Mystery Solved

For years (and years and years), I've heard what sounded like monkeys in the rain forest. Today as I was opening my curtains after getting out of bed, I saw a woodpecker pecking on a tree. It stopped, leaned back, and screamed like a monkey in the rain forest.

Mystery solved and I can quit wondering where the monkeys are! lol

Happy Memorial Day!

As you are grilling out, swimming, or doing whatever it is your family and friends have planned for today, don't forget to take a moment to thank the Veteran's that gave their life to give us the privilege to do whatever we want, today and always. I know it sounds cliche, but freedom isn't free. It has been, and continues to be bought and paid for by the blood of patriots.

To the families who lost loved ones, my heart goes out to you ... but know that your loved one died for the noblest of causes. I'm sorry for your loss. I know those words don't take the sting out, but know that there are millions of people grateful for what they have done for us. I understand if you are justifiably sad, and probably angry ... but you should also be very proud.

Flattery Will Get You Everywhere :)

A friend I went to grade school and high school with posted a picture on Facebook of her, her husband, and their beautiful dog riding on the ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island. I LOVE Ocracoke, so I HAD to replay. Here's our conversation ...

I am SO flattered that MY books is on a summer reading list!!!!! Pretty cool, huh?!!!!!

Wow! I'm Honored!

This little boy is all about his Dada. As far as he's concerned, Dada hung the moon and the stars and his world revolves around his Daddy. Dada gets snuggles from this little guy that everyone else would kill for.

I watched this indefatigable little critter Sunday evening while his parents when to a reception, and he he kept me quite busy! I tried to take a few photo's, but they're all blurry. This kid is in constant motion!

When it came time for bed, I bundled him up in his sleepy-sack, turned on his air conditioner and sound machine. He cried for his requisite 30 seconds, then quieted down.

My daughter sent me this text the next day on Monday morning ...

I was flabbergasted! This little boy has woken up calling for Dada since the moment he learned to speak ... never Mama ... ALWAYS Dada, but Monday he woke up asking and looking for ME! To say I'm flattered is a monumental understatement!!!!

Eleven Months Today

Pierre Funeral Home has a service you can sign up for to help you through the grieving process. They call them "Daily Email Affirmations".  Following is the one I got recently. I think it's quite appropriate, particularly for me ... I hate roller coasters.
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Are You on the Roller Coaster? - Day #329

I don't know about you, but I don't like roller coasters. I don't like the loss of personal control; of being taken for a perilous and frightening ride. I don't like that feeling in my stomach when the car plummets downward; or the anxiety felt when it climbs to another summit, only to plunge once again into the unknown. Fear is the overriding emotion for me during the eternity of a roller coaster experience.

What a great metaphor for grieving. Your emotions can hit hard, and at unexpected moments, which makes the impact seem even harder to bear. Being aware of the unpredictable nature of your emotions will help you stand firm during each new barrage.

Bette Davis says in the film All about Eve, "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night!" And to that I say ... "Strap in tight. This is a wild ride, but it will end."

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Quotation for the Day
Nobody ever told me that grief felt so like fear. ~ C.S. Lewis

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(c) 2019 Daily Email Affirmations is a product of Grief Connections & Pierre Funeral Home.

New Sheets & Throw Pillows

I really did try to like the navy sheets and throw pillows with the cream and gold bedding ... but I just didn't like the look ... so I bought cream sheets and new throw pillows. MUCH better!

A Mother's Day Coupon from Davy

This was from Mother's Day 2005, when Davy was in 4th grade. He had Mr. Hendrickson that year. Mr. Hendrickson was a wonderful teacher, the kind you pray your kids will have. I wish Mr. Henderickson could have been Davy's teacher every year.

The coupon says it's good forever, so I would like to collect that kiss ... right now.

PLEASE KEEP YOUR EYE OUT

FOR THE CAR THAT KILLED MY SON!

Even if you don't live in the Evansville area, please keep an eye out for this car. It was traveling South on I-69. It could have been coming from and going to anywhere. The Sheriff's office will follow up any ANY lead.

The Sheriff’s Office has identified the make and model of the suspect vehicle from the fatal hit and run crash that killed 23-year old David “Davy” Egan, father of two, on Friday, June 22, 2018 on I-69 near south Green River Road.

SUSPECT VEHICLE: Silver 1998-2002 Honda Accord sedan. 2-door or 4-door body style. The vehicle will have damage to the front end.

If you know of a vehicle matching this description, please contact the Sheriff's Office TIP line at 812-421-6297 or leave a web tip here.

Fried Chicken

When Thing 2 was in high school, she came home to get something to eat before she had to be back at school for play practice. She said she was so hungry, and what did we have that she could eat real quick.

I asked her if fried chicken sounded good. She said "YES!", expecting me to give her money to go to Lee's. Instead I pulled out a baggie of chicken from my purse. She laughed so hard. We both laugh when we talk about it!

She didn't know that we'd had a dinner catered at lunch, and there was so much fried chicken left over that we all took a baggie of chicken home.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and the PTA caters lunches for the staff every day. (Thank you!) Yesterday they had fried chicken for lunch. There was so much left over, so they told me I ought to take some home. I found some foil and put a few pieces of chicken in a packet ... knowing I was going to meet Thing 2 at the funeral home to pay our respects to Mason Bogard and his family in about an hour. (Thing 2 went to school with Mason's sister, Taylor.)

Being back at Pierre Funeral Home brought back so many memories of when I was the one standing by my son's casket. Thankfully, Mason wasn't in the same room Davy had been in. My heart was in agony see his mother, the shock and pain so evident in her eyes. I was crying uncontrollably for Joann and her family ... and for myself. Thing 2 can't stand to see me cry, so after talking to Joann and her daughter, we made our exit.

As we were leaving I asked Thing 2 if she was hungry (since she was using her lunch our to come to the funeral home with me). She said a little. I asked her if she was hungry for chicken. She said, "You don't!" I said, "I do!" and pulled the foil wrapped chicken out of my purse. We started laughing.

I cried for a while after I left the funeral home, but being able to share a laugh with my daughter in the midst of our grief felt like a gift.

Today is the Showing for Joann's Son

Mason James Bogard, age 15, of Evansville, passed away Saturday, May 4, 2019 at Deaconess Hospital Midtown Campus. Mason was born January 23, 2004 in South Bend, IN.

Mason lived his life to the fullest everyday and never met a stranger. He was wise beyond his fifteen years and a very kind, giving young man. Mason dearly loved the outdoors, fishing, camping, backyard campfires, spending time with his family and creating something unique and special in the kitchen. He was very patriotic; respectful of veterans and never missed a chance to thank them for their service.

Friends may visit with the family from 2:00 until 8:00 PM on Thursday at Pierre Funeral Home.

Funeral services for Mason will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, May 10, 2019 at Pierre Funeral Home, 2601 W. Franklin Street, Pastor Darrick Hayden officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to one of the charities below:
The Semper Fi Fund, 825 College Blvd, Suite 102 PMB 609, Oceanside, CA 92057
Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517
The Indiana Donor Network, 3760 Guion Road, Indianapolis, IN 46222.

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My youngest daughter went to school with Mason's sister. We're going to the funeral home together when I get off work. He's at Pierre Funeral Home, where Davy was. The last time I was in that building was to pick up Davy's death certificate. I'm really dreading it, but feel like I should go and express my sorrow for her loss. I know what she's going through, and I ache for her.

I wanted to be there for his Honor Walk (you can view it here), but I just couldn't bring myself to go. The pain of Davy's death is still too raw for me to witness something like that first-hand. I started praying for them long before the 4:00 Honor Walk began. I watched the video of it the next day online ... and it was gut-wrenching. The pain on his families face was the hardest part to watch. Tears poured down their faces as they said their final good-bye ... it was the last time they would touch him with his skin still warm with life.

When Davy was in ICU on a ventilator after his wreck in 2014, touching his skin and feeling it warm was such a comfort for me. Luckily he survived, relatively unscathed. I wish Joann's son had had the same outcome. As horrible as this week has been for her and her family, I was a little jealous ... at least they got to say good-bye to him before he passed. By the time I found out Davy was gone, he was probably on his way to the coroner's office.

Davy always wanted to be a donor, but he'd been gone too long by the time he got to the hospital. Besides, after the beating he took from that car, there really wasn't much they could have donated.

I am so grateful that Mason's family decided to donate his organs. It has to bring them some measure of peace knowing part of Mason is alive ... and five people have another shot at life because of his family's generosity.

Pray that my daughter and I can bring ourselves to walk through the funeral home doors. Something tells me Mason will be in the same room Davy was in. This is going to be hard. I wasn't particularly close to Joann, but I talked to her most every day. She was always so sweet. I want her to know I care.

When I went back to work three weeks after Davy's death, I could hide somewhat. Joann is the receptionist. She won't have that luxury. Everyone who walks into the building will see her. I pray she has the strength to get through the first few days (and weeks) back at work. It's pretty hard to pretend to be normal after going through this kind of nightmare. I expect her to smile, but it will be forced, and she will be thinking of nothing but her son.

My Heart is so Heavy

Mason Bogard was taken to surgery yesterday at 4:30pm to harvest his organs for donation. I've seen video's on YouTube of Honor Walks, where family friends, and hospital staff line the hallway as the donor is wheeled to the surgical room. It is gut-wrenching. I cannot imagine what Joann, and her family were going through. It had to seem like the longest walk in the world. Oh, how I hurt for his family!

I wanted to go and be part of his Honor Walk, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. The death of my son is too recent to go through something like that. I did pause at 4:00, when the Honor Walk began, and said a prayer for his family, and I continued prayed throughout the evening.

Even is you don't know this family, pray for them. They are in agony and they need our prayers to carry them through the next few months in particular.

Two Tragedies

Davy's childhood friend, Ben, (the one who painted the portrait of Davy) had a bad fall and broke his back. I believe he was on a roof. He had surgery over the weekend, and it was successful. I don't know the extent of the damage or if it will be permanent. He's such a nice guy. It breaks my heart at what he's going through, but he survived.

Then today I saw an article in the Courier & Press that a co-workers son died after playing the "choking game". It happened last Wednesday evening, but I've been out in the schools and didn't find out until today. He's being kept on life support as they prep him for organ donation. I wish I could say I can't imagine what she's going through, but I know exactly what she and her family are going through. I hurt so bad for her.

More People Need to Understand This ...

Grief