Joshua has always been my quiet boy...often taking back seat to the constant needs of his older brother that demanded so much time from us when the boys were growing up.
More than once, Joshua would do something that would just stop me in my tracks and make me take a deep breath and just say, "WOW, that's my kid"
A little over 5 years ago, Joshua approached us with his latest adventure - he would be going to Alaska as he had been offered a job commercial fishing.Have you ever seen "Deadliest Catch"? Yeah, that show...My kid did that !!!
As a mother, I was terrified !!! I mean, who in their right mind would do that ??? But, seeing that Joshua was expecting his first child and the promise of good money was looming in the air, I could see where it seemed like a promising proposal. Our parental voices of concern were met with cool vidoes from Joshua's girlfriend's brother, who was working on the same ship where Joshua was destined to work, and well thought-out responses...so we had no choice but to relent and accept that Joshua was an adult and could make his own decisions...
Reluctantly, we went to Sears and bought Joshua the warmest, most expensive sleeping bag we could find and we wished him well as he shipped off...he almost didn't make it to Alaska and it seemed that his trip was doomed from the get-go. Post 9/11 was not a good time to be flying out of the continental USA with a one-way ticket; especially when you are a bit dark complected and are sporting a beard !!! Poor Joshua was detained and interrogated at every opportunity; missing connecting flights and jeopardizing the job...the boat's not going to sit at port and wait for him !!!
Joshua worked several weeks on the Bountiful, a processing ship in the Bearing Sea, before he was sent home with an injury. He came home with stories of nearly being washed overboard, bodies of the less fortunate being stored in the bait freezers, the challenges of living on a ship that tosses you around like rag-dolls 24/7 (utilizing the toilet was quite the experience from what we hear) and that expensive sleeping bag we bought him??? with the nylon outer shell??? Not the best selection - it turned out to be very slippery in the upper bunk. Josh would be dead to the world when a wave would hit the ship...he'd wake up mid-air on his way to the floor when that sleeping bag would slip right out of the bunk !!! He shared videos of Alaska, videos of processing cod (beheading and gutting in 3 seconds, flat) ...pictures and more stories...although exhausting, I think he really enjoyed the adventure.
That kid is tough as nails...and he told us that if he could survive that job, he could do anything !!! And he can !!! It was just a few short months following his return that he joined the United States Army !!!
I'm a proud mom !!! I love you, Josh.
More than once, Joshua would do something that would just stop me in my tracks and make me take a deep breath and just say, "WOW, that's my kid"
A little over 5 years ago, Joshua approached us with his latest adventure - he would be going to Alaska as he had been offered a job commercial fishing.Have you ever seen "Deadliest Catch"? Yeah, that show...My kid did that !!!
As a mother, I was terrified !!! I mean, who in their right mind would do that ??? But, seeing that Joshua was expecting his first child and the promise of good money was looming in the air, I could see where it seemed like a promising proposal. Our parental voices of concern were met with cool vidoes from Joshua's girlfriend's brother, who was working on the same ship where Joshua was destined to work, and well thought-out responses...so we had no choice but to relent and accept that Joshua was an adult and could make his own decisions...
Reluctantly, we went to Sears and bought Joshua the warmest, most expensive sleeping bag we could find and we wished him well as he shipped off...he almost didn't make it to Alaska and it seemed that his trip was doomed from the get-go. Post 9/11 was not a good time to be flying out of the continental USA with a one-way ticket; especially when you are a bit dark complected and are sporting a beard !!! Poor Joshua was detained and interrogated at every opportunity; missing connecting flights and jeopardizing the job...the boat's not going to sit at port and wait for him !!!
Joshua worked several weeks on the Bountiful, a processing ship in the Bearing Sea, before he was sent home with an injury. He came home with stories of nearly being washed overboard, bodies of the less fortunate being stored in the bait freezers, the challenges of living on a ship that tosses you around like rag-dolls 24/7 (utilizing the toilet was quite the experience from what we hear) and that expensive sleeping bag we bought him??? with the nylon outer shell??? Not the best selection - it turned out to be very slippery in the upper bunk. Josh would be dead to the world when a wave would hit the ship...he'd wake up mid-air on his way to the floor when that sleeping bag would slip right out of the bunk !!! He shared videos of Alaska, videos of processing cod (beheading and gutting in 3 seconds, flat) ...pictures and more stories...although exhausting, I think he really enjoyed the adventure.
That kid is tough as nails...and he told us that if he could survive that job, he could do anything !!! And he can !!! It was just a few short months following his return that he joined the United States Army !!!
I'm a proud mom !!! I love you, Josh.
Joshua in the Bearing Sea ...Deadliest Catch ...he worked 23 hours shift in the freezing cold !!!
Joshua in Alaska 2005
Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch
Aboard the Bountiful
Bountiful...Deadliest Catch
Dutch Harbor, Alaska
Dutch Harbor, Alaska
No comments:
Post a Comment