Why Carper

It's no secret that LK and I went round and round about names for baby #3. We feel like we did really well with GEO and ISH and didn't want to mess up the streak with #3.

But then, while talking through family stories with my dad, we came across the life (and the name) of LK's great-great-great grandfather: Arthur Green Carper.

Account of Arthur Green Carper’s Civil War and “Pony Express” Service 

Taken from a letter written to Michael Cummings by Lloyd George Melgard, 17 December 1979

“Your great great grandmother, Francis Elmira Iona Carper, had a brother, Arthur Green Carper, b. 8 December 1851, d. 3 Nov. 1934 in Sayre, Oklahoma, who escaped the stockaded school of Notre Dame where his Mother, Mariah Cline Firestone Carper, had placed him to keep him from joining the Civil War volunteers. He bribed a negro washerwoman to carry him out on her head with the dirty laundry and he worked his way south to join the union forces as a drummer boy and saw much action.

When the Civil War was over he was too scared of his Mother to return home so he joined the Pony Express and on one of his runs he decided to cross the Oklahoma Indian Territory to save time and was captured, stripped, tied to a stake, had slivers of wood stuck in his flesh by the Indian women and set afire.

He showed no fear and such bravery that the Indian chief had the fire doused and had him brought to his tent where he was treated for burns all over his body and he was out of his head for weeks. He became the chief’s slave or personal servant and had to sleep at his feet each night.

After many years,he began to think of his Mother and his family in South Whitley, Indiana, and he planned his escape. One night when all were asleep, he dragged the end of his lariat through the camp fire’s coals and loosening the tether rope for the horses, he got on the chief’s white horse which was the fastest and whirled his flaming lariat over the horses causing them to stampede and then he set out for the territory’s boundary.

It took time for the Indians to take chase and they pursued him shooting him so full of bullets and arrows that he was able later in life to pass knitting needles through his arms and legs without feeling any pain.

The next morning a doctor married to an Indian woman and living on the border came out of his home to find a white horse covered with blood and a man hanging under his belly. He brought him in and worked to save him and he was delirious for months.

Finally he learned that he was from South Whitley, Indiana, so we wrote a newspaper there asking if anyone knew of a man of such a height, weight and facial features and his Mother read and realized that this must be he son so she hired two of the best doctors and set out in a stage coach for the Indian territory but the closer they got, the more frightened the doctors became and they both left her.

She brought him home and it took a long time before he realized he was no longer an Indian with Indian ways. He married and returned to Oklahoma when it was opened and had a farm there”

But the story doesn't end there. LK's great grandfather, in an interview for the Oklahoma Historical Society, tells of a time when Carper and the Indians were reunited.

LK's great grandfather:

... But anyway, after that, they were, my father and my Grandpa Carper were, in Filley, Nebraska, and they was having one of these, what did they call those ... medicine shows, and they had a bunch of Indians were putting it on. And one of the old Indians that uh, was helping to put it on was one of the main guys that helped capture Granddad that time.

And it come out in the paper that this medicine show was comin’ to town and so everybody had horses then to get around in and wagons and my daddy said to my grandpa said,“Carper, let’s go up to Filly Saturday evening they’s gonna put on that medicine show. There’s that old man’s name that you called, uh, you called his name that you knew that help capture you.”

And Granddad, course he was more than willin’ to go and so they took off and went up to the show and when they got up there there was quite a big crowd around there and course these Indians was up on the stage they had built for show that evening; they’s gonna put on an advertising show and they was up there dancing around and getting the crowd all up there. And when my grandpa and my dad walked up pretty close, well, I guess they was out in the crowd about 15 or 20 foot, or 30, and my granddad hollered at him. I believe his name was Rain In The Face.

And he said, “Hello there Rain In the Face.”

And when Granddad, I think, hollered at him again, and he heard him. And he recognized my granddad’s voice and that was, oh…. I guess 15, 20 years after he had been captured.

And he said, “Arthur Carper is that you out there?”

He hollered at him and told him it was.

Said, “You come up here.”

So they went up on the stage and my Granddaddy Carper, that old Indian just grabbed my Granddad Carper and hugged him up and they just took hands and they put on one of the awfullest dances there on that platform and all the hollerin’ that you ever heard. That crowd put it on. He said that was the biggest show that was on that evening all right, but it was a good show.

But anyway, after they’d been to that show and Granddad would tell my Daddy anything about the happenings that happened when he was with the Indians, said he’s sure believe that because that old Indian recognized my granddad fifteen years or longer after they’d had that skirmish.

And so we welcome Carper (CAP) into our family.  May you have both the bravery and the outlook that life is a grand adventure that your namesake had.

 

If It's Any Indication

When I was pregnant with Geo he hardly moved. I mean if he had been anything but the first I would have ordered some sort of at-home fetal monitor to make sure everything was okay. But during March Madness we watched a lot of Syracuse basketball (Carmelo Anthony's final year) and every time Geo would bounce all over the place. Today Geo loves basketball. He would watch it all the time if he could and loves to talk about the games and who did what. As though before he was even born basketball was in his blood.

When I was pregnant with ISH we went and saw Walk The Line.  Whenever the musical numbers were on my belly would bounce in rhythm  to the music.  Since day one ISH has been into music.  He's the child who composes his own songs and mashups during piano practice, turns anything into an instrument, and who, at age 4, pointed out the subtle differences between the real Star Wars song and the one that played when he opened his birthday card.  As though before he was even born music was in his blood.

Last night LK and I were able to get away for a date night before baby boy #3 arrives (who could come at any time!!).  After dinner we went to the movies (something we rarely ever do these days) and watched the new Bond movie, Skyfall.  With every fight scene the baby would lurk and twist across my belly.  As though .... as though ... warning me that perhaps we might be in trouble with this one.


 

The Growing Belly

Are You Rich?

Earlier this month the kids in Geo's class were asked to answer the question "Are You Rich?".  I'm so proud of Geo's response.

Are You Rich, by Geo

 

In case you can't read all of his writing (though it is much much better than he normally does), here's what his answer says:

I am rich by playing the piano, friends, being able to go to school, being able to play basketball, to have a family, To have a house, To have toys, by happiness, To have phones, to have a car, to have electronics, to be loved, to have good meals from mom, to pay for insurance from dad.

So blessed by this boy.

CCC Days 7 and 8

Thursday morning the few, the proud, the brave, joined our resident fitness trainer, Stephanie, on the beach for a 6AM workout out.

Then the majority of the day was spent in classes, Connection Groups, and more time with God in silence and solitude.

But we also made time for some relaxing fun

 

And then on Thursday night it was time to really let our hair down and celebrate the week.  Doesn't Val look lovely in the bows she made from all the gifts that were donated for the missionary women!

 The candy from the states is always a big hit at the end of CCC party.

 

As are the skits that each Connection group puts on.

 

 Friday was our final day with the ladies which meant crunch time for the DVDs we were making of the pictures and the lessons to give to the ladies before they left.  Thankfully the process went so very much smoother than it did last time.

Friday is also a very special time when the team members gather and wash the feet of the missionary women.  It's a time when we show our thankfulness for the service they do for the kingdom and a time when they practice being able to receive a gift of service from someone else (something that does not come easily for women on the field).

 After the footwashing we surrounded the women and prayed over them.  We prayed for the journey home, for their re-entry back into their work, for peace, for guidance, and for them to remember the lessons of God's love that they learned this week.

Before we  knew it, it was time to say goodbye.

I'm so very thankful for the gift of having another year with these beautiful women.  They are amazing warriors for God and full of his love and grace.  I hope to see them all again soon but know that even if I don't we will continue to be connected through this week we have spent together.

 

CCC Day 6

This morning began as Babi sang a beautiful song of blessing to my baby.

And continued with more time of silence and solitude

As well as the women meeting together in Connection Groups to discuss their experiences here.

And because having fun is Godly too, we entertained the women with a flash mob of the Cupid Shuffle during lunch!

And we ended the day in sweet intercessory for one another.

 Being with the women continues to be a wonderful blessing.

 

CCC Day 5

Today we opened the day in praise and worship. What a wonderful experience to sing praises to God with 65+ other women!

And our speaker lead us through the story of Joseph, seeing how God worked in his life so that can  learn how to look back through our own lives - learn to see the fingerprints of the Father in the amazingly good, the unforgettably bad, and the everyday mundane- so that we can trust God as we move forward.

After the lessons, the ladies spent time in Silence and Solitude, to brainstorm through their life and capture five defining moments.

 

They would go on later in the day to share these moments in a short-story format with the women in their Connection Group.

 

During our free time today, a few of us went into town.  It's a big surfer location for many in Brazil.

And we popped into a grocery store to see what we could find.

Getting out of the resort for a bit made it feel a little more real that we are in fact in Brazil!

Many people that drove or walked by looked at my walking mates and me like we had a third eye.  I later told BG (an American who lives in Brazil) about the looks we were getting.  "Well yeah!" she replied. 

"Do we really look that foreign?"

After she finished laughing she let us know we were, for starters, way too pale and way too clothed to be mistaken for local Brazilians.

CCC Days 3 and 4

Sunday we spent time in preparations, rest, and worship together as a team.

 And on Monday morning we took a prayer walk around these beautiful grounds asking God to bless each of the women, praying over their rooms, the meeting center, the connection groups, and more.

And at last!!!! The ladies have arrived!

We enjoyed an afternoon tea with them, getting to catch up with old friends and getting to meet new ones.

And over dinner, connection groups met to begin the process of getting to know each other, and learning how God is working in each other's lives.

We feel so blessed that everyone has arrived safely and we're looking forward to the week of communion and connection with each other and with God.

 

CCC Days 1/2

Last night I boarded a plan bound for Sao Paulo, Brazil with 16 other women, the "team" for this year's Great Cities Missions Continent Care Connection Renewal.

We arrived early this morning with everyone having made it to Dallas in time for the flight, our flight taking off pretty close to on time (a miracle in itself considering we're on American Airlines and a plane was double parked behind us so we couldn't leave straight away), all of multiple pieces of luggage arriving without damage, and with breezing our way through the passport control and customs lines (no one so much as their purse looked at!)

We enjoyed our customary cheese bread (yum!) and coffee while ladies exchanged money,

and met up with our final team member who lives in Brazil.

We've changed hotels this year from what we've had in the past and let me just say that this place is the definition of renewal- what a breath of fresh, beautiful air!

After a bit of lunch, and some downtime around the hotel and on the beach, we began to organize the participants' bags complete with goodies from the states.

 

We're all so ready for them to come Monday!!!