Jennaishealed.org

Cooper and I have moved out of the inlaws’ house (finally, thank God), out here to a friend’s “farm” in Rosedale, IN.  It is a tiny little hamlet outside Terre Haute, and the house sits on nine acres of land.  It includes a gigantic backyard the size of a soccer field, a largish horseshoe-shaped pond at the bottom of a gentle hill (behind the soccer field), and a number of outbuildings.  My buddy has a ton of project cars and other fun stuff to do.  We can go shooting in the backyard since we are outside of city limits, there is a gas-powered golf cart to ride around on, among other things.

The house itself is this pretty big old farmhouse, and Jenna got to visit out here last weekend.  It was absolutely AWESOME to have her here. It was a wonderful, peaceful visit over the weekend.  It was a bit of a drag having to go get her on Friday, then take her right back on Sunday, but hopefully we can get longer home visits in the future.

Jenna did very, very well.  The only issue she had was trying (and failing) to remember the layout of the house.  Jaime (new housemate) had a ton of people over to help work on one of the project cars (1989 Helios Blue VW Jetta 16v identical to the one I had in Alabama, and was blasting the music out in the garage.  Jenna and I were sitting outside the garage listening to the music and just hanging out.  There were also a bunch of kids there, and a lot of other activity, all of which Jenna tolerated very very well.

We are going back to visit on Friday the 11th, and hopefully Carbondale isn’t hit in a 8th-anniversary attack.. Something tells me we’ll be safe in the middle of bumblef*ck southern Illy…

Took Cooper again, and had a lot of fun.  At least he did.

Actually it is extremely satisfying to have Cooper and Jenna together.  She has missed out on him so much that the normally precious moments every “normal” parent so deeply appreciates and cherishes, are a thousand times more precious for Jenna, and myself as the person who kind of has to remember them for her.   But just walking around a grocery store with Cooper waving his little styrofoam play sword ($2 at the dollar store, go figure) and just being “Cooper,” and having Jenna there to watch and absorb it, is something akin to bliss.

We got there in the middle of the afternoon and drove up to our hotel in DuQuoin, IL, about 20 miles up the road from Carbondale.  This was due to Carbondale being booked for something at SIU most likely.  We just stopped in to check into the room and so Jenna could go to the bathroom, and asked at the front desk for a good local restaurant to try as a break from the whole chain restaurant (Cooper loves happy meals) thing.  Anyway it was a nice little place in downtown DuQuoin, which itself was a nice little old-style downtowny area.  I forgot my camera otherwise I’d post pics.

Saturday we had breakfast at the free continental thing at the hotel and then went to the “Castle Park,” which is becoming a regular tradition for us, spending the balance of the day there.  Dinner was at the local MickyD’s, where Cooper enjoys the play area.  In case I haven’t mentioned it in the last five seconds, that kid is EXTREMELY social!

Sunday we left a bit early so that Cooper and I could meet up with a friend in Terre Haute and meet his six -year-old son, and get a little tour of the town.  It was a nice little tour and some interesting possibilities were talked about.  Thanks again Jaime!

Unfortunately Jenna has already lost her new $250 glasses, but we are hoping they will turn up asap.  We wont be able to visit again for a few weeks due to financial constraints, but are looking forward to it whenever it might happen.  Jenna did very well this time, and Cooper is very much looking forward to going back, as am I.

but i hit the wrong button on the camera and failed to capture the moment on “film” (memory card).

Anyway, we are hanging out in the hotel room watching Spongebob with Cooper.  Later we are going to the “Boo” Rochman Memorial Park here in Carbondale, which is a great little secret here in town.  It was built by Mr. Rochman’s family and friends after he was killed in a car accident near the site.  Actually I have mentioned it on here before.  Anyway, Cooper loves it.  It has a big wooden “castle” with all kinds of mazes and hiding spots, and a ton of fantasy (Rochman was a big Dungeons and Dragons fan) characters, wizards, dragons, etc., done in fiberglass and concrete.

More later!