Takin' the boys tubin on the Guadalupe River..

[GoinBackToCali]

We're excited.. we're takin the boys tubin..

http://www.riversportstubes.com/

It's 4 hours from my house.. so its gonna be a mini vacation with a hotel room and all!

But, it was also the kinda trip that Jarred would have been on with us, and Blake's already mentioned it. The Edwards borrow my digital scales once a week to weigh their pigs, and I was telling Squidz on the way home one day, that it sucked..although I adore Taylor (more on Taylor in a bit) Jarred should have gotten first pick.. and he should be here. (Squidz was also Jarred's families farm vet, and was there throughout the ordeal as well.) But yanno.. Jarred wouldn't want us all sulking about.. so..we're gonna go, be sad for a bit.. but have a good time.

Now for the Taylor thing...

Blake and Ty have had a bit of a falling out.. Namely, Ty's daddy forgot to pay Blake for roofing work.. about a weeks worth, out in the hot Texas sun, and Ty kinda boosted some ostrich skin boots off of Blake and ruined em, and didn't hold up to his end of replacing them, and Blake's maturity level is different than Ty's. Ty has this thing he does where he just constantly hits, for no reason, cheap shots, pot shots.. and he actually cracked Blake's rib..Blake won't even look at him anymore..

So enter into the picture Taylor..

Taylor's mom and I have been friends since 2000,and you ever met someone that you just click? You know, day or night, they will be there, not talk for months on end, but call them, and they come running? That's Leah and Max.. Taylor's mom and stepdad.

To explain how I feel about Taylor... Taylor..is on the same level as Jarred, friendwise, he just lives 3 towns away, so he's not 4 streets over like Jarred was..

I think the bond between Blake and Taylor is deeper than we know, they just werent really allowed to hang together because we lived 3 towns over..

Taylor's daddy is a lazy sob, and he had a 16 year old brother named Dusty. Taylor went for weekend visitation, and he was sick, he needed meds, his dad didn't feel like going for them, so at 3 am, he got Dusty up and sent him to Wal-Mart for the meds.. Dusty fell asleep at the wheel, flipped the car off a bridge,and drowned in a creek..

Leah has commented several times on how much Taylor has come out of the shell he has been in these last 3 years since Dusty's been gone.. since he's been spending time with Blake.. so..maybe.. everything happens for a reason, and God does have a purpose..

Some pics I wanted to share..

Blake and Taylor at the 4-H banquet.. the point of this pic is they didn't have any cheese for the burgers, so Taylor layered his with Cheeto's, which Blake found funny as heck..

This was suppossed to be the Captain Morgan's Ultimate Pose Off.. but do to lack of proper height of the foot, it looks more like a bunch of drunk Irishman doing a St.Patty's day jig..

And.. some new ink of mine.. to which I was royally reemed for by my doc's.. immune system crap and all.. yadda yadda yadda.. but I don't regret it.. he doodled this on my phone book a couple of weekends before he died..

 

[Becca]

Awwh - Thats one pretty special tatoo - Great idea

ink iris:

 

[undergunfire]

I really hope you have a great time on your mini vacation! It sounds so fun!


I love the tattoo, too. It looks so great!

 

[TinysMom]

How fun....I'm almost tempted to say "Bring Ori and we'll drive over and pick him up..." but Art would want to go tubing and I know Ori probably doesn't want to spend his day tubing....

 

[Dublinperky]

I just went there!!! I loved tubing so I hope you do too! We stayed in a motorhome though...

 

[LuvaBun]

Oh wow! I LOVE the tattoo. What a great tribute/memorial to Jarred, being his doodle and all.

This tubing sounds like great fun - are you sure taking the boys is just an excuse for you to go and have fun . Sounds like Taylor is just the kind of friend Blake should have, too, and I'm pretty sure Jarred will be there in spirit.

Have fun!

Jan

 

[TinysMom]

I can't help but think today of how y'all are gonna be going and having so much fun....

I know it will be a sad time in regards to the fact that I think its the first time you've done something major like this since Jarred passed....but I think having Taylor along will maybe help ease things a bit.

I didn't realize until I read this thread (and then thought about it later) that Jarred had drawn what you used for the tattoo. I saw pictures of the tattoo and had wondered why that - but never asked. It is so cool that you have that to remember him by.....

And bless his heart...I was telling Art about you guys going tubing and of course he's heard all the Ori stories and said to me, "Let me guess...Ori's going tubing with Blake too?"

I told him no....that Ori had too much self respect for that.

Have fun - make sure to share pictures from the mini-vacation....I know you'll miss Jarred but I think that you'll still be able to have a good time.

 

[GoinBackToCali]

We already should be gone.. however, as Peg can attest, since she had to listen to me blubbering on the phone, I had a total meltdown today.

This would have been our first adventure sans Jarred.. and this is the type of thing he would be right there front and center for, and I would have had to listen to him and Blake chattering back and forth the enter 4 hours down there..

It was made worse when Jarred's mom was suppossed to come around 3 to get my house key to feed my bunnies and stuff, and she showed up early and found me mid meltdown.. and knew what it was for.

I tried to pull it together before Squidz got home from work so I wouldn't ruin things.. he sent me to bed.. fed the kids, woke me up for dinner, dissappeared and reappeared with an orange sherbert icee and a milky way dark..

I feel better... he knows my comfort food... so... we leave at 5 am in the morning.

And I was on the docket today at 9 am for filing my divorce... we all took bets on which Rick would show up.. Jerk Rick, Repetent Rick,, or Horses Ass Rick..

None of us won.. as Repetent, nice affable Rick showed up, and even bid us a good morning...

 

[TinysMom]

GoinBackToCali wrote:

We already should be gone.. however, as Peg can attest, since she had to listen to me blubbering on the phone, I had a total meltdown today.

Yeah - I was really worried. But when I heard you laughing before we hung up - I knew you'd be ok and make it through.

This would have been our first adventure sans Jarred.. and this is the type of thing he would be right there front and center for, and I would have had to listen to him and Blake chattering back and forth the enter 4 hours down there..

Remember what I said too - this is the FIRST adventure without your "third son". It is going to be hard - the hardest probably. It is only natural that you had a hard time....I would be more worried about you if you had not had a hard time.

It was made worse when Jarred's mom was suppossed to come around 3 to get my house key to feed my bunnies and stuff, and she showed up early and found me mid meltdown.. and knew what it was for.

I'm actually glad Lisa showed up and found you. I wish I could have been there for you - but at least I got to talk to you after the meltdown (or during the tail end of it).

I tried to pull it together before Squidz got home from work so I wouldn't ruin things.. he sent me to bed.. fed the kids, woke me up for dinner, dissappeared and reappeared with an orange sherbert icee and a milky way dark..

And if you ruin it with him - you know a bunch of us are gonna kick you in the rear - right? No matter how far we have to fly/drive?

I'm glad you allowed him to see this side of you - the grief, etc. I'm also really NOT surprised that he acted like he did...

I feel better... he knows my comfort food... so... we leave at 5 am in the morning.

Well - that's not too bad....and you'll get to San Antonio about the time you'd be waking up....

And I was on the docket today at 9 am for filing my divorce... we all took bets on which Rick would show up.. Jerk Rick, Repetent Rick,, or Horses Ass Rick..

None of us won.. as Repetent, nice affable Rick showed up, and even bid us a good morning...

I'm glad that is the Rick that showed up....and I'm glad that the divorce is filed (or whatever they do).

I'm also really really really happy that you're with someone who loves you and takes care of you and is good for you. It really is nice to hear you laugh - a genuine laugh - and to hear the smile in your voice.

I know today was rough and there will be rough days ahead.

But you're strong - you have the support of Rusty and your family - you'll make it!

 

[LuvaBun]

Ditto everything Peg said .

Now get a few zzz's and be ready for 5 am :bed:

Jan