Baby’s Got Battitude…Part 2

Hey everyone!  I’m pleased to introduce you to the newest member of the family, Bryson Bugden Lindsley. (insert cheers of joy, herkies, toe touches and a round off back handspring, back handspring back tuck)

Bryson entered this world on March 2, 2011 at 3:56 AM.  He weighted 8lbs, 14.08 oz, which is more than three pounds larger than his big sis, Abigail.  Whoa! 

Like his big sis and his late Grammy, Bryson’s definitely got Battitude!  You make us proud, Bryce, and I cannot wait to meet you in person in 1 week.  That’s right, little guy, I’m going to be all up in your grill in 7 short days.  Get excited, little man.   

I’d also like to take this opportunity to share with you our memorial plans for our mother.  As you probably know by now, my mom was a teacher and absolutely loved what she did.  When starting a new unit or lesson, she would enthusiastically research the topic, becoming an expert on the particular subject matter to make it come to life for her students.  She would frequently share these new fun facts with each of us, strangely weaving them into casual conversation.  Here’s an example for you. 

Me - “I’ve got the most annoying mosquito bite.  It’s itching like crazy and driving me nuts.  I can’t stop scratching it.” 

Mom - “Did you know that bats are one of nature’s most efficient and eco-friendly methods for keeping mosquito populations under control?” 

(Insert an uncomfortable silence followed by hysterical laughter)

My brothers and I would frequently make fun of her for these random segues into the wonderful world of bats, sharks, bridges, etc., but of course, deep down, we really thought it was adorable and evidence of her passion for teaching. 

In thinking about what we wanted to do to remember our mother, we agreed that it must be something with an educational component in our hometown so that her legacy as an educator would live on for years to come.  On our way to dinner at mom’s favorite steak house in Marietta, GA, we hatched this plan.

We would partner with the Chattahoochee Nature Center, a place we frequented in our childhoods, to create an educational exhibit about bats in Georgia.  This would be a fun and interactive exhibit that invited children to look, touch, explore and discover fun and interesting facts about bats. 

While in Atlanta to close down mom’s house, we met with the Executive Director and head of Fund Development to discuss our thoughts and come up with a plan.  They were immediately on board and assembled their team to come up with some ideas for implementation.

We have decided that we are going to create an interactive and educational exhibit that will look like a hollowed out tree trunk (Georgia bats live in trees not caves).  Visitors will be allowed to walk into the tree structure to learn more about bat habitats and conservation.  On both the inside and outside of the tree will be petroglyph drawings of bats complemented by educational information.  Above the tree structure will be a branchlike sculpture with hanging bats. 

We are going to work with mom’s school to get the students involved and since bats were already part of the curriculum it will be very easy to weave this into the festivities.  I know the children made bat houses in the past so they can donate these to the nature center to make it even more bat friendly.  The dedication will be on October 1st, mom’s birthday.  How perfect! 

The October timeline also allows for tie in with the nature center’s annual Halloween Hikes so that we can make this a month long celebration with films, guest speakers, and special educational events.  Of course you know a renowned bat expert will be on hand on Oct. 1 to illuminate us on the latest and greatest in in the world of bats. 

So…that’s the plan.  It’s feels so right!  What a great way to celebrate mom on her bday…her life, her passion, her Battitude.   

Today is the 2 year anniversary of my mother’s passing.  There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of my mom and wish that I could hug her, see her, laugh and yap our faces off together, but I am in a much better place with things than I was 2 years ago.  While I still feel her absence acutely and miss her terribly, I also feel healthy, optimistic, and strong.  I feel lucky to have had a mother who was so loving, devoted and involved in our lives and I feel grateful that I got to spend as much time with her as I did.  Not everyone is so fortunate.  I appreciate that I have much to be thankful for in my life and I end my time on the road feeling excited about what comes next and trusting that I am exactly where I am supposed to be at this moment in time. 

If my mom was here with us today I know she would be beaming with pride.  Thank you, mom, for always believing in us and being our greatest cheerleader.  We love you and will do our best to always make you proud.