I avoided broadcasts and news when they told the details, especially the live broadcasts from the courtroom. I just can't handle the gruesomeness of the violent rapes and murders of Christopher Newsom and his girlfriend Channon Christian.
During the course of Coleman's trial for her part in the rapes and murders of Channon and Chris, evidence was presented from her diary entry dated 3 days after the murder. It read in part, “I’ve had one HELL OF AN ADVENTURE since I’ve been in the big TN. It’s a crazy world these days! But I love the fun adventures and lessons that I’ve learned. Its going to be a long interesting year! Ha! Ha!”
Here's the comment I added to the petition:
"I have eight living children. I cannot imagine how the victims' parents feel, but paroling this criminal would violate them all over again. Furthermore, rapists and murderers are the worst threats to all children and adults. If you must release someone to make room for this one, release a non-violent offender, please."
I encourage you to sign the petition too: Click here.
We got in bed late last night - around 2 a.m. Jill fell on the stairs and hurt her ankle. She was in severe pain, so we went to the emergency room for some entertainment. You know, hurry up and wait, endless questions, x-rays, shots and a TV remote that barely changed channels. Poor thing sprained her ankle. I love her.
Drake spent the night with us so morning came with the typical Saturday scene of Levi waking Drake and demonstrating his inability to use his inside voice. No sleeping in.
Our school room printer was down, waiting for new print heads which I had ordered. I brought a spare printer from work but some how broke it in transport. Drake kept pushing buttons and spinning motors saying he was fixing the printer. I was tearing it down to see if the problem was simply mechanical last night when Jill fell. It remained in pieces this morning. I reassembled it with no improvement. We headed off to work to get the print heads and return the broke printer.
The kids like going to my business, especially on the weekends when no one is working. They can make all the noise they want without interrupting anything. But more importantly, I open the drink machine and let them each get one. They also got a snack. Levi pointed out his drawing hanging on my office door. Tucker played with the TVBA (Tennessee Veterans Business Association) coin on my desk. It's a cool souvenir that I toss or spin when I'm on the phone.
When we got home I installed the print head which fixed the printer. Then I scanned the nearby computer for malware. That's when the lack of sleep set in. I went to my room and took a nap beside Jill who was resting her foot (and maybe her eye lids too). Mickey and Tilley took charge of the littles.
The lawn mower tire was flat again. I've been threatening for years to replace the tires on our John Deere and today was the day, for one of them. The hardware store sells lawn mower tires but they only had one in the size I needed. Good thing too. Tucker and Riley helped me get the old tire off the rim but we could not get the new one on. I took it to Discount Tire where they finished the job even though they were closed and didn't even charge me. Nice guys.
Riley lost the retaining clip that holds the wheel on the mower. We took the clip off the other wheel so we would know what to get and went back to the hardware store. They were closed already. We had to go to Home Depot. They had the replacement clip for only 61 cents. We had the new tire secured on the mower in no time.
Riley got right on the mower and got started. I was looking out the window to see how the new tire looked when I noticed the mower was scalping the lawn. The mowing deck was set on 1 - the lowest setting.
At bedtime we couldn't find Drake's blankie. He was upset but settled down quickly enough. The next morning, we found it in the laundry.
She didn't have a house phone, and it was the days before cell phones, so I headed to her house.
We were planning to get married by the Justice of the Peace on December 23, 1987. I was scheduled off work at both of my jobs. But, the 22nd was to be a busy pre-wedding day, with a job interview followed by three jobs. I had applied for a management position with Eckerd Drugs, which would be more appropriate for a family man. After the interview, I would go to my job as Santa in the mall, then to my next job as a shoe salesman, and finally don the suit again at 10:00pm for a paid gig at a company Christmas party.
One phone call on the morning of December 22 changed our plans. The big job interview was postponed to the 23rd, at the same time we were planning to go before the JP. The only option, if we were to keep our decision to be wed over the Christmas school break, was to rush to the courthouse right then.
Since she didn't have a phone, I drove to little house which she shared with her cousin. It was the same house we affectionately called "The Love Shack", so you know what I think of every time I hear that song by the B52's.
We quickly rounded up some of our closest friends, including Jennifer Morton (Perkins) and the Bounds family, and caravanned to the Knox County Courthouse where the Justice of the Peace performed a most excellent little ceremony for us, Mr. and Mrs. Brasfield. The Brasfield Nation was born.
I was late for work that day. My boss thought I was telling one when I said I had just gotten married. The ring on my hand helped convince her.
I can't believe that was 25 years ago today. I hope the next 25 years are as great as these.
It's official. I'm a grandpa. Or is it Grandpa, with a capital G? Drake was born today. Actually yesterday since it's after midnight now. A perfect baby boy. And so begins the next generation of Brasfields.
Our four "older" kids were gone to a concert with the church. Jill was at the hospital, waiting for Drake to arrive. So I took the three younger kids out. We went to Shono's in the City for dinner. I had sushi (French Kiss Roll and Ruby Roll). And they had either chicken or shrimp with rice. They all wanted lessons on holding the chop sticks, even though I am not good at it myself. The closest any of them came to tasting the sushi was when Asher held some in his hand. He gave it back to me. The food was delicious. And the kids were good. We had a good time there.
As we were walking back to the parking lot, Jill called to say that Drake had been born. Oh how excited she was! Crying and everything. She immediately started sending pictures to my phone. It was awesome.
The four of us continued with our plans to attend the Knoxville Ice Bears hockey game. During the first period of the game, I was studying all the pictures Jill was posting on Facebook. No idea what happened in the game. I was really excited and overflowing with happiness. We saw and spoke with three different groups or individuals that we knew, a customer, the Williams family, and Jazz and Alisa. I showed them all Drake's picture. Jazz asked how old Drake was. "About half an hour", I said. After the second period ended, we left to go see Drake at the hospital nursery.
When we got there, we passed the nursery first. We didn't know if Drake was there or with Kelli. But there was a baby that I thought looked like Drake. After we found Jill and Daniel, they took us back to the nursery. Sure enough the baby I had seen was ours. He's a perfect little gift from God. I don't think there is anything more precious than a newborn baby - except a newborn grandbaby.
Jill took the kids with her and headed home so I could stay and hold the baby. After the nurse brought him to Kelli's room, I got to hold him. I haven't lost my touch with a baby. He listened to me and watched like he knew what I was saying was very important.
This is one of those milestones that we hope for. Now it's here. I pray that Drake and all the future Brasfield grandkids will grow up with parents and grandparents that show them how awesome the love of God and family are. I pray that we teach them to follow Christ and to love their neighbors.
It was another good day with The Brasfield Nation.
God bless,
Dadofmykids
(Grandadofmykids too? Well I don't know if that came out right.)
