2 Sons, 2 Days, Much 2 B Thankful For

     The trip to see Rich in Chattanooga, with David driving, was super, especially in comparison to how the trip began, with me leaving Rector before 7AM, driving to Memphis to have breakfast with David and his girlfriend, Colby. 
     You see, the Michelin Man, wearing a dark navy traffic control uniform and sitting in an all black, unmarked police cruiser, chased me down at 42MPH to give me a speeding ticket in Lepanto, Arkansas.  You've heard of Lepanto:  setting of John Grisham's The Painted House.  I knew I was going to get a ticket when "Fat Bastard" flicked a droplet of sweat from his nose as he slowly waddled to my vehicle.  It was well before 8AM, so if he had already exerted that much energy, I was going to get a ticket.  And I did.
   But, that is not indicative of the 2 days I spent with David and Richard in Chattanooga.

Meeting Colby was a treat.  She is a precious girl and quite cute.  Very much David's style:  long brown hair and great smile and personality.  Very prettygirl.

The affirmation I wish to share with you is this:
 My 2 Sons have grown up well.  For every positive vibe any of you gave as they grew, I sincerely thank you.
  ALL Moms should have this opportunity and live the rest of their days affirmed that they raised good guys who tip their white hats to ladies.  Both sons have grown into the men I could only have dreamed of, with God's help, and with all the good influences from friends and relatives that they have had, including my mother and daddy.

Rich is a most wonderful success story. Not that I did not think he had it in him.  I did. He does.  It's just so dramatic with Rich.  The short version is that he has been accepted into school at Charleston, SC.  He and his girlfriend, with her parents blessing and mine, are going to school there.  Rich is finishing up his schooling by earning an associates degree in horticulture and tree management and turf maintenance, including golf course specialty.  The work he did with the tree people in Bartlett trained him to climb and work specifically with residential tree services and his job in Chattanooga has been with a golf course. He has a job with a national affiliated tree specialty company in Charleston.

   He has an apartment, has his school grant, has classes lined out, has arranged for everything. 

I invite you to Google "Charleston, SC."  I have learned a lot.  Also, Google "Ocean Isle, NC" about 2 hours north.  Gosh.  I am almost jealous.
     Both Rich and David told me that they loved their childhoods and have appreciated having me love them and nurture them and support them. Even when I was all "up in their business." They both said, in their own ways, they were especially grateful that I have recognized that it is now time to let them fly. (I will say that Marvin has cued me in that it was time.) If we give them wings, they will fly.  That's what we raise them to do, and then they do it.
   When the military thing did not work out for Rich (hearing loss), he was so disappointed, because the school at UT Chattanooga was just going no where. Here's the scoop on that:  the UTC folks have admitted so many students that they can not move everyone along in their major fast enough, fulfilling all the requirements so students can graduate in a timely fashion.  Rich was looking at at least 1full year and another semester, trying to get all the course work when the school would not hire additional faculty to fill the need for the courses.  Rich says that every room at UTC Place now has BUNKBEDS!  That's how croweded the school now is.  Rich had enough.  He was wasting his time.

   His girlfriend, Maurene, is going to finish her course work at College of Charleston.  She is a dynamo and she and Rich are making a good team.  They have a blue-tick hound, a "smokey dog" - named Lincoln.  He's a very cool 4 mo. old dawg who is also going to Charleston.
I am so proud to have witnessed Rich in this proactive role as a young man in charge of his life.

David has learned to drive since I last spent a weekend with him in a car. He has also learned not to fuss with me. We actually had nothing at all, whatsoever, to fuss about.  Miracles do happen.

He is doing well and is happy, actually considering grad school in Sports Management and Marketing, and considering getting back into that field in the near future.  He has finished all his coursework for the Sports Management and coursework for teaching with this past semester at U of M.  Colby is finishing at U of M in fashion design and home interior design.  She has internships already lined up. 
My young men and their girlfriends are the berries.
So, for me, today, I am all smiles and All is right with the world.
AND, David has just about convinced me to join Facebook!