When Scott was about eleven we went to Toys-R-Us and I bought him a Super Soaker 3000 water gun.
We filled it up, and then pumped the action - which had a working gauge to show how much pressure had built up in the tank.
Scott went over to where the Watson's were shooting eachother with water guns and let loose with his new one-man arsenal...
Let me just say, I have never seen such an astounding blast of water from any squirt gun in my life - it was more of a fire hydrant. The range was jaw-dropping.
It took around eight seconds for the gun to run out of water, but it only took about six for everyone to be drenched...
Mom asked me to take it back because some of the kids were crying.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Ordinary Days, Extraordinary Scott
I just keep thinking of how much I loved just being in Scott's presence. Joy is a great word to describe it! Oh how my boys loved and continue to love him. After a long day trip to St. George, we were riding home. I thought the boys in the back seat were asleep, but Ethan suddenly started crying. "I would die for Scott....he was just so kind."
Hearing this has moved me not just because I wish I could have saved him somehow, too, but because of the deep love that his family has for him.
I had a thought over the weekend-- that my grief that Scott has died is great, very great. But also, there came a time when that close, cuddly, "come 'ere Scott, let's read....let's play....let's go in the back yard and jump" time came to a close. Oh how I miss that season! I never really consciously grieved over what a huge change, what a loss that was after moving out. So when I cry I think it's because of how much I miss Scott, how sorry I am for how much he suffered, and I hurt for the change that inevitably took place with growing up. Perhaps this why the grief over a death of someone so dear is not simple-- there are many facets to the mourning...
Hearing this has moved me not just because I wish I could have saved him somehow, too, but because of the deep love that his family has for him.
I had a thought over the weekend-- that my grief that Scott has died is great, very great. But also, there came a time when that close, cuddly, "come 'ere Scott, let's read....let's play....let's go in the back yard and jump" time came to a close. Oh how I miss that season! I never really consciously grieved over what a huge change, what a loss that was after moving out. So when I cry I think it's because of how much I miss Scott, how sorry I am for how much he suffered, and I hurt for the change that inevitably took place with growing up. Perhaps this why the grief over a death of someone so dear is not simple-- there are many facets to the mourning...
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
IRON MAN
I remember how much Scott loved Iron Man.
I keep going on YouTube to watch the: Iron Man Intro (1996).
Scott LOVED Samurai Armor Iron Man!!!
He used to draw him over and over.
I remember coming home from work, from Provo Canyon School in the mornings...I worked the graveyard shift. On weekends, Scott and I would go downstairs with our blankets and cold cereal and watch Iron Man, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four, all back-to-back.
Our ultimate favorite of them all was a certain episode of Fantastic Four when all the Marvel Superheroes showed up to fight Galactus. Galactus had come to destroy earth, and was kicking ALL of their butts!!!
Next thing you know you see a flame off in the distance, and a motorcycle come roaring through the city. Ghost Rider rolls in on his burning chopper, comes to a stop right in front of Galactus, looks up, and using his pyschic ability totally blasts Galactus. Galactus falls - leaving a crater.
Without a word Ghost Rider turns around and takes off.
We laughed and cheered. It was the coolest EVER!!!
I keep going on YouTube to watch the: Iron Man Intro (1996).
Scott LOVED Samurai Armor Iron Man!!!
He used to draw him over and over.
I remember coming home from work, from Provo Canyon School in the mornings...I worked the graveyard shift. On weekends, Scott and I would go downstairs with our blankets and cold cereal and watch Iron Man, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four, all back-to-back.
Our ultimate favorite of them all was a certain episode of Fantastic Four when all the Marvel Superheroes showed up to fight Galactus. Galactus had come to destroy earth, and was kicking ALL of their butts!!!
Next thing you know you see a flame off in the distance, and a motorcycle come roaring through the city. Ghost Rider rolls in on his burning chopper, comes to a stop right in front of Galactus, looks up, and using his pyschic ability totally blasts Galactus. Galactus falls - leaving a crater.
Without a word Ghost Rider turns around and takes off.
We laughed and cheered. It was the coolest EVER!!!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Waiting and Working
I spoke with our bishop again last Sunday.
He referred me to a counselor at LDS Family Services.
He also said that in his life experiences the depression following the death of a close loved one feels very deep, and very permanent...
But that with time the depression passes - that it's temporary.
However, he said that I need to let Jesus Christ atone for what has happened; that the atonement is infinite and all-encompassing. He said that as soon as I lay my burden at the feet of Christ, and know that he has more than taken care of it that my deep pain and bitterness will be gone.
Basically - he told me to live my religion.
I have encountered, as we all have, some really incredible trials in our lives, and while I thought I've applied the atonement through my life this situation has shown me that the atonement goes much deeper than I ever realized - much deeper than my hurt.
Jesus atoned for the sins of us all. He was perfect, and our mediator with the Father. He is our elder brother, and our Savior. Our Redeemer.
He referred me to a counselor at LDS Family Services.
He also said that in his life experiences the depression following the death of a close loved one feels very deep, and very permanent...
But that with time the depression passes - that it's temporary.
However, he said that I need to let Jesus Christ atone for what has happened; that the atonement is infinite and all-encompassing. He said that as soon as I lay my burden at the feet of Christ, and know that he has more than taken care of it that my deep pain and bitterness will be gone.
Basically - he told me to live my religion.
I have encountered, as we all have, some really incredible trials in our lives, and while I thought I've applied the atonement through my life this situation has shown me that the atonement goes much deeper than I ever realized - much deeper than my hurt.
Jesus atoned for the sins of us all. He was perfect, and our mediator with the Father. He is our elder brother, and our Savior. Our Redeemer.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Lots of Tabasco, please
One holiday when I came home to visit from college, I offered to make some eggs for Scott. He said "OK, but I like my eggs with lots of cheese and Tabasco-- not just a little Tabasco-- a TON." So I commenced in making a pan of super cheesey eggs with maybe 1/16-1/8 bottle of Tabasco. I thought while I was making them, "I hope these aren't way too hot." When he ate them, he said they were perfect. Whenever I reach for a bottle of Tabasco, I am reminded of how much Scott liked to "kick things up" and make life more interesting. So easily I slip into a mundane state of being, forgetting that there are ways to live more fully, doing the best with who I am and what I have got. I hope to change that because of Scott.
I loved hearing about the crawdads. (Even if I can't completely appreciate the male bonding that happened there.) : )
~E
I loved hearing about the crawdads. (Even if I can't completely appreciate the male bonding that happened there.) : )
~E
Scott, Sammy & the Crawdads
When Scott was about 12 or 13, he, Sammy Bonfante and I went fishing at Schofield reservoir.
As we were launching the canoe, we noticed that we could easily see to the bottom of the lake, which was 7 to 10 feet deep by the shore. It was beautiful! Then we noticed that hundreds of crawdads were crawling along the bottom very close to shore. So, we caught a fish, cleaned it, tied its entrails to a string and tossed them into the water to attract the crawdads. We had a blast catching about 60 to 80 of them. We then went out in the canoe and caught a bunch of trout.
We brought dozens of crawdads home and Scott and Sammy put them in a little plastic swimming pool in our back yard, after de-chlorinating the water. But they died anyway and what a stink they made! The whole neighborhood smelled like rotting crawdads! Anyone living within 100 yards downwind of our house was probably tormented by the stench. Even after we put the dead crawdads in double plastic bags, they still stunk. A neighbor, Lisa Jensen, walked by our house and protested about the stench in her delightful way, which made Scott and me laugh. For weeks after the trash had been collected, our dumpster still smelled like dead crawdads, even after hosing it out.
The memory of the fishing trip, watching Scott and Sammy catch the crawdads and fish and bringing them home still puts a smile on my face. (I wonder if the girls in the family understand the feeling of ecstacy that guys get from stuff like that?)
Love,
Dad Hughes
As we were launching the canoe, we noticed that we could easily see to the bottom of the lake, which was 7 to 10 feet deep by the shore. It was beautiful! Then we noticed that hundreds of crawdads were crawling along the bottom very close to shore. So, we caught a fish, cleaned it, tied its entrails to a string and tossed them into the water to attract the crawdads. We had a blast catching about 60 to 80 of them. We then went out in the canoe and caught a bunch of trout.
We brought dozens of crawdads home and Scott and Sammy put them in a little plastic swimming pool in our back yard, after de-chlorinating the water. But they died anyway and what a stink they made! The whole neighborhood smelled like rotting crawdads! Anyone living within 100 yards downwind of our house was probably tormented by the stench. Even after we put the dead crawdads in double plastic bags, they still stunk. A neighbor, Lisa Jensen, walked by our house and protested about the stench in her delightful way, which made Scott and me laugh. For weeks after the trash had been collected, our dumpster still smelled like dead crawdads, even after hosing it out.
The memory of the fishing trip, watching Scott and Sammy catch the crawdads and fish and bringing them home still puts a smile on my face. (I wonder if the girls in the family understand the feeling of ecstacy that guys get from stuff like that?)
Love,
Dad Hughes
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wow it hurts today
Every time I seem to pull it together, my eyes start flowing again. Wow I miss Scott!
I feel moments of exhilaration of the incredible experience he must be having right now, and other times it just seems like too much to comprehend that he's not here now.
I remember how much I missed Robert when he was on his mission, how much I cried when Dan left to the Marine Corps, how we looked forward to a letter marked with Brazilian postage from Jon... and man, it seems like missing Scott is just going to be a permanent part of me till I see him again, just the way it was with my other brothers' temporary absence.
Sarah and I decided when Scott was about 8 or 9, that we would try to simulate the experience of having a younger sibling for him. I took one of my dolls and got her dressed up. We told Scott he needed to take care of her. I played the voice of the doll, saying "I'm cold! I'm hungry!" Scott bustled about the house, getting everything for her that she wanted. After that, she whined and cried and said she needed something else. Scott rolled his eyes and sighed with this parental type of burden that he was enthusiastically taking up. He was really so caring; such a caring, comforting, accomodating person. Not just with my dolly, but there was never (absolutes are used often as a sign of admiration after some deaths, but really- NEVER) a time I told him about a problem that he couldn't stop and listen and offer a suggestion. I'll always be grateful for that.
~E
I feel moments of exhilaration of the incredible experience he must be having right now, and other times it just seems like too much to comprehend that he's not here now.
I remember how much I missed Robert when he was on his mission, how much I cried when Dan left to the Marine Corps, how we looked forward to a letter marked with Brazilian postage from Jon... and man, it seems like missing Scott is just going to be a permanent part of me till I see him again, just the way it was with my other brothers' temporary absence.
Sarah and I decided when Scott was about 8 or 9, that we would try to simulate the experience of having a younger sibling for him. I took one of my dolls and got her dressed up. We told Scott he needed to take care of her. I played the voice of the doll, saying "I'm cold! I'm hungry!" Scott bustled about the house, getting everything for her that she wanted. After that, she whined and cried and said she needed something else. Scott rolled his eyes and sighed with this parental type of burden that he was enthusiastically taking up. He was really so caring; such a caring, comforting, accomodating person. Not just with my dolly, but there was never (absolutes are used often as a sign of admiration after some deaths, but really- NEVER) a time I told him about a problem that he couldn't stop and listen and offer a suggestion. I'll always be grateful for that.
~E
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