One Third of My Light Is Gone

"...And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them was darkened. And the day did not shine for a third part of it,, and the night in like manner." --Rev. 8:12

I have three sons. One of them is in the spirit world. On October 26, 2009, one third of the light in my life went out forever.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Philip Writing Award

Philip submitted an entry to a student magazine contest sponsored by the  Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.  His entry placed first of 37 in the category of Consumer Magazine Article About People..

The story he wrote is about Maris. It is called He Jumped, I Followed. 

 Here are the judge's comments about Philip's article:

"Articles—People.  Judge: Dick Stolley, senior editorial adviser at Time Inc. and founding editor of People.

First Place:  “He Jumped, I Followed,” for The New Yorker


Why it won:
"The death by suicide of the author’s older brother leads him into a painful investigation of the reasons why he threw himself off a seven story parking garage in faroff Hawaii. Although we know the outcome, the author manages to create amazing suspense as he interviews his brother’s friends, scrolls through his cell phone, recalls his troubled adolescence and surprising Air Force enlistment. Suicide is the ultimate puzzle, and we never really learn why. But we do achieve an understanding of the 22-year-old himself and grieve for him almost as if we were family members ourselves."
We are very, very proud of Philip.  I know Maris is, too.. 

See a list of winning entries and read the the judges' comments about them.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Chicago Air & Water Show 2011

The Chicago Air & Water Show takes place this weekend.  It was always one of my favorite events. 
we LOVE the Air & Water Show
The kids enjoyed it, too.  We often took a bus down to North Ave. Beach for this annual event.
planes flying in formation over Lake Michigan
A Tuskegee Airman at the Chicago Air & Water Show
Maris was inducted into the Air Force at the 2005 Air and Water Show.
marching to the staging area for the oath
Maris is in the back row, just left of that black podium
taking the oath

taking the oath

the new Airmen were honored by a flyby of a new raptor plane.  Here they are, waiting for it to fly past...
...and here you see turned heads following its progress...I was too slow!
and here they come...so proud!!
I still love the Air & Water Show and I still think the planes are awesome and beautiful.  But I don't go to it any more.  My heart breaks every time I think about it.