Watch Out, John Travolta

Alexander James Byrd, Age 6

...Alexander has some moves

This picture cracks me up. Alexander (age 6) doing a little dance move on a recent expedition with his other set of grandparents. They took a trip to the coast in their RV.  Not sure what inspired Nander to this pose, but it's pure Alexander attitude. That's a fun thing.

Blessings,
Ken

July 4, 2011

...with a German flavor



Heather (part German) and Adam (Eagle Scout-note the shirt)

 Heather, Adam, Aidan, Alexander, Donna and myself spent July 4 evening in Walburg, Texas. Augustus came, too, but he was safely floating around inside Heather awaiting his due date.  Walburg  is not much more than a wide spot on FM Road 1105 in rural Williamson County, about thirty miles north of Austin. Other than a Lutheran Church, not much there with the huge exception of the Walburg Restaurant and Bier Garten.  Restaurant (indoor dining) is open regularly, but the garten is open selected months and days. A huge tent covers long rows of rustic wood picnic tables. A raised stage and dancefloor at one end is a hint of what is to come.

Elsewhere, there are outside tables, a building for food and drink, a kids arcade, and places to just let the kids run around and be kids, in an enclosed, safe environment. In all the times I've been there, don't think I've ever heard any guest exchange a cross word with any other guest.
For the adults, the big draws are traditional German food (schnitzel, brats, kraut,, etc.), a huge selection of German and domestic beers, AND the Walburg Boys. This bunch of part German/part redneck musicians is the house band, but they also play German festivals all over the country, including Wurstfest in New Braunfels in October.  Led by Ronny Tippelt, lead singer/accordion player/chief yodeler, the 8 piece band can handle polka, yodel standards, and German takes on favorite pop & rock such as "Margaritaville" and "Sweet Home Alabama". Until you've heard Ronny and the rhythym guitarist do two part harmony yodels over the familiar guitar lick, you just haven't lived.  When the Walburg Boys took a break, down on the other end of the tent, the Brushy Creek Brass Band cranked up patriotic American tunes, peppered with some German standards.

The dance floor had at various times, couples in their 80's, all the way down to children under ten just enjoying the fun music and atmosphere.

The single most poignant moment occurred during the band's second set. A young girl, perhaps 12 or 13, had been standing at the edge of the dance floor. She was plainly dressed, a little awkward, taking furtive glances at the dancers. A few minutes later the band started a slow waltz number and a tall, cowboy looking guy in starched Wranglers & Justin Ropers walked over to the young girl and extended his hand. This was about to be their very first father-daughter dance. He showed her how the rhythym went, got her up on the balls of her feet, and showed her how to turn. Then, it was magic. The dad was clearly a bit awkward; the girl kept looking at her feet--he was so tall and she was short enough that her right arm only reached his belt level, so she grabbed a belt loop. They waltzed and twirled for the song's duration and when it was over, he stepped back and gave his daughter a stiff little bow. She looked up into his eyes and it was so plain that I had just witnessed a defining moment between father and daughter. She walked gracefully, like a young lady, to the edge of the dance floor, then jumped off onto the dirt with a hand clap, like a little girl, and ran off to tell her friends.

I did not see them again before we left. They'll never know that a complete stranger saw this moment that both will likely remember forever.  That's the magic of Walburg--it's like a month's vacation--the cares just dissolve away, you get lost in the music and camraderie, and if you watch very carefully, you might see a father and daughter making a memory to share in the future.

Alexander James & Aidan Kenneth  Byrd

Just go to Google and look for Walburg, Texas, Walburg Boys, etc.  The pictures here are of my son Adam, his wife, Heather (who is currently carrying Gus, due in October), and their two sons, Aidan and Alexander.

Got to enjoy these little moments in life.

Blessings,

Ken

Reason Number 7,777

...why I love living in the south


During a break in the game tonight (Go Mavs!), the wife and I went outside to sit on our garden bench and enjoy the evening. In the space of ten minutes numerous song birds were around, squirrels played in the trees, and our resident bunnies were hopping around tasting the vegetation. The skunks are only out when we're asleep, the coyotes stay along the creek, and the pair of red tale hawks soaring over the neighborhood only occasionally dives to capture their dinner.

But the reason I enjoyed it so much tonight? First time to hear the cicadas singing. I love that sound.

Blessings,
Ken

Beating Cancer

...ten years and counting

I'm grateful for every day that I have and every day I have I owe to a couple of very good doctors who caught a problem early enough to make it go away.  Nothing will bring you face to face with your mortality quite like the doctor calling to say "we've found some malignant cells. you need to come in to discuss the options. we've scheduled you for tomorrow morning". Not next week or next month. Tomorrow morning.

June 11 is the ten year anniversary of the surgery and happy to say all tests since then are good. Cancer is not always a death sentence. A big part of recovery was my faith in God. Also, the Bible says "laughter is good medicine". That is absolutely true. Scientific studies have shown that laughter has a profound and positive effect on the body. With that in mind, I hereby offer the seven things I learned during four days in the hospital:

1. Catheters are a tool of Satan
2. Hospitals do not recognize any difference between day and night
3. Catheters are a tool of Satan
4. Hospitals do not understand privacy and dignity
5. Catheters are a tool of Satan
6. Any hospital person in a lab coat who enters your room is going to pull back the sheet, lift up your lovely hospital gown and look at your manly parts;
AND
7. Catheters are a tool of Satan. 

Looking back on the hospital stay, I also remember that my buddy, Ken Savage, was the only visitor who was kicked out of the room by hospital staff. They were afraid all the laughter was going to cause me to pop stitches.

Seriously, God used Dr. Josephine Win and Dr. Scott Hassell to ensure that I am still around to enjoy all my grandchildren. God is good.

Blessings,
Ken

Sydney Grace

...remembered regularly

On a regular basis I go watch the video that my son created in memory of Sydney Grace. She would be almost four years old now.

http://vimeo.com/3349895

Sydney, can't wait to get there and see you.

Blessings
your granddaddy

Mr. Whipple Always Said



Henry Adam Byrd, Age 18 months

...don't squeeze

But really, look at this picture. How could you not want to pick up this child and squeeze him? The problem becomes when he figures out that Granddaddy has no willpower and always gives in to the grand babies.



Blessings,

Ken

A Veritable Plethora

...of grandsons


Found out this afternoon that our next grandbaby is Augustus Christopher Byrd, already known as Gus. Here is his first formal portrait. This will make five--count 'em-- FIVE, grandsons.

Augustus is a family name on Heather's side; Christopher is Adam's middle name. Frankly, I like "Augustus" because it reminds me of Ranger Augustus McRae, central character in Lonesome Dove, as portrayed by Robert Duvoll. Heather's great-great (however many greats) grandfather, Augustus was also a Texas Ranger, and later a Methodist circuit preacher.


Doc says baby looks good, developing normally, has the requisite dangly parts, and Heather is doing fine as well. Only problem for Donna, Heather and Alyssa will be that at future family reunions, they will have to deal with a group heavily weighted on the testosterone side. Let the fun begin!


Blessings,
Ken

Marriage 101

...Back To The Basics

More to come. This is a phenomenal opportunity for Love Notes to help our couples prepare for married life.

Blessings,
Ken

We Are Not Promised Tomorrow

...you never know when today is the last one.

Just as I was arriving at a wedding rehearsal in The Colony this evening, I got a phone call that the groom's grandfather had suffered a heart attack and died about 90 minutes earlier. At the venue, only the best man and father of the bride were there; everyone else was at the hospital.

My heart aches for this family, and especially the bride and groom. The wedding will go on tomorrow, but there's no way it will be quite the same for the couple. What should be the happiest Saturday of their life will have a shadow over it.

However, we'll deal with it, perhaps with a moment of silence for his memory. It's absolutely no disrespect to the grandfather for the couple to celebrate on their wedding day. And it's also no disrespect to the couple to have a solemn moment in memory of a grandparent.

I currently have 4 grandchildren and one on the way. If God should call me on the day one of them is to be married, I absolutely want them to go on with the ceremony.

My prayers are with Elizabeth and Elliott and their families.

Blessings,
Ken