Sometimes you've just gotta laugh!

Laughter..... it made me fall in love with Billy Vaughn, who I endearingly refer to as "The Great One" . I've always thought he was such a funny man. And since I LOVE to laugh and he loves making me laugh . . . . we make a perfect pair. When our family sits down for a birthday dinner or a Thanksgiving meal or any other get-together the ONE ingredient that has ALWAYS been on our table is laughter. Even as my father was lying on his death bed in August of 2001, Billy was playing a prank on one of my mom's friends that has gone down in Vaughn/Rodenberger history as one of the most hilarious moments of our life. Aaron was there. And he laughed.....hard!

So it just stood to reason that when our lives were completely turned upside down three months ago, we all searched in vain for that "binding glue" that's pulled us through so many tough moments. Thanks to Billy, we found it! I feel like the video I'm sharing today needs just a little bit of a set-up so you'll get the whole picture. Now don't get me wrong! What I'm about to tell you ISN'T funny!

On Saturday, August 6th, 2011 we received the worst news parents could EVER receive; that phone call you spend years on your knees begging God to protect you from..... "Aaron was on the helicopter and there were no survivors". We spun into "out of body experiences" for days on end, not having the capacity, as humans, to grasp the truth and finality of what had been spoken. Aaron is gone. Aaron is gone? Yes, Aaron is gone. I still can't fully wrap my mind around those three little words. We began moving from one memorial to another to another and another. We literally didn't spend more than 5 nights in our own beds in the first three weeks after his departure. Those weeks culminated in the following:

Friday, Aug. 26th, 2011 was the day we laid Aaron's "earthly tent" to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. As we were entering the cemetery we received word that Billy's beloved cousin, Carson, had passed away at the very young age of 46. Before we even reached our son's casket, we were trying to figure out how we would get to Tennessee for Carson's funeral. As if that weren't enough...... a hurricane was bearing down on Virginia Beach and believe it or not, we were being rushed onto a bus immediately following our time at Aaron's grave, so our plane could get us BACK TO Virginia Beach before the outer bands of the storm hit!

Being brave Floridians who laugh in the face of Category 2 Hurricanes, we hopped on the bus, climbed into the plane, landed safely and were shuttled to our OCEAN FRONT hotel where our rooms were located on the SIXTH floor! Oh.... our previously scheduled flights home to Florida the next morning had, of course, been cancelled and we would have the privilege of riding the storm out in front-row seats! The next morning as the outer bands began to wreak a little havoc on the area, we ventured out for some breakfast and supplies (we knew just what to buy)! As the day progressed, the storm did indeed make landfall ON Virginia Beach but somehow we never lost power OR television. And because of that, Billy became inspired to film the attached video.

See, the Weather Channel had their "guy" stationed just outside our hotel. And even though he was INSISTING that the conditions were horrific and terribly dangerous.... every resident (and Florida vacationer) was scoffing at his attempts to shame people into staying inside. Thus..... the inception of the video. I know Aaron was rolling in laughter if God was kind enough to give him a glimpse of what was happening below. And, if I know my God, I believe He was getting a little chuckle out of it as well.

I thank God for "The Great One" and his evelasting ability to give us all a good giggle or a big belly laugh, even/especially when it seems the darkness would overtake us .............................
Stometimes you've just gotta laugh!

What's in a Date?

June 24th fell on a Monday in 2002. The day began like any other - everyone woke, had their coffee, and went about their way. Life at a glance looked like this; My father had passed away in August of the previous year, Tara (our oldest daughter- two years Aaron's junior) had left for college a few weeks after dad's passing, and was home from school for her first summer break, Ana (our youngest daughter) was enjoying her post-third grade summer like any other nine year old, and Aaron, having recently completed his AS degree in Golf Course Management, was gainfully employed at one of America's most prestigious courses and was headed toward a very lucrative career. Life was good and even through the pain of dad's passing.... we felt blessed.

But another date had fallen like a giant anvil in the midst of our seemingly normal life....September 11th, 2001! I, like you knew instantly that THAT date, that "sucker punch", would change the course of our nation's history. What I had no way of knowing at the time, was that it would change the course of our personal history as well. Unbeknownst to us, this date would give June 24th, 2002 national signifigance some nine years later.

See, June 24th, 2002, was Aaron's 21st birthday, and everyone who's heard our story knows by now that it was on that date the he made a pitstop on his way home from work; the Navy Recruiting Center in Stuart, FL. Did he stop to pick up some pamphlets, or gain understanding on a possible new career path? NO! He JOINED the SEAL Challenge Program! Imagine our shock at the dinner table that night when he unveiled the events of the afternoon. It still makes me smile to "hear" his father say, "Son, you DO realize that if you don't make it as a SEAL, you'll still be in the Navy, right?" Aaron's response, "Oh, I'll make it. I'm not going to live on a boat!" And make it he did!!! Through our obvious worry and concern, we celebrated that night! We celebrated the fact that OUR SON was going to make a difference in this world; that his dreams were as huge as his heart; and that his passion for our great nation, a passion we'd instilled in him since birth, was sincere. Our son was a sheepdog, and we were proud.

If we had known that 6/24/02 would lead to 8/6/11, would we have stopped and screamed and demanded a do-over? I'm thankful we don't have that power.

Dates have taken on a new meaning to this family. August 6th, 2011, now marks the death of our hero, a life cut short, the loss of greatness, but also and most importantly... Aaron's glorious entrance into his eternal home, his face-to-face reunion with our creator God, Jehovah, The Holy One. I bet his mansion is full of really cool gear!

We miss you son, and one day... Our "date" will come. See you then.