Ordinary Life : April 2009

Presidential Fitness

Tomorrow will be the last day of Presidential Fitness season for Chandler and Logan.
Chandler made Presidential for most everything he tried, Logan made several National rankings and Presidential in the Mile Run and Curl Ups.
Next season, Fisher gets to join in and he can't wait!
Tomorrow is the awards ceremony and Logan plans to bring her camera along since I will be in Bible study.
Below are a few pictures from one of their last testing/practice days.

Easter Sunday

The kids and I spent Easter Sunday in Covington with family. I love these folks, too!

Easter Saturday

I spent the Saturday preceding Easter with my family in Augusta. I just love those folks! Here are some highlights from our cookout at Sprink Lake clubhouse:

King Tut

While in Atlanta recently, the kids and I took in the King Tutankhamen exhibit at the Civic Center. The kids just wanted to see a mummy, but I made them stop and listen as I read to them from the different displays. This only lasted so long! They were disappointed that there were no actual mummies to be seen, though I believe they still enjoyed seeing some of the burial items. Probably the biggest impact item for them was the cat's coffin, which they were sure still contained an ancient mummified cat.
(I imagine they are right)
I personally found the detail of the carving fascinating and the many various "gods" with which they were buried the most interesting of all. I have heard about idols made from wood and gold my entire life, but I've only seen modern ones (you know, golf clubs, Hershey bars... whatever :)
We've been learning about Egypt in our Mystery of History studies, so seeing the artifacts first hand was not only a real treat but a great way to observe first hand some of the things we had learned.
Obviously, cameras weren't welcome beyond the foyer- but here is what we did take:

In what can only be described as "typical", the one item best retained in their memories from our Egyptian studies (thus far) is the one item I included just for fun. I fear that the only thing they may be able to describe about King Tut now, is that he was "buried in his jammies!"
(On the bright side, their pop culture horizons were vastly expanded in Steve Martin 101, whom they had only previously known as "Inspector Clouseau" from modern day Pink Panther takes.)

Uncle Joe

Joseph B. Carnes

July 4th, 1927 - April 3, 2009

AMAZING LOVE

Retired Master Sgt. Joseph B. Carnes, 81, of Lumberton passed
away April 3, 2009, at Southeastern Regional Medical Center, with his family by
his side. He served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, retiring after 22
years. After the military, Joe worked in construction and later contributed to
his community through retail sales.
Joseph B. Carnes was a dedicated family man, always
making sure that his family was taken care of. We loved him very much and will
miss him dearly! He was preceded in death by a son, Daniel Carnes; his parents
Harley & Pallie Carnes, both of Franklin, a sister, Ruth Edwards of
Franklin; and a brother, Zell Carnes of Grey, GA.
Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Rosie Davis Carnes of
Lumberton; one son, Larry D. Carnes and daughter-in-law Myoung-Jin, both of
Florence, SC; three daughters, JoAnn Dudney and son-in-law Jerry Dudney, both of
Lumberton, Kathy Willoughby and son-in-law Mike Willoughby, both of Fairmont,
and Teresa Willoughby of Lumberton; 16 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren;
four brothers General Jackson Carnes and Ted Carnes, both of Covington, GA, John
Clay Carnes of Ohatchee, AL and Thomas Carnes of Cummings, GA; three sisters,
Madge Roper of Monticello, GA, Pallie Raby and Thana Smith, both of Covington,
GA as well as a host of nieces and nephews.
~copied from obituary
I am one of the host of nephews & nieces group- I'm a great-niece to be exact. My grandfather is Uncle Joe's older brother, General Jackson (most folks just call him Jack, but a few realize it isn't everyday you get to call a man General because that's his name and take him up on the opportunity) Uncle Joe and Grandpa set out as young men (very young from what I'm not supposed to know!) and traveled around the country. They were quite a team from those same stories I've not supposed to have overheard. :) All that I know to be safe to repeat from those "early days" is that their tattoos were self inflicted in a way most old fashioned and involving heat, pain and soot.
Before Uncle Joe's funeral, I knew he had lived in Alaska during the Great Earthquake. I had heard stories about how great rifts had torn through the earth's crust and how Joe had made some great leaps towards safety. This story always left an Indiana Jones-ish impression on me. I sort of got the idea that he did this sort of thing everyday. I am pretty sure if he were here, he would attest to the fact that daily earthquake hopping wasn't his preferred means of gainful employment. Then again, if you look at his military record, he may well have preferred that sort of daring to "ordinary" living.
Uncle Joe served in both Korea and Vietnam. The soldiers who spoke- and shed tears- at his funeral read to us from various military records regarding his career and character. No one was surprised to hear about his brand of leadership. Some of us- me included- were delighted to learn they used to call him Cannonball Carnes ("because if you didn't follow his orders, he'd roll right over you") and those of us with that "Carnes" disposition-me included- were probably just a bit too proud of that moniker, too. We learned, with some amusement, that Uncle Joe had been involved in Military Charm School. It made sense that he had completed only the bare minimum requirements for graduation, but more sense that he indeed graduated a charming soldier.
I remember visiting Uncle Joe as a young girl. As we were leaving, he allowed a cousin and myself to pick a pair of sunglasses from his merchandise. All these years later, I found a new appreciation for that gift when I learned that Uncle Joe's business savvy and niche for making a profit was a well established fact. Gifts weren't unheard of, but they definitely came from someplace a bit closer to his heart.
A family friend- one of the family's pastors- recounted expecting to get a little discount on his first purchase from Uncle Joe, only to be set aright in his thinking before he was out of the gate.
PASTOR: "How much you want for this, Joe?"
JOE: " Well, what does the tag say?"
Uncle Joe was a resourceful guy- a Do-It-Yourself-er that got things done. He and a host of child labor "volunteers" hand dug the basement for his home. He paid them in coinage and ice cream at the end of each day, and as they realized years later, he'd also invested a sense of self reliance into their lives that matured as a Can-Do spirit.
Uncle Joe left behind a bunch of wonderful people. Folks I am glad to know and be related to. I am sad that I didn't get to know all the wonderful stories and personality traits of my Uncle Joe before he passed, but I count it all joy that there are plenty of memories and stories written on the hearts and spilling from the lips of my family members.
As I get older, I realize this Journey only speeds up the closer to The End we get. There is no "slow motion" or "pause". You really do have seize the days that remain with the people that remain, before it is too late. It is important to ask questions now, to learn all you can while the accounts are still first hand.
The older I get, the deeper my appreciation for family grows, too. Not my family only but human kinship as well. I imagine to die without having been involved in other's lives would be antiseptic. I can't imagine that life vacated could be as rich and fulfilling as a life that has felt deeply- both in joy and in loss.
It has been said "To have loved, then lost is better than to never have loved at all..." I am inclined to agree. Goodbye, Uncle Joe. You will be missed.