is now at school but I bet you any amount of money I will be getting a call sometime today from the school nurse letting me know that Morgan has thrown up or Morgan will come up with some new disease and needs to come home. I am sure of this and I am sure at this very moment the wheels in Morgan’s brain are working overtime to figure out how she can finagle the school nurse or me to obtain her goal in coming home. Today being Thursday I know Morgan would love to make a long weekend out of this and she is going to give it her all to do this. But with me being the mean mommy that I am, Morgan is going to stay in school and if the school nurse calls me, I will let her know what I told Morgan about bleeding and no limbs because that is the only way I am going to go and get her.
In fact not only did she make a speedy recovery but also once I told her I had to go to the store she became the poster child for 100% healthy! Amazing how shopping can bring her back from near death, to say I am shock is to put it mildly. I believe I will have to call AMA and let them know of this new cure. Yesterday she was near death, couldn’t eat, and I believe she was seeing the bright light as well, to feeling wonderful, very hungry, and full of energy by noon time. How could a mother be so blessed? I did take her shopping with me because I knew full well if I left her at home then she would have had a field day on the computer and doing whatever else she pleased. When we got back from the store she had lunch and didn’t even leave a crumb, to me this was astounding since just a mere few hours before she couldn’t keep anything down.
Now that is was the afternoon I knew it wouldn’t be long for Morgan to ask if she could go onto the computer, that itch to get on myspace was about killing her at this time. She knew I had banned her from the computer since she was so sick but that didn’t stop her. Morgan then decided to get back on my good side that she better do some chores, so little miss sickly vacuum the living room and gave our dog, Baz a bath as well as walk him for me. Oh yes Cinderella was trying so hard to prove to me that she was such a good girl and she deserved to get onto the computer. Well it didn’t work and talk about the fit she threw and how unfair I was because she did all those chores for me. Funny how the little manipulator didn’t realize I was mad at her for playing sick just to miss school and this was also after I told her I was mad at her for that.
Now lets fast-forward to last night. Morgan knew that she had to go to school the next day because I told her unless she was bleeding profusely and had limbs falling off of her she was going to school. Do you think she would give up, not my Morgan, oh no! Right before bedtime she started with the prelude for today, she was getting all stuff up and couldn’t breathe. I told her to take cold medicine and go to bed. This morning I am at the computer and she woke up around 3:15 this morning with a headache and she also told me that she didn’t feel good at all because she didn’t get one bit of sleep last night (funny, when I passed by her room this morning she was snoring so loud she could have woke the dead). I then again told her to take some more cold medicine and go back to bed because she was going to school regardless how much sleep she got last night.
For drama purposes Morgan did take the cold medicine but instead of going to bed she went to lay down on the sofa so I could again bear witness to how sick she was. Ten minutes had passed then she got up and went to the bathroom and was in there for about five minutes. Once out of the bathroom (I must say this was all so shocking to me), she came to me to let me know that she had thrown up. Oh no I thought to myself, my daughter is falling back into the grasp of the grim reaper! I may loose my precious dear Morgan to some ghastly-unknown disease yet again (Whatever)! I came to my senses and told her she better purge it all out because she was going to school! After all she wasn’t bleeding profusely and all of her limbs were attached so she didn’t meet my criteria for staying home. Upon that being said Morgan seem to come back to life because she knew she wasn’t going to win this battle.
Morgan’s brother on the other hand is a different story, when he says he is sick, he is sick. He will go to school no matter how he feels because he doesn’t want to get behind in his classes. He did go to school yesterday but came home feeling and looking awful. His strep throat has cleared up but now a bad cold has set in and he couldn’t stop coughing. I had decided last night to let him stay home today and get as much sleep as he can so he can start feeling better. Once Morgan realized that her brother was staying home today she tried one more time pleading to me that it wasn’t fair that I was letting him stay home and making her go to school. I will give Morgan credit she will not give up. She will beat a dead horse into the ground until you can’t tell what kind of animal it was when she is all done. This morning all the way up until it was time for her to go to the bus stop she was beating that dead horse to a pulp.
Morgan is now at school but I bet you any amount of money I will be getting a call sometime today from the school nurse letting me know that Morgan has thrown up or Morgan will come up with some new disease and needs to come home. I am sure of this and I am sure at this very moment the wheels in Morgan’s brain are working overtime to figure out how she can finagle the school nurse or me to obtain her goal in coming home. Today being Thursday I know Morgan would love to make a long weekend out of this and she is going to give it her all to do this. But with me being the mean mommy that I am, Morgan is going to stay in school and if the school nurse calls me, I will let her know what I told Morgan about bleeding and no limbs because that is the only way I am going to go and get her.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
MY DAD
Today I am ending my heroes with the person who was the biggest inspiration in my life, my dad. On August 30,2005, my dad died of cancer and not a day goes by that I don’t think about him. In some sense he is still here with me giving me his advice and never letting me give up when things get tough. I do still talk to him even though he is not here, asking him what I should do when I am faced with a problem and somehow, I believe, he gives me the answer. That was just the way my dad was when he was alive, you could always count on him for help no matter what he was doing, he would be there for you.
Dad was a big man, standing six foot six and he looked like a cross between Leslie Nielsen and Andy Griffith. He had a stature that demanded respect; often my friends who didn’t know him were scared of him because when he yelled we all shook with fear, you just didn’t want to make him mad. On the other hand he had a smile and a laugh that made you feel like he was the warmest person you had ever met. He loved his kids, grandkids, golf, and the Redskins. One of his favorite things to do was to take us out for breakfast, he just love having a big morning meal with his kids and grandkids. All in all he lived for those family gatherings where he would be joking and playing with his grandkids.
Growing up I just loved spending time with my dad he was just fun. We would do things like play basketball, go out to eat, or he would take us for a car ride just because it was nice out. He always made whatever we did fun, you just never knew what dad had planned. He was also like a big kid, when it came to roller coasters he would drag one of us with him and his whole goal was to sit in the front sit, you just couldn’t keep up with him at an amusement park. I believe his love of fun drove my mom nuts but he didn’t care, as long as we were enjoying life he was happy.
One of my most vivid memories of my dad growing up was when I was in second grade I was hit by a car. After the car hit me I remember lying in a pile of leaves by the roadside thinking that dad was going to spank me for getting hit. I even told the police officer not to tell my dad because he would spank me. Looking back I guess I might have made the police officer think my dad was a child beater. Somehow I ended up in the living room of our house with my mom sitting next to me, (really I don’t remember too much since I was going in and out of consciousness.) the police officer, an old lady, and a young guy and the whole time thinking dad was going to kill me. Well dad came home from work and like in a movie, he picked me up gently and took me straight to the hospital and never left my side. I was scared to death but when he was there the fear was gone, I don’t think I have ever felt so safe as I did then.
To me my dad was more than just a dad; he was my friend, counselor, basketball coach, but most of all he was my hero. It was really hard for me when my dad was sick with cancer, to me dads were not suppose to be sick, especially my dad. My dad was always a big and strong man and to see him wasting away with cancer just about kill me. I still feel very cheated in life that he is gone because I still had so much I wanted to share with him. I know he would be so happy that I finally have a house of my own, his granddaughter, Ashley is almost done with college, and his other grandkids are doing so well in school. It is just sad to me that he wasn’t here to see it for himself because I know he would have been ecstatic about it.
My last conversation with him before he died he told me that he was proud of my kids and me. He also told me that I had finally found a good man with my husband Jeff and to treat him good. Though he couldn’t really say much because of the medication I know he was saying goodbye to me without saying the word goodbye. Even in the end I don’t think dad could say goodbye, even if he wanted to. He really loved life so much and for him it was hard to let go of it. He was an example to me on how to live life to the fullest. I know he is in a better place where he is not in pain and for me that is the best place for him, where he is the big strong dad I have always known him to be.
Dad was a big man, standing six foot six and he looked like a cross between Leslie Nielsen and Andy Griffith. He had a stature that demanded respect; often my friends who didn’t know him were scared of him because when he yelled we all shook with fear, you just didn’t want to make him mad. On the other hand he had a smile and a laugh that made you feel like he was the warmest person you had ever met. He loved his kids, grandkids, golf, and the Redskins. One of his favorite things to do was to take us out for breakfast, he just love having a big morning meal with his kids and grandkids. All in all he lived for those family gatherings where he would be joking and playing with his grandkids.
Growing up I just loved spending time with my dad he was just fun. We would do things like play basketball, go out to eat, or he would take us for a car ride just because it was nice out. He always made whatever we did fun, you just never knew what dad had planned. He was also like a big kid, when it came to roller coasters he would drag one of us with him and his whole goal was to sit in the front sit, you just couldn’t keep up with him at an amusement park. I believe his love of fun drove my mom nuts but he didn’t care, as long as we were enjoying life he was happy.
One of my most vivid memories of my dad growing up was when I was in second grade I was hit by a car. After the car hit me I remember lying in a pile of leaves by the roadside thinking that dad was going to spank me for getting hit. I even told the police officer not to tell my dad because he would spank me. Looking back I guess I might have made the police officer think my dad was a child beater. Somehow I ended up in the living room of our house with my mom sitting next to me, (really I don’t remember too much since I was going in and out of consciousness.) the police officer, an old lady, and a young guy and the whole time thinking dad was going to kill me. Well dad came home from work and like in a movie, he picked me up gently and took me straight to the hospital and never left my side. I was scared to death but when he was there the fear was gone, I don’t think I have ever felt so safe as I did then.
To me my dad was more than just a dad; he was my friend, counselor, basketball coach, but most of all he was my hero. It was really hard for me when my dad was sick with cancer, to me dads were not suppose to be sick, especially my dad. My dad was always a big and strong man and to see him wasting away with cancer just about kill me. I still feel very cheated in life that he is gone because I still had so much I wanted to share with him. I know he would be so happy that I finally have a house of my own, his granddaughter, Ashley is almost done with college, and his other grandkids are doing so well in school. It is just sad to me that he wasn’t here to see it for himself because I know he would have been ecstatic about it.
My last conversation with him before he died he told me that he was proud of my kids and me. He also told me that I had finally found a good man with my husband Jeff and to treat him good. Though he couldn’t really say much because of the medication I know he was saying goodbye to me without saying the word goodbye. Even in the end I don’t think dad could say goodbye, even if he wanted to. He really loved life so much and for him it was hard to let go of it. He was an example to me on how to live life to the fullest. I know he is in a better place where he is not in pain and for me that is the best place for him, where he is the big strong dad I have always known him to be.
Friday, September 28, 2007
MY DAUGHTER, ASHLEY
When it comes to all three of my kids I love them all dearly. Each one of them has something very special about them that make them unique. Ashley is my oldest child from my first marriage. I had her at the young age of twenty-two, looking back maybe a little too young to have a child but never have I regret having her for one minute. The minute that Ashley took her first breath of life, she made it a point to let the world know she had arrived. Her screams in the delivery room were deafening like here I am now notice me. Believe me she got noticed. Out of thirty-eight babies born that night she was the only girl to be born. Leave it to Ashley to make an entrance into the world that way.
As a child, Ashley was the most independent, hardheaded child. If I told her not to do something, she did it, if I told her not to wear something, she wore it, and if she wanted something, she got it. If you looked up the word determine in the dictionary I am sure you would see Ashley’s picture right next it. That was Ashley in a nutshell, determine. My dad and I were always blown away by the she could work my mother to get whatever she wanted. In fact she knew how to work anyone over to get what she wanted. My mom would take her shopping and without fail Ashley would come home with a new wardrobe, the latest hairstyle, or a wad of cash from my mom. Still to this day she gets what she wants.
By no means is Ashley spoiled, that is one thing I would not let happened. My philosophy in raising my kids was to always make them understand that if they want something they had to earn it or work for it, life just wasn’t going to give it to them. When it came to school, Ashley busted her butt to achieve the high grades that she did. In elementary school she was reading on the high school level at the amazement of her teachers. Always at the head of her class, she excelled in school. Today she is paying her own way through college, has a fulltime job, and lives on her own. To say the least, I am very proud of her; she sets such a good example to her younger brother and sister on how to succeed in life.
Ashley has become the young adult I had always envisioned, confident, independent, strong, and determine. I am her mom but we are also the best of friends and I know if I need her help she will be there. I don’t doubt that whatever she decides to do, she will be a success at. It is a good feeling as a parent not to have to worry about your child succeeding in life. All my kids I know will succeed but with Ashley, I know, like the screaming baby saying notice me when I had her, is going to be the one to do something spectacular because she will accept no less.
Ashley, I just want you know how proud I am and I love you. Now, for the first time in your life listen to me and do what I tell you! Go knock’em dead for me! Better yet, I dare you. At least that way I know you will do it.
As a child, Ashley was the most independent, hardheaded child. If I told her not to do something, she did it, if I told her not to wear something, she wore it, and if she wanted something, she got it. If you looked up the word determine in the dictionary I am sure you would see Ashley’s picture right next it. That was Ashley in a nutshell, determine. My dad and I were always blown away by the she could work my mother to get whatever she wanted. In fact she knew how to work anyone over to get what she wanted. My mom would take her shopping and without fail Ashley would come home with a new wardrobe, the latest hairstyle, or a wad of cash from my mom. Still to this day she gets what she wants.
By no means is Ashley spoiled, that is one thing I would not let happened. My philosophy in raising my kids was to always make them understand that if they want something they had to earn it or work for it, life just wasn’t going to give it to them. When it came to school, Ashley busted her butt to achieve the high grades that she did. In elementary school she was reading on the high school level at the amazement of her teachers. Always at the head of her class, she excelled in school. Today she is paying her own way through college, has a fulltime job, and lives on her own. To say the least, I am very proud of her; she sets such a good example to her younger brother and sister on how to succeed in life.
Ashley has become the young adult I had always envisioned, confident, independent, strong, and determine. I am her mom but we are also the best of friends and I know if I need her help she will be there. I don’t doubt that whatever she decides to do, she will be a success at. It is a good feeling as a parent not to have to worry about your child succeeding in life. All my kids I know will succeed but with Ashley, I know, like the screaming baby saying notice me when I had her, is going to be the one to do something spectacular because she will accept no less.
Ashley, I just want you know how proud I am and I love you. Now, for the first time in your life listen to me and do what I tell you! Go knock’em dead for me! Better yet, I dare you. At least that way I know you will do it.
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