Last night our Missional Church team met to debrief our July Fourth event and to make plans for future community outreach events. We all agreed that the popcorn and lemonade was a hit. The only thing we would do differently next time was to wear FBC tee shirts and start cooking the popcorn sooner. We may see about doing the popcorn again the next time there are fireworks.
We also decided that we would do winter survival kits again in some fashion next January. We will concentrate on personal hygiene items and the kind of things you can't buy with food stamps. We could do the blankets again if we can find a sponsor or two. We liked the way so many people got involved and made some blankets. They cost about $400 to make the fifty blankets.
After a lot of discussion we decided that we would start collecting gently used winter coats and sweaters to give away to folks living across the street in the Mopsic Street area. We thought we could give them away in mid to late October just before winter hits. The idea was sparked by Erica Corbett's clothing drive and we thought we could work with her.
We also decided we would do another goodie give away on September 13. We will be meeting on Wednesday, August 12 at 7:00 p.m. to decide the particulars.
Cal
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A great season heads to play-offs
Last night our softball team finished the 2009 regular season with a tough loss and dropped a chance to claim second place outright for the season. Calvary Baptist beat us 14 - 1. Now we have to wait and see how they finish up with their last three games to determine where we will finish up and be seeded for the tournament.
Never-the-less we ended the year with a 15 -6 record. The last time, and only time, we finished with a better record was 1993. That year we won the B Division with a 15- 4 record and then took the B Division Play-off Championship and closed out the year with a 17 -5 record. We also won our division in 1998 and 2000 but didn't have as good an overall record.
2009 play-offs begin next Tuesday. We will be seeded either 2 or 3. Check our web site for time and place for the games.
Cal
Never-the-less we ended the year with a 15 -6 record. The last time, and only time, we finished with a better record was 1993. That year we won the B Division with a 15- 4 record and then took the B Division Play-off Championship and closed out the year with a 17 -5 record. We also won our division in 1998 and 2000 but didn't have as good an overall record.
2009 play-offs begin next Tuesday. We will be seeded either 2 or 3. Check our web site for time and place for the games.
Cal
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Ready to serve in Appalachia
Tonight our Appalachian Mission team met to go over details for our trip on July 26th. We will be leaving form the First Baptist Church parking lot at 5:30 a.m. and heading south for Northfork, West Virginia. The trip is 711 miles and should take about twelve hours and seventeen minutes if we were to go non-stop.We will be working with local families on home improvement projects for the four days we are down there. We will be up early on Monday morning. After breakfast we will split up and tackle two or three homes. We will have lunch with the families we are working with and then finish up for the day around 4:30 p.m.
Each night we will have devotions and some fee time. We are schedule to go to a Bluegrass festival one evening. We will finish up on Thursday night and head home after breakfast on Friday. We are some tools but we aren't quite sure what we will need because everything depends on the projects they assign us. I'm sure there will be lots of raking, some painting and some minor repair work.
There are eleven people on our team this year. It includes Rachel Bober, Carol Calkins, Taylor Chaffee, Erica Corbett, June Deptulski, Ellie Eccleston, Connie Hayward, Cal Lord, Michelle Madsen-Bibeau, Doreen and Roger Mainville. There is also a possibility that Clayton and Michelle Lord will drive over from Elizabethtown, Kentucky to spend a day or two working with the team.They will covet your prayers as they head out a week from this Sunday. You will get the opportunity to send them off in style during our worship service this Sunday. We will commission them during the 9:30 a.m. services at the two churches. Come and join us.
Cal
Monday, July 13, 2009
The blessing of long term ministry - 3 weddings
This past weekend I officiated at three weddings involving families from the church. I have to say that it was one of the most blessing filled weekends of my ministry. It reminded me what long term ministry was all about.
On Friday afternoon I witnessed the renewal of vows between Al and Wendy Dart. I said renewal because it was a very special type of renewal. I married Al and Wendy back in 1992. Wendy grew up in the church and was living and working in Groton when I began my ministry here. I knew here because she was the youngest sister of Curt and Hal Brockway. They were regulars at church and would often speak of their sisters, Nancy and Wendy. Wendy was the youngest of the four siblings. When she came to me to ask me to officiate at her wedding I was pleased to do so.
A few years later we became very close. Our daughter Rachel was born in March of 1994 and Al and Wendy's daughter, Jennifer, was born in September of that same year. We were looking for someone to do childcare and Wendy volunteered. As a result of that decision the girls, Rachel and Jenny, grew up together. Wendy became active in church and Jenny came to Sunday School. Al got involved on the softball team and on the property committee. As they neared their tenth anniversary Wendy asked me if I would be willing to help them renew their wedding vows. It was a no-brainer. We planned a very beautiful celebration in the fall of 2002.
Unfortunately, within two years problems erupted in their marriage and it led them to divorce court. It is the path that so many couples travel now-a-days and it is sad for all involved.
About two months ago I got a call from Wendy asking me if I was busy on Friday, July 12. When I asked her why, she told me that she and Al were back together again and they decided they wanted to get remarried. What could I say? This renewal was going to be one that brought a smile to God's face. At 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 12, 2009 Al and Wendy exchanged their vows in front of family and friends. It was a beautiful day.
My day didn't end there. In a little while I was on the road heading for Worcester, Massachusetts. I had a second wedding on Friday. This one involved the son and future daughter-in-law of Elizabeth and Matthew Isenburg. Carl Soderberg and Melody Johnson were married in the Tower Hill Gardens in Boylston, MA.
I've known Matthew Isenburg from my earliest days in Norwich. He owned the Ford dealership in town and we went to buy a car from him in 1987. A few years later we renewed our acquaintance as members of the Norwich Rotary Club. While I was working on my D. Min. degree we would often talk about my project and when I was looking to put my Church Newsletter Handbook, Matt gave me some pointers on how to make it presentable to the publisher.
A few years later Matt showed up for a Christmas Eve service and before long he and Elizabeth began considering First Baptist Church as their church home. I met Carl when he was in the ninth grade. He came to a few of our youth group events and was involved in one of our youth retreats and a couple of Youth Recognition Sundays. He lived with his dad in Maryland but whenever he came up to say with his mom and Matthew, he would often find his way to church.
Carl and Melody met while they were students at the University of New Haven. After graduation in 2007, Carl began his career in the U. S. Army. The first year and a half took him away for a lot of schooling but he and Melody kept seeing each other whenever they could. Last Fall they became engaged and this Spring as their plans were coming together, they asked me to perform the service. I was so pleased to play a part in this chapter of another of our special family's historic moments.
On Saturday afternoon I participated in my third wedding of the week-end. Allison Walberg and Jason Beit were married in Lisbon. I like to tell everybody that Allison was the first baby I visited in the hospital as I began my ministry here. Lori is quick to remind me that the first baby was actually our own daughter, Rebecca. She is right but Allison, and her parents Pam Maynard and Don Walberg will always be special in my book. At the reception Allison and Jason ran a slide show with pictures going all the way back to their births. One of the pictures featured me holding Allison at her infant dedication service.
Allison grew up in the Sunday School and was active in a lot of our youth outings. She played on our basketball team and invited her friends to join us. In almost every picture of a Christmas Pageant or a Children's Day program you can find Allison among the group. She was part of a core of kids that included Becky, Lord, Casey and April Rezendes, Roland Widstrom, and various others that were at everything.
When Allison went off to high school at Norwich Free Academy she got involved in the marching band and that demanded a lot more of her time. That's where she and Jason met and they became an item. Of course I saw a lot of her while volunteering in the pit crew, but her dad, Don Walberg, also kept us abreast of qwhat was happening in her life.
In 2004 she graduated and both Jason and Allison headed out to Western Connecticut State University for college. Four years later, they both graduated with degrees in music education. Last Fall they began their professional teaching careers in the area and set the date for their wedding. I was so pleased to be asked to participate in yet another special moment in the life of this family.
That's what long term ministry is all about. It is about relationships that span many occasions and even a few generations. Who knows? In a few years I may be called upon to marry Al and Wendy's daughter Jennifer or to dedicate one of the other couple's children and the cycle will continue.
What a great week-end for our church and its ministry.
Cal
On Friday afternoon I witnessed the renewal of vows between Al and Wendy Dart. I said renewal because it was a very special type of renewal. I married Al and Wendy back in 1992. Wendy grew up in the church and was living and working in Groton when I began my ministry here. I knew here because she was the youngest sister of Curt and Hal Brockway. They were regulars at church and would often speak of their sisters, Nancy and Wendy. Wendy was the youngest of the four siblings. When she came to me to ask me to officiate at her wedding I was pleased to do so.A few years later we became very close. Our daughter Rachel was born in March of 1994 and Al and Wendy's daughter, Jennifer, was born in September of that same year. We were looking for someone to do childcare and Wendy volunteered. As a result of that decision the girls, Rachel and Jenny, grew up together. Wendy became active in church and Jenny came to Sunday School. Al got involved on the softball team and on the property committee. As they neared their tenth anniversary Wendy asked me if I would be willing to help them renew their wedding vows. It was a no-brainer. We planned a very beautiful celebration in the fall of 2002.
Unfortunately, within two years problems erupted in their marriage and it led them to divorce court. It is the path that so many couples travel now-a-days and it is sad for all involved.
About two months ago I got a call from Wendy asking me if I was busy on Friday, July 12. When I asked her why, she told me that she and Al were back together again and they decided they wanted to get remarried. What could I say? This renewal was going to be one that brought a smile to God's face. At 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 12, 2009 Al and Wendy exchanged their vows in front of family and friends. It was a beautiful day.
My day didn't end there. In a little while I was on the road heading for Worcester, Massachusetts. I had a second wedding on Friday. This one involved the son and future daughter-in-law of Elizabeth and Matthew Isenburg. Carl Soderberg and Melody Johnson were married in the Tower Hill Gardens in Boylston, MA.
I've known Matthew Isenburg from my earliest days in Norwich. He owned the Ford dealership in town and we went to buy a car from him in 1987. A few years later we renewed our acquaintance as members of the Norwich Rotary Club. While I was working on my D. Min. degree we would often talk about my project and when I was looking to put my Church Newsletter Handbook, Matt gave me some pointers on how to make it presentable to the publisher.A few years later Matt showed up for a Christmas Eve service and before long he and Elizabeth began considering First Baptist Church as their church home. I met Carl when he was in the ninth grade. He came to a few of our youth group events and was involved in one of our youth retreats and a couple of Youth Recognition Sundays. He lived with his dad in Maryland but whenever he came up to say with his mom and Matthew, he would often find his way to church.
Carl and Melody met while they were students at the University of New Haven. After graduation in 2007, Carl began his career in the U. S. Army. The first year and a half took him away for a lot of schooling but he and Melody kept seeing each other whenever they could. Last Fall they became engaged and this Spring as their plans were coming together, they asked me to perform the service. I was so pleased to play a part in this chapter of another of our special family's historic moments.
On Saturday afternoon I participated in my third wedding of the week-end. Allison Walberg and Jason Beit were married in Lisbon. I like to tell everybody that Allison was the first baby I visited in the hospital as I began my ministry here. Lori is quick to remind me that the first baby was actually our own daughter, Rebecca. She is right but Allison, and her parents Pam Maynard and Don Walberg will always be special in my book. At the reception Allison and Jason ran a slide show with pictures going all the way back to their births. One of the pictures featured me holding Allison at her infant dedication service.
Allison grew up in the Sunday School and was active in a lot of our youth outings. She played on our basketball team and invited her friends to join us. In almost every picture of a Christmas Pageant or a Children's Day program you can find Allison among the group. She was part of a core of kids that included Becky, Lord, Casey and April Rezendes, Roland Widstrom, and various others that were at everything.
When Allison went off to high school at Norwich Free Academy she got involved in the marching band and that demanded a lot more of her time. That's where she and Jason met and they became an item. Of course I saw a lot of her while volunteering in the pit crew, but her dad, Don Walberg, also kept us abreast of qwhat was happening in her life.In 2004 she graduated and both Jason and Allison headed out to Western Connecticut State University for college. Four years later, they both graduated with degrees in music education. Last Fall they began their professional teaching careers in the area and set the date for their wedding. I was so pleased to be asked to participate in yet another special moment in the life of this family.
That's what long term ministry is all about. It is about relationships that span many occasions and even a few generations. Who knows? In a few years I may be called upon to marry Al and Wendy's daughter Jennifer or to dedicate one of the other couple's children and the cycle will continue.
What a great week-end for our church and its ministry.
Cal
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Some softball stats and trivia.
I was going over the FBC Softball stats today and was pretty impressed with what our team has done so far this season. We have compiled a 14-4 record and been playing pretty good defense. Chip Chaffee and Dan Dutrumble are flirting with the .800 mark and right now both are on pace to set new records for a single season batting average. Chip set the record in 2004 with a .746 average breaking Mark Ferguson's mark of .742 in 2000. Today Chip is hitting .796 after going three for three last night. Dan is at .773 after going one for three.
Chip is also threatening the on base pct mark of .833 that Rich Ozga establish in 1999. Chip has a .852 average at the moment. He is also four times on base away for setting a new single season record. Andy Miller holds the record now with 55 times on base set back in 1997. Chip has been on board 52 times with three games left to play in the season. Chip also has 11 home runs and 51 RBI and he could claim the second highest single season mark in both categories. He already is in the number two spot in RBI with 51. He is two away from passing Bill Ericson's mark of 13 homers in 1994. He set the single season records for homers with 15 and RBI with 69 back in 2004.
Several players are already moving up into the top fifteen for single season records or about to break into the record books. Daryl Alves has been to bat 67 times and needs three more at bats to tie Cal Lord (1992) and Lee McFalls (1994) and Armin Harris (2005) for fourteenth place. Daryl is also just two run scored away from passing John Calash (1999), Armin Harris (2005) and Casey Rezendes (2006) to jump into 14th place with 31.
Chip Chaffee is already in the top fifteen in several categories including runs scored ( 9th - 32), Hits (12th - 39), Doubles (7th - 9), Walks (4th - 12), Sac flies (2nd with 5). Dan Dutrumble is 3 hitsd away from tieing Bill Discordia (1990) with 37 hits for fifteenth place. Dan Dutrumble and Daryl Alves both have 11 doubles already this season and are tied for third all time. Chip Chaffee and Mike Staron have 9 doubles each and are good for seventh place. Mike Young, Eric Larsen and Eric Poore all have seven doubles and need 2 more to to get on the list.
I was also looking at the all time list and the big numbers there for some of our people. For instance, we have 32 people who have played five seasons or more. That's pretty impressive. Here is the list.
George Rezendes & Cal Lord 19 seasons
Ken Kreger, Mike Staron and Bob Duntz 15 seasons
Marc Vaillancourt and Brian Goldin 13 seasons
Fred Green Sr and Malcolm Brown 11 seasons
Fred Stone and Dave Royce 10 seasons
Eric Poore, Steve Moon, Mark Dunaj, Curtis Royce and Gary Teczar 8 seasons
Mark Staron and Lee McFalls 7 seasons
Jay Mandeviulle, Casey Rezendes, Scot Rapoza and Bruce Startz 6 seasons
Daryl Alves, Kenny Marsden, Armin Harris, Corey Poore, Norm Boulay, Bill Discordia, Doug Bartkowski, Mark Ferguson, Bruce Royce and Bill Ericson 5 seasons
All time records are held by the following:
George Rezendes has played in 317 games and had 905 at bats. Mike Staron has scored 339 runs and has 422 hits and 96 doubles. Fred Green has 32 triples. Bob Duntz has 48 homeruns and 275 RBI. Mike Staron has been on base 540 times. Ken Kreger has received 116 walks and George Rezendes has had 27 sacrifice flies.
I need two more games and 1 more hit to make 300 games and 400 hits for my career. Chip Chaffee has 42 homers and 205 RBI in four seasons. He needs 7 more homers and 70 RBI to become the all time leaders in those categories. If we project out his averages, he could reach both by the end of next season or early in 2011.
Mike Staron has 96 doubles for first place and Fred Green has 58 for second place all time. Ken Kreger is the only other person remotely close to reaching 500 times on base. Mike Staron has 540, Cal Lord has 526 and Ken has 464. Steve Moon is next on the active list with 265.
No matter what happens the rest of the season (3 games remaining) Chip Chaffee and Dan Dutrumble will join Mark Ferguson (.649) and Bob Duntz (.619) as the only players with over 100 at bats to maintain a lifetime .600 batting average. They also have a good chance to join Mark Ferguson (.700) to be the only ones to have a lifetime on base percentage of .700 or above.
As a team our best year was 1993 when we went 15- 4 during the regular season and 2 -1 in the play-offs. We won the B Division Championships and the League as well. We won the B Division Championships in 1998 with a 13 - 8 record and 2000 with a 12 - 8 record.
Big Award Winners included the following for MVP and Rookie of the Year;
Bob Duntz has won 6 MVP Awards.
Fred Green Sr. has won 5 MVP Awards.
Andy Miller has won 2 MVP Awards.
Aren't you glad we kept the stats for the last 23 seasons?
Cal
Chip is also threatening the on base pct mark of .833 that Rich Ozga establish in 1999. Chip has a .852 average at the moment. He is also four times on base away for setting a new single season record. Andy Miller holds the record now with 55 times on base set back in 1997. Chip has been on board 52 times with three games left to play in the season. Chip also has 11 home runs and 51 RBI and he could claim the second highest single season mark in both categories. He already is in the number two spot in RBI with 51. He is two away from passing Bill Ericson's mark of 13 homers in 1994. He set the single season records for homers with 15 and RBI with 69 back in 2004.
Several players are already moving up into the top fifteen for single season records or about to break into the record books. Daryl Alves has been to bat 67 times and needs three more at bats to tie Cal Lord (1992) and Lee McFalls (1994) and Armin Harris (2005) for fourteenth place. Daryl is also just two run scored away from passing John Calash (1999), Armin Harris (2005) and Casey Rezendes (2006) to jump into 14th place with 31.
Chip Chaffee is already in the top fifteen in several categories including runs scored ( 9th - 32), Hits (12th - 39), Doubles (7th - 9), Walks (4th - 12), Sac flies (2nd with 5). Dan Dutrumble is 3 hitsd away from tieing Bill Discordia (1990) with 37 hits for fifteenth place. Dan Dutrumble and Daryl Alves both have 11 doubles already this season and are tied for third all time. Chip Chaffee and Mike Staron have 9 doubles each and are good for seventh place. Mike Young, Eric Larsen and Eric Poore all have seven doubles and need 2 more to to get on the list.
I was also looking at the all time list and the big numbers there for some of our people. For instance, we have 32 people who have played five seasons or more. That's pretty impressive. Here is the list.
George Rezendes & Cal Lord 19 seasons
Ken Kreger, Mike Staron and Bob Duntz 15 seasons
Marc Vaillancourt and Brian Goldin 13 seasons
Fred Green Sr and Malcolm Brown 11 seasons
Fred Stone and Dave Royce 10 seasons
Eric Poore, Steve Moon, Mark Dunaj, Curtis Royce and Gary Teczar 8 seasons
Mark Staron and Lee McFalls 7 seasons
Jay Mandeviulle, Casey Rezendes, Scot Rapoza and Bruce Startz 6 seasons
Daryl Alves, Kenny Marsden, Armin Harris, Corey Poore, Norm Boulay, Bill Discordia, Doug Bartkowski, Mark Ferguson, Bruce Royce and Bill Ericson 5 seasons
All time records are held by the following:
George Rezendes has played in 317 games and had 905 at bats. Mike Staron has scored 339 runs and has 422 hits and 96 doubles. Fred Green has 32 triples. Bob Duntz has 48 homeruns and 275 RBI. Mike Staron has been on base 540 times. Ken Kreger has received 116 walks and George Rezendes has had 27 sacrifice flies.
I need two more games and 1 more hit to make 300 games and 400 hits for my career. Chip Chaffee has 42 homers and 205 RBI in four seasons. He needs 7 more homers and 70 RBI to become the all time leaders in those categories. If we project out his averages, he could reach both by the end of next season or early in 2011.
Mike Staron has 96 doubles for first place and Fred Green has 58 for second place all time. Ken Kreger is the only other person remotely close to reaching 500 times on base. Mike Staron has 540, Cal Lord has 526 and Ken has 464. Steve Moon is next on the active list with 265.
No matter what happens the rest of the season (3 games remaining) Chip Chaffee and Dan Dutrumble will join Mark Ferguson (.649) and Bob Duntz (.619) as the only players with over 100 at bats to maintain a lifetime .600 batting average. They also have a good chance to join Mark Ferguson (.700) to be the only ones to have a lifetime on base percentage of .700 or above.
As a team our best year was 1993 when we went 15- 4 during the regular season and 2 -1 in the play-offs. We won the B Division Championships and the League as well. We won the B Division Championships in 1998 with a 13 - 8 record and 2000 with a 12 - 8 record.
Big Award Winners included the following for MVP and Rookie of the Year;
Most Valuable Players Rookie of the Year
1987 Bob Duntz
1988 Bob Duntz 1988 David Royce
1989 Eric Poore 1989 Mike Keithley
1990 Bill Discordia 1990 Bill Discordia
1991 Bob Duntz 1991 Lee McFalls
1992 Bob Duntz 1992 Mike Staron
1993 Bruce Startz 1993 Bruce Startz
1994 Bob Duntz 1994 No Award Given
1995 Bill Ericson 1995 Ted Phillips
1996 Bob Duntz 1996 Fred Green Sr.
1997 Andy Miller 1997 Andy Miller
1998 Andy Miller 1998 John Calash
1999 (A) Fred Green Sr. 1999 Rich Ozga
1999 (B) Mark Ferguson 1999 Fred Stone
2000 Fred Green Sr. 2000 Ken Marsden
2001 Fred Stone 2001 Carlos Estralla
2002 Fred Green Sr. 2002 Casey Rezendes
2003 Casey Rezendes 2003 Dave Mehlinger
2004 Chip Chaffee 2004 Chip Chaffee
2005 Fred Green Sr. 2005 No Award Given
2006 Fred Green Sr. 2006 Dan Dutrumble
2007 Armin Harris 2007 Craig Chapman
2008 Mike Staron 2008 Eric Larsen
Bob Duntz has won 6 MVP Awards.
Fred Green Sr. has won 5 MVP Awards.
Andy Miller has won 2 MVP Awards.
Aren't you glad we kept the stats for the last 23 seasons?
Cal
Monday, July 6, 2009
Fireworks and friendship
On Saturday night we played host to the city of Norwich as the whole town came out to watch the fireworks over the harbor. The missional church committee decided to take advantage of the large crowds that set up to watch the show from our lawn and use it for an opportunity to meet and greet them.
We came early and set up to serve popcorn, ice tea and lemonade to any who wanted it. We invited folks from the church to help greet and serve and quite a few came out to join us. I actually couldn't believe how many people showed up. They were everywhere. We got so many good reactions from people that it made you feel good. We turned down a lot of donations and ended up simply telling people we were glad they were there and to enjoy the show.
The night was a complete success. Here are a few photos from the event.
Cal
We came early and set up to serve popcorn, ice tea and lemonade to any who wanted it. We invited folks from the church to help greet and serve and quite a few came out to join us. I actually couldn't believe how many people showed up. They were everywhere. We got so many good reactions from people that it made you feel good. We turned down a lot of donations and ended up simply telling people we were glad they were there and to enjoy the show.
The night was a complete success. Here are a few photos from the event.
Cal
Friday, July 3, 2009
Happy Birthday Becky
Today is my daughter Becky's birthday. Forgive me for being more personal than usual today. Becky's birthday is not only a family occasion it is also somewhat of a landmark for us at church. A few of you will remember our first days at First Baptist in the summer of 1985. We arrived on the June 23 to begin our tour of duty. I was a wavy haired young man and Lori was 8 3/4 months pregnant with our first child.I preached my last sermon at the Cross Mills Baptist Church in Charlestown, Rhode Island the week before. It was Father's Day and I talked about a father's love and the extreme measures that are often taken because of this special relationship. I also bid them good-bye. Lori was finishing up two years as a staff pharmacist at the Fatima Unit of the Rhode Island Hospital. I was ready to take on a full time congregation while she took time to raise our children.
We celebrated my 27th birthday and moved into the parsonage during the week of June 16th. We left a bed and a few furnishings at our apartment in Rhode Island and it was our intention to go back there a few days before Lori was due. We were so excited to be beginning a new chapter in our lives.
That first Sunday was wonderful. 93 people came out to greet us in worship. We took the rest of the week to settle into the new house and to prepare the nursery. The folks at the church had painted all the rooms except that one. We didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl and they left it up to us. 10 days later we would find out and I raced home to paint the nursery pink.
On the last Sunday of June we gathered for worship and then Lori and I headed back to West Warwick to await the special day. I had Monday off. On Tuesday I drove back to Norwich and worked in the office a little while putting books away and working on the July newsletter. After lunch I stopped in to visit Elmer and Gladys Johnson, two of our older members. Gladys was a talker and I spent three and a half hours there. We talked about the church, the town and all about babies. By the time I left there it was 4:30 p.m. and I decided to head back to Rhode Island.
Lori and I went to the Warwick Mall and had dinner. While we were walking around, she suddenly bent over in pain. The first contraction had come. A few hours later we were making our trip to the hospital. On the morning of July 3, 1985 Rebecca Jane Lord was welcomed into the world. In a year of memorable events, it was the best day of my life.
I remember driving down Route 95 through Providence thinking I was living a dream. I went back to the apartment and packed up the last of our stuff and brought it all back to Norwich. Our new life was ready to begin.
Two days later I brought Lori and Rebecca home to Norwich for good. As we celebrate Becky's birthday today I can't help but think of her and our coming to Norwich in the same happy memory. She is twenty four years old today and she helps us put our time in Norwich in perspective. We have been here a lifetime and it has been a good one.
Cal
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
