Remember When…

My dad has worked for a major oil company most of his life. Today, however he no longer does. He, like so many others in American got layed off from his job! My dad is in his 60’s. He says he will get another job, but in today’s economy, I am just not so sure…..

Today, one of Garrett’s vocabulary words was Economy.

Garrett thought Economy meant that you ran out of money. When I asked him the definition, he made a whistling noise indicating a bomb dropping and then exploding on the ground. 

“How fitting”, I thought….”The economy is definitely dropping like a bomb!”

Our economy is so bad that my 12 yr old thinks the definition of economy is when you have no money!

Garrett is an aspiring drummer. He has been practicing on his XBox Rockband drumset. Oh Yeah…. He practices ALL THE TIME! He is good, without a doubt! And could probably play the real drums quite well. Of course, I would have to buy stock in Advil if that happened!

Today I came across a video of a man who is an awesome drummer and used his talents with what he could find. I imagine that this man could be a very famous, very rich drummer if he was given a chance! I was very impressed!

GroovyGrooves.com - The Grooviest Dancing, Singing, and Musician Videos

Tonight, I let my 12 year old son, Garrett write my blog. He is usually a very deep thinker and a caring individual with a big heart. One day, he is going to do some very amazing things that will change perspectives and make the world a much better place!

He loves to write and sometimes writing can be very therapeutic. It is obvious that tonight was one of those “therapeutic” times….

Here is what Garrett wrote….

My comments in red

This is Garrett. This is what happens to me in my crazy life. You know you can’t trust anyone in the world. A couple of weeks ago I was framed for something I didn’t even do. Someone broke a window at the school and someone put my name on the chalkboard. I thought to myself why would anyone do something like that . People can’t be trusted anymore. I could be in a jail cell right now. I pray every night that I don’t end up on that kind of path. (at least he is showing his upbringing here some… he is praying and he knows he doesn’t want to go down the wrong path)

One time one of my friends went into a slide with a girl that I liked and they kissed even though he knew I liked her. I would of killed him, but I don’t want to fight over some girl that I‘m going to date for not even a long time.

Now there is this one red haired ______ [sorry for my language] (edited by mom, not because it was a cuss word, but it still was not a word I really am comfortable with him using…. lets just say…. there is this boy…) that gets on my nerves more than this one girl that loves me. I’ll tell you about her in a minute. He always wants his way and thinks he is soooo better than me. This kid is lucky that I haven’t killed him yet. I don’t want to fight , but he pushes the limit.

Now to this one girl that I dislike, I cant say hate , more than anything in the world. Now this isn’t nice, but this girl is as big as an elephant. This girl had the biggest crush on me. I hated this girl. (he just said he couldn’t say hate!) She was sico and thank God she moved. My friend said that she doesn’t know what I looked like; she just remembers that she liked me. She begs my friend every day to give her my phone number. But I mean who wouldn’t? (do we hear a little vanity here?) So you know what kind of stuff I go through EVERYDAY of my life. There is really nothing good about it. So just remember, you cant trust anyone….  

(mom disclaimer: please understand that when a 12 yr old boy says he is going to “kill” someone, especially when this person is one of his best friends, he does not mean that literally. He means that they boy is making him mad and he would like to hit him to make him stop the things that make him mad)

Now…. after reading this article that my little boy has wrote, I guess it is time for some mom-son time.  It is so hard becoming a teenager…… 

Do you remember that awkward time? Please share some of your awkward moments when you were trying your best to fit in with the world and all your friends and figure out where your place in life was. I am sure Garrett would appreciate some encouraging words!

I have not written in several days, probably it has been a whole week. I have just been so busy doing so many things that there are times that I feel as though there just are not enough hours in the day to do all that needs to be done. It is 11:30 at night and my fingers are cramping from all of the typing I have done all day. My muscles ache and my eyes are drooping. But, there are so many things to do for so many people that I sometimes just feel as though I can not quit!

Last week, I got a desperate call from a very poor single mom in Jamaica whose 13 year old daughter has Down syndrome and a very severe heart condition. She had surgery on her heart at the age of 2 and has been on medication since then, up until October. 

The mother has no money for medicine and her daughter is slowly dying before her eyes. 

I have searched the internet for help. I have emailed and called so many people and am still waiting on replies!

The mother keeps scraping up change to buy a phone card to call me and see if I know anything new.

I don’t. 

Her daughter’s tongue is turning blue due to the lack of oxygen because there is so much fluid backing up in her heart without this medicine that she needs. 

She told me yesterday that her daughter can no longer walk across the room without bending over to catch her breath. 

My youngest son is the light of my life! He will be 13 in April. The same age of this little girl who needs medicine. Last week, our biggest problem in life was if we would get our Sam Houston clay statue complete in time for his Friday deadline. 

We did.

I don’t have medical insurance, but if my son needs to go to the doctor I take him and I make payments to the doctor until I pay it out. Our biggest worry medically has been his occasional migraine headaches. I give him some Tylenol or Ibuprofen and with a little rest he is fine.

In America, the majority of us do not have to worry if our children will die simply because we can not afford medicine. 

Sure, we all have our own worries, but our children’s tongues are not turning blue needlessly. 

I am worried.

I am worried for this parent. I am worried for this child.  I am worried for my own sanity if this child dies simply because I can’t get the medicine to her!

I am glad that I was born here in America and so were my children. I am glad that I don’t have to worry about them not having the medicine they need. My middle son takes daily medicine for several medical problems. My grandson takes daily medicine for several medical problems, including a severe heart defect. But he gets his medicine and his tongue doesn’t turn blue. 

I am tired.

I need to sleep so I can begin again tomorrow.