Team Meyer

Keep breathing. It's kind of a mantra among those of us unlucky enough to be in the know. So we do. Zach playing basketball. He made the A team, which is a great accomplishment, but he feels his game performance has been lacking compared to his practices, so throw up a prayer for him, would you? He's frustrated, and I'm at a loss. Dave would know what to say to help, but I have no clue. December 3 was Duke's first birthday. He's been a wonderful addition to our family. We all love him beyond reason. We had a cake. With candles. Duke got one tiny bite. He's such a polite dog! And we made our annual trek to Klickers to get the tree. You can see this year it didn't dwarf our vehicle. I wonder if it's because we got a smaller tree or a bigger car?? Kenny's been into pottery lately. He's made some beautiful things and is really enjoying it.

Another warrior has laid down his sword. Another young widow looks for a way to pick up the pieces. Another family torn apart, grieving, stunned by a loss that is simply, completely unfathomable. Butch was 17 days older than Dave. He and Kara just celebrated their 3rd anniversary. Faith is believing in what we cannot see, cannot know, cannot understand. Holding onto the promises, with shaky hands. Please, please visit Butch's webpage and leave a caring thought for Kara, his wife. Link is to the right.

Another emotional week for the Meyer family. Football is over, which is always a bit sad. The week between football and basketball, the boys drift around, wondering what to do with themselves. They love football, they love being with the guys, working hard, playing their hearts out, feeling close to their dad. The freshman team ended the season 9-1. It's a group of very talented athletes and it's been so fun to watch them play. What is incredible to me is the strong connection these guys have to one another. They are a team, in the very best sense of the word. Their love and support of one another extends well beyond the field. Watching Zach, watching his teammates, I experience a sense of wonder. It's clearly more than football. The freshmen had their end-of-the-year celebratory banquet. All the players were introduced, shook the coaches' hands and got their certificates. Zach, being Dave's son, took one look at the coaches outstretched hand and threw

"It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protestor to burn the flag." - Father Dennis Edward O'Brian, USMC (often incorrectly attributed to Charles M. Province) "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - George Orwell (attributed) "Never in the face of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few." - Winston Churchill ("Battle of Britain") "If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live." - Martin Luther King, Jr "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what yo

Yesterday I was so lonely for Dave. He seems so far away and I ache for him. Every little thing reminds me of him and there are so many moments I need him there. So many, many things I want him to see. And while I know, in an abstract way, that he is still there, I miss the connection with him, I miss feeling him near, knowing his heart. I don't know what heaven is like. I don't know whether Dave can truly "look down" on us here. I don't know of any scripture that addresses what kind of connection those in heaven will have with us here, if any. I've written before about how strong my connection with Dave was here on earth...and that I truly, truly believed with all my heart and sould that I would still feel him even after he was gone. But I hardly ever do. I don't sense his presence the way I thought I would. And yet, Doug, (if you don't know the Doug story, see: Doug Andrews and scroll down the page a bit) he seems to be everywhere. I have drea

Things are crazy...let's see... since I've updated, we've had Kenny's 16th birthday. And sweet he is!! And homecoming week, with all its festivities...including all those crazy dress up days. Here's Zach, looking like Duran Duran (or maybe Kevin Bacon?)for 80s day. Dave always dressed up for homecoming in the craziest ways and we have a great stash of vintage clothes. We tried to get Kenny to dress like a hippie, but he decided his football shirt was vintage enough for him! And both boys went to the Homecoming Dance...WOW! CAN YOU SAY: HANDSOME TIMES 2?? HOW ABOUT TIMES 5? OR 8? MAYBE JUST 3? Yeah, I thought you could. PS. Tell me those are NOT white socks, Eric! Kate's been busy with dance and cousins and friends and helping her mom with home improvement projects. She's been peeling back vinyl flooring and pulling nails and working hard. And of course, there's always time to love on Duke a little. Life i

This is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Whenever I need a good laugh, I play this video. I think those of us who were kids in the 70's and hit the dance scene in the 80's can really relate. Kind of like the Mark Wills song: I saw Star Wars at least 8 times Had the Pac-Man pattern memorized And I've seen the stuff they put inside Stretch Armstrong I was Roger Stauback back in my back yard Had a shoebox full of baseball cards And a couple of Evel Knevel scars On my right arm Well, I was a kid when Elvis died And my mama cried Chorus: It was 1970- something In the world that I grew up in Farrah Fawcett hair-do days Bell bottoms and 8-track tapes Lookin' back now I can see me And oh, man did I look cheesy But I wouldn't trade those days for nothin' It was 1970-something It was the dawning of a new decade When we got our first microwave And Dad broke down and finally shaved Those sideburns off I took the stickers off of

It's football season! The air is crisp, the sun is bright, and we live for the sound of shoulder pads thudding into opponents and the WaHi fight song. It's a season that will forever be bittersweet, a time when we feel close to Dave, and feel his absence so sharply. My two boys, a study in contrasts, each carrying a different part of Dave with them. Kenny, outgoing, open, enthusiastic, dramatic, friendly and fun. Zach, serious, competetive, powerful, athletic, spirited and intense. Here are pictures, you can see what I mean. And up there, in my Father's house, I know that Dave is playing football, arms raised high in victory, shouting, "That's my boy!"