CODE RED!

It was a very interesting Monday. Upon arriving at Smyrna High School, Savannah's lunch in hand, I took note of the 10 Smyrna Police squad cars that also pulled into the parking lot. I immediately began to referee a war of thoughts inside my head --- something is seriously wrong VS. this must be a drill." Within moments it was clear that this WAS NOT A DRILL when I spotted the two armed police officers just inside the entrance. I whipped out my cellphone, dialed Ron Alley, and asked him to alert the church staff --- and to have them pray. Having no idea what was occurring inside the school walls, it was the only pro-active action I could think to take. I then picked up my husband and quickly headed back to the school.

It was then that I received the first text message from Gregg which read, "WHOAAA!!!" (That must have been the moment the teachers were instructed to lock -down and the students were told to get under the desks.)

Well, the above is NOT the kind of message a mother wants to read when there is potential danger to her son and daughter! It stirs up all kinds of anxious ideas, especially when compounded by said daughter NOT RESPONDING to mom OR brother's texts. Ughh!

21 minutes later Savannah finally let me know she was alright. Unfortunately, my husband and I both learned, at about the same time, that there was a SEVERE OUTSIDE THREAT to the school! GULP!

It is astounding what occurs within the human female psyche when bombarded by fear.

Heart rate increases --- CHECK.

Breathing becomes rapid and shallow --- CHECK.

Blood pressure increases --- CHECK.

Husband has to remind wife to BREATHE --- CHECK!!!!!

Does it sound exciting? Yep, to some it might. When Gregg and Savannah arrived home and shared with me their own experiences of the day, we managed to find the humor in the events that they encountered. For instance, Gregg realized that the janitorial staff needs to step up and get better at mopping the floors. Savannah was offered the arms of a boy interested in holding her --- if she was scared! LOL. She said no --- but then he proceeded to ask her out to dinner! Huh!?

So, let me get this straight, while I was facing down a mother's fear --- my son was finding the humor in a dirty floor and my daughter was being hit on! Hmmmmm.


Is there a life lesson in there somewhere???

CANCER S__KS!

A wonderful thing happened to me recently. I stumbled upon the FACEBOOK application and decided, on a whim, to give it a try. I created my homepage, which isn't nearly as MYSPACE complicated, and started the search. I found old friends that I had attended elementary, junior-high and senior high-school with. INCREDIBLE! There was one friend, in particular, I had just recently began thinking about --- ALOT!. Her name was Kimberly. She was a red-headed spit fire --- the only child to a very successful attorney and stay at home mom. Her daddy was a trip! The kind that would get in the pool with you and wrestle --- till you nearly drowned! It was all in good fun though. He grilled, he swam, he played Marco Polo and he encouraged. He and his wife just opened their home to Kim's friends and welcomed them. I loved that family alot.

Kim and I found a separate 'click' to hang with mid-way through our junior year of high-school. Consequently, we lost touch. Her dad passed away from cancer while we were both finishing our time at Miami Palmetto Sr. High. She went one way and I the other. But these last few months, as I've wondered what ever happened to her, I have known, in the back of my mind, that GOD has a way of working out the details.

And lo and behold......

Kimberly is living in Atlanta, Georgia. Married for 19 years. She has no children unless you count the dog, Charlie!

Another thing I discovered? CANCER.

She was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer this year. I'm sure you can surmise the rest. Lumpectomy, Radiation and TODAY --- SURGERY.

If you feel lead, would you please PRAY for this lovely woman? I don't know what her beliefs about God or heaven are, but I do know --- I want to have the chance to get to know my friend again. She is very precious to HIM and ---- I am counting on God's timing being PERFECT in this!



But when we get to heaven don't be surprised if you STILL hear me say to Jesus, "CANCER S__KS!"

Mister-understood....

I decided after the wonderful time I had yesturday with the Viking Victor in my house that --- TODAY would be different. It helps that my husband left out on the next leg of his tour last night --- with each limb still intact and not one very long hair harmed on his head. But he didn't take the other male with him. LOL. So there is still just a bit of the cataclysmic bang threatening to explode in my lovely little abode..... No, not really :-)

I was just taking a few moments to sift through my son's pictures he's saved onto my computer. I do this periodically to ensure I am not caught unawares if you, as a parent, know what I mean. I stumbled across some very old interpretations of my oldest child. Remember the good old days when he would walk into the church we attend with the spiked out, jet-black hair and the 4 inch Marilyn Manson wedged boots???? eeeeek. Hated it then and I would hate it now. Remember when he just couldn't stand being agree-able or when he had to say, do and believe the bi-polar opposite of everything I, his fiercest enemy--- in his eyes, stood for? My georgous boy and I walked through a very dark time together. There were many days and nights when I cried myself to sleep thinking he would hate me forever and that he wouldn't make it through to the other side.

Well, he turns 18 in December. A couple of weeks ago a young man from our church said, "Hello, Mrs. Knapp." Honestly, I had no earthly idea who he was but I responded with a warm greeting and apologized for my lapse in memory. He introduced himself and explained, "Well I know you from watching you sing BUT.........." And here is where it started to get interesting "...I had Gregg in my cabin a few years ago and Kathryn is my sister."

"Oh,... I see." He then went on to inquire about Gregg. I told him he was doing really well --- 4.0 GPA, looking for a job etc, etc. The young man then stated that 'Gregg was a really cool kid' and that he thought 'he got a bad wrap when he often didn't deserve it.' Hmmm....

Gregg is extremely intelligent, and a hard-core artist. In a nutshell, he wants to shake up the norm, elicit a response and challenge the mind. He often succeeded --- but it came with a price. For a few years, Gregg used himself to interpret his art. He expressed his anger, his joy, his rebellion and his frustration through his clothes, his shoes and his hair.

But he was probably more honest than many of the kids he attended school or church with.

He put his thoughts out there, good or bad, and he challenged the status quo. The thing I appreciated, even in his dark days, was that he was who he was. He didn't apologize for it or want to --- even when I coerced. He was making the journey --- that IS his alone to make. He still doesn't believe everything I do. That's okay. Because there is someone who loves this kid even more than his father and I --- and HE understands my son, mister-understood, far better than you or I ever will.