Conversing with Rock Stars

Those who live around here may know my friend Nathan Albright. Nathan P. Albright, Attorney at Law to be exact. I'm not sure what the "P" stands for but I like to think it stands for Phineas. If you know him, then there is no explanation necessary for this post. If you don't, then let me just say, that what he did to me last night is totally something one should expect from him.
Nathan and his lovely wife Triscia were invited to an event last night featuring the band "Saving Abel". They didn't really want to attend but tickets were free and felt obligated, so they had London babysit while they went. Now, they had had a long but enjoyable day visiting a local Hutterite colony and Nathan was fighting a migraine so Trish was fairly certain that they wouldn't be gone long. You know, just make a token appearance and leave. Well, this was fine with me as London's mom because she had a long week with soccer tryouts and everything that went along with that this week, including a camp out that ended in a 4 mile run.
At about 10:30 pm last night my phone rings and caller ID says it's Nate. The phones won't connect so I'm yelling into my phone "Nathan!! Can you hear me?"
To which Brennan asks, "Is he drunk?"
I laugh, think about it for a second and say "No, I don't think so. I mean, no."
When he finally got through he tells me to hang on a second and then hear, "Hi, this is Scott from Saving Abel."
We proceed to have a very normal conversation about what a nice time he is having, including the fact that he is drunk and very happy about that. To which I reply, "Well at least you're happy about it." He says he is enjoying our lovely little town but that is quite different from Memphis, which I agreed that Memphis is probably quite a bit different from Moses Lake. And then he wanted to know if it would be OK for Nate to stay out a little bit longer since the party was just getting started.

I informed him of the week London had had, making sure to mention that my freshman daughter made the varsity soccer team, to which he was duly impressed, therefore it should really be her decision. He agreed and after a few obligatory "Nice talking to you's" he hung up.

All I could do was chuckle, shake my head and wonder why I should even be surprised. After all that is totally something Nathan would do.

Random Thoughts . . .

Good News!!! London made the Varsity Soccer Team! I am so excited for her, soccer is her love and I am thrilled she made Varsity as a freshman.


That was the happy thought. The others are more contemplative based on sad news.
One of our employees was killed in a car accident last weekend. He ran straight into the back end of a very large truck that was lit up like noon day. There was no attempt at braking or turning, just straight into the truck. I don't know if he had been drinking I think he definitely fell asleep and now he's gone. I'm sad for me because he was a genuinely nice person. Everyone, I kid you not, everyone knew him and liked him because he was very likeable. I'm sad for his kids because they will now have to journey their life without their dad. But I am the most sad for him. I know how much he loved life. He was a huge HS football fan, he DJ'd, he had a ton of friends and he adored his two girls and treated his step children like they were his own. So I have spent this past week pondering his grief. Does he grieve like we grieve for him? I know he is surrounded by those who have gone before him, but does that help in any way? I know we all die. For some it is at the end of a long and fulfilling life and although I'm sure we hate to leave those we love here I think we are ready for what is to come next. But at such a young age, do we mourn this life in heaven?

My final thought is about Stephanie Nielsons blog, NieNie Dialogues. I happened upon this blog several months ago and was immediately struck by the faith and love her family has for her and each other. When I first started reading I quickly learned that Stephanie and her husband had been in a terrible plane accident August of '08 and she had been burned over 80% of her body. Her family kept her blog going, reporting on her progress and finally Stephanie began posting herself. Some posts were postive and full of gratitude for life, family, her husband, her four darling children, Heavenly Father, etc. Others were frustrated and devastated and painful to read. But last week on the anniversary of her crash she posted a picture of herself. Previous pictures of her show a young, dark haired, freckle-faced, blue eyed beautiful girl. Now those freckles are gone replaced by the tell-tale scars of a burn victim.
I had mixed emotions. I was really proud of her for being so brave. I was in awe of her for being so brave. I was happy that there is a beauty about her. But I was also mad for her. She was a strikingly beautiful woman. I know it seems petty. When you read her words, her inner beauty exudes from her. But I am so sad that she only got that body for such a short period of time and will now be faced with the physical pain and limitations she has because of all the scar tissue. The stares she will face from those who might never know what she looked like before. It doesn't seem fair. I know life is not fair. This is her trial to face and she is facing it with dignity. But that is my thought for NieNie, that it doesn't seem fair.