Grandson Week in the Mountains

It’s been quite a week. Our newest grandson was born on March 28th in Greenville, SC (click here for details) and a trip to Casaloma to see him was well past due. The bonus with this trip is that the Dallas Crew- son Trey, his wife Allison and 21 month old grandson Brendan flew with us to the mountains, and spent the week.

It was a wonderful escape for all of us. Trey has not had any time away from work for a good long while, Allison was ready for a break, Becky (Na-Na) has been dealing with the pressures of shifting her pediatrics practice from Kingwood to The Woodlands, and I am…well, lets just say I needed a break as well.

The Dallas Crew arrived the evening of Saturday the 16th of April, and since our flight to Asheville did not depart until 7:15pm on Sunday, we were able to spend Sunday morning on Lake Conroe, having a leisurely cup of coffee on the back veranda, and then enjoying a laid-back cruise over to Del Lago in the boat for breakfast. Brendan was especially excited about the boat, and wanted to help “Dad-o” pilot the “boat” (both words he says perfectly) by sitting in my lap and jerking furiously on the helm.

After a slight delay at IAH, at 6:45pm we boarded the ERJ for Ashville. While the night flight was uneventful for the adults, it was high adventure for Brendan. We were all nestled snug in our beds at Casaloma before midnight. In fact, every day in the mountains was high adventure for Brendan, but that much adventure can be rough on a boy who goes as hard and headlong as he does.

We saw waterfalls “wa-wa-ball”, climbed hills, hiked, played with toys, and explored. Brendan only has two settings: go full speed, and battery recharge. As a result, he ended up with a few nicks – a fat lip after one tumble, and a pop-knot in the middle of his forehead after another. He also has a language all his own. His pacifier is his “mah”, and he will not even attempt any other word for it. He’s really good at trying new words if you ask him to say them. He usually gets the first sound and number of syllables correct. But if you ask him to say “pacifier”, he takes it out of his mouth, smiles a knowing smile, and explains it’s a “mah”. The week was real bonding experience for Brendan and me.

We made the trip down the mountain on Monday to see Kristen and meet Adam for the first time. He’s so cute, and Kristen is such a great and attentive mommy. I also got a chance to bond with Ben. I’m not sure what happened this time. In times past, I seem to have been just another stranger to Ben, but this trip, he was my little shadow – wanting my attention, sitting next to me, walking on my feet. I wish we had more time to spend with him, and that he didn’t live so far away.

We went to the Biltmore Estate, had dinner at several wonderful restaurants, zoomed through Hendersonville, and made a second trip down to visit Kristen to see a t-ball game that got rained out. Kristen also came up to Casaloma on Friday, and she and Adam spent the night. Adam is just the cutest – but he is not old enough to be interactive for Dad-o as yet….but its coming.

So for the first time, we saw Adam Robert, and gathered all the grandsons together in one place for some fellowship. For the grandfather in me, this week was about as good as it gets, and my beautiful bride was positively radiant as a grandmother.

Timothy S. Conroy

We buried Tim in La Jolla, Ca today. Big Funeral. Lots of friends and family.
Very sad. He leaves a hole in all our lives that will never be filled.

He loved life. He loved his family. He will be sorely missed.

I have found myself in silent prayer often over this weekend of mourning for Tim. Its been such a tumultous, emotional week. The pope died. Terry Schiavo died.

So many prayers issued. So many people seeking understanding of God's mysterious way. As for me, I wonder why God decided that Tim's work on earth was done, when it appeared to me that he had so much left to do. Its probably a sin for me to think that way. Most people pray when we lack understanding. We pray that we have done right when we have done our unknowing best.

"Farther along we'll know all about it.
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brothers live in the sunshine.
We'll understand it all by and by."

Back to Texas tomorrow.

The cycle of life - Supreme Joy and Woeful Anguish

The last week of March 2005 was one of Supreme Joy and Woeful Anguish. In fact, the total amplitude of my emotional range pushed the envelope on March 28, 2005.

On Monday the 27th, our daughter Kristen, full term in her pregnancy went to her Ob/Gyn for a weekly checkup. The doctor told her to pack her bag and check in the hospital that night. The plan was to induce her pregnancy on March 28. They began the procedure that morning, and by 5:57pm eastern time, our third grandchild, Adam Robert Colvin was born. A joyous occasion! 7lbs 9oz, and healthy, with Kristen happy and excited about her new bundle of Joy!

She called me when he was only 40 minutes old to tell me, “Dad! He’s so-o-o cute.”

“Is he really cute or are you just saying that because you’re his mom?” I teased. “I mean most newborn baby’s heads are flat, their eyes are puffed up, and they are all red.”

“No Dad!” she stated emphatically. “He’s really cute. His head and eyes are just fine.” She was a little indignant, but recognized that I was just having fun with her.

A trip is planned to South Carolina at the end of April to see for myself just how cute my third grandson is, and to hug Kristen’s neck. A new grandson - Supreme Joy.

In the evening of the same day, my brother-in-law, Tim Conroy passed away in his apartment in NYC, unexpectedly at the age of 46, leaving a wife, Cindy (my wife Becky’s sister), two high school aged daughters, and a step daughter. He was thin, fit, and apparently hale and hearty. At this writing, the cause of his untimely end is entirely unknown despite an autopsy being completed yesterday. Nothing obvious. We all must wait 6-8 weeks for the lab report.

As I pen these words, I am sitting in San Diego with the family. The hole he left in all of our lives is enormous. The grief being experienced by those that I love is almost unbearable. The uncertainty of how life will go on for those who depended on him has caused much angst. The family is here to support Cindy.

A previous blog here about NYC was a trip up to see him. He was a good friend. We all loved his vitality, his wit, and his bizarre sense of humor. Tim will be sorely missed by everyone who knows him. His passing reminds us all of our own mortality - our tenuous cling to this earthly life.

Woeful anguish-

All on March 28, 2005