Well, the process of picking house plans has begun. Mother is looking through books. I am looking through books. Thinking about solar power? Expensive though…it would be nice. We shall see.
I have been looking at several tornado shelters and panic rooms.
The one above is out of Oklahoma. StormSafeRoom is the manufacturer. Looks like a good one. The area I am moving to is no stranger to tornadoes. The farm itself has been hit more than once directly. An F4 passed with 1 mile a few years ago. Numerous tornadoes have come close to the farm. I think we should error on the side of caution when it comes to the tornado protection.
On another note - speaking of tornadoes - it appears that severe weather will be possible on Friday and into Saturday morning across our region. Several tornadoes will be possible. It is still a bit early to nail down specifics.
Nobody should ever have to bury a child. Burying a godchilds son reminds me of how suddenly life can change. Reminding me that life does not go on forever - we are not a promised a tomorrow - we are not promised a today. I have known Mike, Tabatha, and Bobby for more than 20 years now. Each of them growing up under difficult circumstances but always pushing forward - always looking to tomorrow. Today is probably the most difficult of all days for each one of them - and for Carol. There isn’t much one can say on a day like today. A cold rain falling over the cemetery, clouds covering the sun, teardrops from heaven. Quavarius was only twenty two months old - but in the short time he was on this planet he managed to make a lot of friends. Hundreds. It is beautiful how a little child can touch so many lives. The outpouring of love today was touching. It demonstrated, once again, how close people in Massac County can be when it is necessary. So many people came to pay their respects for him. He looked like a little angel with his ball cap. I am certain that he must be running through the fields of heaven tonight.
I told Carol that I have been to more funerals of children in Massac County than I have of adults. More than fifteen. Each one a special person. Each one unique and each one with a life that was cut way too short.
God bless you tonight Mike, Tabatha, Bobby, and Carol.
It appears that our counter offer on our new house, that we built in Mayfield, was accepted. We close in 9 days! This is good because this is what we are going to use to build mother’s house. So we can get started a lot sooner than expected!
Mother is looking through the houseplan books - trying to find that "perfect" plan. I think she is going to need some help. lol
We finally got all of the teddy bears in. We counted 930 bears! So we had to bag them all up and get them ready for the Rape Crisis Center - Child Watch - and some local police departments.
OPERATION BEAR!!!!!!
Deena unpacking the bears…one box at a time!
Tony helped open all the boxes. I MIGHT actually get my living room back.
I would imagine that there are few days in life like today. When a baby is born, when a loved one gets married, when a loved one returns home after years of being missing. I don’t know. I would think a day like today would be a "once in a lifetime event". I don’t know how to describe today. It was a day that I have dreamed of few years and years…it was a day that my mother has talked about for years and years. I t was a day that none of us ever dreamed would actually happen. But it did.
Today was one of the most beautiful days of my life. I will have to take some time to think through all of the emotions that I felt - the mother felt - that my sisters felt. It was wonderful. Seeing mother stand there and realize that she once again could return home. Incredible. To watch her face when she realized what was happening.
Some moments in life are priceless - today was one of those moments.
For those who missed the very first post about this - on Christmas Day (4 months ago)
The first words from mother - once she figured out that I was going to build a house on the hill - was "now I won’t be alone." I don’t think I ever realized that she thought she would be alone. I will never forget the way she said those words.
The photos below are actually video still grabs. I was so nervous and excited today that I forgot to put the card in my camera! So all of the photos I took were blank! I think I made every photographers mistake today. I didn’t check anything! Oh well!!!
Sometimes you wake in the morning to find out that dreams do come true.
Before you watch the video it would be best to read the narration below. It will take you through the "set up". Mother had no idea what was going on. We took her to the farm to dig up flowers. We hid a banner in the brush that said "welcome home mother". She found it - Dylan helped open it up. Then she slowly read what it said. At first she thought it was a joke or something. She got mad at Deena - then she asked me "you didn’t buy this did you".
Thank you to everyone that helped make today possible. It has been a long four months! This all began on December 25th! Four months later…20 years later - here we are! There are so many other people that I wished were here to see all of this. I know that some of my friends have been asking me almost weekely - "have you heard anything new about the farm" and I would have to tell them no - nothing today. I know I told Kay Comer and Gail "maybe next week" at least once a week!
Driving up the driveway - we told mother we were going to dig up some flowers. Occasionally she does that
and replants them at her house in Mayfield. I think it makes her feel like a part of the farm is with her.
Mother put my boots on because she was afraid of snakes.
I SHOULD SAY THAT WE HID A BANNER IN THE GRASS THAT SAID "WELCOME HOME MOTHER" - THE PLAN WAS FOR HER TO FIND IT AND UNROLL THE BANNER - SHE WOULD SLOWLY READ WHAT WAS ON THE BANNER.
Deena points mother to some flowers - Dylan has the shovel and is
going to dig them up.
They start to dig up some flowers…mother still doesn’t know anything
is going on.
Mother notices the white banner - left corner of the photo by her leg
She reaches for the banner and starts to pull it out of the brush.
At first she thinks it is an old window shade.
She hands it to Dylan and he starts to unroll it
She slowly starts to read it :) At first she says "wel" "welcome" then she
says "Welcome Home Mother" - she has a weird look on her face like
what in the world is that.
Then she realizes what it says…but still doesn’t understand
Then she gets mad because she thinks it is some kind of joke - she
tells Deena - "why did you do that"
Then she looks at me and says "you didn’t buy this did you"
Then I tell her "yes"
Then she asked me "what are we going to do build up here" and I said
"yes" :) Then she cried some more. Then she said "you are not
going to build her also" and I said "yes I am" - then she realized that I
had bought both grandmothers old house lot and our old house lot.
The family standing with mother
HOME!!!!
I think she looks happy there!
I had to stake my claim - it felt so good!!!!
I put a flag on top of the house - seemed like a good thing to do. Victory. :) I am sure the Kortes and others
will see the banner and the flag and wonder what in the world is going on up at the old Dodson residents.
WE put together this mailbox…soon to be placed at the end of the long lane.
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There’s a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true
Some day I’ll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops
That’s where you’ll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can’t I?
Some day I’ll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops
That’s where you’ll find me
Dione and Tommy made an offer on a house today. So that is good news for them.
Tony called at 7 p.m. and told me that we have an offer on our second new house here in Mayfield. So this is great news. We need all of this to come together at once. NOW if we could get Ashcreek sold. The good news though is that if we sell this house then we have mother’s new house paid for - the one we are building on the farm. Close to paid for at least. The plan is to not sell mothers current house - too much trouble to move her out. So this is near perfect news - IF the house sells. We are going to counter their offer. We shall see.
I will be glad once mother knows about the farm. That won’t happen until tomorrow. :)
So we went out and bought the post that the mailbox goes on. :) We (Joey) put it together. Now we have to dig a hole tomorrow and we will officially have a new address/mailbox. OMG!
Well, it has been a very busy week. Lot going on. Not all good and not all bad. It was sad to here that little Quavarius drowned in a pool on Wednesday Night. There really isn’t anything to say about that. It was shocking news and news that nobody ever expects to hear. I have not heard anything further on funeral plans. Still waiting for a phone call.
It looks like severe thunderstorms will be possible across our region later this evening and into tonight. I expect some watches and warnings before the night is over.
We are planning on telling mother about the farm on Saturday - 1 pm. It will be an amazing surprise for her. I don’t believe she knows anything about it - she doesn’t read the web site because she doesn’t come online. Hopefully Mariah hasn’t told her anything. I know they talk a lot!
To say that I am excited is putting it mildly. This is the easy part of the process though. Next will come the planning and the building. It will be a long process…that I am sure of!
Welcome to my journal. I call it a journal because I started this before "blogs" existed. Within this site you will find pages and pages and pages of my journey over the last 10 years. An incredible story of triumph, sadness, happiness, and intense battles. I run several web-sites. Most of them dealing with weather and photography - my passion. You can visit the sites through the links below. If you would like to know more about me then please visit my biography page by clicking Here.
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