Losing a Loved One is Never Easy

On Friday, March 28th my Dad's brother Clyde passed away. He was 70 years old and had been in poor health for a while, but we are never quite ready to accept that he is no longer with us. He lived in Dalton, GA and ran a grocery store for the latter years of his life. His daughter, Aelana, has been working with him for many years and will now take over the store for him.

I didn't get to see him very much over the last 11 years or so due to Courtney's health conditions and our limited ability to travel. However, I would always get to see them around Christmas for the Queen family dinner and a few times over the 4th of July holiday. Kelsey still remembers the time we went down and she got to ride four wheelers in the back yard.

When I learned that his health was deteriorating quickly, I really started thinking about the fact that I didn't get to see him this year for Christmas. With Courtney being in the hospital for her surgery, we had scheduled the dinner for a different day and then it ended up being cancelled for the first time that I can remember due to illness in the family.

I also started thinking back to my childhood days and our visits. Clyde didn't say a whole lot, but when he did, it was something humorous or something you would remember. I will always remember the smile on his face and the fact that he would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. I remember many fun times at his house during the summer, at New Years' Eve get togethers and birthday parties. It really brought back a lot of memories looking at old pictures and being back in the house again.

Courtney spent the night with Jessica again on Saturday night so that Jennifer & Kelsey could go with me. We just weren't quite ready to have Courtney at a funeral just yet. In fact, this was Kelsey's first funeral. She has been to several visitations, but this was the first funeral. The service was real emotional for all of us. Since Clyde had been in the service, they presented Aileen with a flag that had been draped over his coffin and then they released several doves after the ceremony.

Please keep Aunt Aileen, Aelana, Kelly, Will and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Also remember my Dad and his 2 sisters (Barbara & Bernice) . They also lost a younger brother in 2006 and I know they would appreciate your prayers also.

While the cat's away......

Well, in my last blog I told you about Jenn & Kelsey's trip to London, so now I will tell you what Courtney and I did while they were gone. I took off Monday and Good Friday and worked the rest of the week. Since Courtney was out of school, we had to decide what to do with her while I worked.

So, Monday I spent the day with her - (Opry Mills for lunch, Glow Golf, & a carousel ride), errands, and playing Wii at home. Later that day, I drove her to McMinnville (ate supper with Glen & Peggy, worked on Peggy's laptop) and left Courtney there for the week. I expected some anxiety or apprehension when I left, but she kept asking me when I was leaving. :-( She is growing up and getting independent on me. That is the first time she has spent the night at Grandmama & Grandpapa's without one of us there (4 nights without us). I got back home around 10 PM and off to work the next morning.

Courtney actually spent the night with a friend from school (Jessica - who is in her class & her mother is Courtney's Educational Assistant) earlier in March and Jessica has spent a night with Courtney also.

Tuesday night I went to a Predators game. They lost 4 - 2 to the Washington Capitals (we kept Ovechkin in check from scoring until he got an empty net goal at the end, but he had assists on 2 of the other goals). Wednesday night my cousin Greg and his son Brad came over from Greenback TN and spent Wednesday and Thursday nights with me. Brad is going to be attending Austin Peay next year and he went for a visit on Thursday. They went with me to a Tennessee Tech MBA Alumni social Thursday night and then to the Predators - Red Wings game. We lost again 6 - 3 and it was beginning to look like we would miss the playoffs (lost 5 of the last 6 home games at that point). Greg and Brad left Friday morning and took a tour of The Hermitage before going home.

I left during the UT - American NCAA basketball tournament game and listened to it on the radio on my way back to McMinnville. I didn't think it would be much of a game, but it was close until the last few minutes and UT pulled away and won by 15. We had an Easter get together with some friends Friday night (the kids colored Easter eggs & played games).

Peggy's family came over Saturday afternoon for their annual Easter dinner and everyone had a good time. Phillip & me took Courtney, Tanner, & Trace to see Horton Hears a Who. Trace thought it was "amazing"and Courtney & Tanner kept repeating "a person is a person no matter how small". It was a cute movie. When we got back to the house, the Easter Bunny had come early and left baskets on the back porch for the kids. They were way excited.

We got up early Sunday morning and went to a Sunrise service at their church, ate breakfast in their fellowship hall, and then stayed for the early service. Since we were back early, we decided to pack up and we left early to get back home in time to watch the UT - Butler game. UT barely pulled that one also, but made it to the Sweet 16. Then we picked up Jenn & Kelsey at the airport (they got in about 5:10 or so). We were really glad to see them, but we didn't get to hear too many stories that day because they were so tired.

Well, that is a little bit more information for you, I will try to update more tomorrow. It is midnight and time for me to get in bed.

Jennifer & Kelsey visit London England

Jennifer & Kelsey left for London on Sunday, March 16th with the DCA choir & Drama class. They arrived in London Monday morning (UK time) and arrived back in Nashville Sunday, March 23rd (Easter) about 5:00 PM (US CDT). They had an incredible time while they were there.

They got to see 5 different plays while there (Wicked, Lord of the Rings, Much Ado about Nothing, Into the Hoods, & Les Miserables). They both said that the special effects/production of Lord of the Rings was incredible, but the acting was not good. Kelsey loved Wicked and her new favorite play is Les Mis.

They had numerous walking tours around different parts of London, took a bus ride to tour Stratford on Avon (saw Shakespeare's birthplace), toured the British Museum, went to Harrod's (didn't buy much there - Kelsey saw a purse she liked for about $1,200). They also saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace (tour guide got them a great view), visited Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben, the Tower of London, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square, and the Tower bridge (London Bridge - it wasn't falling down thankfully), and had many other great experiences (riding the Tube, the red phone booths, etc). They packed in about as much as they could while they were there.

They also toured Shakespeare's Globe Theater and the choir actually got to perform there. They were told that they were the first choral group to ever sing in the theater. The tour guide had asked about them singing and they asked for an audition tape They liked what they heard and invited them to sing. They were part of the tour (sang in the area where everyone waited for the tour to start). There were groups of students from France who recorded them singing, other student tours who didn't want to leave because they wanted to listen, and even a father who sent his family on and said he would catch the next tour so he could continue listening to them. Jennifer said that they sang for about 500 - 1,000 people and did a great job. I am sure that Mrs. Cook and DCA are really proud of them.

It was very hard communicating with them while they were gone. We purchased a pre-paid international calling card, but they couldn't get it to work from over there. We finally figured out that I could use the card and call them, but since they were gone from early morning til 11:00 PM every day, it was hard catching them. We had to schedule our calls down to the minutes. :-)

Here are some of the pictures they took:

Kelsey goes to Washington, DC

The 8th and 9th grade classes at DCA went to Washington, DC March 10th - 12th. Kelsey had a good time and really enjoyed seeing sites in person that she had heard us talk about or seen pictures of the last few years.

Our trip to Jackson to see "Tori and the Boys"

It has been awhile since I last updated the blog and I have had many people ask me about it. I have many updates so, I will do several to catch everyone up on the Queen family.

In February, we went to Jackson, TN to visit with Christy, Phillip, Tanner, Trace, and little baby Tori. She was still very tiny and cute and as you can tell from the pictures very much loved. I did get my share of holding her and spending time with her, but as usual, noone used our camera to get my picture with her. I think Christy or Phillip's Mom took some, so I will have to get copies from them. :-)

On another exciting note, we got to be present for Tanner's baptism on Sunday morning at their church. Since Phillip is an ordained minister, he actually performed the baptism. What a blessing for him to have a new baby born and baptize his own son in the same week.

On a more somber note, Phillip drove me around Jackson to some of the neighborhoods where the tornadoes came through. TV coverage does not do justice to the devastation that took place there. It is still amazing to me to see a house standing with only minimal damage right beside or in front of a house that was completely destroyed. There were some houses where nothing was left but a foundation.

Please keep those families in your thoughts and prayers.

We had a great trip and enjoyed our time with them.

New Addition to the Family

Phillip & Christy (Jennifer's sister) Robinson are proud to announce the birth of Tori Christine Robinson, born February 20, 2008 at 5:19 AM in Jackson, TN. She weighed in at 6 lbs. 10 oz. and 19 inches.

Both sets of grandparents are there and everyone is doing well. They hope to go home Thursday. Everyone seems to think she looks just like Tanner and Trace (big brothers) when they were born.



Here are a couple of pictures taken on their camera phone early this morning. I will add more once Phillip is able to send them to me. Courtney and Kelsey can't wait to see their new cousin.

We will probably be leaving early Saturday morning. DCA finished in 3rd place in the District Tournament and have to travel to York Institute (Jamestown) Friday night. The odds are stacked against us winning, but if we do, we will play Monday night in the 2nd round of the Regional tournament (being hosted by DCA). Basketball is winding down and Kelsey will be working hard preparing for the Spring Musical. She has decided not to play softball this year to devote more time to the musical, DCA Choir, & voice lessons. The choir will be going to London during Spring Break (Jennifer is going also) and the 9th grade is going to Washington, DC the week before.

Courtney has been doing really well in school. Jenn & I went to her Valentine's Day party at school last week. She went on a field trip to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville yesterday. She has been twice now and I have yet to go. :-)

Keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers as we heat up the roads the next few days.

Randy

February Update

Here are some pictures from our circus outing last week. Courtney really enjoyed it once she got the earmuffs on. :-)

The JV basketball team won again Friday night against Station Camp for their 5th win in a row. Unfortunately, the varsity team lost and are now 5 - 3 in the district. If the varsity team wins their last two district games this week, they will still finish in 2nd place and get a bye in the 1st round of the district tournament. They will also advance to the 1st round of the regional tournament no matter how they do in the district, but it will make a difference on who they play.

Kelsey played in the JV game Friday afternoon and then had her callback for "Thoroughly Modern Millie" shortly after that. She did not get the part of "Muzzy", but she will be playing "Alice". Basketball is winding down with 3 games this week (2 JV) and then the district tournament will start the 14th.

Off to a game, report more later.