Late Blooms

When everything else in the garden is dying down, the cleomes and hibiscus are producing magnificent blossoms.

We are clinging onto our fleeting warm season, but change is in the air.

Rugby Tournament

This past weekend was the annual CanAm rugby tournament. It's large, actually the largest rugby tournament in the US, 90 teams played over the weekend.

Last year Christian played. He had played on the All Army Team, but last year he played for "fun" with the Fort Drum club team. It was his birthday and he took the Mercedes early in the morning to Lake Placid to play with a new set of friends. He had met his team the evening before at a practice.

He was like that. Once he met you, you were a friend.

This year the Army put together a team to play in Christian's memory. The President's Fifteen. Some were active duty, some were retired, flying in from around the US.

Sunday, before the final game, there was an honor guard and a presentation to Elizabeth and the Skoglunds. The rugby ball, game jerseys, a plaque with Christian's uniform and picture from last year. The President's men, big, strong and in their white and black uniforms, stood behind the family, showing support, love and sadness at the lose of their friend.

We were together and that made it a bit easier. We are family together and I'm not quite sure how we have been cemented together so quickly and so completely.

It did not just happen. It is not recent. Although the relationship has grown and developed it was almost instantaneous at our introduction at 42 three years ago. The Wisconsin contingent had come out for lunch and then a weekend at the camp including an engagement party for Elizabeth and Christian. We were introduced to kringle and a wonderful extended family and they were introduced to the beauty of the North Country, friendliness of Canton and the intimacy of relationships at CFC.

And as we worked together yesterday, transporting boxes and pictures form 42 to 34, dusting,orgainizing and putting books on shelves, setting up stereos, and the television with surround sound, making beds and generally remembering him, I was thankful.

I'm thankful Lord that you are still here with us. You have not abandon us. This time is hard, it's difficult. We have a lot of distractions but we are still missing Christian and their hoped for future. So we speak to each other of hope and a future. And we cling to your Word, knowing it is true.