Conversations with Whitney

Sometimes things happen that I can’t control or see coming that make me really sad. Like the little gray dog that ran in front of my car on K96 last night. At 70 mph there is nothing you can do but run over the little gray dog. It’s still bothering me.

Before that though, Whitney had a volleyball scrimmage game. Whitney plays with Denae.

Des came to the game. This is Denae’s brother. Here he is, 6 years ago with Nate, Whitney’s brother. (interesting to note, the boy on the other side of Des is Nate's college roommate).

And Whitney’s brother can’t come. Then Des ran out on the court during warm ups to show Whitney something on his phone. And she laughed and pushed him. Except for the fact he’s a couple inches shorter, wears his clean baseball cap forward with a flat bill (Nate’s would be dirty, ragged, curved bill and backward) and he’s black, it could've been Nate. Des was even wearing a Jayhawk hoodie. I didn't see the memory/thought coming any more than I saw the little gray dog. Does this ever happen to you? Something triggers a memory? A song, driving by a location, seeing someone? It happens to me ALL THE TIME!

I have a 19 year old college sophomore that is totally self sufficient. I am proud of him. But I miss him. Whitney misses him. I am incredibly thankful for Des that treats Whitney like a little sister, like he does Denae to some extent. It doesn’t replace Nate, but it helps, at least for her.

And a brief conversation with Denae...

Setting: dinner at my house before the basketball game Tuesday night

Me: Dinner's ready if you guys are hungry
Denae: (walking in the kitchen and looking at dinner)
Mama Baker threw down! (I cooked)