Let me introduce you to a family member of ours who I am sure you didn’t know existed.

This is Rocky.  He’s twenty-five years old.

When James was in second grade, he broke his arm.  I know the details of this story because he just told it at the dinner table on Monday.  He said he was at recess when he broke it.  They took him to the hospital where he had to have surgery.  When they put the mask over his face to “knock him out”, before he was knocked out, he said “wait, don’t do it yet, I’m not asleep!”.  I laughed at this part.  His grandfather came down from Maine after surgery and gave James this special stuffed Raccoon, which he affectionately called Rocky.

Rocky was well loved.  And I’m not talking about just when James was in elementary school.  He brought Rocky with him to college, people.  That’s hard core love.  He slept with Rocky every night.  When we started dating, he let me borrow Rocky for a bit, and Rocky came with me on some volleyball road trips.  He is always referred to as a real, live person with real, live feelings.

Rocky joined us on many adventures before we were married.  We never once lost him.  Oh wait. . . funny story about that.

Once, we drove together for a teaching interview for James out in the middle of nowhere.  We stopped at a Byrne Dairy so he could puke in the bathroom because he was so nervous stop at the restroom.  We went on our merry way to the interview–things went well (and he actually did end up getting the job).  After we left, we decided to stop at the Byrne Dairy again to get a snack.  We pulled into the parking space and both of our jaws dropped.  On top of the garbage can right next to the door, was sitting Rocky.  Staring us down.

We realized that when I got out of the car the first time, I must have accidentally not seen him fall out the door he must have jumped out to go to the bathroom too.  And I didn’t see him or notice as we were pulling out he didn’t make it back in time before we left again. Thank the Good Lord we decided to get a snack or we would’ve never ever known the fate of Rocky, and James would’ve broken our engagement been forever saddened.

Rocky has since taken a back seat for the past ten years.  He’s been hibernating down in our crawl space.  But when the subject of pajama and stuffed animal day at school came up the other day in conversation, out came Rocky!  The boys have been obsessed with him ever since.  They took turns sleeping with him.  They’ve built him houses.  They are including him in play.  Brayden even brushed his fur and his teeth before leaving for school.  I sent the two off on the bus together this morning and kept my fingers crossed that Brayden wouldn’t lose him or get him dirty or make a hole in him or something to bring down the wrath of James Rocky would behave himself at school.

And so the life of Rocky lives on in our children.  And I can tell it’s making James one happy daddy.