Happy Birthday Avery! Welcome Lucas!

First let me wish my (second) cousin Avery a Happy 4th Birthday! I hope it’s a good one.

Next let me welcome Lucas Dunlap to the world! We at I’m just sayin... are very happy and excited that Lucas has decided to join us (at 8lbs, 7oz and 21 1/4" long). Word on the street is that mom and baby are doing well. Jeremy is also doing well... at least for now. Just wait for the bills to start coming. I can only hope their interaction with this hospital ends better than ours did. Maybe they’ve changed things and all is now better there. I can only hope since it seems we’ll be back there in early April (though I’d rather go somewhere else).

I had fun over the holidays at Mom and Dad’s watching the kids play the Wii (I also had fun playing Rock Band 3 with The Wife, Sonny, Doubting Teri, and The Other Terry, as well as various nieces). I don’t want to go on and on about how times have changed, but times have changed. Growing up, when we would visit our grandparents here is what we had to play with: marbles, a racquet ball, a wall (to throw the ball against), and bicycles. At Mom and Dad’s house, our kids have a Wii, little battery operated cars they can drive around, and a tire swing (shaped like a horse) in the backyard that they can play on. I’m not saying our kids have it better or worse than we did... I’m just saying it’s different. I spent years playing on the floor at MaMa and Da’s house playing with the marbles (and using my imagination). My cousin Jason and I spent hours/months/years throwing that ball against the wall under the carport (and sometimes against the window on the door under the carport... oops). We also spent hours riding bicycles all over West Ashley (something I don’t think kids could do now). It was a simple time, but we had fun. But Rock Band 3 is also a LOT of fun.

Mary Ruth had a great birthday party. On our way home she told me that she got everything she could have ever wanted. Thank you to everyone who was able to make it. And if you couldn’t make it, don’t worry... there’s always next year.

Susie missed the party. She went to bed at 7:15 Saturday night and didn’t wake up until 11:15 Sunday morning. She then fell asleep on me from about 12:30 – 2:00 (and she had a fever). So she had to sit this party out.

It was the second year in a row that we had a child sick for Mary Ruth’s birthday party. Last year we had to reschedule the party because Mary Ruth was sick.

I hope everyone has a great 2011.

Winthrop Update: I took Mary Ruth to watch the Eagles play against PC on December 31. It was a great game with Winthrop coming from behind to win the game with about a second left. Even better, Mary Ruth had fun (though I think she wasn’t too happy driving up and back in the same day... too much time in the car). Still, she was great and the Eagles won a big conference game. The Eagles next game is at home this Thursday night at 7:00 against UNC Asheville.

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Coxswain Albert Beyer (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 11, 1898 on board the USS Nashville. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Nashville during the cutting of the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, 11 May 1898. Facing the heavy fire of the enemy, Beyer set an example of extraordinary bravery and coolness throughout this action.

Corporal Arthur O. Beyer (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on January 15, 1945 near Arloncourt, Belgium. His citation reads:

He displayed conspicuous gallantry in action. His platoon, in which he was a tank-destroyer gunner, was held up by antitank, machinegun, and rifle fire from enemy troops dug in along a ridge about 200 yards to the front. Noting a machinegun position in this defense line, he fired upon it with his 76-mm. gun killing 1 man and silencing the weapon. He dismounted from his vehicle and, under direct enemy observation, crossed open ground to capture the 2 remaining members of the crew. Another machinegun, about 250 yards to the left, continued to fire on him. Through withering fire, he advanced on the position. Throwing a grenade into the emplacement, he killed 1 crewmember and again captured the 2 survivors. He was subjected to concentrated small-arms fire but, with great bravery, he worked his way a quarter mile along the ridge, attacking hostile soldiers in their foxholes with his carbine and grenades. When he had completed his self-imposed mission against powerful German forces, he had destroyed 2 machinegun positions, killed 8 of the enemy and captured 18 prisoners, including 2 bazooka teams. Cpl. Beyer's intrepid action and unflinching determination to close with and destroy the enemy eliminated the German defense line and enabled his task force to gain its objective.

Second Lieutenant Hillary Beyer (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 17, 1862 at Antietam, Maryland. His citation reads:

After his command had been forced to fall back, remained alone on the line of battle, caring for his wounded comrades and carrying one of them to a place of safety.