Thursday, November 19, 2009

Long Overdue

I've been meaning to post this for several weeks and for some reason I continue to fail to do it. So, today I've been knocking some things out.... changing sheets on the beds, wrapping some Christmas presents and getting them ready to ship, and I thought I would check this off my list as well.

What an incredible honor it is to have a stadium dedicated to my father in law. Most of you who read this know it is old news, but for those of you that didn't know SHS high school stadium is now named the Jim Rowland Stadium. WOW! It was one thing to hear about it, but it was entirely something different when I pulled up to that stadium and his name is splashed all over the stadium.

Pops definitely deserves such a high honor. From the time I can remember, (even when I was his TA in the 10th grade) he has had nothing but respect for Southside High School and ALL the other schools in Fort Smith. He has worked hard for so many, many years at making sure those lines were painted just right on all the fields, the stadiums were clean, the grass was just perfect - blade by blade, turning water on and off at various hours of the morning and night. I could go on and on. I just had a flashback of all the girls on the Dixie Belles taunting me as we would practice on the field before a football game when I was just beginning to date Matt. Little did I know he would be my father in law one day!

As has happened many times, sometimes being stationed overseas isn't all it's cracked up to be. I once again missed an event that I would have loved for my children, Matt and I to attend. However, life just sometimes doesn't allow everything we want. I was able to run by and see it when I made a quick trip back for my grandfather's funeral and we snapped a few pictures. Pops, the next time we come back home we are going to have to snap a few more. I didn't get everything I wanted so you will have to grin and bear a few more snaps.

Pops, we are so incredibly proud of you and honored to be in your family. We love you!




Pops with all but 1 of his grandchildren

2 comments:

amy said...

wow! that's awesome! i didn't even know that. shows how much my fam shares the news! couldn't have happened for a better guy!

The Traxsons said...

I didn't know this either! He definitely deserves it! I remember the razzing we gave you too :) And the strict orders to stay OFF the white paint lines!