Argillaceous...

So much introspection to muddle through lately...again. A friend wrote in an email to me not long ago, "Our hearts would do so much better if roller coasters were confined to amusement parks!" I whole heartedly agree. But on it goes, chug, chug, chug, uphill and then, wheeee! A little respite, a little diversion. I think the new trampoline Chris and Christa got for the boys created just the right diversion last Sunday following Reece's baby dedication. The family gathered to honor Reece, enjoy a yummy brunch and bounce around like crazy. I even tried my semi-famous seat drop to the amusement of all the grandkids. (Glad I don't have any photos of that!)

Monday, Memorial Day, was so mellow. Spent the day with Katie and the kids in Berwyn while Tommy worked. We did little house projects, had a barbecue. I thought about how I missed the big deal we used to make about the Indy 500 as a family, $.50 a car and the traveling trophy awarded after a big barbecue feast of chicken. And mostly thinking about mom who's birthday would have been yesterday. Thought about the different soldiers I have known, the old ones, the middle aged ones, the young guys I have known from Impact who have or are serving right now. Aw, jeepers. And then recounted to Katie the whole theme of "Pay It Forward" that I watched in it's entirety the night before until 2:00 AM. I got choked up when I spoke of the death of the little boy at the end and the outpouring of love shown by all his friends who showed up for the mom. Too close somehow to how I was feeling, remembering.

Katie is struggling with depression right now and that, in turn, makes me want to do something, anything, sort of like Shirley MacLaine in "Terms Of Endearment" when she screams at the floor nurse, "My daughter is in pain! Give her her medicine, now!" But I don't know who to scream at... And a good thing, I think. Katie has started up a new blog a little while back. The entries she has posted except for one, are from her original blog. She is trying to see where she can find evidences of bipolar in her writings after Laurie's death. The title of her blog is "Argillaceous" which means made of clay...pretty good title. Made of clay, able to be molded by Him. And lastly the amazing 43 comments of encouragement left on my blog from last week to Katie. They have brought tears to our eyes, still amazed. Thanks, again, for that...