Sunday, June 15, 2014...Father's Day

Not a single soul has had the decency to call and wish K a happy Father's Day.  I know how he feels; I know how badly it hurts, because no one wishes me happy Mother's Day.  These days are horrible.

Yesterday was Flag Day - sponsored by the Mary Isham Keith chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  All chapters within the district plus all the other heritage organizations participate.  K and I were there.  It was held at an outdoor pavilion of a veteran's park in a nearby small town.  As historian for one organization and a member of several organizations, I took pictures.  I'll share a few here.

Our young Navy cadets out of the unit at the Joint Service Base did an excellent job presenting the colors.  They range in age from 10 to 17.  

Dr. Judith Carrier, former head of TCJC/TCCC, is the current Regent of the Mary Isham Keith DAR chapter.  Since MIK was the hosting organization, we were pleased to have Judith as our "MC" for the event.  I was sitting behind Diane Dyess, Regent of our Six Flags Chapter of the DAR and it was either catch a profile picture or the back of her.

Our Daughters of the War of 1812 was well represented at this event.  The lady with the tiny baby fosters children while they are in the "in-between" cycle of adoption.  This tiny guest was absolutely adorable.  We are often blessed with little ones like this coming with her to meetings and events.)

Diane Dyess, Christean Jenkins, Pamela Rhoads, Peggy Jones, Dorthy Casten, Joann Durham

Both the Six Flags and the MIK chapters of DAR were represented at the event.  It was a great Saturday for such a ceremony -- not too hot, a good breeze.  I can't recall the names of everyone in this photo, except the lady in the red jacket is Anita Daniel, in the green is Diane Dyess, yours truly in the white jacket, Arlene Pricer next to me, and on the right end is Bettye Rogers.

I can name a few of the ladies in the MIK organization...That's Dr. Carrier on the far left, Linda Johnson next to her, Sonja Starnes stepping away from the group, Sally Allsup (Chaplain) in the white; Virginia Brown next to Sally, sweet little Paula Smith in the black jacket, Joann Durham dressed in red/white/blue with the hat, and again Bettye Rogers on the far right.

Betty Rogers was the speaker for the day.  She is retired military, and during the Vietnam war was in charge of a flight hospital (aircraft outfitted as a hospital) that flew into country to pick up the wounded and flew them out providing medical care.  She shared several stories with us about those days but unfortunately we could not hear much of what she had to say -- the microphone needed to be held very close to the face for amplification and as most of speakers do, she tended to move it away from her and turn her head.  I think we need to invest in one that pins to the shirt.

Our Sons of Confederate Veterans were also represented at the event.  Several of us are members of several lineage organizations, thanks to our ancestors who fought, bled and some died for this country.  Since this was mostly a DAR event, however, our SCV camps were low in number.  But here we are - yours truly and hubby K, along with Diane and Jack - members of the Griffin 2235 camp of the SCV.  (I didn't wear any of my ribbons that day...just my flag pin.)

Instead of going to lunch with the rest of the attendees, we elected to head to Cleburne via the new tollway with intention to eat lunch there.  The tollway dumped us out in an area of Cleburne where we did not recognize anything.  We continued on what we thought would take us into the actual town but still could not get our bearings so pulled off to check map on phone.  That's when I noticed I had a message from my niece - about my brother Joe.  Joe has many medical issues, including diabetes, heart issues, frozen lungs, etc.  He has been ill a long time and this time has been hospitalized since Monday of this week.  There is not any more that can be done - he will be moved to hospice care.

This is so very hard.  Joe and wife Jerrie have been married since they were 17 years old - 53+ years.  He has been the rock of our entire family since he was a very young man.  It seems impossible that we are losing him.  Seems impossible that just yesterday we were kids playing at the creek, riding bicycles, begging mother to let us play in the rain, etc.  And now we are the old generation - the grandparents/great grandparents.  Time has come and gone.  I hope to go see him tomorrow - he can now have visitors.  They wouldn't allow it before now.  He can also eat and drink whatever he wants - no more restrictions.  So today his daughter took him a burger from Sonic and a malt.  He and I are the last of "our" family, but he and wife have 3 adult children, 5 grandchildren plus several step/foster grandchildren, and several great grandchildren.  Saying goodbye is totally tough; God give us strength.

-----------------------

Note:  I lost two friends over the past 3 weeks.  Friday was the service for friend Jan.  Over the past year I've lost several other friends.  Perhaps it is morbid, maybe it's just realization, but during that service on Friday as I looked at the casket at the front of the chapel, it came to me that it won't be long before it is my turn to get into the box and have the lid closed for the rest of eternity.  I find it terrifying.