Cindy Is The Music

Well.... as we've all heard by now, the music is perpetual, it is the hearing that is intermittent... and boy, I'm straining to hear it tonight....

Cindy went down to Scranton to visit her Mom and see her brand new nephew. She took Jessica with her, Ashleigh and John opting to stay with me. Don't get me wrong, please! That's all fine, and those are good things. Eleanor loves to have Cindy come down for visits and Cindy gets a chance to spend some time with her. But the problem is I have this weird feeling again, like a part of me is missing.

In a few more weeks, we'll celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary. I think I love her more now than I did when we married. Is that even possible? I can't stand the thought of being away from her, even for one night. God has blessed me with the most wonderful companion imaginable. She is my mate in every sense of the word. When she leaves, even for a brief time, all I can think about is when I will see her again.

Ok, ok... so I'm a sap and I should get over it... quit whining.... deal with it! It's only one night, give me a stinkin' break!!

I don't think so.

You see, Cindy and I fell in love when she was playing in the pit orchestra for a production of South Pacific at Furman University. I think I went to every rehearsal, just see see her during breaks and walk her back to her dorm afterward. And, in the heartfelt words of Emile... "once you have found her, never let her go".

A little louder, please, Emile. She's about a hundred miles away.

Dear John

Each family has a name or two that sort of gets passed down though the generations. In our family, it's "John". John Clarence Newell (my grandfather) , John Lyndon Newell (my uncle) and John Evans Newell (my son). Sort of a neat thing those family traditions, except when they are encountered by a flustered mom with a cell phone.

So... John Evans (the son) and Jessica are helping at our church's Vacation Bible School. Cindy and I go to pick them up... we have a little trouble locating John.... John has a cellphone... Cindy tries to dial him up... in her address folder, John Evans and John Lyndon (the uncle) are adjacent... guess which one she dials?

Somewhere nestled deep in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, in a sleepy little town, at the end of a beautiful late spring day, the phone rings. "Hello." "John? (this doesn't sound like John) " "Yes." "John? (this can't be John, but I dialed the right number) " "Yes. (who is this? what's going on there? sounds like a frat party)" "Have you found your sister? (don't play dumb with me, bub)" "Sister? Who is this? (and why is this woman so angry with me?) "Oops, wrong number, sorry! (I hate cellphones, they are a tool of Satan) " click.

A few minutes pass and then Cindy realizes what she's done. She hurriedly redials John (the uncle), this time on purpose. Somewhere nestled deep in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, in a sleepy little town, at the end of a beautiful late spring day, the phone rings again. This time however, Linda, worried that she may be dealing with a stalker, grabs the phone. "Hello. (please let it be a telemarketer)" "May I speak with John, please? (kill them with kindness, that's what I always say) " "May I ask who's calling? (I can't believe this crazed female has the nerve to call here again) " "This is Cindy Newell, John's niece. (like at this point she's really going to believe that)" "(giggle, giggle, laugh out loud) Just a moment. (I think we just found the female lead for the sequel to Fried Green Tomatoes)"

We ended up having a wonderful chat with John Lyndon, it just took awhile to get there. And, by the way, we eventually found John Evans and Jessica, and wound up at Starbucks for an iced latte and a few more laughs at mom's expense. No, Linda, we're not crazy, just somewhat challenged in the area of wireless communications. We love you guys.

A Glimpse Into The Future

This week Cindy and I got a brief glimpse of what it will be like to be "empty nesters" in about another 6 years. All three kids were at camp. Ashleigh, John and Jessica attended Student Life Camp, a week long church sponsored camp/retreat for teenagers. They had a great time, but I think Cindy and I enjoyed it more.

Don't get me wrong, I really love my children, but it was really neat for Cindy and I to spend a week rediscovering each other. I was hoping to get at least one day away from work, but it just didn't work out that way. I think it was for the best though, because Cindy got to spend all day each day doing exactly what she wanted to do, when she wanted to do it. Of course, she got to spend a little time each morning giving glory to Starbucks, sitting on the patio with latte and morning paper in hand.

Our evenings together were very special (don't worry, I do know this is a family show). Each night we shared a home-cooked meal by candlelight. Nothing fancy, just good food, soft music, and soul mates. Last night, we decided to go out and find someplace to eat we'd never been. We chose The Inn At Baxter, a relatively new establishment not too far from us. It was very nice. Crab cakes, fresh greens, braised veal, grilled salmon and homemade banana pudding. Quite tasty! We had a table in the back of the dining room near the fireplace, ours for the entire evening. We really enjoyed ourselves. We talked more this week than we have in a long time.

The kids are all home now and things are returning to normal. Ashleigh leaves tomorrow for another week at a different Student Life camp, this time as a staff member. John and Jessica are volunteering at our church's Vacation Bible School next week. The summer blitz is on... but for a few days, I was able to pause and fall in love with the most beautiful woman in the world, all over again.

High School Graduation

Well, I made it, barely. I didn't think I could do it, but I did. I only broke down seven or eight times (before the ceremony - during it and afterwards I was a total mess). The source of my emotional instability? Ashleigh's high school graduation.

The Palmetto Homeschool Association sponsors commencement exercises. This year they were held at USC-Lancaster. Several family and friends made the trek down, and we were treated to a very nice graduation program. As salutatorian of the class, Ashleigh was asked to give a brief address. As she took her place at the podium, I began to realize that our first baby is grown. As she began to speak, it hit me that the young woman who has taken our baby's place is ready to make her own way. I don't think it would be fair to say that I was proud of her. More like stunned. I just couldn't believe the words I heard were coming from my daughter. For those that couldn't be there, here is the text of her speech.

Parents, Honored Guests, and Fellow Graduates,

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Samuel Clemens, or better known as the popular writer, Mark Twain, challenges us to partake of an adventure through life. It’s hard to fathom where we’ll be in twenty years when none of us has yet to depart from our port-of-sail. Nevertheless, we are very soon setting off. For some, setting off means college where the much anticipated freedom is acquired and suddenly the word “sale” has never looked so appealing. For others, it’s not college, but another direction in life, where change must be embraced. No matter what our plans in the near future, we have all one thing in common; we are growing up. We are no longer referred to as children, yet not quite adults. It seems only like yesterday that we were attending Barbie and Superman birthday parties and burying our annoying siblings and best friends in the ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese. Our need for chauffeurs has vanished with the acquirement of driver’s licenses and the constant protection of our parents is slowly but surely backing away, leaving us to stand on our own with the opportunity to make our own mistakes, and to choose our own faith. I have found faith in my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and know without a doubt that He is what I will lean on through the coming months. Faith can be defined as believing without seeing. Yet through believing, the truth is illuminated and seeing is no longer required. I have decided that I will walk by faith, and not by sight because who am I to declare that the outward appearance of an obstacle is impossible, when in fact, the impossible happens daily? After today, after this moment, we are no longer considered highschoolers. We are on the verge of a great adventure and only get one life to live it. Responsibility has been thrust upon us and we must rise to the challenge of making wise choices, choices that result in consequences, good and bad, and though we might not see those consequences immediately, they are sure to come. The practice of wisdom will only benefit us in the future. My charge to you now is to dream big, pursue the impossible, and regret nothing. Congratulations class of 2007, best wishes, and God bless.

Here are some photos from the day (minus the tears).

One down, two to go. We'll keep you posted...

The Border Quintet

When Cindy and I were college students, we attended at least one recital every week (I was, after all, the stage manager at Daniel Recital Hall at Furman University). Since graduation all those years ago, I could probably count on one hand the number of symphony concerts and recitals we've attended. Until last night, the most recent one was the night before our first Cape Cod marathon, two years ago. Chris and Pam took us to see the Colorado Quartet at The Church of The Messiah in Woods Hole, MA.

Sunday night, I received an email from a friend of ours, informing us that his new performing ensemble, The Border Quintet, was giving it's debut performance last night at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fort Mill. (The really interesting thing about all this is that I'm a native of Fort Mill, for the past 18 years have lived two blocks from this church, and have never been inside until last night.) Cindy and I decided we would walk over to the church after Jessi's volleyball game and hear Chris' group. We were treated to some lovely chamber music, got to see some other musician friends we haven't seen for awhile, and in the process received an affirmation that, indeed, the music is perpetual and my hearing is intermittent.

The quintet is comprised of local musicians: Maury Wilkinson (flute), Melanie Montgomery (oboe), Deborah Loomer (clarinet), Kristen Wright (bassoon) and Christopher Griffin (horn). For their debut, the group selected Theodor Blumer's "Quintet, Op. 52", Darius Milhaud's "La Cheminee du roi Rene" and Carl Nielsen's "Quintet, Op. 43". I enjoyed all the selections, but it was the Nielsen that really touched me.

The Nielsen quintet consists of four movements and displays the wide range of sounds characteristic to each of the instruments. I discovered a golden nugget of truth in the theme and variations of the third movement, "Praeludium". Throughout the quintet, I noticed the bassoon and horn constantly working together, almost as if they were the continuo of a baroque fugue. At times one voice would finish a phrase begun by the first. At other times there was almost a "call and answer" in process, and there were also passages that were played together, either in harmony or in unison. The two instruments were in almost constant communication. I say "almost" because there were times when the "busy-ness" of the upper voices was dominant, and drew my attention away from the horn and bassoon. Then it hit me.... isn't my relationship with God just like that? God went to great lengths to enable a constant communication and fellowship, but yet I allow myself to be distracted at times, even by things that are pleasing and good in and of themselves.

I read in the program that the theme on which Nielsen based the variations is one of his own chorale tunes, Min Jesus, lad min Hjerte faa en saaden Smag paa dig (My Jesus, make my heart to love thee). It is my prayer today that my heart will be more attune to my Lord's, and that my hearing will be a little less intermittent.

Thank you, Dr. Griffin, for your invitation. It was an evening well spent.

Where You Are...

I noticed a little red dot on the cluster map... at first I thought it might have been a friend of ours who is serving in the military and is stationed somewhere in the middle-east. Someone pointed out to me that the dot was actually over eastern Europe, and then it hit me... it must be Luba Nell! :=) Luba is a very sweet young lady from Slovakia who was an exchange student at Fort Mill High School a couple of years ago. She stayed with some friends of ours, Rick and Cindy, and we got to know her well. She is studying to be a doctor. I wonder if she is still running....


Ashleigh is now registered at Charleston Southern for the fall semester. She has her student ID and has applied for her parking permit. Now for the text-books. Anyone want to pitch in? We do accept several methods of payment, tens, twenties, fifties, etc. I met her roommate for the first time this past Saturday at the early registration session. She seems like a very nice young lady. I'm SURE she and Ashleigh will stay out of trouble. The big graduation ceremony is this Saturday at USC-L. This week is going to be fun. I've been looking for a recent photo of all three kids together... how's this one? We spent a few vacation days days in Charleston, SC, last month. We hiked out Folly Beach to what's left of the Morris Island lighthouse. This is near the now-submerged Battery Wagner, site of the assault by the 54th Mass. Regiment in July, 1863, made famous in the movie Glory.

I'm Growing Older But Not Up

Well, in response to the first post, some old friends shared a picture of their family with us. Looking at their grown and almost-grown kids made me pause for a moment and realize "hey, I'm 45 stinkin' years old". Our youngest child is soon to be a seventh-grader. Instead of attending Vacation Bible School, our kids are now on the staff. Wow! That decade flew in a hurry.

In our church band, we have several members in their 20s, along with a couple of teenagers. One of them actually calls me "Pops" (among other various terms of endearment). At first, I must admit it bothered me a little, but now, I think I like it. Somehow it makes me feel wiser than I really am, and we all know that if you just act like you know what you're doing, you can fool a lot of people :-)

So it is with great pleasure that I am learning to embrace the lyrics of the infamous buccaneer poet, Jimmy Buffett: "I'm growing older but not up, my metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck".

Speaking of the youngest, check out these shots of Jessi....

After the Myrtle Beach Marathon's 1-mile Family Fun Run

That killer volleyball serve.