Nat, Jules and I were supposed to go to a picnic on Saturday. However, I told the kids that we wouldn't leave until they had picked up their toys. Now I didn't spring this on them immediately before we had to go, I was requesting their help for hours. After being ignored, there were eventually heated words and spankings. Finally we were able to get everything straightened up and we headed to the picnic. Coming home at the end of the night our conversation went like this:
Nat: "Mom, when I pray, I mean when I am in bed tonight, when I am praying to God tonight" (it took her quite a while to get it out) "I am going to pray to God to help me be a better helper. I'm going to pray he helps me clean up and be a good girl."
There is a break in the conversation as I am contemplating how wonderful my daughter is.... and then....
"What are YOU going to pray for mom?" pausing a moment "Are you going to pray to be a good mom?"
I burst out laughing. "Well first I am going to thank God for my wonderful children. Then, I will pray for patience and that we do a better job helping each other."
Priceless.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Good-Bye
This is an unbelievable post for me right now. Yesterday, John got a phone call. Just seeing his face I knew it couldn't be good. "You don't want to know.", he said in response to my concerned countenance quizzing him as he hung up the phone. "Czerwien." His eyes became glassy.
What shocking and devastating news. Mike Czerwien passed away at the age of 24. Read or watch about him here, here, or here.
We met Czerwien in 2001 when John started as the Strength and Conditioning Coach at North Hills high school. Czerwien was going into the 10th grade. He was a short and stalky kid playing DE for the storied North Hills football team. He was joined at the hip with another Mike, Mike Schmidt. (Hence their "handles" Czerwien and Schmidt or Schmitty.) They shared first names, a birthday, and just about everything in high school.
Anyway, John quickly took a liking to both boys, and I think the feeling was mutual. It wasn't hard though, everyone liked Czerwien and Schmidt. People were drawn to their funny, forever jovial, good natured, sweet, but all-boy personalities.
There were of course, kids that were bigger and much taller than the squat 5'8" defensive end, a relative midget for the position in elite Quad A football schools. But Czerwien had ridiculous speed, crazy strength a giant heart and a love of the game. Moreove, Czerwien did it all with humor and enthusiasm and just plain joy.
His joy was infectious. His beaming smile would light up his entire face, a room, and the faces of those around him. Just thinking about it makes me smile.
While John saw him nearly 5 days a week for 3 years, I also had the privilege of spending time with him. He was around quite a bit during those early years of our marriage. He helped us move in to our first house. He helped load literally tons of rock into our old Toyota pick-up to build our ponds. He and the boys took John and I out to gorge on wings and ice cream after John's body building competition in 2004. And he was at the house the evening I got home late from work and found John had killed his big Pittsburgh deer. He and Schmidt were over checking it out as John used our basement as a butcher shop - the head literally chillin' in our downstairs fridge. It was the boys who convinced John that it was a buck nice enough to mount. It was and he did.
I know Czerwien made an impression on us and I think John made a difference in his life too. I know John encouraged him to consider going to college which, at the time, wasn't on his radar. He encouraged him to see that his football skills could help him to get a quality education which would change his future. I remember being told the story of how Czerwien and his mom went to visit Waynesburg. They were all ready to head home and Czerwien said, "mom, wait! I've got to go back!" His mom wondered, "why? what? Did you forget something?" "No," he said, "I've got to go back and get John a shirt!" They were already in the parking lot and his mom said, "you can get him one next time." Truthfully, he was going to be there a lot in just a short amount of time. No, he wouldn't wait. He went right back and got that shirt. =)
Czerwien went on to receive his degree and was working on a Master's at the time of his death. He was an assistant football coach at Waynesburg and holds many collegiate football records as a player including the NCAA All-division record for sacks.
Working at North Hills was such a great experience. Not just for John, but for me as well. After 5 years of seeing kids come and go, we were used to having to say good-bye as they graduated NH and moved on to bigger and better things. There were certain kids, however, that will never leave my heart - Steve, Turk, Corey, The Longs,... Czerwien was one of those special kids and although I never dreamed I would be saying good-bye like this, and a lot more than miles separate us, I know he will never leave my heart. I can only imagine how John feels.
What shocking and devastating news. Mike Czerwien passed away at the age of 24. Read or watch about him here, here, or here.We met Czerwien in 2001 when John started as the Strength and Conditioning Coach at North Hills high school. Czerwien was going into the 10th grade. He was a short and stalky kid playing DE for the storied North Hills football team. He was joined at the hip with another Mike, Mike Schmidt. (Hence their "handles" Czerwien and Schmidt or Schmitty.) They shared first names, a birthday, and just about everything in high school.
Anyway, John quickly took a liking to both boys, and I think the feeling was mutual. It wasn't hard though, everyone liked Czerwien and Schmidt. People were drawn to their funny, forever jovial, good natured, sweet, but all-boy personalities.
There were of course, kids that were bigger and much taller than the squat 5'8" defensive end, a relative midget for the position in elite Quad A football schools. But Czerwien had ridiculous speed, crazy strength a giant heart and a love of the game. Moreove, Czerwien did it all with humor and enthusiasm and just plain joy.
His joy was infectious. His beaming smile would light up his entire face, a room, and the faces of those around him. Just thinking about it makes me smile.
While John saw him nearly 5 days a week for 3 years, I also had the privilege of spending time with him. He was around quite a bit during those early years of our marriage. He helped us move in to our first house. He helped load literally tons of rock into our old Toyota pick-up to build our ponds. He and the boys took John and I out to gorge on wings and ice cream after John's body building competition in 2004. And he was at the house the evening I got home late from work and found John had killed his big Pittsburgh deer. He and Schmidt were over checking it out as John used our basement as a butcher shop - the head literally chillin' in our downstairs fridge. It was the boys who convinced John that it was a buck nice enough to mount. It was and he did.
I know Czerwien made an impression on us and I think John made a difference in his life too. I know John encouraged him to consider going to college which, at the time, wasn't on his radar. He encouraged him to see that his football skills could help him to get a quality education which would change his future. I remember being told the story of how Czerwien and his mom went to visit Waynesburg. They were all ready to head home and Czerwien said, "mom, wait! I've got to go back!" His mom wondered, "why? what? Did you forget something?" "No," he said, "I've got to go back and get John a shirt!" They were already in the parking lot and his mom said, "you can get him one next time." Truthfully, he was going to be there a lot in just a short amount of time. No, he wouldn't wait. He went right back and got that shirt. =)
Czerwien went on to receive his degree and was working on a Master's at the time of his death. He was an assistant football coach at Waynesburg and holds many collegiate football records as a player including the NCAA All-division record for sacks.
Working at North Hills was such a great experience. Not just for John, but for me as well. After 5 years of seeing kids come and go, we were used to having to say good-bye as they graduated NH and moved on to bigger and better things. There were certain kids, however, that will never leave my heart - Steve, Turk, Corey, The Longs,... Czerwien was one of those special kids and although I never dreamed I would be saying good-bye like this, and a lot more than miles separate us, I know he will never leave my heart. I can only imagine how John feels.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
