Aiden Lukas ~ My new grandson!

Daron and Tony, Prom 2009

"Today, we award only the second Jefferson Award ever presented from Astronaut High School.

For those who have forgotten, the Jefferson Award is a very prestigious award for outstanding community service. Our second recipient is only a sophomore. This goes to show, you don’t have to wait to give back to your community. This person has contributed her time in many different areas. Whether cleaning up trash in our local parks or around town, stocking shelves of donated goods, planting trees or helping point people in the right direction, this person always wears a smile and enjoys giving back. In addition to giving back to the community, this person is a member of our SGA and also a member of our AHS varsity volleyball team.

Ladies and Gentleman please welcome our second Jefferson Award winner, Daron Drylie.” Astronaut High School, SGA

(pictured: Eli Devoss, Daron Drylie, Brad Flack)

Endless Summer: Part Two

Scully: "Doug? Lifeguard Doug? Oh I didn't recognize you without your beach." ~ Beach Balls, 1988

Daron and her partner, Brandi, are enjoying playing beach volleyball this summer at Cocoa Beach Pier.


"Is this form good enough or what, Coach?"








I don't know about you, but I'm intimidated!

Endless Summer, Part One

“If you vote for me, it will be summer all year round.” Napoleon Dynamite, 2004


A week at the beach to start the summer off right. Part of the group heads to the shore to watch the sun set and build a sand castle.


The ladies do most of the work while the gentlemen look on, supervise and offer suggestions.


A sea turtle, the gopher tortoises live near the condo.


The New Jerusalem.


Michael, Brittany, Marsh and Daron enjoy the sunset on Crescent Beach.


Marsh


Earlier in the week, Nathan proves he CAN fit into the baby seat of the grocery store shopping cart.

Congratulations, Marsh ~ Class of 2008

Back in late February, I received a note from Garry Trudeau thanking me and Heidi for our contribution to the new book, The Sandbox. Heidi and I didn't contribute much to the book, but we were happy for the shout out and the service patch is really nice. Mr. Trudeau's note came the same week as the one from the Prez, so it was a pretty good week, mail-wise.

If you haven't ever dropped in at the SandBox, please do so and preferably when you have the time to read a few dozen of the blogs from soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. You can find the Sandbox here. It would be good for you.

And check the book out. You need a copy. Buy one for a friend.

Here is my note back to Mr. Trudeau.

March 31, 2008

Dear Mr. Trudeau:

It was with great excitement that I received your note of February 29th, thanking me for my contribution to The Sandbox. Heidi and I appreciate your kind note and the enclosed service patches. It was my honor and privilege to have but a small part in The Sandbox and to the blog I kept going while Heidi was deployed.

You have long had a fan in me and now I add to this lifelong admiration, a sincere appreciation for what you have done and continue to do for our service personnel and their families. As I shared with David some time again, I have often felt alone with regards to my concern for our military, especially when my daughter was deployed, as no one about me has any connection whatsoever with the GWOT except to complain about “how long it is taking to bring it all to a conclusion”. My friends and acquaintances seem totally unaware that we, the families of the soldiers and the soldiers themselves, could not want a ‘conclusion’ any less than the rest of the citizens of this great country. Thank you for the part you play in not letting them forget.

My daughter, Heidi, is now a sergeant and stationed at Ft. Jackson where she takes care of incoming soldiers and teaches classes to other soldiers in training there at Jackson. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God she is home safe. Her fiancé, Sgt. Rob Eshleman, is currently stationed in Baghdad after a 16 month tour in Afghanistan. We miss him very much.

Life goes on and the war continues with no end in sight. Soldiers and civilians continue to die as we struggle to make sure no one forgets our armed forces, their families and their sacrifice. Thank you for your commitment to doing the same.

Most sincerely,

Heidi's Mom

Hector
July 6, 2006 - January 15, 2008


"If I were only not his god."

Abandoned at birth, adopted by the world, missed by all ~ if only we had known that summer day, how much you would come to mean to us and how much we would miss you.

Hector Drylie passed away on January 15, 2008.



Click here.


“Hector”

Companion, Protector, Friend

Strength, devotion, contentment, determination,
unbridled happiness, unconditional Love.
You left us too soon.
Hector was buried with his soccer ball,
but left behind broken hearts and a significant void.
We miss you, you big lug!

Family and Friends

Pumpkin Masterpieces