That Man was my Daddy

As the newspapers and TV reporters began reporting on my father's passing last week, everything was surreal. It seemed as if they were talking about someone else. And, while it was just another scoop to share for them, to us it wasn't just a story. He was my daddy...

I know my dad would have preferred not to have all the hype surrounding what happened to him, but that's how it is sometimes when you live in a small town. As frustrating as it was to see Facebook posts of people gossiping back and forth to get the details and to watch news reports pop up before we'd even heard back from the medical examiner, at some point we just had to close our eyes and block all that out. We had to focus on getting through the grief, warmed by the encouragement of family and friends who were devastated with us and committed to carrying us in prayer.

Many of our friends and family have asked out of genuine concern for our narrative of the events that took place on that day last week that turned our world upside down. As a result, we've told the story over and over to hospital personnel, police investigators, family members, and our dearest friends so much so that it's become deeply engraved in our minds. But, there are still some who we haven't had the opportunity to share with, and rather than letting the news reports and rumors suffice, Mom and I thought it would be best if people heard directly from us what happened - what we know and what we'll never know. Though it's a difficult account to write, here is the overview of what took place last Wednesday:

January 22, my dad's birthday, he and my mom went to put out some water for the cows they recently purchased. They drove down to the low water bridge, backed their pick-up right up to the water, and began filling up a trough sitting on the bed of the truck. Mom wanted to help but they only had one bucket and Dad told her to get back in the truck because it was cold. She obliged and settled into the passenger seat to read her Bible while she waited.

After a bit, Mom realized that she didn't hear Dad pouring water into the trough anymore, so she got out of the truck to check on him. At first glance she couldn't find him anywhere and began calling his name. However, upon scanning the scene again, she noticed his silhouette a ways out in the river, submerged under the water. 

I am not sure how she did it, but she got in the river and ran out up to her chest until she could reach him. Mom was able to pull to him back to shore, but he was too heavy for her to get on the bank by herself. Thankfully, there was a construction worker nearby, whose attention Mom was able to get, that came to join her efforts. A man in a truck was also crossing the bridge at that time and she quickly got his attention too. The three of them finally got Daddy back on the shore, and Mom began CPR while she called 911. She tried to relay to the emergency operator that she thought my dad had had a heart attack and fallen in the river. 

The ambulance arrived about 20 minutes later and rescue workers continued to work on him. At this point, my mom, whose wet coat was solid ice from the freezing temperatures, was wrapped in a blanket and walked back to their truck. Then, finally, one of the construction workers drove her in my dad's truck as they followed the ambulance back to the hospital. 

The doctors there did their best, but after an hour of trying, they told us there was nothing more they could do. 

We don't know what caused Dad to fall into the water, but certain evidence leads us to believe he must have been unconscious and not able to catch himself when he fell. And, since no one saw what happened, it became an investigation case.

The report we received from the medical examiner failed to explain exactly happened to make my dad unable to help himself, but it did give us a clue. The medical examiner listed a heart condition as a contributing to death, which supports my mom's earlier hypothesis that something like a heart attack must have taken place. The water was shallow and the current so weak that under normal circumstances he would have no problem swimming or even just getting up.

We'll never know for sure on this side of eternity why this happened, but we do know that God works all things together for good for those who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). One close friend suggested that possibly, God had kept my mom in the truck that day to spare her from seeing what did take place.

Though things seem out of control, the Lord is still on His throne, watching us, guiding us, and comforting us. I may not know everything that took place that day, but I know that God is STILL good. He is "close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:28).

We sincerely thank those of you who have been praying for us and ask that you continue to lift us up in the days to come. It is obvious that God has already begun to answer so many intercessory requests made on our behalf. He has given us peace that passes all understanding.

Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

-Isaiah 46:4 

The Third Month

Slow down, slow down, slow down!

I can't believe that I've already packed away almost a full tub of clothes that my baby boy's too big for now. While I'm finally getting back into a few pairs of my old pants, Reid is quickly outgrowing his. At two and a half months old, we were already moving on to 3-6 month clothing because of long he is, especially in the torso. And, since then he hasn't slowed down much - even some of the 3-6 sleepers are getting too short when he tries to stretch out his legs.

This past Saturday I spent a good portion of the day pulling out Caleb's old 6-9 month clothes for my three month old to wear! I kept trying to keep those 0-3s in the dresser drawers, but when the new clothes showed up there wasn't enough room for all of them. 

In denial, I kept thinking, "maybe these still fit," but when Dave came it to assess the situation after I complained I didn't have enough room for Reid's new clothes, he gave me a reality check. "He's still a baby," I protested. "Those still fit." But, he just gave me the "Are you serious?" eye and laughed at my pleas to hold out those snug fitting outfits just a little bit longer. (Yep, he's the practical one.)

Reid can still be a pretty serious chap, but Mommy is getting very good at getting some wonderful smiles out of her sweet boy. With a little bit of sweet talking, he lights right up these days and coos to boot. I can hardly stand it some times! I just want to eat him up!

Laying on his back to play is fun, but we do a little tummy time to mix it up too. Reid is not so fond of this activity. He'd rather be facing up smiling and cooing than struggling to move on his belly, mushing his face into the blanket. Just like Caleb, I think he got chubby so quickly that it's made it hard for him to do much moving on his tum-tum. I don't expect him to be rolling over or crawling any time soon, but he'll get there in his own time and I'm not going to rush him. :)

Those rattles and baby toys he's been too small to do much with are now making an appearance too. He is good at grasping, shaking, and making a small ruckus with them. 

Reid recently even began to reach for toys hanging above him. We can tell he gets excited when his hand hits one or he gets a hold of it because he really starts moving, kicking his legs and swinging those arms.

Reid no longer wants to sit still either. That's for sure! With two older siblings running around, who would?

Since I often have to lay him down to tend my other kids, clean, make meals, etc., we make good use of the two bouncer/rockers we have. However, now this adventurous child thinks he is too big to lay back like he's supposed to. Instead, he tries his best to sit straight up. Often I look over to see Mr. Chunkerson crunching his abs, trying to do sit-ups so he can be upright. 

What three month old does that? One who has to watch out for his two older siblings who accidentally step on him when he tries to relax on his baby quilt, especially Hadley who's been known to try to sit on him on occasion.

I don't blame you, Reid! I'd be trying to get moving too!

In other news, pacifiers are a thing of the past. Caleb and Hadley loved them (well, Hadley still LOVES them), but Reid has his own preferences. Though he took a pacifier a little at first, it seems to gag and frustrate him more than comfort him. Instead he prefers to nurse or suck on Dave's finger to calm down. Often, he even shoves the side of his miniature balled up fist in there. He's gnawed on it so much recently that his poor little hand is beginning to get pretty chapped, and sadly there isn't much I can do about it since I don't want him licking off any lotion or cream I try to apply.

I thought he wasn't really going to attach to anything, but over the past several days, he's found HIS THUMB! I was a thumb sucker (until I was seven! SHHH!), so I find it pretty endearing that he's following his momma. If he sticks with chewing on that thumb, it will be nice not having to hunt for "woo-woos," make sure there is always one packed in the diaper bag, or worry about it falling on the floor. On the other hand, we may have to worry about keeping his hands washed more often and trying to figure out how to break the habit when it comes time since we can't just take it away like we can a paci. I guess we'll cross those bridges when we get there, but for now I think he is super cute and love that he can self soothe.

If only the days would listen to me and keep Mr. Reid from growing up so fast!

Goofball

This is my little goofball. 

He loves all kinds of silliness. 

Lately, he's been into taking pictures and wanting me to capture shots of him doing funny things. While I hadn't thought to do it before, I'm glad he talked me into getting a few pics of "him being him" because they really show his sense of humor and joyful personality. That said, I just had to do a post to share a few!

He has a partner in crime when it comes to silliness though. My mother and he must be kindred spirits in this regard, because one or the other of them are always coming up with something crazy. From kissing monkeys to hamburger friends, they have more inside jokes than I can list. I think they feed off each other and giggles always abound when the two of them get started.

One day in particular, they were dressing up in disguises, pretending to be strangers. Caleb would get so tickled when Mom would act like she didn't know who he was and kept asking if he'd seen her grandson. He'd throw off his sunglasses and dress-up clothes yelling in a fit of laughter that he was Cay-Cay! Mom came up with quite a get-up too when it was her turn. She even used one of his dinosaurs as a walking cane. Those two are a trip!

There isn't a day that goes by that this boy doesn't make my heart smile.