Monday night

Will had a great weekend. He had a 20th year reunion of his football team in Hagerman (Go Pirates!) that took State in 1989. Will was one of the managers and that year he wasn't doing so well. They had their rally cry "Win for Willie" for that whole season. Coach Clark (Will's best friend in the front row middle of the picture below) was the head coach that year and with him was Coach Udy on the right (front) and Coach Elliott (on the left). Most of the team showed up and they watched the game film from that special day. They shared all the memories (good and the bad) and isn't that what it's all about. Some of the people had to come from far away and some still live locally. It was so great to just sit back and watch these "kids" just get together like they haven't ever been apart. They will always have this bond. This bunch of "boys" is something special. I know everyone had one great time getting together. Coach Clark got it all put together and he even got shirts for everyone. Thanks for making it happen, Coach.

Below: I already said who were the coaches in the front row.
Back row: Tommy, Michael C., Allen, Chris, Butch, Mike, Jason with Will in front, Brody, Kurt, and behind him (the really tall one) is John. John and Will were almost inseparable in high school. Some guys brought their wives, who were soon forgotten.

Below: This is another picture of Coach Udy with his oldest son, Justin, who was about 5 yrs. old when we went to State. I remember the little guy running all over that field all the time. Now he's playing college football in Eastern Oregon. We use to babysit Coach Udy's kids a lot so Angel ran down just to say hi. She didn't stay to watch the game film or eat. I did though, lol.

Below: just another shot of some of the guys swapping stories. They were so funny.

Below: Now they are sitting around watching the game film and seeing things they hadn't seen before. Some plays are etched in their minds forever, like Jason's four yard kickoff.

Below: Here is Will with two of the cheerleaders from those "good ol' days," Mary and Angela.

The highlight for me was one of the football players, Brody Engles, wrote a very, very, good poem about the road to State and it was titled "A Win for Willie" Wow-very powerful. Now I know all of you ex-Hagerman teachers are probably saying "not Brody" because he really wasn't known for his writing skills, unless you call graffiti -writing. But he did a wonderful job, no, not just wonderful---marvelous. Maybe I will put it on here sometime this week. It's a little long but I think you all might enjoy reading it.

I just remember the time when Will was very, very sick in the hospital when the boys won the game to allow them to go to State. Four of the guys came up with pizza for Will. They didn't know how bad he was and he wasn't waking up hardly at all about then. The boys came in, turned on all the lights, sat there and talked to Will about the game even though Will wasn't awake, and then they got ready to leave. One of them went back to the bed and said in a very loud voice that they wanted Will to wake up because they weren't going to State if Will wasn't going. For some reason Will woke up the next morning and started to turn around. The doctor couldn't figure out why. About five days later we took him to State. His doctors and nurses still talk about that night. When they went out to accept the State trophy, they had their little manager, Willie, go out and get it. Then, they put him on their shoulders and carried him around. I know---A box of Kleenex time. Now, I'm glad we didn't have to test the boys on whether they would or wouldn't have gone to the game, but this is one special bunch of guys and I really think what they did that night was pure magic. I wonder if they ever knew what was accomplished that night? I just love them all so much.

Now, twenty years later, and many other hospital stays in the meantime, he still uses that mind-over-matter attitude of his, and we are starting his process for a kidney transplant.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, he goes to a class all morning. Then he meets with the team and has some tests. Wednesday he will meet with the surgeon that might do the surgery and they do other tests. He meets with some other people and other tests but I'm not sure what ones yet. But I will blog tomorrow night (Tuesday) and fill you all in. We are very excited that he is getting started. I pretty sure that we won't know if he gets accepted into the transplant program for a few days. Please say your prayers for him.

I told Angel that baby Kayli (that's the name they have picked out right now) better stay right where she is at least until I get back home. She's not due for a two more weeks, but you never know.

I hope you all enjoyed the pictures and the walk down memory lane with Will. God bless and sweet dreams.