Wilson Family Blog: July 2008

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Memorial Day Picnic

Never let Brandon have your camera.

We all didn't care at the time that he was taking pictures, we were too busy eating ribs.

Here are some pictures of Brian's graduation. The one directly above is Brian and his best friend, Scott. The one in the middle is when they were switching their tassles right after they had all received their diplomas. The one on top is the Killer B's, plus Brian's girlfriend, Tess.

Mowgli (Part Two)

Here are some more pics of Mowgli. The one where he's in Brian's shirt was taken the day before graduation. The other two were taken at Gull Point on Memorial Day. Mowgli was eager to get out on the dock but once he was surrounded by the water he chickened out. He had more fun chasing the kids in the grass.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Mowgli

Here are some pictures of Brian and his new dog, Mowgli. He named him after the little boy in the Jungle Book. After hearing the funny noises he makes, I think he should have named him Wookie because he sounds like a baby Chewbaca. He's a smart little guy and we've had a lot of fun with him. Yesterday we took him with us on a picnic, and then to see fireworks up at lake Okoboji. He was a bit nervous at first but soon settled down (as soon as Brian held him, that is) and he watched the fireworks with interest. He went swimming in the lake with Brian & Brandon but I don't think he enjoyed it as much as they boys thought he would.

It was pretty crowded at the lakes and Mowgli got to meet a ton of people. He's very good in a crowd and with little kids. I don't think one kid passed by without asking if they could pet him. He even had some women running to get water for him when we took him to the flea market today. (we had brought water for him but they insisted on giving him some of their bottled water)

My Summers With You

GRANDPA HAS ASKED ME FOR YEARS TO WRITE A STORY FOR YOU TWO, AND HERE IS THE BEST I COULD EVER TELL.

I’M WRITING THIS BECAUSE I WANT YOU BOTH TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT YOU ARE TO ME. YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HAVE INFLUENCED THE PERSON I HAVE BECOME. FEW CHILDREN ARE AWARDED SUCH LONG STAYS WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS AS WE WERE WHEN WE STAYED DOWN IN LEBABNON. YOU HAVE EACH PASSED ON CERTAIN QUALITIES TO YOUR CHILDREN, AND THEM TO US, AND WE WILL UNTO OUR OWN CHILDREN.

GRANDPA, I TAKE A STRONG WORK ETHIC FROM YOU. I INHERITED THE ABILITY TO PUT IN LONG PHYSICAL HOURS BECAUSE IN A STRANGE WAY, I LIKE THE WAY IT FEELS. IT HELPS ME SLEEP AT NIGHT. IM SURE YOU UNDERSTAND. I ALSO TOOK THE BLESSING OF YOUR HUMOR, UNENDING AND TRUE. YOUR HUMOR IS ALSO A CURSE, AS I HAVE OFTEN BEEN ASKED IF I CAN BE SERIOUS FOR “JUST ONE MINUTE!” YOU ARE A MAN WITH A SPIRITED LAUGH AND A CAREFREE SPIRIT, ALWAYS WILLING TO LET US PLAY A BIT LONGER, OR CLIMB INTO YOU CHAIR AFTER LONG DAYS ON THE ROAD OR WORKING. TO SIT AND WATCH THE REDS WITH YOU, EATING POPCORN, “LOTS OF BUTTER, LOTS OF SALT” OUT OF THOSE GIANT STAINLESS STEEL BOWLS IS TRULY ONE OF THE FONDEST MEMORIES FROM MY CHILDHOOD. BEING TRICKED INTO DRINKING BUTTERMILK, HOWEVER…IS ANOTHER STORY.

GRANDMA, FROM YOU I TAKE MY WIT, AND MY CALM. AS A LITTLE BOY I ADMIRED THE WAY YOU WERE CONSISTENT AND STRONG. EVEN IF ONE OF US WAS BEING A BURDEN YOU ALWAYS TREATED US FAIR, AND WITH LOVE, NOT HARSH PUNISHMENT. I DO THE SAME THING WITH MY JOB...I TEACH THE KIDS WITH COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING, NOT STRICT RULES OR JUDGMENT. THESE ARE TRAITS I LEARNED FROM SPENDING MY SUMMERS WITH YOU, GRANDMA. I REMEMBER SITTING IN THE TREE, THE BRANCH SLUNG DOWN IN A PERFECT SEAT, WATCHING YOU CLEAN BLUEGILL AFTER BLUEGILL, EVEN AFTER YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T CLEAN ANY FISH WE MIGHT BRING BACK! YOU TAUGHT ME TO FINISH WHAT I STARTED, BECAUSE IF YOU STARTED PICKING A ROW OF BEANS, OR WEEDING A PATCH OF STRAWBERRIES, THEN IT WAS ONLY NATURAL TO COMPLETE THE TASK. I DIDN’T ALWAYS FINISH THE CROSSWORD PUZZLES I STARTED, AND THAT SOMETIMES MADE TROUBLE, BUT STILL, YOU FORGAVE ME. I LOVE HOW YOU LET ME WIN IN RUMMI AFTER WE PLAYED A FEW GAMES…BUT I STILL THINK I’M BETTER AT KING’S CORNERS

I TELL STORIES OFTEN OF MY MANY SUMMERS IN LEBANON. THE BASEMENT, THE POOL, MAJOR, THE HORNSBY’S, THE TRICYCLE, THE COUNTLESS, BOUNTIFUL GARDENS, THE OLD BLACK TRUCK, GREEN BEANS SENT STRAIGHT FROM HEAVEN, GRANDMA’S OLDSMOBILE DIESEL AND HER LEAD FOOT, BUILDING THE GARAGE AND THE DECKS, THE BIG BROWN CHAIR THAT COULD BE IMAGINED INTO A CAR, A SPACESHIP, A TANK, A SUBMARINE AND A WRESTLING RING, THE APPLE TREES WHERE GRANDMA BIT INTO A WORM, CATCHING LIGHTNING BUGS, GRANNY AND HER STORIES AND THE WAY SHE SMILED WHEN I WOULD COME VISIT HER IN THE MIDDLE BEDROOM, ROLLING DOWN THE BIG HILL, SLEEPING IN THE CAMPER, READING BOOKS WITH KAT, ENDLESS BOWLS OF CHEWY STARBURST CANDIES, FIREWORKS ON THE PORCH AND THE BEST MEALS I’VE EVER HAD, ANYWHERE, IN ALL MY TRAVELS.

I LOVE YOU BOTH VERY MUCH. YOU ARE WHO I AM, AND WHO I WANT TO BE. I’M SO SORRY THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO BATTLE THIS ILLNESS, AS I KNOW IT HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL ON BOTH OF YOU. AS A FAMILY, WE HAVE PULLED TOGETHER TO HELP YOU, AND TO SHOW YOU BOTH HOW MUCH WE CARE. YOU HAVE GIVEN ME SO MUCH, AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ASK, AND I WILL COME RUNNING…

EACH NIGHT WHEN YOU LIE DOWN TOGETHER TO SLEEP, TAKE A DEEP BREATH. AS YOUR LUNGS FILL UP WITH AIR, KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS ALSO FULL OF LOVE FROM YOUR FAMILY, AND THAT WE ARE THINKING OF YOU AS WE LIE DOWN AS WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO WONDERFUL, SO KIND, SUCH PERFECT GRANDPARENTS. I PRAY THAT SOMEDAY I WILL DO THE SAME FOR MY GRANDKIDS AS YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME.

Written by Joseph Robert Wilson 2007