Keepin On Keepin On - One Day at a Time

Phenomenal Kids! Ramblings of a Proud Mama

Originally posted as a "Note" on my fb page in December, 2012 - (Little did I know what was coming down the road 6 months later...)  For more information/updates see previous blog post in yellow font. 

Please NEVER forget the sacrifices OUR service men and women make! I have to tell my story every so often about this subject. So, I’ll say, ‘thanks, in advance’ my friends, for indulging me if you've already heard it several times. I think it bears repeating now and then!

I thank and praise the Lord everyday that my babies (my grown 23 y/o, married daughter and her 24 y/o husband) made it back home (Vilonia, Arkansas) alive and well after their own personal ‘tour of duty’. First of all, if you know me well, you know how proud I am of my son-in-law, Cody, who started serving his country straight out of high school in 2007 - going on to boot camp while Courtney completed her senior year. He eventually gained the rank of US Marine Corporal during his tour of duty/deployment to Afghanistan. My daughter married him the following year (2008, a whole month after she graduated) and they immediately moved 2,000 miles away from home. (Camp LeJeune, NC) It was a very LONG 3 + years for me and her daddy but PraiseTheLord, we visited often and somehow managed to s-u-r-v-i-v-e apart from them for those 3 + LONG years. (Yes, I know I said that twice.) But bottom line is: they are finally back home living on part of the old Pruett home place - right next to us. In fact, you can throw a rock from either home and hit the other. :) Cody is now a USMC Veteran and just completed his first semester at Baptist School of Nursing. Right now, he thinks he wants to eventually work in the NICU with da preemie babies. [Ironically, I did that for several years (many moons ago as an LCSW) at UAMS and, although challenging and very sad in times of sorrow and loss, it was the most rewarding work of my entire career.] Cody has such a tender heart - he would be great with the babies and families but I know it will break his heart to witness babies suffering - but the great thing is - the many positive outcomes that occur in the NICU now-a-days due to the astounding medical and technological advances in this specialty field.

Now, I have to brag about the other half of this amazing couple. Courtney Lindsay, my daughter. So proud of her too – she moved away from all she’d ever known the month after high school, and I must say – hit the ground running! I know I could not have done that at her age. It was frightening for her sometimes but she tried not to let her dad and I know it. Especially, when she was AllByHerself when Cody was deployed, well, I shouldn’t say ALL by herself because she had sweet Lioness, the cat, and precious cocker spaniel, Semper Fidelis (Sempie for short). And yep, I had the honor of helping name BOTH of them. Love those grand-pets so very much. Anyhow…Courtney was also working part time and going to college while in this ‘strange’ place. I want to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to CAROLYN AND JAMES MANNING for taking them under their wings and being so very kind to them and so very generous! Also, JAMIE CABRAL and OTHERS who helped them out and befriended them. God Bless You, always. While Courtney was in school, the first semester, she made the Dean’s List and called to ask me what that meant. Lol She has excelled in college and is studying to be an Elementary teacher, following in the footsteps of both my siblings and niece, sweet Ashley. (And, btw......I was reminded ALL THROUGH THE YEARS that I (too) should have followed in those career footsteps. I probably should have but I have always kind of had 'a knack' of making my life harder than it had to be. Oh well, this is not about me....) She has about a year and a half left. Meanwhile, she is working at the after-school daycare (Eagles Landing) at the very school she attended all her life. She adores those kids and they love her back. I pray this is a great way to get her ‘foot in the door’ for later on but most importantly it is wonderful experience at the school she dreams of working at some day.

And finally, I would be remiss if I did not brag on the character of these kids I love so much. They are truly exemplary in many ways. Courtney was dedicated to the Lord when she was three months old and baptized before she was ten. She’s a RealGoodGirl; a quiet and shy girl that has perhaps sometimes come across as aloof or snobbish, but she’s anything but! She is genuinely sweet natured, quick witted, and down-right HILARIOUS to those who know and love her most! If anyone out there thinks she is anything but a genuinely sweet, kind, and caring Christian young lady, then you don't know her at all.

Cody was born in Alaska and is one of 6 children, (4 boys and 2 girls), all of whom are blond, blue-eyed, good looking (ha) and VERY TALL – all over 6 ft. All four of the brothers served in the military at the same time – at one time or another. Cody started going to church with Courtney when they were in high school. Soon after, he was saved and baptized there – Friendship Baptist Church – where they were married in June, 2008 and where you can find them most each and every Sunday morning.

Yes, these kids are loved unconditionally and most of all, I know they love each other unconditionally. All marriages have ups and downs and theirs is no different, of course. But I admire, respect, and am proud of the way they have handled things so far and so appreciate that they know the Lord Jesus Christ and have already established a life-long pattern, early in their marriage, of going to church on Sundays. And when nobody was watching - thousands of miles away, when they could have easily ‘slept in’ while in NC – they didn’t. Quite the contrary - they wasted no time visiting churches (ohhh, the stories they have about that!) and eventually choosing one that was , warm, loving and welcoming towards them – just two kids really - in a strange and faraway place. Yes-sir-ree-bobtail, I am one proud mama, sho’nuff!

Just Another Two Cents

While I love my Saturday football as much as the next person (or not) - I do have another pet peeve or two to report - to probably no one, but that's ok too.  Does anyone know when the TV stations quit showing any part of (and I mean - not ONE iota, i.e. not one second) of the college marching bands at half-time?  I can also include the local TV stations too - because when was the last time you saw a marching high school football band at half-time on the Friday night highlight reel?  When I was in HS and college, band was a BIG thing at school.  I never had the privilege of being a member of any band (other than playing piano and organ at church) - but I always loved the band performances, majorettes, flag line, and all the ambience of half time activities.  When many would visit the concession stands during half-time - I would marvel at the marching band and take it all in.  I also enjoyed watching the activities at half time on TV.  That's before TV commentators took over, updating other game scores or commenting (sometimes unfairly) on the progress of the current teams playing.  Rarely, if ever nowadays, do we even get a glimpse of the hard-working, talented marching bands of today.  Fortunately, we can still hear them bellow over the announcers voices when touchdowns are made.  I am thankful for at least that much.  But it's a disgrace that they are not featured as they should be as back in the good old days.  I remember when my daughter was in junior high and high school, as a band member - she played the clarinet and also was on the flag line.  We were so blessed to have a leader and band teacher who truly valued and appreciated the art of band.  He was a brilliant teacher, leader, and talented man.  Even moreso, he was a tremendous human being.  Sadly, he suddenly passed away the summer before my daughter's senior year.  Courtney and her best friend, Lawren - who was especially close to Mr. Platt and his family, were devastated.  The entire community mourned this very special man.  He had assembled an awarding winning 300+ student marching band that was second to none in the nation.  We had the largest marching band for a high school that I had ever seen or heard about.  And the students and parents adored him.  There was not an empty seat in the football stadium when the school and community payed their final respects to Mr. Platt and his family.   I say 'final' only because that is how such occasions are commonly referred to.   Respect for him will never die - nothing will ever be final about Mr. Platt and the love and respect we all feel for him and his family.  Even if bands are not given the proper attention/recognition or respect they deserve, some of us still love the tradition of the marching band.  TV can never take that from us.