Drink a beer...or write a blog...just sit right here and remember...

A flex Monday...as I had to work on Friday...well it was called CORE 4 training for my job.  It looks at us and tells us our personalities...how we deal with others.   Our colors...while in this training as it was City wide...there were police officers dispersed throughout...One particular individual ended up sitting right in front of me...a tall young full of it personality!   And what did I notice first on him...his black and blue band.    And in losing my "favorite son-in-law" I notice things such as this...This guy made me laugh at so many things...and it became obvious he was a cop.   When grouped into our colors...yes me and the cop with the band and another cop ended up being "yellows".     All this while I kept thinking of Jay...While my first day was on Monday...we had to go back on Friday.   And so we sit in the back of the room which is where one of my fellow "yellow" cops was sitting.   He said yes cops always sit at the back.   I finally had to ask him as he seemed so familiar...I associated his face with the memorial bike rides and though he had rode at one time...he had not made the ride to Limon...and so I still am not certain though he thought I was familiar.   I told him that my son-in-law was Jay Sheridan and a few tears gathered in my eyes...but he looked at me with such compassion and told me that he had been shot in 2009.  He said not all understand...And then as we sat there in walks "K" I will call him...the one who had kept us entertained earlier.   He went to find other seats towards the front and then ended up coming back and sitting right next to me.   I knew that I had to ask on his band.   And as we talked of his children...and how proud he was of them...of how he would like to have a little girl.   I told him I wasn't sure he could handle having a little girl...not all men are cut out for such a thing!   I wish I would have told him remember to embrace these moments!   I finally asked him if he wore his band for someone in particular or just the blue line...and he said in a moment of respect..."the thin blue line."    And I know there are many that do not know of the thin blue line...In looking for a definition I come upon a page that honors...cops...their wives...their brothers and sisters...http://www.copsite.net/poems.html

And so I put in a pic taken at a  memorial for Jay...with the hands of one of his special brothers that I hold close in my heart...Jake...

And I think of the song that Jake's wife Amy posted to Heather...how I remember this song the first time I heard it while riding with Lance and he told me...a Jay song...and for those that knew Jay...this is a Jay song...though I am not a beer drinker...I listen to these words...words that were written for Luke Bryan's brother who he lost...but as with a good song...it touches each of us in our own special way.

I caught a couple of pics that remind me of the blue line going on...of these two guys...one in which Jake is "shooting the sh....you know what" with Izzy...them making faces at each other...in a way that only the two of them know...of the Chief asking her what she wants for Christmas...these are reminders of that brotherhood...

"Drink A Beer"

When I got the news today
I didn't know what to say.
So I just hung up the phone.

I took a walk to clear my head,
This is where the walking lead
Can't believe you're really gone
Don't feel like going home

So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
Watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer

Funny how the good ones go
Too soon, but the good Lord knows
The reasons why, I guess

Sometimes the greater plan
Is kinda hard to understand
Right now it don't make sense
I can't make it all make sense

So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
Watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer

So long my friend
Until we meet again
I'll remember you
And all the times that we used to...

...sit right here on the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Drink a beer,
Drink a beer.

The words seem to touch my heart...as well as my eyes...as Jay has been so close in my thoughts as of late...always there but some days just closer...more reminders...while this song plays I look at my bird cage...where special pictures...special people...special reminders hang...my prayer list...

There is a picture of Lance holding Izzy that touches my heart to the core...of Heather and Izzy...of Jay holding Heather's tummy with a baby Firecracker waiting inside to come out...Jay laughing with Tyler and Mike...him holding Isabel in front of the mirror with a dragonfly holding it up...Of Izzy and Boston...Autumn and Andy...Tyler's Graduation...of Joe...and others I have not put up...

But I think of some other pictures...of recent days...I got a glimpse of Heather's tree...the ornaments reminders of one special cop in their lives...

And when we got home from hanging out with many special cops...we find that the elf on the shelf has moved...and so one little "Peanut" searches high and low until giving the hint up high...to which she looks and looks repeating...up high up high...

One of the things I love on this is that she was helped there by a special addition to our family...Josh...who the Lord brought back safely from Afghanistan!    Just makes me smile...that there are little smiles from heaven if we choose to look for them!

And so I  make the girls stand in front of the tree...how I love these two...

And I finally include the top of the tree...yes I had to use Heather's tree...because I have not got mine up...don't worry it is in the process!!   But anyway it is fitting as it is a special one indeed.   And I think of the song I have listened to several times that I knew I wanted to include some time in a blog and so many things were building up and so while some sit right here and drink a beer...perhaps I sit here and write a blog...a blog to remember how special those are we love and to appreciate them...that we will never forget them or those that they love...to remember those we have lost and give thanks that we had them...to think of the meaning of Christmas...pray for others...love others...and I wish you...

And I look on my mantle that I will clear off an put up my nativity and there sits a pic of Jay Bird...I think one of my favorite of him in uniform because it makes me think of him looking down on us with a smile on his face...

God bless you and yours...

lyp