Beyond Bringing Up Boys

David has a class he's in contract to finish writing for a university before he leaves for England, which is less than two weeks away. So, while we talked about doing something fun, like hiking or catching a Braves game, we decided that our responsibilities should keep us home.  David got up at 4:30 to start writing but told me to call him when I got up and he would come upstairs and have coffee with me. Drinking coffee with me is something new he's started because he knows I love coffee and he loves me. And, as much as I love coffee, I love it more when we're drinking it together.  I called him at eight and we went out on the porch. It was a lovely September morning here: low sixties, cool breeze with bright, cloudless sunshine, the plaintive cry of the mourning dove, and the cacophony of other birds singing their morning praises. We drank coffee and read the Bible together.  Within a short time, the boys were up and our solitude was disturbed.  David retreated to h...

I flew into PIT for the last time 7 years ago this evening. My mission was the most difficult of my adult life to date--saying good-bye to my sweet mom. I'm ashamed to admit a total loss of rational behavior on the way to the Atlanta airport as I screamed that I was not prepared or equipped for such a task.  David dropped me off at the kiosk. While fumbling to find my flight info, I bluntly told the airline attendant, that I was going home to see my mom die. He came around from behind the counter, took my arm, and helped me find my way through security. The two-hour flight to Pittsburgh seemed forever. I couldn't even seem to find my manners as the man sitting to my left tried to make conversation as I sat in the window seat staring into nothingness.  Finally, I looked at him and said, "I'm going home to see my mom die." He reached over, picked up my hand, and began praying. My brother picked me up at the airport and we drove the few blocks to the University of Pi...