Wikipedia defines  "Reveille" as "a bugle call most often associated with the military; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise. The name comes from the French word for 'wake up'".  However, Texas A&M has another definition because Reveille is the name of their official mascot, and she is the first lady of Aggieland.  Serving as the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets, Reveille is a Five-Star General.  Reveille I (or Reveille the 1st) arrived on campus back in 1931 when some cadets struck a small black and white dog as they were returning from Navasota.  Carefully, they carried her back to campus so that they could nurse her back to health.  The following morning when "Reveille" was blown by a bugler, she started barking.  Thus, she was named "Reveille" after the wakeup call.  The tradition since has become that Reveille is a full-blood Collie, and she is deeply loved, and the most revered dog on campus.  The story goes that if she is sleeping on a cadet's bed, then that cadet must sleep on the floor.  Another story we've heard is that if Reveille is in a class and she barks while the professor is teaching, the class is to be immediately dismissed.  So why have I written this introduction?  Because recently, we had the privilege of meeting Reveille VIII (or in Cara Beth's words, "the most famous Reveille").

Thinking it may be a good way to cheer up a young fella who is recovering from surgery, our friend Dan, who was in charge of Reveille VIII for the evening, called to see if he might bring her by for a visit.  Well, she was a big hit with all the kiddos.  For a good hour or more Reveille had children following her all over my living room, dining room, and kitchen, and she was quite the lady.

Dan even did a few tricks with her and she willingly obliged.

Here's three pretty ladies

Reveille was so courteous that she let the kids take some individual shots with her.

Even when Joshua gave her bunny ears, Reveille didn't get upset.  She just played along. :)

And if Cara Beth got this close to Reveille, it says a lot about how genteel Reveille is.

After awhile Reveille began to show signs of being tired so we all said our goodbyes.

Thanks Dan for being so thoughtful.  It wasn't just Micah who was touched by your kindness, but as you can tell, it meant quite a bit to all of the children, and to me as well.  You've given us all a memory we will cherish for a long time to come.  Thank you.

Cara Beth:  Oompah, when did you marry Savta?

Oompah:  We got married a little over 50 years ago.  Are you going to get married?

Cara Beth:  NO!  ....I'm just going to be friends with Asa.....FOREVER!

Oompah:  So are you just going to live with your daddy and mommy forever?

Cara Beth:  No, I will live with Aunt Hannah & Uncle Kevin. (hehehe)

Cara Beth & Asa...Forever Friends

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

On Thursday night after I had already put Cara Beth to bed, prayed with the boys and left them in their rooms, I returned to my room to work on my endless pile of laundry.  After some time elapsed, my son Micah showed up, sat down on my bed and started asking me questions about his recent diagnosis of Perthes disease.  Pretty soon, his roommate Christopher also showed up and plopped himself down and was listening in.  We were discussing possible surgeries and I was trying to be careful because honestly I still don't know what is in store.  We just received this "Perthes" news on Wednesday and Micah's tests have all been emailed to a specialist in Temple and so we are awaiting his opinion.  I have learned that there are many websites out there with a plethora of information on Perthes, much of it conflicting on what procedures are used for treatment of Perthes.  Specialists in Boston treat it differently than those in Texas, than those in other parts of the US.  Meanwhile the last three days have seemed like the longest three days I've had in a very long time.  One thing that seems to be across the board however, is that Micah's age (8+ years) is not an advantage here. When Perthes begins between the ages of 4 & 6 the results and prognosis are much more encouraging for a full recovery than when Perthes begins at the age of 8. Also, I have realized that the next two to three years of our lives are about to change drastically.  So we wait.  Back to the bedroom where my two boys are on my bed. I'm trying to answer Micah's questions with a tint of caution because I still want to protect him somewhat as I am not positive about what treatments lie ahead. I'm thinking, "Micah seems to be taking this pretty well."  Somewhere in the conversation I leave the room to retrieve another load of laundry from the dryer, and when I return Micah and Christopher are embracing, and Micah is crying on his elder brother's shoulders.  I place the laundry on the bed and walk around  to join the embrace, and Micah begins expressing his fears.  As he speaks I find that my 10 year old Christopher is not at a loss for words of comfort and courage.  He starts reminding Micah that he (Micah) will never be alone because God is always with him.  Even if mom and dad can't be in the surgery room he doesn't need to worry because God will be with him all the time.  God promises that He will never leave nor forsake Micah.  There is nowhere that Micah can go and be away from God.  The conversation continued and at some point Wade returned home from his session meeting to find us all back in the bedroom embracing and crying.  There were more words of comfort given by daddy, and then we prayed, and the boys settled into bed.  Since then as I've thought about Micah, I've also thought about Christopher.  Most of you know, however there may be some that don't, that Christopher suffered from a seizure disorder for 3+ years.  He had his first seizure when he had chicken pox when he was 4 years old and began medication soon after his second seizure (two months after his 5th birthday).  The doctor's rule was for Christopher to be on the medication until he went three years without a seizure.  God taught us all many things during those years and Christopher has been seizure free without meds for a little more than a year and a half now.  What a journey that was and continues to be.  On Wednesdays, during our family devotion time we pray for Christopher.  When he tells us his prayer requests he often wants to praise God that he has not had any more seizures and wants us to continue to pray that he won't have any more.  All of this to say that during that part of Christopher's life when his seizure disorder was a part of life, Christopher received much comfort from many people.  He grew and matured in so many ways, for which now I am thankful.  One of the gifts I believe the Lord gave him in the middle of all of it is the ability to comfort others.  He is perceptive.  He can tell when someone needs a hug.  Sometimes he will speak and other times he will not.  I have realized the truth of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.  Christopher comforts those who are in affliction with the comfort he himself was comforted by God.  Walking through seizures was a difficult task, but I wouldn't change it now for how the Lord used it in all of our lives to grow us up in Christ and it has produced lifelong effects, especially in Christopher.  And now that we are on this side of it I wouldn't change a thing.  So even though we are at a different road called Perthes Disease and there are still unanswered questions, fears, and uncertainty, I know we can trust the Lord.  I know God has old truthes to remind us of and new truthes to instill in us.  This journey will be a difficult one, I believe.  Please pray for us and mostly for Micah.  I don't want us to miss what the Lord wants us to learn from it.  And even though today I am reminded of God's promises I am sure there are dark days ahead when I will forget.  Will you please keep reminding us?  I'm praying that in the end, whatever Micah loses physically he will gain spiritually in his inner being.  Thank you for the notes and prayers you've already given as they have brought much encouragement to us.  I sat down on Thursday and read all the recent comments to Micah and he was deeply touched that so many people cared.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  A thousand times, thank you.  How beautiful is the body of Christ!

Wikipedia defines  "Reveille" as "a bugle call most often associated with the military; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise. The name comes from the French word for 'wake up'".  However, Texas A&M has another definition because Reveille is the name of their official mascot, and she is the first lady of Aggieland.  Serving as the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets, Reveille is a Five-Star General.  Reveille I (or Reveille the 1st) arrived on campus back in 1931 when some cadets struck a small black and white dog as they were returning from Navasota.  Carefully, they carried her back to campus so that they could nurse her back to health.  The following morning when "Reveille" was blown by a bugler, she started barking.  Thus, she was named "Reveille" after the wakeup call.  The tradition since has become that Reveille is a full-blood Collie, and she is deeply loved, and the most revered dog on campus.  The story goes that if she is sleeping on a cadet's bed, then that cadet must sleep on the floor.  Another story we've heard is that if Reveille is in a class and she barks while the professor is teaching, the class is to be immediately dismissed.  So why have I written this introduction?  Because recently, we had the privilege of meeting Reveille VIII (or in Cara Beth's words, "the most famous Reveille").

Thinking it may be a good way to cheer up a young fella who is recovering from surgery, our friend Dan, who was in charge of Reveille VIII for the evening, called to see if he might bring her by for a visit.  Well, she was a big hit with all the kiddos.  For a good hour or more Reveille had children following her all over my living room, dining room, and kitchen, and she was quite the lady.

Dan even did a few tricks with her and she willingly obliged.

Here's three pretty ladies

Reveille was so courteous that she let the kids take some individual shots with her.

Even when Joshua gave her bunny ears, Reveille didn't get upset.  She just played along. :)

And if Cara Beth got this close to Reveille, it says a lot about how genteel Reveille is.

After awhile Reveille began to show signs of being tired so we all said our goodbyes.

Thanks Dan for being so thoughtful.  It wasn't just Micah who was touched by your kindness, but as you can tell, it meant quite a bit to all of the children, and to me as well.  You've given us all a memory we will cherish for a long time to come.  Thank you.

Cara Beth:  Oompah, when did you marry Savta?

Oompah:  We got married a little over 50 years ago.  Are you going to get married?

Cara Beth:  NO!  ....I'm just going to be friends with Asa.....FOREVER!

Oompah:  So are you just going to live with your daddy and mommy forever?

Cara Beth:  No, I will live with Aunt Hannah & Uncle Kevin. (hehehe)

Cara Beth & Asa...Forever Friends

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

On Thursday night after I had already put Cara Beth to bed, prayed with the boys and left them in their rooms, I returned to my room to work on my endless pile of laundry.  After some time elapsed, my son Micah showed up, sat down on my bed and started asking me questions about his recent diagnosis of Perthes disease.  Pretty soon, his roommate Christopher also showed up and plopped himself down and was listening in.  We were discussing possible surgeries and I was trying to be careful because honestly I still don't know what is in store.  We just received this "Perthes" news on Wednesday and Micah's tests have all been emailed to a specialist in Temple and so we are awaiting his opinion.  I have learned that there are many websites out there with a plethora of information on Perthes, much of it conflicting on what procedures are used for treatment of Perthes.  Specialists in Boston treat it differently than those in Texas, than those in other parts of the US.  Meanwhile the last three days have seemed like the longest three days I've had in a very long time.  One thing that seems to be across the board however, is that Micah's age (8+ years) is not an advantage here. When Perthes begins between the ages of 4 & 6 the results and prognosis are much more encouraging for a full recovery than when Perthes begins at the age of 8. Also, I have realized that the next two to three years of our lives are about to change drastically.  So we wait.  Back to the bedroom where my two boys are on my bed. I'm trying to answer Micah's questions with a tint of caution because I still want to protect him somewhat as I am not positive about what treatments lie ahead. I'm thinking, "Micah seems to be taking this pretty well."  Somewhere in the conversation I leave the room to retrieve another load of laundry from the dryer, and when I return Micah and Christopher are embracing, and Micah is crying on his elder brother's shoulders.  I place the laundry on the bed and walk around  to join the embrace, and Micah begins expressing his fears.  As he speaks I find that my 10 year old Christopher is not at a loss for words of comfort and courage.  He starts reminding Micah that he (Micah) will never be alone because God is always with him.  Even if mom and dad can't be in the surgery room he doesn't need to worry because God will be with him all the time.  God promises that He will never leave nor forsake Micah.  There is nowhere that Micah can go and be away from God.  The conversation continued and at some point Wade returned home from his session meeting to find us all back in the bedroom embracing and crying.  There were more words of comfort given by daddy, and then we prayed, and the boys settled into bed.  Since then as I've thought about Micah, I've also thought about Christopher.  Most of you know, however there may be some that don't, that Christopher suffered from a seizure disorder for 3+ years.  He had his first seizure when he had chicken pox when he was 4 years old and began medication soon after his second seizure (two months after his 5th birthday).  The doctor's rule was for Christopher to be on the medication until he went three years without a seizure.  God taught us all many things during those years and Christopher has been seizure free without meds for a little more than a year and a half now.  What a journey that was and continues to be.  On Wednesdays, during our family devotion time we pray for Christopher.  When he tells us his prayer requests he often wants to praise God that he has not had any more seizures and wants us to continue to pray that he won't have any more.  All of this to say that during that part of Christopher's life when his seizure disorder was a part of life, Christopher received much comfort from many people.  He grew and matured in so many ways, for which now I am thankful.  One of the gifts I believe the Lord gave him in the middle of all of it is the ability to comfort others.  He is perceptive.  He can tell when someone needs a hug.  Sometimes he will speak and other times he will not.  I have realized the truth of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.  Christopher comforts those who are in affliction with the comfort he himself was comforted by God.  Walking through seizures was a difficult task, but I wouldn't change it now for how the Lord used it in all of our lives to grow us up in Christ and it has produced lifelong effects, especially in Christopher.  And now that we are on this side of it I wouldn't change a thing.  So even though we are at a different road called Perthes Disease and there are still unanswered questions, fears, and uncertainty, I know we can trust the Lord.  I know God has old truthes to remind us of and new truthes to instill in us.  This journey will be a difficult one, I believe.  Please pray for us and mostly for Micah.  I don't want us to miss what the Lord wants us to learn from it.  And even though today I am reminded of God's promises I am sure there are dark days ahead when I will forget.  Will you please keep reminding us?  I'm praying that in the end, whatever Micah loses physically he will gain spiritually in his inner being.  Thank you for the notes and prayers you've already given as they have brought much encouragement to us.  I sat down on Thursday and read all the recent comments to Micah and he was deeply touched that so many people cared.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  A thousand times, thank you.  How beautiful is the body of Christ!

This year our older students, Austin, Joshua, and Addison are studying a book titled PAINLESS POETRY which they have affectionately dubbed "Painful Poetry".  For the past week they have been studying "Setting", the environment in which a poem takes place.  We've talked about physical setting, historical setting, and social/cultural setting and have read poems that serve as good examples of each.  Then today their assignment was, "Write a poem of any kind in which setting is important to the plot.  If you're stumped for ideas, it may help to choose an extreme setting--very cold, very hot, very wet, very remote, very high, very low.  Or close your eyes, spin a globe, and put down your finger somewhere."  So with those instructions the three compadres set off to complete the assignment.  And because I know I don't have the best filing system and I don't want to lose these "precious" poems, I have decided I will file them here.  Being pleased with their efforts, I want them to know that their work is precious and valued, and in years to come they can always return to the blog and read and reminisce.  In retrospect, I really only remember one assignment in school where I was asked to write a poem, a ballad to be precise, and it was very "painful." Nonetheless, I present to you our "Precious Poetry":

"Look At God's Creation" by Austin Ayers (age 13)

Look at God's creation. 

Some places are hot.  Some are cold.

Some are in ruins and very old.

Some places feel like paradise,

But others are cold and filled with ice.

Some places have mountains which are mighty and high,

Or flimsy trees which seem to be shy.

Look at God's amazing creation

That could not be made by men.

"Down In The Ocean" by Austin Ayers (yes, he did two poems, that little overachiever.  I love overachievers)

Down in the ocean blue

There are sharks, minnows, and whales too.

It gets really dark down there

I wouldn't be able to see your hair. 

There are even water snakes,

But don't go down too far, you'll become a very flat pancake.

Down in the ocean depths

You can find old sunken ships. 

I like the ocean blue

Do you?

"Mount Everest" by Joshua Coleman (age 13)

(This picture is Joshua with one of his Sunday School teachers Mr. Charles)

Mount Everest is very high.

It even appears to touch the sky.

That icy peek is like a streek

Of white against the bright, blue sky.

This mountain's strength is in its size

As it stands there pointing to the skies

Like a spear

It stands there like a giant without fear

The sheer size of this rock

Is not something to mock.

"The Desert" by Addison Ayers (age 11)

The desert is very hot

Live there? I would not.

It would not be fair

To live there

For I am a mammal

Not the kind that lives there. That is a camel.

The desert is bare and plain

If I were to live there, that would be lame.

Animals that live there like lizards and snakes,

Don't live in lakes

Because it's the desert for goodness sakes!