My nephew is a year and half and lives about 700 miles away. I don’t get to see him often, but his mother is wonderful about sharing special moments with long-distance family. Every couple of weeks she sends pictures and videos to us. I think this video perfectly captures my nephew’s personality.
Family
Back 2 Basics
I realized something a few months ago. This blog has been all over the place Japan, Jury Duty, Goals, etc. The original intent of this blog was to introduce me, my family, and our antics. I have introduced Michaela (one of my two sisters), Issachar (one of my five brothers), and my Dad. However, I think this blog has disproportionately been about me and Phillip.
So, in an effort to get back to basics, I will continue with the introductions of my family members for the next few postings.
# 34
My little brother, Issachar, is not so little anymore. Despite the fact that he is 15, he is 6’1” tall. Thankfully, even though he is a teenager, he is still a sweet heart.
I talked to him last week, and learned that my parents are really loosening the reigns in their old age. He is only 15, but he is allowed to talk to girls on the phone to discuss “homework”. That type of behavior definitely would not have been tolerated with the 90’s version of my parents.
Never the less, I am very proud of my little brother. He is on track to be admitted to the Honor Society next year and he plays basketball. Here is a brief video of him, number 34. My mom and dad can be heard yelling in the background.
Me & My Dad
My Dad and I are more alike than I care to admit. And, as I get older I realize our similarities are something for which I should be grateful. I’m getting there.
For the past ten years, our relationship has been a bit strained because my dad is adjusting to having adult children. But, last week I saw my dad in a new light.
I went to home for the 20th anniversary of the Family Foundation Fund. The Family Foundation Fund is a non-profit my dad started to mentor boys from fatherless homes. 63 boys have been mentored. But, the Foundation is much more than a mentoring program. There is an organic farm to provide produce for the families the program serves, tuition is paid for the boys to go to private Christian schools, tutoring is provided, counseling and support is given to the mothers, and the boys are matched with a Christian man that sticks with them until they graduate from high school. In short, the Foundation is a Family for young men.
Last week, I realized my dad has dedicated his life to serving others. It takes determination to stick with a program like this for 20 years. There have been times when the families have faced tragedy. And times, when there was no money for tuition. And times, when the boys have been kicked out of school for misbehaving. But, my dad is determined.
We have had boys come to live with us when their home-life became turbulent. My dad has picked up prescriptions late at night. And, he has visited hospitals because no one else cared…because he is caring and compassionate.
Whether you are a multi-millionaire calling for advice or a man dying of HIV. My dad will be there and he will listen and he will pray for you, because he is genuinely concerned with the lives of others. I hope when I reach my dad’s age, I can look back over my life and know that I made a difference.
Jury Duty and the Home Wrecker
My maternal grandfather (not the grandfather I lived with for two years), cheated on my grandmother throughout their entire marriage. His indiscretions led to him fathering two children. I was two years old when my grandmother passed away, but his mistake colored my perspective of cheating spouses forever.
I loathe cheaters. As a Christian, I ought not loathe anyone. However, whenever a cheating scandal is alive and well in the media. I can’t help but think that the cheater is being maligned accordingly. In my view, Kobe Bryant deserved to be prosecuted, President Clinton deserved impeachment, and Tiger Woods had it comin’. I could continue.
My disgust for cheaters reared its ugly head while I served on Jury Duty too.
A gentleman on my panel, flirted openly with a lady juror. He was wearing a wedding band, and she was not. She whispered in his ear, he would laugh, and I would shoot them dirty looks. I even discussed my problem with Morris and explained that the gentleman and the “raggedy home-wrecker” came to jury duty together and spent all of our down time fawning over each other. Morris forbade me to confront the couple, but said that I could continue to give them the stink eye.
I was partially obedient. I gave them dirty looks, and sat uncomfortably close to the couple. My plan worked. The lady sat farther away, and at least they could not hold hands. I felt triumphant, because on my final day of jury duty there was no public display of affection between the two.
At the end of the trial, we had to pick a foreman. The gentleman declined to be foreman, because his wife was serving on the jury.
WHAT?!?!
Yes, the gentleman and the lady I described as the “raggedy home-wrecker” are married.
Lesson Learned: Don’t jump to conclusions, Simone.
Question: Has jumping to conclusions ever made you look ridiculous? Looking for a friend.
Michaela, the Majestic
After enduring thearrival of my four brothers, my sister arrived and I was thrilled. Finally, another girl had graced the my household! Michaela was a cute baby too. She had chubby little legs and cheeks that puffed up like a little chipmunk.
Michaela went everywhere with me. I was 12 and Michaela was a year old when we flew to El Paso, TX to spend the summer with our grandparents. I can still remember changing planes in Dallas. I had a bright pink leash attached to her wrist and a diaper bag hanging from my shoulder as we trotted through the airport trying to find our plane. Of course, people assumed she was my daughter.
By the way, can you believe my parents let me, a 12-year old, fly across the country from Tennessee to Texas with a one-year old baby? They are daring. More on them later.
Now that cute baby with the chubby little legs is almost an adult. She is nineteen and beautiful. Some might say she is already an adult, but in my family you are not an adult until you move out and pay your own bills.
Michaela is a Freshman in college, her major is Civil Engineering,she runs the IT Department for my parents non-profit (which really means she shows my parents how to attach files and manages the website), she works at Aeropostale clothing, she is an aspiring fashion designer and built her first robot last semester.
She is also a tough task master. I received this e-mail from her last month: It would be so ever kind of you if you could write another entry for your blog or I am not going to follow you. Final. Love the best sister ever created by the hands of GOD, Michaela.
I rolled in the floor laughing.
The Kirk Klan
Allow me to introduce my family. You’ve already heard about my mother, my brother that’s getting married, and the baby boy, Issachar. I have pretty good stories on each and every family member, but I’m going to go for simple descriptions of what they are doing right now and save all the stories for another entry.
My dad, Onnie, runs a non-profit for boys from single-parent homes.
Miriam (red turtle neck) plays basketball, the trumpet and is as tall as me…but she is only 14.
Micheala is 17, a senior in high school, runs track, and plays the piano occasionaly.
Immanuel (red shirt far left) is 19, an engineering major, and plans to walk on to his Division I basketball team this semester. He’s pretty good too…so I think he is a shoe-in.
Isaac you know…is getting married.
Israel 23 (red shirt back row) is going to graduate school in the fall, helps my dad during the summer, and would describe me as a tight-wad.
Isaiah 21 (red jacket) plays basketball, LOVES to dance and will be a senior in the fall.