Ian stories

Amelia

Ian liked Amelia from the start, but Mom thought she was ugly. C and Mom picked out long hair and the kitten would not come OU of the cage. The younger kitten was chosen but would ADHD - screamed all the time, wanted to be picked up and set down. People near us wondered what we were doing to the kitten. Ian got up and left the room. He went back and asked to look at Amelia again. We got her in the room and she was sweet and loved people.  We brought her home. 

Mohawk

You want a what? Ian assured me that he has given this a great deal of thought and that he wanted his hair, that he had been growing out for some time, to be cut into a mohawk style. I don't remember what motivated this inspiration, but he was anxious to get it done and bugged me incessantly to go to a barber. Lanette was in Costa Rica - so he wanted have things really in place for her arrival back to the US. So, we headed to SuperCuts. The stylist was very helpful and not only cut his hair, but showed him how to style a rigid mohawk of 6" tall! Ian came home to admire himself in our bathroom with its mirrors all around. He was thrilled with the result. The next day - Lanette was headed home. Ian got all dressed up in his coat for Jr. High graduation, tie, the whole nine yards. He poised for a number of pictures showing off his new dew. By the way, he and I worked probably 30-45 min to get that 6" dew straight up!! We made signs to welcome her back, simple but fun - each with our own stick figure of my wife, his mom. "?Havisto a mi Momasita? !Ella ha estado en Costa Rica!" read Ian's sign. Lanette's face was priceless as she descended the escalator - she could not believe her eyes - is this my son? What has he done to his hair? They laughed, hugged and kissed and Ian told her all about his vision for his hair and how he got it like he wanted it. (I noted that "fixing" it will be hard every day!). Lanette listened and complemented him on his dew. Interestingly, after two days at school, Ian's friends noted that they were worried about him due to his dew - was he becoming out of control, getting into drugs or bad crowd... This was too much for him. We were once again at SuperCuts - this time to cut the 6" mohawk down to a lean flat cut. Ian poised for a picture with his short fuzzy hair and braces - thus ended the days of the mohawk.

Rock Camp

Ian, Andrew and Aaron all signed up for Rock Camp. We had to get them, with the help of Andrew's mom, over to the camp at Straight Music on Hwy 71. The final concert was at Antone's 5th and Lavaca. On the classic stage, each band from young to older took the stage and laid down the song or songs they practiced. The set up and sound guy was actually Eric Clapton's set up person who worked at Antone's when off tour! Ian and Andrew played in the same band - the big sone was "I'm So Sick" by FlyLeaf. Ian had the bass solo and the chick singer had a demon-like scream that made the song a real highlight of the show. Ian, Andrew and Aaron poised near the bathrooms with a picture of Robert Johnson on the "men's door" and a Black Joe Lewis concert poster in the background - kinda fitting for budding musicians. Afterwards, we went to the Irish pub behind Antone's for food and celebration of a great Summer of music.

Freshman Football

Motivation to move from Brentwood Christian to Anderson High was driven by Ian's desire to play football. We later learned that the academics were superior at Anderson - as Caylea investigated - so, both kids decided to make the change - Caylea in 11th grade (into the International Baccalaureate program!!! and Ian as a Freshman). Ian tried out for football and was placed on the Freshman team - #24. He played nose tackle - due to his strength and tenacity, but longed to play running back. He got to run the ball twice in a game - once stopping for a short gain, but the second time he carried several would-be tacklers 5 yards for a good gain. His coaches thought he had a great work ethic - but honestly weren't sure where to play him. Spring football his Freshman year, Ian had a series of unfortunate events. First, in the locker room, the guys were horsing around and a chair was thrown hitting Ian in the head cutting him. He then got his chance as running back. He sometimes used his speed and power to bowl over people and run for long touchdowns. But one day with Freshman and JV players together, he was gang tackled leaving him with a hip pointer - he was sidelined for a week or two. He came back to play with renewed energy - but sustained his second concussion in the year. This one was serious - he was oblivious in class and was referred to the trainers who called us - for the third time in Spring practice - to come get him. After the two concussions in one year, we agreed football was not his bag and he would need to take an early retirement. Bummer.

Football and Basketball

We were spoiled when we moved to Austin. UT was coming off its National Championship run with Vince Young and Ian and I got to watch most of the home games for the entire career of Colt McCoy. Watching Colt from the first deck on the student side, we saw long passes, scrambles and improvisation - we knew as a freshman, this guy was special. By the time Colt was a junior, UT competed again for a National Championship - being cheated out of it by a loss at Texas Tech and computer voting. His senior year, UT was in the championship game and we were sooo bummed to see him go out in the first quarter with a injury to his throwing arm. UT lost the game - bummer. If that was not enough, we watched Kevin Durant play all his home games - from expedition games to final game with Texas A&M. Two memories of a GREAT season - we were at the expedition game on Halloween. Ian and I literally dragged the rest of the family to the game. We heard the UT team introduced - 4 freshman and a sophomore. I asked Ian if this was the "second" team or the real team. We soon saw that they were full of special freshman - especially Durant! The last home game was against Texas A&M. The game went into double overtime with Durant and the Aggie star AC Law - each pouring in 3 pointers to keep the game tied. Finally, #15 UT pulled ahead of #6 Texas A&M and won 98-96 at home before a packed crowd. It was the first time Ian was exposed to Aggie spirit - and the good hearted rivalry the two schools shared.

Ian at an Aggie Football Game

Adam Lawson invited Ian to a Texas A&M game with he and his dad, Marty. Ian wanted to wear UT clothes to show his true colors, but Lanette and I encouraged him to join in and see what being an Aggie was all about. The game was a scortcher - both close in score and temperature. The Ags were being killed in the first half and the 2 percenters were more like the 50%'ers as they left the hot game - thinking it was a rout. But the Ags barrelled back and tied the game in the fourth quarter. To overtime, two overtimes, they went. Lanette and I watched the fourth quarter and overtimes on TV. The little crowd that was left (Ian, Adam and his dad, among them) moved around the stadium to follow the little shade provided by the occasional cloud. Finally the Ags won. Ian came back ecstatic - the atmosphere, the yells, the band, the school spirit!!! Although we saw lots of UT games in the years (taking Jimmy, Jonathan, Max, Byan or just going with his mom, Caylea, Danny or I) that followed, the seeds of Ian becoming an Aggie were sown. 

Ian also went to a UT game with Kurt and Nate. He took Nate down near the field as I had done when he was a 7th grader watching Colt McCoy and Nate was sooo excited. Ian took Poppa Gene to a UT game and they enjoyed that time as grandpa and grandson. Getting Dad in and out of the stadium was a big worry - but Ian handled everything really smoothly. They enjoyed the game leaving great memories to cherish.  The final UT game Ian saw was the first non-UT-A&M Thanksgiving game in probably 100 years. UT was playing TCU - Ian and Will went and Ian showed Will the "ropes" around the stadium and in the game. UT lost, but the boys had a great time together. It proved to be a special memory for Will about quality time with Ian.

8th Grade Birthday Party

This was the second co-ed party for Ian. The first, as a 7th grader, was a scavenger hunt that conducted in our neighborhood using camera's to capture the evidence. The stories and pictures were crazy - and it was legendary. How could we top it?? Well, we decided to take a favorite family activity, bowling at the UT Underground and making it into Party Central. We had a large group of Brentwood friends come - the kids bowled, played air hockey and pool. They ate pizza and ice cream and had an amazing time.

Ian and My Phone

Ian grabbed my phone, without me knowing it and did a Becky Voight. He took a picture of his face up close and made it my home screen. I remember turning the phone on and his "mug" was staring me in the face. He always had the funniest faces - you just had to smile, laugh or be amazed at how they brightened your day (until you wanted a serious face for a real photo - then it was frustrating!!!).

Ian and His Acoustic Guitar

Ian joined guitar class as a freshman at Anderson. To be in the class, he needed an acoustic guitar. So, I was excited to find one. We looked at Guitar Center, Heart of Texas and other places - but all the ones that sounded good were pretty expensive. He did not want to take the Takamani to school - worried about getting it stolen. So, we went to North Lamar and scourered the pawn shops for guitars. We found lots of trashy guitars, both electric and acoustic - looked like a failed try. Then we saw it. An Applause (cheaper Ovation) guitar - dark brown like the pricy Gibson's, but with a pickup in the soundhole and lots of power and a good neck. Ian was "in love!!!" We picked it up for about $100 and thought we had a great deal. We then drove to Straight Music on Lake Creek as one final stop - nothing could compare to the Applause sound for the price. Ian had found his guitar. In guitar class, Ian quickly used his natural ear to tune all the guitars for the students, find alternative tunings, retune all my guitars to drop D, B or C (and leave them that way driving me nuts - not having a natural ear!!!). He learned lots of songs - including "Under the Bridge" by the Chili Peppers - he found his niche - music. Mr. A the teacher took a liking to him and a friendship that would span all high school emerged. As Ian gravitated to bass, Mr. A's primary instrument, their friendship and mutual respect as musicians grew. 

Ian and Beanies

Ian started wearing beanies in Junior High as he became enamored with skateboarding, bicycles, etc. He and Jonathan and Aaron would practice for hours on our sidewalk, coming in dripping, sweaty messes from trying all sorts of tricks. The beanie was a sign of a skater and as Ian's passion de jour, he had to wear one. He also found it a great match for getting out his old Haro bike - he saved up for and bought in elementary school in Vacaville. Even though it was too small for him, he was committed to riding it - up and down the extreme hills in our neighborhood and trying tricks with his friends. Ian and beanies waxed on and off for the next four years. As he grew his hair out for locks of love - it got big, I mean really big. I would often beg him to cut it - it could be so cute shorter, but he was committed to help others with his hair - even if he must grow out his loose afro two to three years. Beanies were a way to "tame the beast" and we often saw him at A&M with a beanie on. Our last days with him during Parent's Weekend and the last picture we have of him on April 16th taken with/by a friend Roxy Neufeld - as they studied and discussed each of their dad's - he was wearing a beanie. We think he was wearing his beanie that last day on the 19th. The clothes we gave to him for his cremation were his 49ers shirt - celebrating their Super Bowl appearance, his "One fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue fish" PJ bottoms he wore all the time (picked up at Target for him much to his protest) and a beanie. Lanette modeled these after Muster at Double Dave's being Ian's stand-in for his last time at his favorite College Station pizza haunt. 

Modified from Hotel California by the Eagles

I think he and his friends worked this up for a class if I remember right from Lord of the Flies, book.....An email Ian wrote to his mom December 10, 2008.


HEY THESE ARE THE EDITED LYRICS MOM!!!!  I LIKE THEM

On a dark tropical island, cool wind through the air
Warm burn of the signal fire, rising up into the air
Way in the distance, Jack saw a boar
His head grew heavy and his sight became the fight
That boy wouldn't stop for a night
There it stood in the field;
I heard the hunters cry
And I was thinking to myself,
this could be heaven or this could be ... hell
Then Jack slit it's throat, and it showed on his face
There were voices throughout the island,
I thought I heard them say...

CHORUS:
Welcome to the Crazy Island
Such a raging place
Such a mental disgrace
Plenty of blood at the Crazy Island
Any time of year, you'll be drenched it here

Their mind is was so twisted, They even cut off its head
It got a lot of nasty, nasty flies, and when is it covered it was such the beast
How they danced around the fire, the meat sooo sweet.
Such beast to remember, some beast to forget

CHORUS