Badges

 Yesterday was the National Night Out, a police led initiative to integrate and ingratiate into their communities. The boys look forward to the event each year because it is littered with freebies, games and activities. This is our first year in West Virginia and we weren't sure what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised by the event.  

While the boys had a blast trolling through the booths for freebies and food, I felt uncomfortable from the moment we arrived. The police presence, which was expected because they were hosting, immediately triggered my anxiety. With every badge I saw my brother being shot. I don't know if I will ever be able to disassociate all badges from my anxiety, but I do know that I am not there yet.

Even though I struggled with the badges, it was nice doing something 'normal' as a family again. This is the first event we have resumed post-heart attack. It is definitely time for us to start returning to our lives again. Scott is healthier and we need to figure out a new way ahead. 

Trees

 When we returned from Ohio we discovered an 80 foot tree fell down in our side yard. Thankful that it didn't harm a structure or encroach too severely on our neighbors' property line, I arranged to have my nephew and his tree-trimming friends to come down on Saturday to help. Although we were all frustrated by the damage, we were able to forget about it until the weekend.

In preparation for our merry band of chain-saw wielding young men, Scott and I went to the ATM Saturday morning to grab some cash. The skies and weather were beautiful, and we were both feeling optimistic that the job should be easy for 'the boys.' We had just returned to the house and were turning our attention to debating between chicken or pizza for lunch when we heard a crash. 

Crash does not adequately describe the sound that we heard. The house shook with a violence that was unsettling. After confirming that nobody was hurt inside, I went outside to check for the culprit. I was shocked by the sight before me.

Two 100+ poplar trees were laying across my yard, driveway and front yard. Leaves and branches were everywhere. Somehow, these massive trunks managed to miss the house and the SUV, for which we are grateful and astounded. 

Because the two trees that fell were attached to another two 125 foot poplars, we knew that we needed to call in some professionals above my nephew. Precariously perched atop rotten roots, we were frightened that an obese squirrel could jump onto the trunk and topple the entire thing. Thankfully our neighbors helped us locate a local tree company who was more than willing to come out on a Saturday for an emergency job. 

While the professional company was working in our front and side yard, my nephew and his buddies were in the back chopping up the original felled tree into firewood. Needless to say, the yard was certainly abuzz with excitement.