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Listing to Alabama! High Cotton reminds me of home. I wish sometimes that time could roll back. Playing in the back forty with my brothers. Things were easy and simple. I still smell the the honey suckle in the morning and seeing the lightening bugs in the evening. I was on top the world. I didn't even know the world went past Alma, Ar though. I love the city but I still wish I had a barn and fields to plow. I wish I could watch my kids chasing rabbits while I mowed the grass. I wish so much my kids could have the childhood I had as a kid.

Spring Break '09

It's the first nice day of the year. The sun is out and the sky is blue. My kids are bouncing off the walls with excitement. Today is a great opportunity to teach my kids about the animal world. My wife and I check the diaper bag several times for the essentials. Diapers, wipes, and sippy cups for the kids. My son Peter continues to ask the same question. "When are we leaving?" Finally, the time has arrived to leave the hotel. I am being weighed down with all of our bags. Trying to keep up with them is like Willy Coyote chasing the Road Runner. They are down the stairs and opening the door before I even take my first step down the stairs. I yell "Stop!" Their little feet stumble to a stop. As they turn around I am elated by the sparkle in their smile. I hate the zoo but going with my kids will be one of the greatest moments in my life.

Remember the Titans

All of the athletes are covered in mud, sweat, and pain. Their eyes were as if forty pound dumbbells hung underneath. The fear of the unknown was written on everyone’s face. The unexpected stop in a clearing was to be another one of Coach Boone’s expected crazy workout moments. The huffing for breath and the vomiting by the players was overshadowed by the dreary dense fog. The density was that of despair. As the sun raised over the meadow the shadows of tombstones appeared. This wasn’t any place! “This is Gettysburg,” announced Coach Boone. “This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg!” A question of misunderstanding arose in their faces. Coach Yoast was amazed at the sight, for his eyes were wide and attentive to what Coach Boone was going to say. This was the first sign of respect for the colleague. The breaths begin to slow as Boone tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg. The confused faces turn into engaged minds. Soaking the words in like a new born baby soaks in his mother’s words. “They fought the same battle we our fighting today amongst ourselves.” The sadness in Boone’s eyes cry the need to be one. “Listen to their souls, killed my brother with malice in my heart and hatred destroyed my family.” Staggering in his walk to join his men he exhorts them. “If your listen take a lesson from the dead, if we don’t come together right now on this hallowed ground we too will be destroyed, just like they were.” The team stands together taller in humility. Coach Boone’s final words “I don’t care if you don’t like each other right now but you will respect each other and maybe learn to play this game like men.”

Childhood Memories

Sunday afternoons at the Bennett house were boring after lunch. My parents would read or write letters to my siblings who were away. I often found myself alone in my room looking at baseball cards, magazines, or watching TV. On one particular Sunday afternoon I laid in my room looking at baseball cards. I shared my room with my two older brothers. We were typical young boys, dirty, grotty, and smelly. Clothes were thrown all over, with dirty sports equipment piled in every corner of the room. The walls are dingy white with a one by four as the base board. So it's no wonder what happened really happened to me. My brother Ron was a weird kid! He would allow baby snakes to bite his pinkie. While I laid in the room playing with cards I noticed a stick laying on the base board. I thought Ron might have put it on there so when he looked for snakes he had a stick to take. After a few minutes I noticed the one stick is about a foot up the wall. I yelled, "Guys, stop missing with me." My brothers had a tendency to pick on me and beat up on me. So I thought they found some remote controlled object to scare me to death. I got up and walked closer to the wall and noticed that the stick was a snake. I hate snakes and every creepy crawly thing in this world. I ran out screaming and yelling at the top of my lungs, "Snake!! Snake!!" My dad and Ron were in the house and they came into the room looking for the snake. After five minutes of searching and tearing the bedroom apart we found the little devil. A black king snake, harmless and frightened by the racket that I caused. I was the person who caused all the problems for nothing. The king snake is harmless and kills other snakes. I would probably do the same thing all over again, regardless of knowing the type of snake!

My Neck Pg 46 #2

This morning I woke up to a low roar of commotion. My wife and I slept on our couch last night. I imagine that to others, my house was a refugee camp. My brother and his wife and their three children stayed the night in my son's room. My room was occupied by a friend and his wife and their three children. I would hope everyone who stayed the night slept comfortably. Because this morning I had a crick in my neck. My niece came and laid at the other end of the coach during the night and yanked the covers off to put around her little body. With a little tug, a twist and turn we were both covered for the night. My head still had no support so the night of sleep was uncomfortable, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I am very grateful and fortunate to have them stay with us on this cold winter night. Both families were without energy and a heat source. My house had escaped the grasp of Jack Frost. I laid on the couch awake, with eyes closed and ears wide open to hear the various conversations and all the children at play in the toy room. The house was toasty warm, but smelled of rotting baby dung. I had hoped that whoever was changing the little poop machine would hurry. Finally a sweet little kiss from my beautiful baby girl made me smile. I couldn't hide the fact that I was awake any longer. Addy crawled into my arms and hugged my neck so lightly and soft that it was the only feeling I wanted to feel this morning.

My First Blog

I didn't really want to do this but anything to pass a class! Go Essay Writing Bloggers! I am not excited to blog. Writing is a very dificult thing for me to accomplish. My wife wants me to paint an artificial picture of my desire to blog. She is to my left trying to get me to put I really want to do this and will learn a great deal from this experience. She is my good angel on the shoulder. The little devil on the other side is turning my insides out about writing. So now the world knows how I truly feel about writing. She has stopped talking. That might sound good for some but she is a sweet loving women who I owe my life to for all eternity. Good night and take it easy!!!!!!!!