Terminalcoffee discussion

I just learned that 4 teens were killed in a horrific car accident and a 5th is on life support. They were all members of the high school football team. They were hit by a 21 year old who fled the scene. He has since been arrested and the police are investigating speed and alcohol as contributing factors.

My friend has a son on that team and I just learned that he was not involved. His dad hugged him so hard when he saw him this morning that he thinks he hurt him.

This reminds me of when my son was in high school. I woke up to the clock radio saying that 3 people were killed on the highway that we drive to/from town every day. My son hadn't come home that night! When I headed to work, the vehicle was still in the ditch. I cried all the way to town.

My son just texted me to ask about the accident last night. When I told him that this reminds me of when his school mates were killed. He texted back and said, "I was at that party and I heard the accident!"

His response to my "now you tell me" was that if I knew half the things he did as a teenager, I'd still be grounding him.

I texted him back (he and his wife are on the road today) and told them to consider themselves both hugged and to drive safely.

I am just about to reach that scary age with my kids. Just a few short years away. I am trying not to think about the posibilities.

I lost my son in 2006 and it has been one of the hardest things to handle, process and go through.
In my mind, over and over I think about the things I wish I would have said, the regrets I had. It made me realize how important it is to cherish the people you love and let them know how much they mean to you.
Because in a heartbeat they can be gone.
That said, it is also important to realize we are all human and over time still take people for granted.
You just do your best, that's all...

I'm very sorry to learn about your son, Mary!

I am so sorry to hear about your loss, Mary. I cannot even begin to imagine trying to handle that. I say a prayer each night that all my family gets home safely that night and I always send up a heart felt thank you when I hear my youngest daughter come in after work each night. I can't know when my oldest finally gets home each night since she lives 8 hours away, but I still pray. Every single time my family walks out the door I tell them I love you and Be careful. My youngest was being cute one day and before I could say 'be careful', she chirped, 'I'll be real careful, Mama." Later that night she ran her car through a house. Yes. A house. Thank God she was only extremely shaken up and no one was hurt. She hasn't again tried to be a smarty farty about me saying that. Losing loved ones is my greatest fear.

Very true, Mary.

Sorry to hear about your son Mary.

So sorry for your loss, Mary. I can’t even begin to imagine your pain.

I say that too Angela, every time someone leaves the house I always add be careful and I expect the same.

My mom has always said, as I'm on my way to the car to drive somewhere, "watch out for the drunks!"

I haven't lived in her home for over 25 years but if I'm on the phone with her and need to hang up to go somewhere she'll still say the same thing.

It's good advice.

Has anyone ever called 911 while on the road to report a drunk driver?

I’ve done it a few times.

I used to work a shift that ended at three am, and I’ve seen a few. I followed one for about 20 miles while I was on the phone with the police. They wound up crashing into a ditch just before the police caught up with them. Nobody was hurt, so it was funny and just what they deserved.

Drunk drivers were my biggest fear on the road when I’d was driving home around that time.

Phil wrote: "My mom has always said, as I'm on my way to the car to drive somewhere, "watch out for the drunks!"

I haven't lived in her home for over 25 years but if I'm on the phone with her and need to hang up to go somewhere she'll still say the same thing."

My dad still tells me to lock my car doors.

I had to hug my girl yesterday . She had an early night to help me with a family gathering for my elderly parents (in their eighties) so they could catch up with my sister who is housebound.

I hug my kids everyday that I see them.

just drove an hour down to see my son and DIL, take them to lunch after church, hug them and then drive an hour home. hugs accomplished

I LOVE hugs.

Mary wrote: "I LOVE hugs."

Get yourself arrested in Kokomo. I hear there's a big hugger hanging around the prison there.

Phil wrote: "Mary wrote: "I LOVE hugs."

Get yourself arrested in Kokomo. I hear there's a big hugger hanging around the prison there."

Phil wrote: "Mary wrote: "I LOVE hugs."

Get yourself arrested in Kokomo. I hear there's a big hugger hanging around the prison there."

International travel and physical affection-who could ask for anything more?

Is Indiana international? I know it's a whole different world, but not international.

Kokomo is in its own time zone.

Jim wrote: "Is Indiana international? I know it's a whole different world, but not international."

Wow-you got me Jim

http://www.cityofkokomo.org/

suck on this

ha! and this http://www.kokomo-in.org/

^^ that appears to be the second web site ever created. so much for touting our technology edge

I understand your confusion Mary, once you cross the Indiana border it feels like you are in a whole different place.

Kevin "El Liso Grande" wrote: "http://www.cityofkokomo.org/

suck on this"

Is it safe to look, or is this some Indiana joke?

OH! now I want to explore the famous Indiana Glass Trail! *Scurries off to Jax Outdoor Store to purchase protective boots, gloves, goggles*

I used Kokomo art glass in the last stained glass hanging that I made.

that's right jim. kokomo opalescent glass. we're famous for that an an enormous steer

I wonder if that is the glass in my kitchen cupboards. Have to ask my carpenter.

Kevin "El Liso Grande" wrote: "that's right jim. kokomo opalescent glass. we're famous for that an an enormous steer"

And Kevin Sprinkle!

http://www.kokomobeachclub.nl/

^^ that is flippin kokoriffic!

In the category of Hug Your Children: a young woman (22) from Huxley, IA (in Story County) has been charged with the murder of her newborn twin daughters. An alert fellow Casey's employee notified the police that one day the woman looked pregnant and the next day she did not. Those poor babies.

Here in Iowa, we have a safe haven law--mothers/fathers can leave newborns or children at hospitals, fire stations, etc without penalty/charges of abandonment.

The young woman has admitted killing the babies and is facing life in prison.

Kevin "El Liso Grande" wrote: "^^ that is flippin kokoriffic!"

Always makes me think of you.

Cynthia wrote: "In the category of Hug Your Children: a young woman (22) from Huxley, IA (in Story County) has been charged with the murder of her newborn twin daughters. An alert fellow Casey's employee notified ..."

speechless

Very sad. It has become harder to adopt from overseas in the past few years, so there are even more Americans who need the babies.

I re-read the article in the Des Moines Register and learned that all 50 states & the District of Columbia have safe haven laws.

That's great. They should be relentlessly publicized, on billboards and the sides of buses, so the frightened pregnant know there are other options.

Here in Iowa, we've had at least a dozen babies dropped off at hospitals, police stations, etc. since the law went into effect. We've also had something like 8 or 10 infants murdered/abandoned by their mothers.

Mom, 19, leaves infant at firehouse: 'She was overwhelmed'

The woman seemed upset as she handed Stutz a 6-month-old boy tightly bundled in a brown body suit. The 19-year-old mother stayed long enough to tell Stutz and Rivera she wanted someone to take care of her baby.

"She said she couldn't handle it anymore and that it was too much for her," Stutz said.

"It wasn't as though she was ready to go just drop the baby off and go," added Rivera. "Obviously a lot of preparation went in to this. It must of been tough for her to come tell us this."

The woman had a baby bag with her but didn't share any more information about the baby or her circumstances, Rivera said. The infant appeared clean, healthy and well cared for.

"She was overwhelmed, she had tears in her eyes," said Stutz.

(snip)

The state's "Safe Haven" law allows parents to drop off their infants at police stations, firehouses and hospitals, but only if the children are under 30 days old.

The firefighters didn't bring up the law because they didn't want to scare her and the baby away, Stutz said. Police said they are investigating but they do not know the mother's name.

"It's a lot better than other alternatives, we're happy about that," Stutz said.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/lo...

Infant abandoned in D.C. dies

The two men together made the startling discovery — a tiny baby girl, naked, unconscious, and bleeding from the nose and mouth, left on the step in the middle of a freezing night. She couldn’t have been more than a week old, Dugger thought.

(snip)

Police said that if the child’s mother realized she couldn’t care for the infant, she could have left her with authorities without risk of legal trouble. In 2009, the District enacted the safe haven law, which allows parents of unwanted babies less than a week old to drop them off at hospitals and fire or police stations without risk of prosecution...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/c...

That 2nd story is really heartbreaking. The first one took some real bravery on the part of the young mom.

My girl is home and hugged after the "Big Day Out" (marathon music festival)

My daughter, straightened her grandpa's tie then escorted him to the car on the way to his wife's funeral. It was a simple gesture that conveyed a lot of love and care. Daughter hugged.

*sighs* I would take them, any of them.