Did You Hear About My Starting Job on College Baseball Team?

Archie Brown was a pretty good ball player. He had a good fall season in his freshman year. He believed he had a good chance to win a starting job at third base in the spring semester.

His spring work on the diamond was even better. On the last Saturday before the season was to begin, the team played an exhibition double header against a Southwest Conference school. Archie started at third in both games. He was elated, until the team arrived home that night. The eligibility list was up, and Archie’s name was not on it!

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Did You Hear About My First Semester at College?

Archie Brown turned 18 about two weeks before he left home for college four hundred miles from home. He had led something of a sheltered life. When he arrived at school, away from the constant accountability to his parents, he was less than responsible about being a good student.

In fact Archie was all about having some fun. He played ball in the afternoon, dated in the evening and played poker most of the night. That left little time to sleep. He decided the best time for a bit of shut eye was during class time. At the end of the first semester, his grade demonstrated Archie had played too hard. His grade point average was 1.57 in a 4 point grading system.

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Did You Hear About Our Mutual Anniversary Hot Air Balloon Plans?

The plans for the mutual anniversary celebration by Archie & Ronda Brown and Larry & Barbara Searcy included an ride in a hot air balloon! Archie had found a place outside of Houston that offered rides for four people for $100 per person. It was more than they really wanted to pay, but the idea of sharing the adventure won out and the reservation was made. Sadly, Larry had a heart attack and was in the hospital for surgery a week before the flight was to take place. The balloonist was considerate in canceling the reservation and refunding the deposit. But the balloon ride never took place.

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Did You Hear About Our Mutual Anniversary Dinner Cruise?

For another mutual anniversary celebration Archie and Ronda Brown met Larry and Barbara Searcy in Galveston for a dinner cruise on the bay! The boat ride lasted around four hours. That allowed the couples plenty of time to enjoy a fabulous seafood meal, the musical entertainment provided for the guests, and still have time to stroll on the deck under the spring time moon!

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Did You Hear About The Time My Daughter Called About Naming Her New Baby

Archie Brown’s daughter called to announce her pregnancy. She wanted her mom and dad to have a say in the name of their next grand baby. Archie searched online for the meaning of the names before submitting them for Beth's consideration. He and his wife, Ronda, had selected names that sounded nice to them, without considering what the names meant. Archie was able to discover that his name means “athletic”. He called Andy back to give him the information.

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Did You Hear About Our Mutual Anniversary Train Ride?

One of the first mutual anniversary adventures the Browns and Searcys embarked on, following the Searcys’ move to the country, was a train ride. A train made a dinner excursion out of San Antonio. The Browns and Searcys met in San Antone and boarded the train. They were shown to a compartment for four. It had a table set with elegant china and silver, with a yellow rose in a silver vase at each of the ladies’ place. There was a small stair case up to an observation deck where the couples could sit and enjoy a view and some conversation till dinner was served. The train made its way to Hondo station, and then headed back to San Antonio. The meal was great and the trip was wonderful.

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Did You Hear About Our Mutual Anniversary Friends Moving Away?

Archie and Ronda Brown shared many anniversary celebrations with Larry and Barbara Searcy over at least two decades. It was not always as easy as the first one when they were neighbors, because The Searcys moved away to the countryside near Gonzalez, Texas, which was several hours drive away from the Browns. But they enjoyed each other and the adventures they embarked on so much that they always worked out a way to meet.

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Did You Hear About My Friend's Discomfort At The Elegant Restaurant?

Everything was going so beautifully on the double date by Larry and Barbara Searcy and Archie and Ronda Brown in celebration of their respective anniversaries. The restaurant was elegant and service was very accommodating. It was so good that Larry had never seen anything like the moment the waiter unfolded Larry’s linen napkin and placed it on Larry’s lap. That was a bit uncomfortable for a farm boy.

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Did You Hear About Our Orders At the Elegant Restaurant?

The elegant restaurant Archie Brown and Larry Searcy had chosen as the place to celebrate their respective wedding anniversaries with their wives had turned out to be a wonderfully satisfying success. Their wives, Ronda and Barbara, were beaming as the waiter recited the menu. Archie and Ronda each chose steak as their entrée, Barbara selected Long Island Duck, while Larry ordered Filet of Sole.

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Did You Hear About Our View of the Swans?

When the Browns and Searcys approached the entrance, the doorman opened the door and welcomed the couples as though they were dignitaries, despite the fact that they had never seen such a place. The maitre d and waiters were all dressed in tuxedos, there was a tree growing in the middle of the large dining room. The couples were seated at a table near a bay window that provided a great view of the lake and the swans.

They were out of their element, but really pleased at the choice they had made in where to celebrate their anniversaries.

Did You Hear About The Peacocks & Black Swans At the Restaurant?

The Browns and the Searcys were feeling pretty smug as the got out of the car at the fancy restaurant. It was the first time either of them had used valet parking. As the walked up the winding path to the entrance, they passed several peacocks that were a part of the ambiance. They saw the azaleas in bloom around a gazebo on the little hill in the middle of the garden. It overlooked a small lake on which a pair of black swans was swimming peacefully. The Browns and Searcys were very impressed, and they had not even inside the restaurant yet!

Did You Hear About The First Time We Celebrated Our Anniversary With Friends?

Archie and Ronda Brown had some friends Larry and Barbara Searcy, whose wedding anniversary was within a week of their own. One year the Larry and Archie decided to take their wives to a very fancy restaurant. Both the couples were from rural backgrounds and loved the same things. The evening went so well that the two couples celebrated their anniversaries together for the next twenty five or more years. They had some fine adventures. And some funny moments too.

Did You Hear About Our Foster Daughter's Move From Defiance to Glee?

Bethany, the Brown’s foster daughter, had been allowed to come to the supper table after overcoming her first act of rebellion in her new home. She ate alone. And the fact is that she probably threw and spilled as much as she put in her mouth. But she did not get in any trouble over the messiness. The only thing that had been demanded was that she say the word “eat” instead of grunting and pointing. For the next few days, she continued her defiant demeanor as she still clinched her teeth and said, “eat” as meal time arrived. By the end of a week, however, she would gleefully run to the table shouting, “eat, eat, eat!”

Did You Hear About Our Foster Daughter's Second Breakthrough?

When Bethany had been sent to her room she continued the screaming for a full forty minutes, while the Brown family ate supper. When supper was over, Archie went in to Bethany’s room, to find her standing in the middle of the room with her hands balled into tight fists. Archie told his little foster daughter, “Bethany, you have met the hardest headed man you will ever meet. You can continue to scream if you want to, but if you want to eat, you must say eat.”

She looked at him, quit screaming and, through firmly clinched teeth, growled, “Eat!, Eat!, Eat! She was escorted to the table and given her supper.

Did You Hear About Our Foster Daughter's First Rebellion?

When Bethany arrived at the Brown’s home as a foster child at eighteen months old, she regressed in her development. She had been speaking, but reverted to grunting and pointing. Archie and Ronda did not place any demands on her for the first few days, perhaps a week.

At that time she was told that she would have to say “eat” if she wanted to eat. She was stubborn and refused. And she began to scream, not cry, just scream. Archie told her to go to her room. She did that, but continued to scream.

For forty minutes!

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Did You Hear About The Time I Bought A New Ball Glove?

Archie and Ronda Brown had been married a couple of years. He was working for a local chemical plant, but he still loved to play baseball. He was the shortstop on a semi-pro team that was made up of local boys who had foregone college for one reason or another, but who could not just hang up their spikes.

Archie decided he needed a new ball glove. So on his way home from the plant one day, he stopped at the sports goods store. He found the perfect glove for him. It was $40, and that was a big portion of Archie's paycheck in 1967. He bought the glove, but guilt hit him almost the moment he left the store. He decided to hide the golve from Ronda.

Bad choice.

At the next game, Archie used his new mitt. As always Ronda was in the stands watching. When the game was over, she wondered where he had gotten the new glove. He had to admit his spending spree, and his attempt to deceive.

He learned a lesson that day about honesty and relationships that served him well for the rest of his days.

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Did You Hear About Our Foster Daughter's First Expressions of Love??

That first break through was the product of Evonne and Shelby’s sincere expressions of acceptance and love to Bethany, and the consistent attention and care of Ronda.

On that day six weeks after Bethany’s arrival, Archie came home at the usual time. When he entered the living room he saw Ronda on the floor singing “Jesus Loves Me” to Bethany. Bethany was not resisting being held and hugged. In fact, she was stroking Ronda’s cheeks with both hands!

It was a sweet moment. It validated all the work that had been done for the first six weeks. And it motivated continued efforts in the days ahead.

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Did You Hear About Our Enjoyment of Christmas Movies?

Archie Brown and his wife, Ronda, love the Christmas season for many reasons. One of them is that some of their favorite movies are Christmas movies. They still love to watch older classic movies like "Miracle on 34th Street" and "It's a Wonderful Life."
They enjoy watching the children's movies like "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer" with thier grandchildren. And they always have a laugh with the more recent classic, "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", with all its slapstick gags. Arch and Ronda have an ongoing debate as to whether egg nog is better when in a Melk Mug. Archie could never make Ronda see that a mug that looked like a cross between a moose and an elk had any impact on the pleasure of eggnog!

Did You Hear About Our Foster Daughter's First Breakthrough??

When Bethany came to the Brown’s home, she did not know how to give or receive affection. But that did not stop her new foster sisters from treating her like a baby doll. She was hugged and kissed and given attention such as she had not had in her first year and a half!

It only took six weeks for the first break through!

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Did You Hear About Our Foster Daughter's Being Neglected As A Baby??

Archie and Ronda Brown received an 18 month old little girl into their home for two months of foster care. The name she was born with had been changed, she was now called Bethany. She had been neglected as a baby, never held or cuddled. She did not know how to receive nor give affection.

That was one of the major obstacles she would have to overcome in life.

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