Tuesday, August 22, 2006


collegebound... Posted by Picasa

I'm back!

Much time has passed since I've posted an entry. And with time has come alot of changes. Five days ago our oldest son left for college. I'm taking it kinda hard. I'm the kind of mom that loves taking care of her boys. I love doing for them and I love being needed. Therefore, this change is quite an adjustment for me. After 18 years, it is difficult to let them go and do for themselves. Don't get me wrong. Our boys are very independent and very able-bodied. They will all be fine when the time comes to leave. They are secure with who they are and worldly enough to tackle 'head-on' whatever comes there way. The problem lies with me. I'm simply struggling with the fact that he is no longer within my grasp. I will not know when he is home safely in his bed at night. I won't be there to make sure everything is okay. I won't be able to see him daily, look in his eyes and know that all is right in his world.

I will pray alot. I know that we have done a good job teaching him right from wrong. I know he will try new things and I know it may not be something I would have chosen to do. I know he will learn from any mistakes he may make. I realize he is journeying thru life, the way he is suppose to. With technology the way it is today, I know I am a phone call, email or text message away.

He came home for the night yesterday. Just a quick stop in before classes start tomorrow. I was so happy to see him. I didn't cry when we took him to school but everyday since then has gotten slightly more melancholy. When i got home yesterday and he was sitting in the living room, I smiled. I felt a rush of emotion and a big knot formed in my throat. I motioned for him to follow me to my room. I made him lay on my bed and I held him like a five year old and I cried. I had to let it out. Tough as I am, it was more than I could handle.

I'm better now and I realize he will be fine. Maybe it wasn't right for me to show him how sad I was. But, the way I see it, I've never kept my emotions from him before, why start now. He loves me, I know. He may be 18 and not show it all the time. But, I know he loves me.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Kyle....the TV Star!

The Victoria Advocate - http://thevictoriaadvocate.com/
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Bay City High School senior Kyle Tomek realized the dream of his young lifetime when he was selected to be a guest on the taping of the ESPN2 show "Bass Tech" earlier this month.
On Jan. 16, Kyle and his dad, Gregg, flew to Little Rock, Ark., to appear on the one-hour show, which is similar to "American Chopper" and "Extreme Makeover Home Edition."
In each episode, the host reads from the mailbag a letter of an idea sent in by a viewer for the project of the week. The Bass Rats, a group of bass fishing experts, will then work on the project from start to finish over the course of the episode.
"A 13-year-old boy came up with the ideal of customizing a kayak that would allow you to go into shallow water and stand on it to fish," said Tomek. "The kid couldn't be on the show, so my name was given to the producers of the show after seeing my fishing articles in Gulf Coast Connection Magazine."
Tomek said that he was selected because he was a high school student and aspiring writer and fisherman.
"The TV crew on the show knew that I would be going off to college next year and that I would need a small boat that could easily be transported and doesn't require a lot of storage room so they come up with different ways to customize a kayak," said Tomek.
"The neatest part about being on the TV show was being with the Bass Rats and seeing how they put the show together. While I was there I got to see how they edited the Redfish Cup series and the Bass Master series. I also got to meet Jerry McKinnis, who has the longest-running outdoor fishing show on TV."
Tomek said the Bass Rats helped him customize a kayak with trolling motors, pontoons, fishing pole holders and a GPS (global positioning satellite) depth finder.
Tomek plans to attend Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi when he graduates and plans to use his kayak to fish while working on his journalism degree. His dream is to one day have his own outdoor fishing show.
He said that he should get his customized kayak in about a week. And on Feb. 24-26, the kayak will be showcased at the Bass Masters Classic on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Fla., at the "Bass Tech" booth.
"I will have Chad Bullard and some of my friends over Saturday to view the show, and my dad will be cooking breakfast," said Tomek.
The episode on "Bass Tech" with Tomek will be aired Saturday morning, Jan 28, at 8:30 and 10:30 on ESPN2, Channel 32.
Ross Cunningham is a reporter for the Matagorda County Advocate. Contact him at 979-244-1330 or rcunningham@vicad.com, or comment on this story at http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/