Academic Leave

FUMA rewards cadets who make The Honor Roll (B's) or The Dean's List (A's) for two terms in a row, with a special "Academic Leave weekend". Wil stands in the photo with Dennis Engel, a 17 year old Junior, who came home with Wil for the weekend.


We're very proud of Wil for his achievements and this weekend was about rewarding him for his hard work. The boys had fun shooting their new air rifles, playing video games, eating, sleeping in and hanging out.









Wil got to watch his movies, eat his favorite foods, play his favorite video games, all weekend, all in recognition of the hard work done well, in the middle of FUMA's austere environment.

Please pray for Wil - he's in the middle of Western Civ this term ... and the classes keep getting harder.

Whoosh!

Yep, Whoosh! Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's - Whoosh!

It all went by so fast. Thanksgiving came and went in a blur. Even though it was Wil's first Major Leave home, I blinked and he was back at school. I picked him up on 18 Nov, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Robert was in Calif., Maggie was on a retreat and Charlie was out scouting so, Wil spent the weekend with his friend Joey. Monday and Tuesday was good "get reaquainted time" and then whoosh! Gianna came down from Cornell for a visit starting Wednesday (the girls went to see The Nutcracker at The Kennedy Center that night), Thanksgiving was Thursday, Gingerbread Houses was Friday, Astronomy Night with the Scouts for the boys was Saturday and the girls baked and baked and baked . . . Sunday we had church and then Gianna went back to school and WIL TURNED FIFTEEN!! Monday, Wil went back to school and the next thing you know it's the end of the term and...Wil made the Honor Roll, AGAIN!!! Yea Mr. Wil!

Did I mention that it's Christmas Leave . . . I picked Wil up on16 Dec and it was sooo good to see/hug on Mr. Wil. We had planned to go away for Christmas week so his first week home Wil spent a lot of time doing dinner and visiting with his friends. On 23 Dec, we headed out for Satellite Beach, Florida. It was a great drive down (18 hours) and a fantastic visit with our good friends the Wests. We swam in the ocean, went to the Kennedy Space center, played games and really enjoyed our Christmas Vacation.















On the way home (12 hour detour) we went to Decatur, Ga and met the kids' cousin Abigail Elizabeth Collins or as we like to call her - Abilizzie. On Saturday we spent some great time visiting with Ma in her new home and the Sr. Turners in theirs. On Sunday we stopped by the cemetary to see Papa's grave site and then we headed home.

12 hours later we arrived in Stafford, Va. Just in time for a New Years Eve Party with the neighbors and then sleeping in on 1 Jan. Tues. Robert went back to work and of course Mr. Wil went back to school. The routine always includes a haircut, snack shopping, laundry and then the long drive back to Fork Union. Although, now that I've driven down and up a great part of the Eastern seaboard, what's 4.5 hours round trip? Whoosh.

Bullies

We all know about them. We've all heard of them and some of us have had the mis-fortune of getting our very own personal bully. Well, that would be Wil.

School had been going so well. Good grades, loving football, s...ky food, you know, boarding school stuff. Enter the bully. He started getting in Wil's face about the beginning of October. Telling lies and weaving webs you wouldn't believe. Then he started on Wil's personal space and going in to Wil's room with out permission. Then he was taking stuff (no real proof accept that when confronted, the stuff would magically re-appear) and messing with Wil's mind and then the final blow. He started to get physical. Taunting Wil to "bring it on" pushing him, elbowing him, always when no one was looking. Hoping to get Wil to take the first hard blow, consequently getting himself into trouble.

Wil is so smart and such a good kid. He stayed the course. He didn't give in to the bully and did the right thing, or so he thought. He kept quiet. This allowed the bully to have the upper hand and weave more lies and allow the idea of becoming a snitch (the worst thing in the World) to live ferociously in Wil's mind. Wil needs the crowd. He needs the acceptance of his peers and being a snitch just didn't fit in.

Finally on one fateful Sunday evening, Wil had reached capacity with this kid. He made three calls home, each one increasing in intensity until the third call, which started out "I hate this place, I want to come home". I gave the phone to dad and after great encouragement, Wil went and reported this cadet to the "Commandant on Duty", Maj. Williamson. Maj. Williamson encouraged Wil that it was ok. Wil did one thing right and one thing wrong. He was right in reporting the cadet and wrong in waiting so long. The bully will pay the consequences. Look out demerits and tours, here we come.

There's one kid who called Wil a snitch and Wil just blew him off and told him to "Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about. " and that was it.

Wil feels much better now and is back on track. Life is good. Football is over and Wil is on to wrestling. He's in his next course of study, Earth Sciences, and says his teacher is a hoot.

Wil sees this cadet every day. He's on the wrestling team, but not in Wil's weight class. He lives in the barracks down the hall from Wil and they have the same break times. But, he doesn't get under Wil's skin any more. Once Wil realized that the staff is interested in Wil and helping him succeed, everything fell into place. He wasn't lone man out or the Lone Ranger or just alone. He has a whole school filled with staff that want the best for Wil (and all the cadets).

This is the first time Wil has had to make the tough choices, and we all know it won't be the last. I am thankful for the men at FUMA who dedicate their lives to the Lord and the raising up of fine Godly young men. Even the bullies. Everyone will be given the same opportunities to succeed and do their best. They must simply choose.

Wil has chosen to succeed.

The Honor Roll

Yep, you heard me right. Wil made the Honor Roll. What a delight. Two days after Wil returned to school from Parents Weekend, we received in the mail, Wil's grades and notification of his making the Honor Roll. Now any one who knows Wil has their chin on his/her chest. Any one who knows the heart ache of Wil's academic history has their chin on his/her chest. Any one who knows Wil knows that it's about time.

Well meaning people have said that it was all the good training he had going in to it. Nope. Wil did it. Just like Wil failed and flailed around before, Wil did this. He went to class, He did the work, He studied and He took the tests. He got the good grades. He made the Honor Roll.

We are so proud of Wil.

Parents Weekend Part II

Wil came home Saturday afternoon with Grandmother and Granddaddy. Maggie and Charlie were both away for the day so, Wil went to see friends for the afternoon and then came home for a sumptuous feast with the adults. He spent the night with Joey and was back bright and early for church on Sunday. Maggie and Charlie also got home on Sunday so we spent the day together as a family doing absolutely nothing of importance but doing it together just the same. Robert went back to work on Monday so we spent the morning getting things together for Wil for school, aka laundry, and then we played poker for the afternoon before returning Mr. Wil to FUMA.

It was a quiet weekend. It was very busy at school before bringing Wil home and I think we all just wanted to be together with out the pressure of "making" a memory or "doing something" together. It was nice to just be together and breath the same air and share a couple of meals.

The return to school was a little harder this time though I don't know why for sure. I think I miss watching Wil grow up. He is becoming much more calm and confident. I miss watching the process, but I really enjoy the product.

Parents weekend indeed.

And A Good Time Was Had By All

Thursday Oct 19 brought Grandmother and Granddaddy up from Georgia to enjoy the festivities of Parents Weekend.
On Thursday the kids and I drove to Richmond to join Molly and David and to watch Wil (FUMA) play against Collegiate. We lost in a huge way. We were so far behind, that in the fourth quarter the officials invoked the no compete rule: the clock kept running no matter the penalty and no kicking on the fourth down. We lost 35 -0 .

After the game we went to the Subway with Wil and had a lovely time together. Wil went back to school, Maggie stayed with Molly and David in Richmond, and Charlie and I went home. On Friday Charlie went to Fall Camporee and Robert and I went back to FUMA for the rest of the activities.

Friday afternoon the Prep Team played Collegiate at home. Eddie George was there as well as a host of other NFL players. FUMA played so well. We lost by one point, but it was the most amazing game. The film team from NFL films was there and even they said the refs were making bad calls against FUMA but that just shows how well the team really did. Wil was able to join us after the half and he and Dad had a great time together.
After the game Wil went back to the barracks and the rest of us went to the Parents Association Spaghetti Dinner in the cafeteria. The food was Very Good, the boys choir was wonderful and it was great to see and talk to other parents and hear what was happening with the school.

Saturday morning we went to the Estes Center and met the staff, Wil's teachers and advisers and then we were off to the barracks with Wil to see his room, #45 on the second floor of Charlie Company. Wow. Small but very efficient. Then it got really exciting. We went to the parade field and got to watch the whole school parade in full dress and the band played and the canon went off and the parachuter(?) with the American flag flew over us and well it was all wonderful.

Immediately following the parade we checked Wil out and headed home.

A good time was indeed, had by all.

All Things Won, Lost and Returned

It has been a hard week for Wil.

We haven't seen Wil since he came home on leave but it's Sunday Oct 8 and Aunty Donna is here! Woo Hoo! We drove to the school after church and picked Wil up for a day pass. He and Aunty Donna get along so well. They really enjoy each others company and laughed a lot together. We went to lunch and then walked aound the mall until it was time to take Wil back to school.

Tuesday Oct 10, looked to be a good day. Wil was given the promotion to laundry corporal and we got to go to FUMA to see Wil play football before Aunty Donna goes home Wed. AM. They lost, Wil lost, all in all it ended as a really hard day. FUMA lost their game and Wil lost his watch. It was taken from his football locker and that just topped off an other wise miserable evening. He spoke to his coaches and his TAC officer to let them know his watch was missing and that he just wanted it back - he didn't care who took it. (Stealing is a dismissal offense)

Wednesday, Maggie and Charlie and I took Aunty Donna to the airport, Wil returned the promotion because it interfered with football and low and behold his watch was mysteriously returned in a toilet paper roll in the back of his football locker.

Things were won, lost and returned. Life's lessons in a nutshell, or toilet paper roll . . .