First Day of School 2009

What a day! This is a big day for all of us! Trent is starting his senior year with Canyon High School at the Youth Center. He's real exciting about being a senior and he plans to graduade at Bushland High School in 2010. He's taking Government, Economics, Algebra II and English 4. He will also take Speech and ASL II in second semester. I thank God everyday for Trent's opportunity at the Youth Center to get his Education. Not only in academics, but in life.

It is also the first day for Tiara and Tori to go to Bushland Middle School. Sure, they were both nervous...being a new student at a new school! Change is a hard thing and I pray for Tori and Tiara to adapt to a new environment and make new friends. We drove to Bushland and we were shocked to see how many parents came to the first day pep rally at Bushland Middle school. Tori was impressed with the parental support and said, "I've never seen so many parents in a school!" Having a pep rally for the first day of school is a great way to start the year!

Of course, what about "Coach Tank" being a Falcon? He loves it! He can't wait to coach the Middle school football team. He's been with the varsity coaches and players since the first week of August. He's looking forward being ASL II teacher and create a atomsphere of "deaf world" in his classroom.

~Angie

Trent's 17 TODAY!

Scott here...time flew by...Trent is 17 years old today. I can't imagine my son turned 17 today. It was yesterday when I remembered his birth at Northwest Hospital. I shall never forget the moment when he was born. My mother (NeeNee) was also in the hospital at the same time. Sunday morning at 8:40, my lil man came out in to the world! You know...it was the happiest moment of my life. In the recent months before Trent was born, I've been working with Angie's speech. She's pretty self conscious with her speech and she won't talk in a room full of strangers. But I shall never forget that morning when Trent was born. After struggling all night with contractions and my feeble coaching - "Breath in, Breath out...baby, you can do it. Breath, Breath..."

"Shut up, Scott!!!"

"My bad!"

At 8:40, the little man came out! It was the most beautiful event I've ever witnessed. The nurse cleaned up Trent and handed him over to Angie...they wanted the mother to hold the baby first. Angie held him tightly, and then she held him up where she can see his face and said in a room full of strangers,

"I love you"

Everyone heard it. I saw it. There wasn't one dried eye in the room. Even the doctor had tears running down his face. The interpreter and the nurses were crying.

Just thinking about Trent and how much I love him makes me cry. I shall never forget the moment when Angie, verbally, said, "I love you."

God gave him a name. God told me in different ways to name him Trent. There was a friend who played baseball with me and his name was also Trent. There was a great basketball player who played for me on the AAU team by the name Trent. Finally, there was a man from out of town who came to Caprock on school business and he met Nee Nee. She asked him,

"What is your name?"

"Trent Tankersley"

It's amazing! God spoke to me loud and clearly. I've done some research on the meaning of Trent and it comes from the word torrent which means rapid waters. In several languages, it means, "Rivers of blessings".

Back to my mother being in the hospital. They put Angie on the same floor with my mother. Can you imagine when I wheeled Trent's carriage to NeeNee's room and when she held the baby, visitors walked by...gawking at an old lady having a baby!!! It was a funny sight! Trent would go back and forth to his mother's and grandmother's room. What a man!

Yesterday, Papa, NeeNee, Tiara and I went to see Trent at the Youth Center. This is where he lives until January. He's celebrating his birthday with his comrades at the center with a big cookie that the cooks made for him. Angie and I got him American Eagle shorts and Trent loved it. Tori and Tiara had send him a card in the mail. Trent said that he's ready to get out and go home. He has to work his way out by going through 4 phases of the SAIT program. I told him that we'll have a birthday party for him when he gets out and he was exciting about it. Even though, he's in rehab, he still brings blessings to all of us. God has a wonderful plan for him and He is using the rehab to shape him for His plans. Trent knows that. He said, "Dad, when I'm in prison, I am free. When I was out there in the free world, I was in prison in my own mind." Yes, son, in Jesus Christ - you are indeed free.

Watch each picture carefully, you'll see the 'river of blessings' coming toward you.

Happy Birthday to Trent!

Scott Tankersley

Hear Ice Cream Truck's Music

While I seeking pictures of Trent for the blog's slide show on his birthday...I'm doing Trent's slide show for Scott so he can post it exactly on August 9th which is Trent's Birthday (Scott doesn't know how to create a slide show, so I'm working on it before I leave for camp. I will be at L.I.F.E. Deaf Youth camp on Aug. 6th to 12th) Sadly, Tori and I not be able to celebrate his birthday this year! But he told us that the caferita staff are making a BIG cookie for his birthday! I am glad they are celebrating there! Scott, Neenee and Papa will see Trent and they have his AE shorts for his birtday.

While I was looking Trent's baby pictures, my heart melted. I have SOOOO many pictures of all 3 kids and it's hard to decide which ones to post. All of them are VERY cute! PRECIOUS MOMENTS!! There was a picture that I will never forget...Trent was 5 years old and he heard the ice cream truck coming down several blocks and he asked, "Can I get ice cream?"

I answered, "Sure, Yes you may. Please go and sit by window to watch when the truck is coming let me know, So I can walk down with you to get ice cream, OK?"
He said, "ok!" He went sit on floor and watch through window, waiting for the ice cream truck. Meanwhile, I was in kitchen, cooking. I realized that Trent hasn't come to me and it was a long while! I thought that I'd better go and check on Trent, wondering why he didn't come. I walked to living room. Ooohhh my heart melted... He fell asleep and missed the ice cream truck. So I took picture of him. When he woke up and said, "The ice cream truck never come by." And I explained what happened and how he fell asleep. Trent,I"m going to take you to Braum's after dinner." He said,"That's ok." I felt so bad for him that he was looking forward the ice cream truck then he fell asleep! He is SO cute and this is one my favoriate picture! Here is a picture.....

~Angie