Thanksgiving 1980

The weather was a perfect nice 70 degrees.  But I wasn't outside, I was inside the YMCA.  The weather was cold and the ones I loved was at my Mom's house.  We were separated. I knew no one at the "Y" in person but knew them all because we were in the same situation.  Navy guys unable to go home for Thanksgiving.   I had my ten dollar roll of quarters and waited in anticipation to make my call.  I and Kim talked for one hour. That is the only hour I remember that day.   But it was an hour that even now brings tears to my eyes.  I don't know what we talked about but I remember that phone call like it was yesterday.  Even the silence at the end was so precious, not wanting to end our conversation.  Not wanting to be separated on a day when family's are together. I would not trade that memory, for today is more special because of that day so many years ago.

Kids do the craziest things

I spoke to a Foster Parent group last night. (I loved it!) It brought back some memories of past experiences with foster kids. One of our foster/adopted kids was traveling with me in the van. We were coming back from visiting extended family. She was about 14 or 15 at the time and was sitting in the passenger seat of the van. (Whenever we go we have to take 2 vans and my wife was driving the van behind us with the rest of the kids.) I wasn't paying attention to what she was doing, until it occurred to me, holding a piece of paper on the window for a long time wasn't normal. I said, "let me see what you've written on that paper." She turned it around and it said, "HELP ME." Talk about going into panic. I can laugh now but I didn't then.




What's the goofiest thing your kids did, or you did.

Kim & I were able to celebrate Kim's birthday in Sioux Falls.  -great get away time

Spy

Here's a conversation between Kim & I


I call Kim: "AD is on the move, headed to PayLess shoes"

After a few minutes Kim calls me: "She's not in Location"

I text AD asking for location and get a message back, "Dad, I found a T-shirt that says, "If you knew my mother you would understand"

I text AD again and ask where she's at.

After a few minutes I get the reply from AD, "JC Penny's"

I call Kim and tell her JC Penny's

I get a call back from Kim, "Little bird has been spotted."



A successful spy operation accomplished. We really need GPS systems.