Saturday, July 19, 2008

4th of July Parade Guffman Style

video
So for the most part this video speaks for itself.

Not shown: Dad's early arrival at 6 a.m. to save our seats.

Lessons learned: the Youth Parade implies that it consists of town youth on bikes. There are no floats, Shriners, candy thrown, clowns...and there is plenty of room to sit so you don't need to arrive two hours early.

And you don't need to rush to the puppet show for a front row seat. The auditorium emptied out fairly quickly throughout the show.

This is the stuff memories are made of.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Congratulations to the NW Jeromins!

#2 due in March!!

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Eric D Terhune Blog


Kendall has started a blog in Eric's honor--if you haven't been there already, please visit--and if you have any good Eric stories/memories that might bless his family & friends, please email it to either of us and we will post it on the blog. I will probably continue posting Eric entries there as Heidi is getting concerned that there hasn't been a blog post about her in the last two weeks.

Saturday, July 05, 2008

New Every Morning

Things are just starting to slow down. A little. Things never really slow down when littles are about--there is great mercy in that.

I haven't really cried much. There hasn't been time. The week of the funeral was filled with slideshow preparation, hosting the ebb and flow of visitors, making lots of lists and phonecalls, and trying to practice the piano in between. When we were leaving the church in the "procession" I was the one tripping around with the video camera trying to capture at least something for the generations to come.

Then last night we went down to the beach for the fireworks, all of us. David was home, a rarity not to be wasted. We sat together on the green grass while Jaxon and Heidi chased each other around. We ate from the picnic baskets Nana had prepared and watched the slow birds circle the setting sun. When it grew dark, the orchestra began to play. In the program were a few choice selection from the academy award winning Chariots of Fire, chosen in honor of the upcoming Olympics.

Vangelis had a heyday in the 80s with these pieces, played so often now that they have become humorous cliches: The famous "Chariots of Fire," "Five Circles," and another good one called "Eric's Theme," in honor of the runner Eric Liddell.

The COF soundtrack is tightly woven with my early childhood memories, back when we had a record player instead of a Bose, before my parents had a television. Records were our entertainment, listening and looking at the album covers. My memories aren't very clear because I was so little, but Eric was always there. He would be washing the car or talking in a deep voice about jets, or making paper airplanes, or listening quietly while my mom read the Chronicles of Narnia in the yellow light of our family room. He would be telling us to watch our bottoms and get home right now before mom discovered that we were running away. He was in the creek behind our house catching frogs or poking dead ones with a stick. He would be walking up and down the beach all day, looking for shark's teeth or making funny faces at us in the back of the station wagon.

When I went to preschool I refused to wear anything but my cousin's old hand-me-downs, much to my mother's chagrin. One little girl asked me why I talked like a boy. I didn't have an answer, but when I look back on it, I realize that it's because I wanted to be just like my cousin, who, even though he was nine years old, did his best to sound like Marine would sound, like his daddy Paul.

When I accepted Jesus into my heart, it was because I had heard that Eric had done so earlier that same night. If Heaven is organized chronologically like that, maybe we'll be neighbors.

So when the music came last night with the songs of my childhood, much of this came back, and I was finally able to take a minute to cry. Music is good like that.

I'm so thankful for the huge part he played in my earliest years. Many of the memories are deeper than I know. It funny to think that memories are deeper than your memory, but I think it's true in the non-weird sense.

I once thought of Eric as someone who needed me, needed us. His departure has helped me to see how much I needed him.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Always Faithful

Faith

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Last word from the Front




On Monday, June 16, my family and I received this email from our cousin-brother.  We thought it was a bit unusual.  In his three tours he has never sent a long letter--usually short notes and forwards here and there.  His body arrived here this morning and we stood in line to greet the jet.  Pictures soon.

Hey Guys, 

Thanks for the emails.  I didn't mean to sound ungrateful for the emails, but this is the slowing that I have ever seen the internet move.  I have yet to get on to the web, but for right now, all I can do is E-mail and that takes a while.  Things are pretty hot and sandy here.  We've all been living in pretty Spartan conditions for the last month or more (i.e. sleeping under the stars with the camel spiders and scorpions).  The one plus about this place is that it's like Iraq only with mountains.  I'm most definitely looking forward to getting back to the Good-ole-US-of-A!

Summer and Oliver, thanks for the letters.  I don't know if you got it, but I sent out a couple of post cards.  Glad to hear that the little Shaver is walking about now.  Can't wait to see her.

Aunt Dotti, I just got the package yesterday with the Shoe-Goo, Monkey Butt, Granola Bars, and Apple Cake.  You most definitely read my mind on the Shoe-Goo!  I've had a lot of repairs to make since we've pushed out.  I haven't tried the Apple Cake yet though.

Doc, tell those 2 kids wanting to join "The Gun Club" that it's the perfect place for them if they want to live in the most harsh conditions and do everything in the most ridiculously ludicrous, backwards way possible that defy all reason, for the only sake of, "We do it because we're the Marines" and that's the best answer they can give of why.  Please tell them to at least look at the other services first.  I'm sorry to say that it just ain't the Corps that Papa joined, Dad joined, and I joined any more.  I have no regrets about joining it, but my insanity meter is just about pegged out and it's only getting worse.  Other than that, I'm just peachy!

"D", glad to hear that you got to spend some time with Papa fishing.  I'm most definitely envious.  The fishing out here isn't all that great in Trashghanistan and so far, unfortunately, the hunting has been either.  Too many rules and restrictions!

Kendall and Ricky, glad to hear the youngsters are doing well and hope to see them when I get back.  Jax has got to be huge by now!  I just hope he remembers me and I can't wait to meet the new addition!

Boo, you've most definitely become the world traveler.  I think you're going to pass me up on places visited in the world before long.  Just take my word for it, you don't need to see Iraq or Afghanistan.  You're not missing much here.  Just keep going to places like Greece, Norway, etc.....

Well guys, it was great hearing from you all.  Hope all is well and I'm sorry that I'm going to be missing the July 4th "Shin-dig."  Sounds like it will be a lot of fun.  Hopefully I'll make it next year, but it seems that I'm saying that every year.  Anyway, give everyone my best, miss you guys loads, and can't wait to see you when I get back.  Take care.

Love,

Capt Eric "D-Ring" Terhune


Tuesday, June 24, 2008

First Haircut

Little Patriot.
Flower children.