Here we sit, largely stuck at home. I should not make light of this situation. The Covid-19 pandemic is a serious thing - putting lives and whole economies at risk, not just my convenience. But as I work alone and basically hang out only with Mom, Danny, Caylea and Emily - the local family - I cannot help but fondly remember the times we were stuck together, mostly at home.
- When you were just a baby, a dramatic cold snap rolled through Maryland. Mom and I realized that our apartment heater could not keep the place actually warm. So, we moved all our beds to the living room, closed up all the bedrooms and we all "camped" around the fireplace keeping warm. Danny is the only one of you old enough to maybe remember this experience. Caylea was a toddler and you were a baby. Mom and I were worried that you guys would get cold and sick. But as the days rolled on, as temperatures dipped into double digits below zero, we snuggled with your "Y's", on the couch, hugging and keeping each other toasty warm. We had a blast as a family playing games, being creative with toys and watching movies. We really bonded as a family of 5 during that time!
(Yes this is NOT you as a baby - but a great setting of you in snow for several stories here...)
- When we moved from Maryland to California, our clothes, beds, cars, well, everything was coming behind us in a big moving van. Mom had the awesome idea to pack up bedding in every suitcase we could muster and fly it to California with us. We unloaded from the Washington D.C. flight in San Francisco and picked up a mountain of bags from baggage claim. We rented a car and drove to Vacaville and took residence in our first house on Trillick Ct. Since we had no furniture, we camped out in the living room with our blankets, Y's and pillows to sleep on. We had done a camping trip in a backyard tent in Maryland, but now we were out - not under the stars, but the ceiling fan in one room. We would talk, giggle, play games and hang out together in the evening. With no TV, in a time before internet, it was just "kid-TV" and did we ever have three entertaining kids!
- Although not at home, we were stuck at Jr. High Camp in the Sierra Nevada mountains one Spring due to heavy snow. It really was just a day or so of delay, but you and Caylea accompanied us to camp as Mom and I worked the camp while Danny was in Jr. High. You could not stay awake for the teaching and worship - you would fall asleep in Mom's lap - so cute you were. We used our free time to build the most advanced sledding tracks we could conceive - with banked turns, small jumps, tunnels and spots to dive off into the deep snow. We grabbed the sleds and inner tubes and made countless runs down the tracks! You were fearless even in elementary school! What fun we enjoyed together, stuck in the snow.
- Our first Winter in Austin - we had an ice storm and everything seemed to close down. Mom and I worked at UT and with the overpasses and roads slick, it was shut. So, we enjoyed hanging out and enjoying our "free" time playing games, watching DVD's, and talking. Soon, we all came down with cabin-fever. Mom suggested a "hike." So we put on our jackets, gloves and hats and headed on a walk out of the neighborhood to find a restaurant to eat at. We found a building with huge icicles hanging down and you broke one off and stuck it up your nose - posing for a quick picture. Mom got it! We slid, fell and made our way slowly to PokeJo's BBQ to eat there. The warmth and the food were so good. Then, we slid home. Mom has written about this before, but the picture of you with the icicle was used as the pic on a party invite that she designed for your birthday. Apparently you were embarrassed by the picture and did not hand the invitations out at school - we found them in the bottom of your backpack. We still had a great birthday party - we always had good parties! You became bolder with time - allowing your public goofiness to be easily expressed in public!
- Our first year in Austin, we had our floors re-done and you and Caylea moved into our room to make the work simple for the installers. So there we were - all using one bathroom, in one bedroom. Two teenagers, a dog and a cat, with Mom and I. We had such a great time "camping" in the room. All I remember was the endless giggling as we tried to sleep and each of us talked, told jokes, made comments and laughed. Almost asleep, then comment - laughing - awakening - threats, rinse and repeat! Oh for those times to return!!!
- Our last time stuck was really short. It was Mom's birthday in 2013 and we went to visit Danny in Houston. You came from College Station, Caylea, Mom and I from Austin. Danny was not doing particularly well at that time so we ended up staying the night - getting a hotel room. We stuffed ourselves in the same suite only to find we had the clothes on our backs basically. We had not planned to stay the night so no one had sleeping clothes, toothbrushes, toothpaste or anything. So, off to Walmart you and I went to get things to keep us from grossing each other out. We looked for night shirts and all we could find were XX-Large dark blue T-shirts on sale. We bought the shirts and we wore them - as dresses!!! We all laughed and smiled and giggled, stuck in a hotel room, trying to fall asleep as the shirts gathered around our waists uncomfortably in bed. You made sure we remembered Donkey from Shrek, "And in the morning...I'm making waffles!" Indeed, we made waffles that morning - Texas shaped ones even. The only non-memory evidence of the trip a single picture at breakfast as we sat to eat and sing "Happy Birthday" to Mom - still wearing those oversized T-shirts. After you went Home, I could not give up my ridiculously large shirt for years. It was a useless shirt but it was the last time we were together as 5! What a great time being stuck in Houston.
Getting stuck with you - it still happens. I get stuck as I walk one of the dogs, see a picture, open a book, see an old webpage, sit in your room, play a guitar - many things trigger it. When I get stuck with you - you are back, alive in my memories, jabbering, talking, giggling and playing. I hang out with you, then you fade. Wow, I miss really being stuck with you!
Jesus said His Father's house had rooms for everyone and He was preparing a place for us. Your place just got ready before ours. He came and got you. What a gain for heaven and loss for earth... I really miss you here. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in this life and forget that we are only pilgrims and sojourners here. I cannot wait to get stuck with you again - but this time in our true Home. What a joyful time it will be as we meet - telling stories, laughing, seeing you again, and praising God for making good on His many promises.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thess. 4:16-18Really cannot wait to get stuck with you again - at Home.
Love you "E"
Dad
