Published: August 23, 2008 09:27 pm            

Week’s end brings sadness

A new start for some, a tragic loss for a family

Whoa. What happened to the summer?

I blinked (yes, blinked — because I know I haven’t been getting any sleep) and poof! It was over.

Tomorrow morning my baby girl will start high school.

That’s a tough concept for me to wrap my mind around.

In fact, the last couple of weeks have been somewhat strange. The “long good-bye” with Chase Springer, a young man close to my heart, and a fellow newsroomie, ended when he boarded a plane Friday, bound for New York City.

I have several friends with children who went off to college in recent weeks, and I can’t even imagine what those parents are going through. What a gamut of emotions — being so proud of your child, being fearful of what they will find out in “the world,” hoping they will be OK on their own, etc.

I watched Chase as his excitement that’s carried him through the summer turned increasingly more toward nervousness. When we last saw him, he was just ready to get all the good-byes over with, the crying done, the settling in at his new dorm in New York City accomplished, and get on to the business of living his new life.

We wish Chase and all the other seniors from our area who have gone on to college and different paths all the best.

My Lily attended “fish camp” this week at Corsicana High School, which she seemed to enjoy thoroughly. Though nervous at first, especially about going from the small school environment where she’s been all her life at the Catholic school to the huge and rather intimidating high school, she walked in from fish camp and declared, “I’m going to love high school!”

Would that her sister shared the same enthusiasm! But as a junior, Kate seems to no longer consider the high school a challenge, but rather something she does under duress.

After the flurry of trying to exchange the standardized dress items we procured earlier in the summer (since the girls’ lack of activity seemed to have made said items no longer fit), and took care of a long list of shots it seems Miss Lily was lacking, I think we’re in good shape for the morning.

Assuming anyone can actually get up in the morning.

The entire summer has consisted of staying up very, very late (which sometimes necessitates Mom staying up very late, as well) and sleeping half the day away (well, not moi). My hope is that we can all get up, and all get rolling early — day after day after day.

Please everyone, drive safely in the morning. Keep in mind that children are returning to school all over the county, and let’s be safe out there.

———

In a very sad note, we received word Saturday that Kevin Jock passed away.

For those who don’t know, Kevin worked for Martin Linen, and he was in the Daily Sun once a week bringing our rugs. One of the last times I recall seeing him we forced him to eat some birthday cake. Not that we really had to force him.

I met Kevin and his wife Jessica years ago (well, actually Jessica and I went to high school together) when my ex-husband had a garage. They spent a few evenings with us hanging out watching guys build whatever the toy du jour was.

Kevin was severely injured in a four-wheeler accident months ago. He had an open chest wound, and they were forced to amputate a leg.

The last e-mail update we’d received from Jessica said that he was getting better — his blood pressure was leveling, they were taking him off blood pressure medication, and things were getting better. Then the word that he’d passed away.

Our hearts go out to his wife and children, and the rest of his family. Please keep them in your prayers.

—————

Deanna Brown is a Daily Sun staff writer and editor of “exp ...” Her column appears on Sundays. She may be reached by e-mail at deanna@corsicanadailysun.com.

        

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