Loyalties, bad bear, prison training

Among Cori and Nate’s friends there is about an even divide of those who root for the University of Alabama and those who root for the University of Florida. Cori and Nate are firm University of Florida supporters – Go Gaters! – and they have taught their kids to do likewise. Stewart, a young friend of Mykenzie and Grant would not let Cori’s two kids play unless they said “Go Alabama!” Mykenzie refused and was sitting by while Grant and Stewart played together. When her mother asked why she was not playing too, Mykenzie said, “I won’t say go Alabama but Grant did.” Whereupon Grant turned around and, almost crying, said “I sorry Mommy.” One loyal fan is a start.


Somewhere in the unpacking that is happening in the larger house Cori, Nate and the kids now have, long forgotten items are finding their way out of boxes. One such item is a bear that Mama made for her first granddaughter when Mykenzie was only a few months old. Mama was terrified that Mykenzie would forget her voice so we went to Build-a-Bear and built a keepsake that had her voice recorded so Cori could play it for her new baby to keep Mama’s voice in her ear.

As things turned out it was an unnecessary expenditure and had become a bit of a problem. It was unnecessary because those two are bonded pretty tightly; especially while Grammy’s still full of surprises for Mykenzie. It is a problem because Mama recorded something to the effect of, “Mykenzie, Grandma loves you.” Obviously that was before Mama received her proper mane of Grammy. Since Mykenzie has a Grammy and a Grandma, and it is Grammy’s voice referring to herself as Grandma, it has become a bit if an identity issue. It is one of the first things we will have to work to correct as soon as we get back to Florida – even though the nearest Build-a-Bear is almost two hours away.

Things are starting to shape up for this weekend. Mama and I will not be leaving for Bowie until Sunday after church. The situation at work that would have required me to be there Friday was delayed until Monday which works out very well for us. Mama arranged for us to pick up a truck for moving the big stuff on Friday evening and we have gotten some help lined up so we should be good – even though my back still is not. I keep telling myself that I can recover after this weekend.

I went to a training session at the prison here so I could participate with the Rock of Ages Ministries when they come do a week of services some time in November. It was supposed to last from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. but thankfully it was abbreviated and we got out at a little after 8 p.m. I had to stand the entire time because the chairs immediately put my back into spasms.

Most of the training dealt with setting firm boundaries to keep volunteers out of trouble. There are obviously very strict rules and extremely clear guidelines. It was a little bit frightening in the overtones of how easy it is to get coned by the inmates and how easily a naïve volunteer can get into trouble for doing something as simple as befriending an inmate. All conversations are monitored, all mail is read and sanctioned, all contact is highly regulated and nothing, absolutely nothing, is brought in or out of the prison.

The reality of incarceration was a little overwhelming. Thank God for our freedom.