A Mellow Brick Road...: Daddy's MIA

Last night, Mommy talked Daddy into writing about a childhood memory/experience for this Fat Tuesday. Mommy has shared for the past two or three Fat Tuesdays, and since Daddy won't see you both today, I felt it was a perfect opportunity for Daddy to participate. :(

Fat Tuesday, Daddy Entry Number One: A childhood experience/memory

Bodhi and Buddha (and yes, Ryan and Kelly and Sean, my story is your story too!), I was once an accomplished detective and I know where it all began….

Once upon a time…when I was a very young teen, my best friends Darrell, Ted, Carl and Mike and I enjoyed reading detective adventure stories of The Hardy Boys and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Three Investigators. But no one loved them more than Daddy! I day-dreamed and fantasized about solving mysteries and finding missing treasure and revealing the truth about creepy mansions which proved to be hide-a-ways for smugglers and thieves and dangerous desperadoes and counterfeiters…and, well, you can tell that I truly was enchanted by mysteries and adventures!

I loved these stories so much that, well, before you knew it I simply loved to read! I discovered a secret that stayed with me throughout my life…the joy of studying something that you truly love and enjoy learning everything there is about it.

Many years later, when I had graduated from high school, a friend of mine came across my high school (Vincennes Lincoln) year-book. Inside, he discovered a photo of Daddy at a pep-rally pulling a stunt of drinking down (guzzling in a competition) a soda (a Dr. Pepper I bet…but more about that on another occasion) and he enlarged the picture and gave it to me as a gift; when the picture was enlarged, he discovered to his amazement (by then I was developing a career as a capable detective) that in my letter-jacket pocket was a book, and you could barely discern the title: “Criminal Minds.”

My love for mysteries developed into a love for stories of Sherlock Holmes (I even tried talking Mommy and Moo into letting me name you “Sherlock” Jude), and again that interest and love for a subject has stayed with me throughout my adult life, spanning two careers---one as a law enforcement officer, and another as a criminologist and college professor.

My love for criminal investigation even led to my greatest discovery of all: your Mommy. But I’ll tell that story another time. For now, know this: my hope for each of you is that you will love to learn, and that in the learning you will discover a subject that fascinates and inspires you to want to be the best there ever was or ever will be at whatever it is you realize you are meant to do and to be. And you can know this with certainty: no one will be your greater fan and advocate than Mommy and Daddy!

Bodhi's and Jude's Day:

Last night, little Buddha, you were up all night long screaming and crying with a fever of a 102.5. You gave Mommy and Daddy quite a scare. Mommy is hoping it's from teething, however, there are no signs of teeth poking through, just a fever and lots of drool and chewing. Bodhi, I think Juders kept you up as well because you slept in this morning. We all slept in, and on a day when we have speech therapy. Good thing Mommy had the house in order before I attempted to go to bed last night! Bodhi, today you met your actual licensed speech therapist, Ms. Heather. She'll be meeting with you once a month to assess Ms. Connie's work with you. We loved Ms. Heather, she was a hoot. You had a really good time with her and she actually got you to attempt to say the word "out" too! Jude, this morning your temperature was back down to 98.8, however, Mommy took your temperature after Ms. Heather left and it was back up to 100.5. Mommy gave you some more medicine and you acted as though nothing had been bothering you.

This evening, Grandmoo and GiGi stopped by to drop a jean jacket off for your Easter outfit, Bodhi, and an outfit for you, Jude, as well. Bodhi, you were still asleep, but Mommy woke you as you had been sleeping for just about four hours. Sister Kelly came over after work to watch you both while Mommy took her Zumba class. Sister Kelly said you became fussy, Jude, and your temperature spiked back up, so she gave you some medicine. By the time I got home you were back to being a happy baby. Mommy hadn't taken any pictures of the two of you today, so Sister Kelly was left with the camera and she got some funny shots of you two. She said that you, Bodhi, put all three of your baby bears in your play microwave and oven, and you took Jude's bowl off of his tray at dinner and put it on your head when she had her back turned! The Governor also came over to visit you both before he had to go to work at the hospital, and he helped you Bodhi, brush your teeth. You both didn't get to see your Daddy today, he is Indianapolis for a training and he won't be home until late tonight. Daddy hates days that he doesn't get to see you both! Hopefully, you, Jude, get some much needed rest tonight, and tomorrow we'll be seeing the doctor.