A Piece of Family History Returns..

We all have family members that for some reason or another do things that we dont agree with, or approve of. That is why we arent the ones with the arrest records or criminal pasts. One of my family members who I love dearly, I call him my brother, we were raised separately, but saw each other every other weekend. It was great growing up, I had someone to boss around, and someone who would do anything I told him to. As we grew up, my head strong ways didn't approve of his carefree or careless lifestyle. I figured it was just a little bump in his road that he had to take as did most boys his age. Granted, his curious lifestyle didn't stop him.

In 2003, He was camping with a friend in Yellowstone, this made National News, and they decided to move some barriers to get further into the park, meaning, he trespassed. After doing some donuts around a geyser and doing some major damage, he and his friend got stuck. They asked for help, but when the help didn't want to help because they would be contributing to a violation, they drove the two criminals to the Ranger Station at Yellowstone, upon being arrested. They went through their gear and found a loaded .22 Remington Rifle and confiscated it.

Upon being released, and going to fight in Iraq, and then coming back and being severely messed up, another crime was committed. It is now present day 2010, and last Thanksgiving, we as a family find out that the gun that was given to him by my Grandfather, who was given by his Grandfather, was taken into possession by park Rangers 7 years prior. I learned of this and made a few phone calls, after Googling his arrest record and getting the arresting officer's name and number. I found the gun, wow, 7 years it has sat in a safe at the Park Rangers Head Quarters, even the Rangers were surprised that it was still there. I phoned my Grandma right away and told her that it was still here.. we worked out an arrangement with the Rangers, that we would come down and get the gun. Certain paper work had to be done and filed in order to get this family heirloom that is almost 100 years old. So March 14, 2010, my boyfriend, son and I got in the car and drove to Montana, and then down to the park. We arrived in Montana, no snow on the roads and the most gorgeous sunny weather I had seen in months. We spent the night with family and then headed down to the park the next day. So excited, we were so close to getting my Grandpa's gun back. We arrived in the park and the Ranger we were to meet was at Old Faithful, so we waited and let our young son play in the snow. Shortly he arrived and we exchanged hand shakes, and pleasantries and lots of talking. They were so nice and almost sentimental as we were about our precious gun.

It was smaller than I had remembered, granted, the last time that I saw it was when I was 21. As soon as we got the paper work transferred and papers signed, it was ours, and I called Grannie, as soon as we were on the road. I didn't cry, even though I thought I would have knowing at how sentimental I am about things. The drive back to Helena, seemed shorter after picking up our precious cargo, even though it was still 300 miles. In all we traveled almost 2000 miles, in less than 4 days. It was a great trip to see the family and to get our family history back.

We took the gun to my Grannies house, and she has this sort of fancy house, and I told her it would make a great story, so she should mount it over her french doors. She was so happy to have it back, thinking that it had been destroyed or sold at an auction. It was truly meant to be in our family forever. She told me that after she has had it for a few years, it will become my gun, which I will then pass on to my son, but he wont be allowed to fire it, or use it, its for history.

Thank You's

I have so many reasons to complain, but I don't, one might ask why even with all the hardships we have had in 2009. I just know that there are others out there facing way more hardships. I still have my home, and a healthy family, that is worth so much more than I could have imagined. Life throws you curve balls, and as our Father reminded us at Mass recently... he said, " Sometimes God doesn't like what he see's that you are doing, and gives you awhile to change what you know that you can, but if you don't... Whack, down comes the hammer." I believe he spoke to several in our parish, and things are changing. I am in school, and my boyfriend is on a new path for himself. Might be a bit of a struggle, but we are making it. Each day forward is a leap later ... I was woken this morning by our little guy.. almost 18 months old, and I rushed to him, and he gave me this great big morning hug, then wanted down, he immediately ran for the bathroom door, opened it, and flushed the toilet.. baby steps.. in a couple of days we will bring in his own potty that he got from Santa... its the little things that just make me smile. I was not prepared to wake up at 5am, as I had gone to sleep at midnight after making Thank You cards, and doing a bit of studying for the final this Monday... so after he had a little cup of milk and a drink of water, I put him back into bed with a couple of books and a night light.. sure enough, he was back to sleep in minutes.. we later woke up at 9:30.. had breakfast, and he's back to sleep at 11... soon we will head to my in laws.. Nana is home from visiting her Mom, and will love to see her little guy.. who as I looked at him this morning, must have grown some while asleep, he appeared taller, so maybe in a week or so, his 2T pants wont need that roll of the cuff.. He's so long in the torso that we are grateful for the 2T shirts he got... I packed up his 12-24 mos clothes the other day.. sometimes I wish that I hadnt gotten fixed and we could have another one, but right now is definitely not the time to be thinking babies, and deep down, I am glad we are blessed with our spirited little one.

Life is a journey, sometimes it might feel like you are alone, but if you turn ever so slightly, there is someone there. Either in the form of a spouse or loved one, to a rambunctious toddler showing you his way.