Tuesday Talk

While we were at Oshkosh, we heard the news that Alan Henley, the lead pilot of the Aeroshell T-6 Aerobatic Team, fell while playing with his kids at home, and broke his neck, ending up alive but paralyzed. The skywriting guy at Oshkosh wrote "Get well soon, Alan" in the sky, and the team performed with only three planes, with his twin brother taking over the lead. His family has set up a Caringbridge site (it's a freebie website for families who have someone ill or injured) for him, and they keep a journal on there that I've been reading. They are showing a lot of strength and grace in all this, and are professing Christians as well. Their statements of faith and trust are humbling. One thing that got to me though was when his wife said he was finally aware of what was going on, and one of the first things he mouthed (he had to have an emergency trach or hole in the throat and put on a ventilator, so he couldn't speak out loud) was about how he wasn't going to be able to fly any more. There is only a 5% chance he will ever walk again, and the chances of him getting a medical back if he did? Who knows. They are holding out for a miracle, and you can do no less in that situation. His flying means so much to him that even though his very life is still in danger, it's one of the first things that hit him. His wife and kids are doing their best to hang in there too, but they could really use any extra prayers anyone has. His wife's world is just as turned around as his as she now finds out all the care required; the suctioning, the positioning, the trach care, the halo care, the physical therapy, the feeding tube care and issues. All things that SMA parents are quite familiar with, actually, but not in their spouse all of a sudden one warm day in July.

When the alarm went off this morning, I wasn't that interested in getting up, and neither was Kaylee. But we made it, got ready, and she got to school on time and still in a good mood. She says that second grade is easy so far-her spelling words are easy, the math is easy, etc. I laughed and told her they start off a little gently to ease the kids back into school and find out where they all are in the scope of learning, and that it would pick up soon enough, but to enjoy her days. So far she is. I did hear one thing I don't know that I've ever heard a kid say before. I asked her what her favorite and least favorite parts of the day were. She said her favorite was a project they did-which Mrs. H told me was very artistic of Kaylee-and that her least favorite thing of the day was recess. Her least favorite thing was Recess?? Since when?! I asked her why, and she just said the playground wasn't as fun. I think there must be something more there, but Kaylee just didn't know what else to say about it, so I let it go. The main thing is that so far, so good for her. :)

The other day, I got a phone call from someone whose number I didn't recognize, and when I said hello, they started asking me questions, culminating in "who is this?" Well, THEY called ME, so I said "Well, my name is Laura, and who is This?" She didn't answer my question directly, but asked if I knew this person or that person, and said that someone from my number had called their house, and got rather belligerent. Well, I didn't know who they were, and said so politely, and we hung up. About 45 minutes later, the same number called back to my house. I let my phone ring, having no desire to have a repeat of the conversation. But I thought about it some more, and the only phone call I could think of that might have been made was Kaylee calling our neighbors to see if her friend could play. Sure enough, she had-she said the phone just rang and rang and no machine or person picked up so she hung up-and I didn't have the number memorized. Well, another 45 minutes later, my phone rings for the Third Time, this time with another number I didn't recognize. So I answered it, and it was another woman on another cell phone asking me who I was and asking who called them from this number in a rather hard tone. HONESTLY, people! If someone finds it important enough to leave a message, or can, they will, but is it really necessary to become stalkers and keep calling and calling someone who called, didn't get an answer and couldn't or didn't leave a message? Do they harass everyone whose number shows up on their caller ID box? I told her who I thought they were, and that was immediately relieving to her, and she said "You never know." I never know what exactly? *sigh* To be fair, I don't know the other side of the story, either. Maybe they DO have someone causing their family problems...such things do happen. Anyway, I am glad that their minds are put to rest.

I got our badges created today, finally. They come in handy as credentials now and then at air shows where we go on the flight line and secure the airplane, wipe it down, get it ready in the morning, etc. They got Steve and Chuck past the line and onto the flightline at the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends, too. :) I needed to make up some current ones, make some improvements on our existing badges, so I got that done today, and will get them printed and ready to go tomorrow.

I picked up Kaylee's new tap shoes, now that she's outgrown her second pair, and switched her ballet class from Monday to Tuesday. This gives her a break on Mondays, which she needs. Yesterday she came home from school talking about having a bit of a headache, and she thought about skipping cheer because she said her coach yells sometimes and that when she yells it makes her head hurt worse. Fortunately, by the time cheer came around, she was doing fine, and she has the next two Mondays off anyway. So far I think the introduction back into a school routine couldn't have gone any easier than it has.

I was watching the women's gymnastics tonight, and was really happy to see Shawn Johnson win a gold medal on the beam. She earned it, and she has the sweetest face with the brightest smile and eyes. She seems like the nicest kid, and even when she earned a gold that was given to the Chinese rather unfairly, she handled it with a smile and grace. I was really happy to see her win gold tonight, and watching her parents bawling in the stands was pretty touching too. :)

It was a busy day, particularly for Steve. We need to get to bed and get some sleep now that we all have to get up too early these days. :)